Laying a Firm Foundation - Authenticity [38 mb]

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This is a sermon based on Matthew 6:1-18, and is part IX in a series of messages on the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7.

Written Excerpts:

Introduction:

The famous Robert Redford was walking one day through a hotel lobby. A woman saw him and followed him to the elevator. “Are you the real Robert Redford?” she asked him with great excitement. As the doors of the elevator closed, he replied, “Only when I am alone!” (A Treasury of Bible Illustrations)

When you are building a foundation for your life and are seeking to make it solid enough to weather all the storms you will be facing in life, one ingredient that is extremely vital is authenticity. All pretense and “play acting” that we may do to gain the approval of others will ultimately lead us down a path of hypocrisy and away from the smile and approval of God.

In the brief illustration I shared just a moment ago, the actor essentially acknowledged that his life and career is one that only allows him to be “real” or genuinely himself when he is alone. Whenever he is with other people or out in the eye of the public he feels it is necessary to portray a different picture or image.

Authenticity in one’s life is the quality of character that enables one to be the same alone or in public; in good times and bad; in wealth or in poverty; or in any number of other situations. As I read and studied the scripture lesson for today, I was impressed that the real underlying issue Jesus addresses here is personal character and genuine authenticity in our everyday lives.

Transition: Today’s scripture lesson essentially shows us that it is possible to perform a spiritual activity or duty with a worldly motivation.

Proposition: I would like to speak to you today about three spiritual disciplines and the principles we will need to practice in order to be spiritually authentic in our attitudes and motivations.

I.          Three Spiritual Disciplines

There are plenty of spiritual disciplines that are mentioned in the Bible that facilitate spiritual life and vitality. Three of them are mentioned by Jesus here as He emphasizes true piety and authentic devotion to God. It is assumed that true disciples will engage in all three of these disciplines. “When you do alms…;” “When you pray…;” “When you fast…”

A. Charitable Deeds (Alms giving)

In this passage, the word for almsgiving is the same word that is also translated as righteousness.

Various writers (e.g. Barclay, Clarke) attest to the Jewish idea that righteousness and giving of alms were synonymous. In the Jewish mind, the giving of alms did provide merit for salvation.

Charitable giving is one of the ways that we serve God, by helping provide the basic needs of people around us.

Ps. 112:9 describes the man who fears the Lord (v.1) in these words, “He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endures for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honor.”

Prov. 3:27 “Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do it.”

James 1:27 “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.”

Almsgiving helps us and the recipient. It helps us remember that our blessings have come from Almighty God and we are stewards of what He has provided. It shows the recipient the grace and compassion of God through the kindness of His children. It is a small demonstration of the kind of giving that Christ has done for us.

See 2 Cor. 8:9 “… though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.”

B. Prayer

(A. Clarke) Defines the word for prayer as follows: “prayer, is compounded of προς with, and ευχη a vow, because to pray right, a man binds himself to God, as by a vow, to live to his glory, if he will grant him his grace…. A proper idea of prayer is, a pouring out of the soul unto God, as a free-will offering, solemnly and eternally dedicated to him, accompanied with the most earnest desire that it may know, love, and serve him alone. He that comes thus to God will ever be heard and blessed. Prayer is the language of dependence; he who prays not, is endeavoring to live independently of God….”

The discipline of prayer accomplishes several things.

It is communion and communication with God. It is a means of talking to God and expressing our feelings, our hurts and our joys. It is not used to inform God about our lives, because he already knows everything about us. Rather, it give us the opportunity to become intimate with him as we open up our inner thoughts and feelings and acknowledge that he knows them already.

Prayer is an invitation by God for us to participate in spiritual warfare. We “wrestle not against flesh and blood…” “…the weapons of our warfare are not carnal (fleshly), but are spiritual…” Prayer is an opportunity to engage the spiritual forces of evil and petition Almighty God for the advancement of heavenly forces against demonic activity.

Prayer is recognition of our dependence upon God and seeking his favor and blessing for every area of life. See THE LORD’S PRAYER.

I already did a verse by verse study of The Lord’s Prayer in our Wednesday night Bible studies some time ago, so we will not take the time to go through it again here.

C. Fasting

The word for fast literally means not eat. (Clarke)

(Matthew Henry) “It is an act of self-denial, and mortification of the flesh, a holy revenge upon ourselves, and humiliation under the hand of God…. It is a means to curb the flesh and the desires of it, and to make us more lively in religious exercises…”

Fasting is presumed to be a part of every pious believer’s practice. Anna, the prophetess in the time of Jesus’ birth; Cornelius the devout centurion in Acts; and the early believers during the beginning years of the church in Acts all practiced the discipline of fasting along with prayer.

Fasting was often practiced as a way to emphasize the intensity of emotion that was felt by the one fasting. It apparently was viewed by various individuals as a means to verify the sobriety, humility and earnestness of the person praying. It is not a method for obligating God to do what we ask Him to do.

II.        Principles for Authentic Piety

As we read down through these verses we find several principles that Jesus has provided for helping us maintain genuine or authentic piety as we practice these disciplines. Some of the principles are presented negatively as practices we should avoid. Others are presented positively as practices we should follow or promote.

A. Avoid hypocrisy

See verses 2, 5, 16

The word that Jesus uses in this text for hypocrites is the same word that means actor. The idea expressed is that some people give, pray and fast as an act that is put on to impress an audience. In other words, the act was not done as a genuine expression of love to God or compassion to others, but for the promotion of self.

