First Baptist Church Litchfield
LCS CONVOCATION 2025

      • Proverbs 22:6ESV

      • Proverbs 3:5–6ESV

      • Isaiah 30:20–21ESV

  • Sovereign One
  • Walk in His Ways (Psalm 128:1)

      • 1 Peter 5:6ESV

      • 1 Timothy 4:12ESV

      • 2 Timothy 3:16ESV

  • Grace (La-De-Da) (Ephesians 2:8)
  • Be Thou My Vision

  • “Do unto others before they do unto you.”

    We live in a culture of self-promotion and self-preservation. From social media to the sports field, the question that often rules our hearts is, “What’s in it for me?” Students feel it in the classroom when group projects turn into “carry the load yourself.” Parents feel it in the workplace when colleagues protect themselves at others’ expense. Left to ourselves, our natural drift is selfishness, not self-giving love.
    Our hearts bend inward. Instead of practicing the Golden Rule, “do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” we tend to rewrite it: “Do unto others before they do unto you.”
    But Jesus, the true and faithful disciple, lived the Golden Rule perfectly on our behalf. On the cross, He treated us not as our sins deserved but as He desired for us to be treated—with mercy, forgiveness, and sacrificial love. Because Christ first loved us, we are now free to love others in the same way.

    Faithful Disciples Practice Golden Love (Matthew 7:12)

    When Jesus says in Matthew 7:12, “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets,” He begins with the little word “therefore.” That word is not a throwaway—it means, “In light of everything I’ve just said, here’s the conclusion.” From Matthew 5:17 forward, Jesus has been showing His disciples the true intent of God’s Word. And now He gathers it all up into one shining command: the Golden Rule.
    But notice—this is not simply about etiquette or being polite. This is about the heart of the Law and the Prophets, which can be summed up in one phrase: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” In other words, to walk in the Golden Rule is to live in the Golden Love.
    So let me ask you—how do you want to be loved? That’s the question Jesus presses into your heart. When you pray, how do you want the Father to answer? When you fall short, how do you want others to judge you? When someone has set themselves against you, how do you want them to respond? When you’ve wounded someone you care about, do you want them to retaliate, or do you long for mercy? When people make promises to you, do you not want them to keep those promises faithfully?
    Jesus says: however you answer those questions—that’s how you are to treat others. And if you belong to His kingdom, your answers should sound like His answers. Love others as you want to be loved.
    That means when you are angry, love enough to seek peace and reconciliation. Husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, friends—let loyalty and fidelity mark your relationships. Be so truthful in your words that you don’t need to prop them up with oaths. And if you do make a promise, keep it, no matter the cost.
    When those closest to you wound you—do not return evil for evil. Show them the love of your Father, the forgiveness of Christ. Refuse to give hate even the smallest corner of your heart. When people hate you because of Jesus, see your own brokenness in their eyes and remember how God rescued you by grace out of the darkness.
    Be generous to those in need. Pray continually, trusting that your Father intends good for you. Don’t be consumed with worry about your life—God will care for you. Hold your possessions loosely, because they were never meant to hold you tightly. Let God be the Judge; your task is to make much of Jesus and joyfully advance His kingdom.
    This, dear friends, is what it looks like to love your neighbor as yourself. This is how you fulfill the law and the prophets—not in your strength, but in Christ who loved you first and gave Himself for you.
    At Litchfield Christian School, we are committed to cultivating this “golden love.” It shows in the classroom when students choose encouragement over gossip. It shows in families when parents model forgiveness rather than bitterness. It shows in our school culture when courage and compassion meet—courage to confront sin, compassion to restore the sinner.
    Here’s an illustration that would fit naturally into the flow of that sermon section in Dr. Plumer’s tone:
    When I was a boy, my grandmother had quilts she had made for familiy. Quilts are a neat metaphor for family, even school families like ours at LCS.
    Some quilts are made from cloth that a family member provides—a patch of an old shirt, part of a dress, even a scrap from one your grandfather’s work overalls. Individually, the pieces didn’t seem like much. Some are worn thin, some are faded, some are a bit rough. But when you sewed them together, it becomes this beautiful, warm quilt that covered us on cold nights.
    That quilt reminds me of the Golden Rule. On its own, one act of kindness might not seem like much—one prayer for a friend, one promise kept, one word of encouragement when someone’s down. But when you stitch those acts together over a lifetime, it becomes something beautiful. It becomes a covering of love that warms families, strengthens friendships, and displays Christ’s compassion to a cold, self-centered world. It’s a quilt that every child at LCS’s should make and have one of their own.
    And here’s the point: Jesus is the One who first covered us in His love. We were the faded, worn-out scraps, but He stitched us into His story of grace. Now He calls us to pick up the needle of the Golden Rule and sew love into the lives of others.
    But Jesus doesn’t just leave us with a general rule. He gives us a picture: there are only two paths, two ways to live. And only one leads to life.

    Faithful Disciples Choose the Narrow Path (Matthew 7:13–14)

    Jesus paints a vivid picture for us in Matthew 7:13–14. He describes a traveler standing before two gates. One is wide and welcoming, the other narrow and difficult. Each leads down a road that ends in a very different destination. The wide road is crowded, noisy, and easy to enter, but it ends in destruction. The narrow road is tight, compressed—like squeezing between two steep cliffs—but it leads to life.
    Luke’s Gospel says we must “strive to enter through the narrow gate” (Luke 13:24). That word “strive” tells us this isn’t casual or easy. Jesus is showing us that following Him will involve difficulty, affliction, and sacrifice. The narrow road is not for the half-hearted; it’s for disciples who have counted the cost.
    Why is the narrow path so hard? Because being a disciple of Jesus always means three things.

