The Golden Rule Facts for 3-8 Year Olds

Categories: Sermon on the Mount

• Jesus has been encouraging his disciples to trust in the love of the Father, God.
• Then he gives them the Golden Rule.
• He says, “So therefore, in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you.”
• Many cultures have similar sayings.
• Confucius says, “What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.”
• Leviticus 19:18 states, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
• Legend has it that a non-Jew approached Rabbi Hillel and demanded to be taught the whole of the Torah (the Jewish Scripture of Law) while he stood on one leg.
• The rabbi said, “Whatever is hateful to you, do not do to anyone else. This is the whole of Torah.” He added, “The rest is commentary. Go learn.” Commentary is a lot of explanation.
• Many scholars have pointed out that Jesus’ Golden Rule is positive, saying what to do, while the others are negative.
• The negative form only tells us not to do bad things to someone else. So you would be “good” by not doing anything.
• The positive form requires more. It tells us to do good, to go out of our way to be helpful.
• Do unto others what “you” would have them do unto to you.
• You can think of that “you” with an exclamation mark at the end of it—You!
• Discipleship takes work. Everything that is given by God is to be done for others.
• Because God loves us, we need to go out and love others.
• People know how they want to be treated, so that tells them how to treat others.
• So, we answer the question, “How do I want to be treated?”
• The Golden Rule requires service to others.
• This can only be done because the disciple loves God above all else.
• Jesus says that “this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”
• The “Law and the Prophets” means Scripture.
• He could be saying that this Sermon sums up the law and the prophets. Wow!
• Or, he may be saying that this one sentence is all you need to know to be good.
• If you can do the Golden Rule, everything falls into place.
• Disciples will know what to do; disciples will trust in God’s love.
• This sermon shows us how exactly to live life.