So Jesus is telling his disciples, those who truly wish to follow his pattern for living, to do any and all spiritual disciplines out of sincere devotion to God rather than out of a desire for the promotion of self.

B. Avoid seeking public recognition

Also verses 2, 5, 16

In close connection with the first prohibition, Jesus adds that they should not do their deeds in order to be “seen of men.” This is what made men out to be hypocrites. They did not seek the approval of God, but the approval of men. Their motives were not sincere and genuine, but they were ulterior for selfish reasons.

Seeking public opinion and approval of one’s spiritual deeds has its immediate reward – the approval of men. (See vv. 2, 5, 16 “they have their reward.”) However, this reward is fleeting and temporary.

C. Avoid copying the practices of unbelievers (heathen)

v. 7 - In the specific context of prayer, avoid needless repetitions like the heathen practice.

(Barclay) “The eastern peoples had a habit of hypnotizing themselves by the endless repetition of one phrase or even of one word.... Jewish prayers also used repetition in prayer by the piling up of every possible title and adjective in the address of God in their prayers.”

The practices forbidden by Jesus here seems to emphasize the satisfaction of self by some emotional frenzy worked up by endless repetitions or the repetitions of superlative words that were meant to impress themselves and any others who might be listening.

The idea some had was this: the more words I use, the more God will hear and respond.

D. Perform spiritual disciplines secretly

See verses 3, 4, 6, 18

In charitable giving, praying or fasting, Jesus exhorts us to do it all in a private and personal way that does not draw attention to self, but glorifies our Father in heaven.

I don’t believe that Jesus means to imply that there is never an appropriate time for public displays of piety or good works, because he did so himself. He simply emphasizes this principle here to contrast against the practice of seeking self-glory.

The point is that we should do what we do in order to glorify and please our heavenly Father without thinking of ourselves. When we do that, then our Father who knows the secret motives and intentions of our heart will reward us in the appropriate way and the appropriate time. His rewards will be far more satisfying and eternal than the rewards of man’s approval.

E. Perform spiritual disciplines in faith

v. 8 – “Your Father knows what you need before you ask.”

The underlying meaning here seems to be that you can trust God. Since He already knows what your needs are, then trust Him to provide. Although this point is specifically mentioned in reference to prayer, it applies to every spiritual exercise we do. Without faith, everything we do is useless and meaningless.

Conclusion:

In closing, I want to ask a couple of questions.

1. Are you practicing spiritual disciplines in your life of Christian faith?

2. If so, are you doing them for God’s glory or your own?

Are we living out the principles taught in God’s word in a genuine, authentic desire to know God better and to demonstrate His grace to others? Or, are we doing what we do so that others will notice us and think highly of us? Do we seek after the approval of men more than the approval of God?

These are questions that only we can answer for ourselves. No one else except God really knows the motives of our hearts.

We are going to close the service today with a hymn that expresses a desire to be drawn closer to the Lord. Let us sing it as a sincere prayer from our own hearts.

“I Am Thine, O Lord”

Cross of Calvary [42 mb]

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This is a message preached by Rev. Kenton Shaw during the absence of Pastor Les. There are no written notes available for this posting.

Laying a Firm Foundation - Divine Love [35 mb]

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This is the 8th sermon in a series of messages regarding the Sermon on the Mount. This message covers the passage found in Matthew 5:43-48 regarding "loving your enemies."

Written Excerpts:

Introduction:

The passage we will be looking at today is found at the end of Matthew chapter 5. Here is another example of Jesus contrasting His message with the common understanding and beliefs that were present in His day.

The quote that Jesus cites in verse 43 does not come directly out of the OT, except for the 1^st half of it, “You shall love your neighbor,” does appear in the OT in Leviticus 19:18. The origin of the second part of the quote is uncertain. It could be a statement taken from the common teachings of prominent rabbis, or it could simply be the standard “view on the street” because of inferences from various scriptures.

For example: in the passage found in Lev. 19:18, the first part of the verse instructs the Israelites to not take vengeance against the “children of your people,” but they were to love their neighbor as themselves. One could draw the inference that the “neighbors” they were supposed to love only applied to their fellow countrymen – Israelites. There were plenty of other references in the OT that restricted Gentiles from being in the Tabernacle or Temple, and required the Jews to be separated from the pagans and Gentiles around them.

Consider Psalm 139:21-22, “Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? And am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.

However, loving one’s enemies and doing good to them was not completely foreign to the OT.

In Exodus 23:4-5, the Israelites were commanded to return their enemy’s ox or donkey if they found it going astray. They were also instructed to help the enemy relieve his donkey if it had collapsed under its load.

In Proverbs 25:21-22 we read, “If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink: For you shall heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward you.”

Transition: The religious Jews in Jesus’ day are not the only ones who have ever distorted the Scriptures to their advantage, or at least misunderstood their message. We certainly have many professing Christians in our world today who are guilty of the same fault. Let us focus our thoughts for the next several minutes on these words of Jesus in order to understand more clearly what He commands His disciples to do.

Proposition: I believe that it is important for us to understand three things in His message here. We must understand the meaning of His command; we must understand the practice of His command; and we must understand the justification for His command.

I.          The Meaning of His Command

It surely sounds simple… the command simply says, “… love your enemies.”

