The Teachings of Jesus Christ

Dear Brethren,

Hundreds of millions of people claim to be Christians.  Who, among them, knows what Jesus taught?  What about us - the ones who think we know the doctrines of Christ?  Are all of us in the various Churches of God, Christians?  What makes a person a Christian?  For instance, America is considered by many to be a "Christian nation."  We know that saying, "I am a Christian," does not make a person a follower of Christ.  "As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God."  (Romans 8:14)  How well do we know the principles Jesus taught?

Now that the Spring Holy Days are behind us, there could be a tendency to let down a bit.  Let's be careful not to be lulled into a false sense of complacency.  Let us not be as those who sleep.  None of us would dare claim that we have nothing left to learn - would we?  God has given us this time that remains until His coming, to become more like Jesus.  There is always a risk of falling into the trap of thinking that we have a good bit of time remaining.  In the Scriptures, we are warned not to fall into the trap of saying to ourselves, "My Lord delays His coming" - which would cause us to be unprepared at His return.

"But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My Lord delayeth his coming;  And shall begin to smite his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;  The Lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for Him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."  (Matthew 24:48-51)

Most of us would say that we know what Jesus taught?  How many of the teachings of Jesus could we write down if we had to?  All too many of us have accepted a substitute "Christianity."  There is another requirement in the above verse that has been overlooked by too many in God's Church.  Not only are we to be "looking for Him," we are taught to have a right relationship with our "fellow servants."  Prophecy, was not put in the Bible so that whoever can figure it out first will get the jump on everybody else.  Our faith is not one of solving mysteries or the breaking of secret codes.  The kingdom of God does not come observation, nor with calculations.  Did Jesus teach that it is all important to pronounce His name in the ancient Hebrew dialect?  What did Jesus teach?

Spiritually, brethren, we are not prepared for the return of Christ.  We mistakenly seek recognition.  We look for miracles.  We respect persons.  We have all too many substitutes for "Christianity."  A Christian is not one who knows about the place of safety.  A Christian is not one who tithes and goes to Church on Saturday - some Jewish and Protestant folks do that.

A Christian is one who knows what Jesus taught and lives it to the full.  Jesus tells us how to be Christians and end up in the Kingdom of God.   Jesus says, "Feed Me."  "Make sure I have a place to sleep."  "Provide clothes for Me."  "Look out for Me when I'm sick or in jail" - and many, many more values and morals.  "There are also many other things which Jesus [taught] did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written."  (John 21:25)

"Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was hungry, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.  Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?  When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?  Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?   (Matthew 25:34-39)

It sounds all too simple.  None of us would turn Jesus away if we saw Him in need.  In fact, we would stand in long lines just to talk to Him - we'd drive for hours to be with Him.  "And the King shall answer and say unto them, truly I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto Me."  (Matthew 25:40)

Here, Jesus teaches us a definition of Christianity.  Jesus taught that to be a Christian - we are to be serving our "fellow servants," the brethren.  We need to put into practice what Jesus taught about how to love the Brethren.  We can make phone calls and send cards.  We can visit in each other's homes.  We can let our lights shine by our personal examples.  We should be working on being more patient, less selfish, more dependable - the list is endless.  We must be finding new and better ways to be living sacrifices.

Notice Brethren - these are not optional.  These and other ways of aiding others are absolutely required of Christians.  Jesus Christ tells us of the dire consequences if we neglect to love our fellow man.  Then shall he answer them, saying, truly I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to Me.  And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal."  (Matthew 25:45-46)

Brethren, let's not let down - rather let's make it our personal crusade to learn what Jesus taught - and put it into practice.   Time is too short - let's urge each other onward.  When Jesus says to each of us, "Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?" - we do not want our answer to be, "I accepted a substitute 'Christianity', because I did not know what you taught!"

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Sermon:	"The Teachings of Jesus Christ Part 1"
Sermon:	"The Teachings of Jesus Christ Part 2"
Sermon:	"The Teachings of Jesus Christ Part 3"