    The Narrow Path Means Denying Yourself

    Jesus does not soften His words: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Matthew 16:24). To deny yourself is to say, “My dream of living for me must die.”
    Peter says it this way: “Whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live … no longer for human passions but for the will of God” (1 Peter 4:1–2). Paul echoes this: “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” (Galatians 2:20).
    The world tells you that life is found in self-expression, self-exaltation, and self-fulfillment. Jesus says true life is found in self-denial—living not for yourself, but for Him who died and was raised. That is what makes the narrow road hard.

    The Narrow Path Means Surrendering All to Jesus

    Jesus says in Luke 14:33, “Any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.” That means every comfort, every plan, every security must be laid down at His feet.
    One man told Jesus, “I will follow you wherever you go,” and Jesus answered, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head” (Matthew 8:20). Another said, “I will follow you, but let me first say farewell to my family.” Jesus replied, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:61–62).
    Discipleship means Jesus must be the first priority over home, family, career, or even life itself. All of it belongs to Him. That kind of loyalty will not be understood by the world, and sometimes not even by your closest family. That makes the road narrow and hard.

    The Narrow Path Means Accepting Persecution

    Paul and Barnabas told the early church, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). Jesus Himself warned, “If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you” (John 15:20). Paul told Timothy, “All who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12).
    Following Jesus in a world that hated Him will bring opposition. Sometimes it will be ridicule in a classroom, sometimes rejection by friends, sometimes real hostility. But Jesus said, “Whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 10:39).
    The narrow path is costly. It calls you to deny yourself, surrender all, and endure opposition. But it is also the only path that leads to eternal life. The broad road glitters with bright lights and empty promises, but it ends in destruction. John warns, “Do not love the world or the things in the world … for the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:15–17).
    So, beloved, choose the narrow path. It may be steep, but Jesus walks it with you. It may be lonely, but it ends in life. And it is worth everything, because at the end of that road is Christ Himself.
    Imagine you’re at a park, and there are two trails. One trail is wide, smooth, and easy—you don’t even break a sweat. But guess what? That trail only takes you right back to the parking lot. You don’t see anything new.
    The other trail is narrow and steep. It makes your legs tired, and you might even trip on some rocks. But if you stick with it, that trail takes you to the top of a big hill where you can see the river and the whole town spread out in front of you. The hard trail is the one that gives you the beautiful view.
    That’s what Jesus says about following Him. The easy way looks fun, but it doesn’t go anywhere good. The hard way may feel tough now, but it ends with the best reward—life with Jesus forever.
    At LCS, our mission is to help students and families walk the narrow way by training them in faith, reason, wisdom, and truth. This narrow way is not just about academics; it is about discipleship. It requires maturity, accountability, and excellence. The broad path will always look easier—cheating instead of studying, pleasing peers instead of honoring Christ, chasing wealth instead of seeking the kingdom. But Jesus says only the narrow path leads to life.
    Transition: So, how do we walk this narrow path of golden love? By pressing on as faithful disciples.

    Faithful Disciples Press On in Christ (Philippians 3:12–14; cf. Matthew 7:24–27)

    Jesus later closes His sermon with a picture: two builders. One builds on the sand; the other on the rock. The difference? One merely hears His words; the other does them. Practicing Golden Love means pressing on in obedience.
    William Wilberforce spent decades fighting to abolish slavery in England. Though mocked, ridiculed, and opposed, he pressed on. Why? Because he believed the Golden Rule—that no human should be treated in a way he would not want for himself. His perseverance eventually changed the course of history.
    Students, pressing on may mean resisting peer pressure to compromise. Parents, pressing on may mean raising your children in discipline and truth when the world tells you to let them drift. Our school’s values—work ethic, responsibility, accountability, courage, compassion, excellence—are not just slogans; they are marks of pressing on in discipleship.
    Transition to Conclusion: And this brings us back full circle to the Golden Rule, the Golden Love that Jesus embodies.

    The Call to Action

    In our fallen condition, we are bent inward, seeking self. But in Christ, we are freed to bend outward, to love others as we long to be loved. The Golden Rule is not simply moral advice; it is a gospel-shaped command that reflects the heart of our Savior.
    So, LCS family—students and parents alike—choose the narrow way. Build your house on the rock of Christ. Practice golden love in the classroom, in your homes, and in this community.
    Imagine what God will do if every student here loves their classmates as they want to be loved. Imagine families marked by forgiveness instead of bitterness, courage instead of fear, excellence instead of apathy. Imagine a school where every interaction reflects Christ’s compassion and truth.
    That is our mission: to strengthen families and empower students to learn, lead, and serve in the church, community, and home. And the path is clear: enter the narrow gate, walk in golden love, and press on together until we see Christ face to face. Amen

      • Matthew 7:13–14ESV

      • Philippians 3:12–14ESV

      • Matthew 7:24–27ESV

      • Psalm 1ESV

  • Empowered by the Spirit, Guided by the Word
First Baptist Church Litchfield
pastorjason.fbcl@gmail.com
217-324-4232
http://www.firstbaptistlitchfield.org/
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