“enemy” – Gk. ἐχθρός, hated one, enemy, adversary; adj. hostile, cf. hatred or enmity. Jesus says, “Rather than hate your enemy or adversary, love him.”

What is love? You have probably heard these definitions before, but let us review just for a moment what the Bible means by the word love. There are four Greek words that are translated “love.” Three of them appear in the NT, while the fourth one does not. Let’s talk about the one that does not appear in the NT first.

A. ἐραω (vb.); ἐρός (n.); the love between a man and woman which embraces longing, craving and desire. It includes the idea of beauty and sensual desire. (DNTT, C. Brown)

Greek playwrights knew the irresistible power of Eros, the god of love, which forgot all reason, will and discretion on the way to ecstasy. (Emphasis mine.) (DNTT)

In other words, this is the kind of “love” that makes a person lose their mind! How many know what that’s like?

(Barclay) … it always included the idea of passion and sexual love…. Eventually came to be tinged with the idea of lust rather than love.

Now, this word does not appear in the NT; only in the early classical Greek literature.

B. φιλέω (vb.); φίλος (m.n.); φιλία (f.n.) – to love; a friend; friendship.

This is the most general word for love or regard with affection. It mainly denotes the attraction of people to one another who are close together both inside and outside the family; it includes concern, care and hospitality…. (DNTT)

(Barclay) … [plileo and philia are the] warmest and best Greek words for love describing warm, tender affection.

C. stergō; - less frequent verb, means to love, feel affection, especially of the mutual love of parents and children. (DNTT) However, it also describes the love of a people for their ruler… and even of dogs for their master.

This word only appears in the NT in compound forms with other words that affect the meaning.

For example, in Romans 1:31 and 2 Timothy 3:3 it appears with the prefix “a” [meaning anti / against] to indicate people who are “without natural affection.”

In Romans 12:10 it appears with the prefix “philos” (Gk for friend) and it is translated “kindly affectionate.” (DNTT)

D. ἀγάπη (n); ἀγαπάω (vb); - are used in nearly every case in the NT to speak of God’s relationship with man….

This kind of love is emphasized by Paul to describe God’s love as the basis for choosing Israel.

(Barclay) “These words indicate unconquerable benevolence, invincible goodwill. If we regard a person with agape, it means that no matter what that person does to us, no matter how he treats us, no matter if he insults us or injures us or grieves us, we will never allow any bitterness against him to invade our hearts, but will regard him with that unconquerable benevolence and goodwill which will seek nothing but his highest good.”

The emphasis of this word is not so much feeling as it is commitment. It focuses on the sacrificial commitment of the one loving rather than on the qualities of the one loved.

(Barclay) This kind of love is not a feeling of the heart… but it is a determination of the mind… it is the power to love those whom we do not like and who may not like us.

In order for a Christian to exhibit this kind of love we must realize that…

1. Loving someone in this way is not the same as having fondness for someone (or liking them).

2. Love is very often an attitude / action before it is a feeling.

3. This kind of love focuses on who the person is, not what he / she has or hasn’t done.

In other words, we love them because they are human beings created in the image of God and even though that image has been severely marred, it is still there.

II.        The Practice of His Command

Bless, do good and pray.

These commands stand in stark contrast to the “normal” attitudes of our culture and society. They did in Jesus’ day and they still do today. These commands illustrate exactly what Jesus was saying in the previous paragraph that we looked at last week. Rather than retaliating against the ones who behave as though they are our enemies, we should demonstrate love for them.

Bless – Rather than curse them, like they have done to us, we should pronounce blessings on them.

Do good – means just what it sounds like it means! J It means to treat them better than they deserve to be treated. We do this by following the admonition of Proverbs 25:21-22 that we read earlier and is quoted in Romans 12:20… Give him bread, water, etc. Then in the very next verse Paul says, “Do not be overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good.”

Pray – Various speakers and writers have talked about how hard it is to hate someone that you’re praying for. To sincerely pray for someone else is to identify the needs in his life and sincerely petition God to satisfy every need according to His divine will and purpose. This is hard enough to practice in cases where people have mistreated us in the petty offenses that we often suffer. But, just imagine how hard it would be to practice this command toward those who persecute you.

III.       The Justification of the Command

What is the reason behind the command? Why should a disciple of Jesus Christ desire to obey this command? There are 2 reasons.

A. “That you may be the children of your Father which is in heaven.” (v. 45a)

By following this command of our Lord, we demonstrate our relationship with Him. We identify ourselves as His children and He is our Father.

How many of us have ever heard the words, “You’re acting just like your father!”?

If we want to be like God, this is what it will look like.

God provides the sun and sends the rain on both the just and the unjust. He bestows benefits and blessings on every one of us regardless of how we have treated Him.

Romans 5:8 “God commendeth His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

God loved every one of us while we were His enemies! That’s why we should also love our enemies. If we only love those who love us or act friendly toward those who do the same to us, then we are not like God; we are just acting like everyone else in the secular world without God in their hearts. This kind of attitude and behavior will identify us as the true children of God.

B. Therefore, be perfect because your Father in heaven is perfect. (v. 48)

The word perfect carries the ideas of: fully grown or fully developed; mature; functionally fulfilling the purpose for which it was created. It does not mean “error-free,” “without flaws or mistakes;” but it means that we have fully developed into the kind of disciples that are fulfilling the purpose for which we were created – and that is to imitate the Father.

