Larry Wessels, director of Christian Answers of Austin, Texas/ Christian Debater (YouTube channel: CANSWERSTV at https://www.youtube.com/user/CAnswersTV, websites: http://www.BIBLEQUERY.ORG, http://www.HISTORYCART.COM & http://www.MUSLIMHOPE.COM) presents Pastor Jackson Boyett of Dayspring Fellowship in Austin, Texas (5500 Avenue G, Austin, TX 78751, website http://www.DSF.org) for this sermon topic. Pastor Boyett earned a B.A. degree from the University of Texas at Austin in English & in 1973 had a "call to ministry" from the Lord, thus enrolling in the Austin Presbyterian Seminary where he earned a Master of Divinity degree by 1976. By 1977 he was licensed & ordained by the Assemblies of God. Between 1976 & 1978 he worked in the Teen Challenge organization (a ministry to help young people) & became director of Austin Teen Challenge. He also worked at the local Christian radio station in Austin as a DJ & a talk show host on a program called "Inner View." By the end of 1978 however he left Teen Challenge & the Assemblies of God over doctrinal differences over the baptism in the Holy Spirit and the "initial physical evidence" of speaking in tongues while continuing to work at the radio station into the 1980s. Since then he has pastored his own independent Baptist church (following the first "London Confession of Faith, 1646 Edition"). Pastor Boyett has also been very active in the Pro-Life movement & has recited & performed the entire Gospel of Mark from memory before audiences in various churches & public speaking arenas. Jackson's rendition of Jonathan Edwards' famous sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" has over 16,000 views on YouTube called, "ALL-TIME FAMOUS SERMONS: "SINNERS IN THE HANDS OF AN ANGRY GOD" BY JONATHAN EDWARDS (CIRCA 1741)" at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L48iGIr-AVo. To see other sermons & messages by Jackson Boyett type in "Jackson Boyett CAnswersTV" in the YouTube search box. To access all of Pastor Jackson's sermons go to http://www.sermonaudio.com/search.asp?speakeronly=true&currsection=sermonsspeaker&keyword=Jackson_Boyett with 1059 sermons. Larry Wessels has been a member of Pastor Boyett's Dayspring Fellowship since 1981. Pastor Boyett went home to be with the Lord in 2011 (for details see "A FINAL TRIBUTE TO PASTOR JACKSON BOYETT #5: MEMORIAL SERVICE TO JACKSON & BARBARA" at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTTfezWIeD8). Pastor Greg Van Court is now the teaching elder of Dayspring Fellowship; his sermons can be found at http://www.sermonaudio.com/search.asp?speakeronly=true&currsection=sermonsspeaker&keyword=Greg_Van_Court).

Question: "What does it mean to love your neighbor as you love yourself?" Answer: An expert in the law tried to test the Lord Jesus by asking Him to declare what was the greatest commandment in the Law of Moses. In one masterful statement, Jesus condensed the entire law that God had given Moses: “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 22:37–40).

When we read the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20, we are struck with the realization that they focus on these two issues. Certainly we are to love God supremely. But what does it mean to love our neighbor as ourselves?

Jesus is quoting here from Leviticus 19. Let’s look at its context:

“When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field, nor shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. And you shall not glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather every grape of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger: I am the LORD your God. You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another. And you shall not swear by My name falsely, nor shall you profane the name of your God: I am the LORD. You shall not cheat your neighbor, nor rob him. The wages of him who is hired shall not remain with you all night until morning. You shall not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind, but shall fear your God: I am the LORD. You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor. You shall not go about as a talebearer among your people; nor shall you take a stand against the life of your neighbor: I am the LORD. You shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall surely rebuke your neighbor, and not bear sin because of him. You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD” (Leviticus 19:9–18). James calls this the “royal law” (James 2:8). Our Lord taught that we should do to others as we would have them do to us (Matthew 7:12).