"LOVE THY NEIGHBOR AS THY SELF"

Pastor Johnson’s message came from Genesis 4:9-12, Isaiah 589:6-11, Matthew 26:31-46, and James 2:5-15. The subject was “Love Thy Neighbor As Thy Self” with the following subtopics:

“SHOWING CONCERN”

But afterwards the Lord asked Cain, “Where is your brother? Where is Abel?” How Should I know?” Cain retorted. “Am I supposed to keep track of him wherever he goes?”

“HOW GOD WANTS US TO TREAT EACH OTHER”

Is this I want this doing of penance and bowing like reeds in the wind, putting on sackcloth and covering yourselves with ashes? Is this what you call fasting? No, the fast I want is that you stop oppressing those who work for you and treat them fairly and give them what they earn. I want you to share your food with the hungry and bring right into your own homes those who are helpless, poor, and destitute. Clothe those who are cold, and don’t hide from relatives who need your help. If you do these things, God will shed his own glorious light upon you. He will heal you; your godliness will lead you forward, goodness will be a shield before you, and the glory of the Lord will protect you from behind. Then when you call m, the Lord will answer. Yes, I am here, he will quickly reply. All you need to do is to stop oppressing the weak and stop making false accusations and spreading vicious rumors! Feed the hungry! Help those in trouble! Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you shall be as bright as day. And the Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy you with all good things, and keep you healthy too; and you will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring.

 “WILL YOU BE A SHEEP OR A GOAT”

But when I, the Messiah, shall come in my glory and all the ange1s with me, then I shall sit upon my throne of glory. And all the nations shall be gathered before me. And I will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and place the sheep at my right hand and the goats at my left. Then I, the King, shall say to those at my right, Come, blessed of my Father, into the Kingdom prepared for you from the founding of the world. For I was hungry and you fed me; I was thirsty and you gave me water; I was a stranger and you invited me into your homes; naked and you clothed me; sick and in prison, and you visited me. Then these righteous ones will reply, Sir, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you anything to drink? Or a stranger, and help you? Or naked, and clothe you? When did we ever see you sick or in prison, and visit you? And I, the King, will tell them, When you did it to these my brothers, you were doing it to me! Then I will turn to those on my left and say, Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons. For I was  hungry and you wouldn’t feed me, thirsty, and you wouldn’t give me anything to drink; a stranger, and you refused me hospitality; naked, and you wouldn’t clothe me; sick, and in prison, and you didn’t visit me. Then  they will reply, Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty And I will answer, When you refused to help the least of these my brothers, you were refusing help to me. And they shall go away into eternal punishment; but the righteous into everlasting life.

“GOOD WORKS”

Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters; has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, You shall love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the Law as offenders. Speak and act as people who are going to be judged by the law of liberty. For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; but mercy triumphs over judgment. What is the benefit, my fellow believers, if someone claims to have faith but has no works? Can that faith save him? No a mere claim of faith is not sufficient- genuine faith produces good works.

Read the scriptures and be blessed!