Jesus seems to be saying that by living out this command we will become perfect like our Father in the sense that we will be living up to or functionally performing up to our created purpose and design. We will act like we have grown up rather than behaving like immature children who must retaliate and get even.

Conclusion:

I want to close this message today with a comment similar to what I made last week. There is no possible way for you or me or anyone to live up to the requirements of this command unless the Spirit of Christ lives in us and the grace of God is working through us. None of us can live up to this standard in our own strength or ability. That’s why I chose the sub-title for this message that I chose: “Divine Love.” This kind of love that Jesus is talking about is the kind of love that only God has.

And, this is the kind of love that only comes from God. It doesn’t originate within the human heart; it originates in the heart of God and is bestowed to us by grace. That means we must humbly admit our need of His grace and we must seek Him to let His love flow into us and through us so we can exhibit it toward others.

We are going to sing a closing hymn about God’s love. As we sing, let us truly open our hearts to allow His Spirit to move upon us as He desires.

Laying a Firm Foundation - Meekness [39 mb]

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This sermon is part of a series of messages on the Sermon on the Mount. This message is based on Matthew 5:38-42 which discusses the Christian's reaction to injuries or injustices.

Written Excerpts:

Introduction:

Several weeks ago we started this series of messages that we have titled, “Laying a Firm Foundation.” The reasoning behind the series title goes back to the words of Jesus in Matthew chapter 7 that I have referred to many times, “Whoever hears and does these sayings of mine is like a wise man who built his house on a rock…”

We have been looking at the various sections of Jesus’ sermon as they relate to the need to build our lives on a foundation that is solid enough to hold us steady in the storms that come. All of the topics that we have discussed so far are important for basic spiritual formation in our lives as we try to adopt the patterns that Jesus has laid down for us.

In our most recent sermons we have been studying the references that Jesus made to various OT rules or laws for living and have been trying to explain how He interpreted and applied those laws in light of the message He lived and taught – the Gospel of grace.

I have chosen the title of “Meekness” as a description of the theme in this paragraph that we are studying today. Most of the commentaries that I consulted, identified the subject of this paragraph as addressing the “law of retaliation.” I felt it would be better to use a word that emphasizes the positive aspect of the truth taught here, so I chose the word “meekness.” I truly believe that the word “meekness” describes a character quality that is the opposite of retaliation or revenge that we might be tempted to use against others who have offended us.

1. Background Information

Again today, as we did last week, we want to first of all talk about some background information that helps us understand the full context of Jesus’ comments.

(Wm. Barclay) These laws, eye for eye, etc, were comparable to the laws found in the famous Code of Hammurabi who reigned in Babylon more than 2,000 years B.C. and was often referred to as Lex Talionis, (Latin) law of retaliation.

They were also outlined in the Old Testament in these passages:

Exodus 21: ²³And if any mischief follow, then you shall give life for life, ²⁴Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, ²⁵Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.

Lev. 24: ¹⁹And if a man cause a blemish in his neighbor; as he has done, so shall it be done to him; ²⁰Breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth: as he hath caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be done to him again.

Deut. 19: ¹⁸And the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and, behold, if the witness be a false witness, and has testified falsely against his brother; ¹⁹Then you shall do unto him, as he had thought to have done unto his brother.... ²¹And your eye shall not pity; but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

Looking again at the original law that Jesus quoted, biblical scholars have provided these additional insights:

a.) These rules provided guidelines for judicial magistrates not individual citizens.

These guidelines helped magistrates and judges to decide what was or wasn’t appropriate punishment. However, Jesus re-interpretation and application here is directed toward individual disciples that have gathered to hear His message, and should not to be understood as new guidelines or rules for the administration of justice by a magistrate or duly appointed civil authority.

Individual Christians may choose to forgo their rights to have an offender punished to the full extent of the law, but it would not require the judge to use that standard in deciding the fate of every subject brought before the court. (Esp. in light of Rom. 13.)

b.) These rules prohibited punishments that were worse than what was deserved.

These laws, “far from being a savage and bloodthirsty law, [were] in fact the beginning of mercy. [Their] original aim was definitely the limitation of vengeance.” (Barclay)

c.) The rules had apparently been abused by individuals seeking retaliation and revenge against offenders.

In other words, they were either taking matters into their own hands or at least they were seeking to have the full extent of the law used against their offenders.

Having considered some of the background information that helps us understand the basis for the law, let us turn our attention now to the message that Jesus was teaching His disciples.

2. Negatively: Christians must not retaliate against anyone that attacks us.

“resist not” – (Thayer) to set one’s self against, to withstand, resist, oppose.

“evil” – lit. the evil person or evil deed.

(He was not talking about the force of evil in the world or the Devil as the personification of evil.) In fact, we are urged in many other biblical texts to fight against evil in a general, spiritual way. See Ephesians 6 regarding the “armor of God.” We certainly are urged to fight against the Devil. James 4:7.

Some may understand this verse to be a prohibition against the use of self defense. I have to admit that I do not honestly know whether this text includes that meaning or not. I do know that in the Old Testament, actions taken in self defense were not punishable offenses, even if it ended in death to the offender. I truly believe that the wording is meant to convey the idea of retribution or retaliation, especially if taken in context with the previous statement.

The point Jesus seems to be making here is that there is a clear distinction between what was permitted in the Old Testament as guidelines for social justice and what was expected of a follower of Christ living by the principles of grace and the kingdom of heaven. Retaliation is never to be a part of the Christian’s mode of living.

3. Positively: Christians should repay evil with good.

Rather than retaliate and seek revenge against the one who would do us harm, Jesus teaches His disciples to respond like He would.

In teaching them how to respond to evil with good, Jesus used three different examples of offenses followed by an admonition.

a.) Whoever hits you on the right cheek, turn the other also.

Some scholars categorize this offense as an injury to the body or physical harm. (A.B.Bruce; Matthew Henry)

Other commentators (Barclay; Keener, in IVP Bible Background Commentary) describe this as a type of insult. Barclay describes how the “right cheek” could only be struck with the right hand by using the back of the hand, which according to the Rabbis was twice as insulting as hitting someone with the palm of the hand.

(Keener) “The blow on the right cheek was the most grievous insult possible in the ancient world… both Jewish and Roman law permitted prosecution for this offense.”

Jesus literally says, “Turn the other one also.” Yet, we do not have any record that He did this himself on the day of His crucifixion (John 18:22-23). Therefore, we can conclude that He was not so much concerned with the literal meaning as the principle meaning.

“It is the preparedness, after one indignity, not to invite but to submit meekly to another, without retaliation, which this strong language is meant to convey.” (Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown)

It the willingness to suffer additional offenses if need be, rather than retaliate and seek to destroy the one who has so offended me.

b.) Whoever sues for your coat let him have your cloak also.

This is described by A.B. Bruce as an injury against one’s property. (Matthew Henry) Describes this action as an example of how evil men can use the law and the courts to violate the property of someone else.

(Barclay) considers this as a reference to the rights of the Christian. According to the law, the cloak or outer garment could not be kept as security overnight because it was often used as a blanket by those who were poor, so it could not be taken permanently by anyone. When someone sues to take a coat, knowing he legally will not be allowed to take the cloak, the Christian gives it up anyway to demonstrate his willingness to surrender what he legally has a right to keep. This is a demonstration of grace.

By this example, Jesus is helping us understand the importance of doing whatever we can to demonstrate His love and grace.

c.) Whoever compels you to go a mile, go two miles.

This has been described as an assault to one’s freedom or liberty. This example alludes to the law that allowed the Roman couriers or officers to impress or force any person to provide horses, food, and lodging or to even deliver a message.

Eventually the word came to represent any kind of service that was forced by the occupying powers. (Barclay)

Obviously, the Jews hated the Roman occupation and would have rather rebelled and resisted any such compulsion. The story of Simon of Cyrene being compelled to carry the cross of Jesus is such an example of the authority that could be exerted upon any individual.

(A.B. Bruce) “Christ’s counsel is: do not submit to the inevitable in a slavish, sullen spirit, harboring thoughts of revolt. Do the service cheerfully, and more than you are asked.”

Jesus teaches that rather than resist, or even to comply grudgingly, we should “go the extra mile.” I believe He meant what this phrase has come to mean in everyday language: Do more than expected or demanded just to show the kindness and grace of God when it isn’t easy or even expected that we would.

d) Practice the spirit of benevolence.

Jesus’ final admonition in this paragraph teaches us to freely give to those in need.

(M. Henry) We must not only do no hurt to our neighbor, but we must endeavor to do all the good that we can.

This is essentially the principle of the golden rule. You’ve heard me refer to “Silver Rule” before… Do not hurt / harm another in any way you would not want done to you. But the “Golden Rule” puts it in a more positive fashion… Do whatever good to others that you would want others to do to you. This is not urging us to provide everything that others may want to live wickedly or abuse their bodies, but to provide what will satisfy daily needs.

Conclusion:

It is easy to see how these principles of grace, if practiced, could help anyone build a solid foundation for life.

After all, most of the “storms” that seem to threaten our very existence tend to come against us in these areas that Jesus was talking about… personal/bodily injury; property or financial ruin; unfair oppression or treatment. If we have developed the appropriate attitudes that Jesus emphasizes here, we will be prepared to face adversity ahead.

In closing I just want to remind each of us that these standards of conduct and response that Jesus lays down here (and in the next section we will discuss next time), are not choices or behaviors that come naturally from human nature. The only way that anyone can truly follow the teachings of our Lord is to experience a genuine spiritual birth within our own hearts and souls. It is not humanly normal or possible to live this way, but it is by the grace of God.

I’ll go even a step farther to say that it not only requires a spiritual rebirth, but it requires the filling of the Holy Spirit. The only way we can live like our Lord in the face of these adverse situations is to have the full, unhindered blessing of the Holy Spirit dwelling within our hearts and motivating our every action. If you want to follow the principles laid down by Jesus Christ, then you will need His Spirit living in you and flowing through you. You cannot do it in your own human strength or understanding.

For our closing song today, we are going to sing a song that expresses what each of us needs…

“A Closer Walk with Thee”

Laying a Firm Foundation - Integrity [29 mb]

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This sermon is part six in a series of messages on the Sermon on the Mount given by Jesus. This message is concerning the topic found in Matthew 5:33-37. The series, "Laying a Firm Foundation," ties all of Jesus' themes to the words found at the end of his sermon in Matthew 7 - "Whoever hears and does these sayings of mine will be like a wise man that built his house on the rock... and whoever hears but does not do these sayings of mine will be like a foolish man that built his house on the sand...."
Written Excerpts:

Introduction:

[There was a] man who wrote a famous tract, which was mightily used of God, entitled, Come to Jesus. Soon after writing that tract he became engaged in a theological dispute that led him to write an [attack] article bristling with sarcasm, and [was] as sharp and cutting as a razor. Reading it to a friend, he asked, “What do you think of it?” The friend replied, “It is a masterpiece of criticism. You fairly flay him alive. What have you decided to call it?” “I have not thought of a title,” said the author, “Can you suggest one?” “Well,” said his friend, “how about calling it, Go to the Devil, by the author of Come to Jesus?” (QuickVerse, Illustrations of Bible Truths, "Violating the Gospel")

This story might bring a chuckle to our lips, but it illustrates how our words can sometimes portray the exact opposite image than what we had hoped. Or, in some cases, our attitudes and actions can end up completely contradicting our words. We often refer to these people as HYPOCRITES.

Again today we are continuing our series of sermons dealing with the “Sermon on the Mount” recorded in Matthew 5-7. Today’s text specifically addresses the topic of swearing, and at first glance, we might suppose that these words of Jesus merely warn us against profane speech. However, I think we will soon learn that the real message here relates not merely to our speech, but to our character as well. The real issue seems to be this: does what I say match up with the way I live? So, in reality, Jesus is certainly addressing our speech, but He is also addressing our character, our level of integrity, or our level of hypocrisy.

The specific verses that we will be examining today were read to us earlier in the service this morning, but let me quickly read them again. As we consider this text today, I want to approach it in the following manner:

First, I want to examine some background information that will shed some light on cultural practices of the day. Secondly, I want to explain what I believe Jesus is NOT saying. Finally, I want to explore primary meaning of His message.

1. Examination of Background Information

In order to give you some of the background surrounding this text, I am sharing information from William Barclay’s commentary, which very often does an excellent job explaining the customs surrounding biblical texts.

In Jesus’ day there were two unsatisfactory things about taking oaths. The first was what might be called frivolous swearing. That means the taking of an oath where no oath was necessary or proper. It had become far too common a custom to introduce a statement by saying, “By thy life,” or, “By my head,”… etc. The Rabbis in Jesus’ day had claimed that using any form of oath in a simple statement was sinful and wrong.

It was wrong to use solemn or sacred language in a thoughtless, irreverent or frivolous manner.

A Second Jewish custom might be called evasive swearing. The Jews divided oaths into two classes, those which were absolutely binding and those which were not. In their opinions, any oath which contained the name of God was absolutely binding; any oath which succeeded in evading the name of God was considered non-binding. The result was if a man swore by the name of God in any form, he would rigidly keep the oath; but if he swore by heaven, or by earth, or by Jerusalem, or by his own head, then he felt quite free to break the oath.

This ended up being a method whereby someone could make a promise or oath that sounded good or trustworthy, but could be evaded later if it seemed expedient. The idea behind this view was that, if God’s name was used, then God became a partner in the transaction [or testimony]; whereas if God’s name was not used, then God had nothing to do with the transaction or testimony.

However, Jesus is essentially telling them, “Rather than having to make God a partner in any transaction, no man can keep God out of any transaction because He is already there. Heaven is the throne of God; earth is the footstool of God; Jerusalem is the city of God… there is nothing in the world which does not belong to God; and therefore it does not matter whether God is actually invoked in the promise or testimony or oath. Every oath is the same.

2. Explanation of Misunderstood Meaning

Next, I think it is essential to explain what Jesus is NOT saying in this text. Jesus is NOT saying that all oath-taking (or “swearing,” properly so called) is wrong. He is not forbidding the use of oaths in the proper context and in the proper manner, such as a court of law.

These words of Jesus are rooted in the foundation of the Ten Commandments, just as the two previous paragraphs were. This section relates to the meaning behind the Third Commandment, “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.” When we looked at the Third Commandment in a previous sermon, we mentioned that the underlying principle behind the command is this: speech is sacred. “Words mean things” is a phrase we have often heard, I’m sure. Speech and conduct should be in harmony; not contradiction.

(Barclay) The third commandment condemns the man who swears that something is true, or who makes some promise, in the name of God, but has taken the oath falsely.

For example: 1 Samuel 19:6 And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan: and Saul swore, As the LORD lives, he shall not be slain.

Yet, four verses later, Saul is trying to pin David to the wall with a javelin. The Bible does not condemn the use of oaths that were used in the proper setting and the proper manner. In fact, there are texts in the Old Testament that command the use of God’s name in oaths that are done properly and in the right attitude.

Deut. 6:13 “You shall fear the LORD your God, and serve him, and shall swear by his name. “

Deut. 10:20  “You shall fear the LORD your God; you shall serve him, and to him you shall cleave, and swear by his name.”

There were plenty of examples in the Old Testament and the New Testament where godly people invoked the name of God in testimony or oaths.

See 2 Corinthians 1:23 “Moreover I call God as witness against my soul, that to spare you I came no more to Corinth.” (NKJV)

Jesus Himself answers directly when placed under oath at His own trial before the high priest. He previously had kept silent.

Matthew 26:63-64 “But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest answered and said to Him, “I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!” Jesus said to him, “It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

The point is simply this: neither Jesus nor the Bible condemns the use of swearing under oath in the proper setting, such as a witness giving testimony in a court room.

So then, finally, … what was the real primary meaning of Jesus’ message here?

3. Exploration of Primary Meaning

Well, first of all, I remind you what I stated earlier… It is not necessary to invoke the name of God in the everyday affairs of life in order to have God as an active participant in our day-to-day transactions with our fellowman because God is always involved anyway. As I quoted from Wm. Barclay, no man can keep God out of any transaction because He is already there. Heaven is the throne of God; earth is the footstool of God; Jerusalem is the city of God… a man’s life is God’s by creation, so no one can even determine the color of his or her own hair. God is in control of that as well.

Therefore, we must not ever get the idea that we can compartmentalize our lives or our transactions and have part of them be sanctioned by God and part of them not. (Barclay) Life cannot be divided into compartments; one in which God is involved, and the other in which He is not involved.

“There cannot be one kind of language in the Church and another kind of language in the shipyard or the factory or the office. “There cannot be one standard of conduct in the Church and another standard of conduct in the business world [in entertainment, family life, or any other areas we sometimes separate away from our spiritual life].

What are we talking about here?  We are talking about a daily consistent life that is genuine and authentically Christian at all times. We’re talking about not living in duplicity; in contradiction to what we say we believe; in other words, hypocritically.

Secondly, the meaning of His message as expressed in the latter portion of the paragraph is this, every person should live such a life of integrity that his “yes” means “yes” and his “no” means “no.” No one should ever have to guess whether the word of a Christian is trustworthy or not in everyday affairs.

(Barclay) The ideal is that a man should never need an oath to buttress or guarantee the truth of anything he may say. The man’s character should make the oath completely unnecessary.

Socrates – “A man must lead a life which will gain more confidence in him than ever an oath can do.” Clement of Alexandria – Christians must lead such a life and demonstrate such a character that no one will ever dream of asking an oath from them. (quoted in Barclay)

Again, the real truth comes back to integrity in speech and conduct. All those around us must recognize by our character our speech and our conduct that we are honest, trustworthy and genuine.

Conclusion:

What about you?

Do you live by two different standards? Is your life telling a different story on Monday thro’ Saturday than it is on Sunday?

Does your life deny or contradict what you say?

Do your actions support your testimony?

Are your promises and your words reliable? Can people, or even your own children, trust what you say?

I believe that this is essentially the core of Jesus’ message in this text.

May the Lord help each one of us to examine our speech and our conduct to see if they agree with the standard that Jesus has given us.

If we discover that it doesn’t, I am glad that God’s grace is adequate to make a dramatic transformation within our hearts that will change our character and enable us to be authentically Christian in every area of life.

Let’s close our service with the hymn, “I Would Be True.”

Laying a Firm Foundation - Marital Fidelity [36 mb]

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This sermon is the fifth sermon in a series of messages discussing the Lord's Sermon on the Mount and is based on Matthew 5:27-32.

Written excerpts:

Introduction:

By God’s help I want to continue our series of messages dealing with the Sermon on the Mount given by Jesus and recorded in Matthew chapters 5-7. I trust that the Holy Spirit will oversee our time together today so that I will communicate accurately and you will understand accurately what God wants us to learn from this passage.

Moving on to the next segment in the Sermon on the Mount today we will be taking a look at what Jesus had to say in relation to the Seventh Commandment, which addresses the issue of marital fidelity. By the way, once again, this subject we are discussing today closely corresponds to a couple of messages I preached last year when I did a series of messages on the Ten Commandments. The two messages were titled, “Holy Matrimony” Parts I & II.

Let us turn our attention to the text and consider some important observations or lessons that Jesus emphasized to His listeners.

1. God has ordained marriage as a sacred relationship between a husband and a wife.

Last week I explained that Jesus’ words regarding murder and anger were a direct reference to the Sixth Commandment, “You shall not kill.” This week we understand that His words regarding lust and divorce are a direct reference to the Seventh Commandment, “You shall not commit adultery.”

When I presented the messages last year on the Ten Commandments, I tried to provide a positive principle that was the basis for each of the commands God gave to Moses. The positive principle for the Seventh Commandment is this: Marriage is sacred (holy). Since marriage is a holy and sacred relationship between a husband and a wife, then everything that threatens the stability and permanence of that relationship must be eliminated from our lives. Everything that threatens to cheapen and devalue the sacredness of marriage must be avoided.

2. The sacred bond of marriage can be violated by lustful fantasies even without illicit conduct.

Jesus is emphasizing the fact that adultery and all other violations of marital fidelity are rooted in the desires and passions of the heart before they ever become literal reality. (I assume that we all understand that even though Jesus uses the example of a man lusting for a woman, it does not mean that women are exempt from this sin of adulterous fantasies.)

(Repeated from last year’s sermon on the 7^th Commandment) God intended the bond between a husband and a wife to be so strong that they would be united in body, mind and spirit. Intellectual, emotional and spiritual intimacy all work together to enhance physical intimacy. The “three-strand cord” is impossible to break when it has been faithfully created and nurtured.

Lustful fantasies are a direct assault on the intimacy God intended between a husband and a wife. Fantasies can be defined as thoughts that one entertains and nurtures in the mind regarding conduct that he/she does not intend to engage in. This fact applies before marriage just as much as during marriage. If people are careless about the conduct imagined in their minds before they are married, it is very likely that they will continue to be careless about it after they are married, and it will negatively impact their marriage. So, in that sense, it is an assault on the sanctity of marriage no matter when it occurs.

“Whosoever looketh upon a woman…”

“Looketh” – This word implies that the temptation was initiated through sight. Perhaps that is why Jesus used the example of a man lusting for a woman, because men are primarily tempted through visual attractions while women are primarily emotionally attracted. In any case, both men and women need to be careful what we allow ourselves to be exposed to and entertained with in order to avoid the kind of trap that Jesus is talking about.

 “…to lust after her …” – The word “lust” understood in its most generic form refers to any strong passion or desire. However, in the context of this statement, it carries the stronger, negative meaning of a desire or passion outside of biblical / moral boundaries.

Now… I want to emphasize here that there is a big difference between the temptation to lust and the actual sin of lust. The best passage of scripture I know of to explain the difference is found in James 1:13-15. Here is the progression to sin as defined by James:

Temptation is described in two steps as being (a) “drawn away” by our own lusts – i.e., we become aware of something that appeals to our natural God-given desires [here “lust” is to be understood in the more generic sense of any strong desire]; and (b) “enticed” – i.e., the attraction is so pronounced that it “baits” us or “entraps” us. The appeal is more than just a casual notice, but it truly grabs our attention.

Temptation becomes sin when… c) “lust has conceived” – i.e., when the desire has germinated with our will. The consent of the will can either be a decision to act out the passion, or a decision to continue thinking on it and fantasizing about it.

This decision to fantasize about behavior that God has condemned constitutes the sin of adultery that Jesus is talking about here.

3. The temptations and urges are so destructive; we must take every step necessary to avoid or conquer all evil influences.

“If your eye (or hand) offends you…”

Most commentaries consider these words to be a figure of speech that we call “hyperbole.” That is, an obvious and intentional exaggeration used for emphasis and not to be taken literally (dictionary.com). The obvious point Jesus is making is this… any steps a person must take in order to keep himself pure and free from sin are far better than being lost in hell, no matter how drastic those steps may seem.

Jesus seems to be telling us that temptations which threaten the sacredness of marriage do come from all sorts of angles and sources, and they have the ability to not only destroy a marriage, but destroy our souls. Therefore, any actions or measures necessary to prevent those temptations from ensnaring us and causing irreparable harm must certainly be taken. Such actions, no matter how severe, will be far better than the fires of hell.

In my message on the 7^th Commandment, I commented that we men need to guard our minds against impure thoughts by guarding what we allow view and put into our minds. Videos, magazines, TV shows and a host of other sources can provide images in our minds that make it next to impossible to remain pure in our thoughts and imaginations. No man who calls himself a Christian should be feeding his mind on things that promote promiscuity and immoral conduct, even if he never intends to follow through with outward behavior.

I remember when our daughter was attending a Christian college, and she was asked out by a pretty popular and well-liked guy on campus. During one of their conversations he apparently said something about watching a movie that she felt was inappropriate for a Christian. He simply brushed it off as “just a guy thing.” Well, needless to say, their relationship ended soon afterward, because she was not interested in getting involved with someone who was feeding his mind on things that glorified or glamorized behavior that was contrary to biblical holiness.

Men, let me remind each of us today that the Devil will use every tool and technique possible to fill our minds with thoughts that are condemned in Scripture. He will entice us with every possible tactic until we find ourselves enslaved to lust.

Jesus is simply telling us that we must do anything and everything necessary to break the bondage of lust and find freedom in Christ. I’m glad that I can say I know many people who have found deliverance and freedom in the power of Holy Spirit. It is possible to live a victorious life over the power of lust and passions.

But this message is not just for men. Women are just as vulnerable to the temptations to lust. It may or not be the visual attraction to some “handsome hunk.” It may more likely be an attraction to someone that seems so “tender and caring, and interested in my problems; nothing like that boring, fault-finding bum at home.” Without careful attention to the sly tactics of the Devil, a woman can begin to fantasize about relationships that are contrary to the Bible and the sacred vows of marriage. Women also need to be careful about what they put into their minds through TV shows, inappropriate kinds of romance stories, and a host of other media that would lead one into desires and fantasies that endanger the sacredness of marriage.

For all of us, Jesus says, “Get rid of it. Do whatever is needed to restore moral virtue and purity to your thoughts and imaginations as well as your conduct or behavior.”

4. Marriage is so sacred that it must not be dissolved except for specific causes.

Again, I am reminded that I spoke about this issue when I did my sermons on the Ten Commandments. I reiterate the fact that I certainly do not have answers to all the questions people have raised about the problems of divorce. I am only trying to explain what Jesus was teaching in this sermon.

If you compare these words here in chapter 5 with the words of Jesus in chapter 19, you will discover that the official writing or certificate of divorce referred to was actually a tool that Moses granted to protect women from being abruptly dismissed or abandoned for any and all reasons. Jesus goes on to explain that the writing of divorcement was designed “because of the hardness of their hearts.” It was because people had gotten so far away from God’s original intent and design for marriage that people were being misused and abused. The least we can say is this… Jesus wanted them to understand that God’s original plan and design was for marriage to be a permanent, life-time commitment between one man and one woman. He was trying to help them see, that if they did not guard against it, the breakup of marriages could again be just as common as it was before Moses instituted the requirement of official divorce papers in order to dissolve a marriage.

We certainly have lived to see what Jesus was speaking against. “No-fault divorce” has become the norm throughout our nation today. Marriages are splitting up and homes are being destroyed for a host of reasons these days and the Devil is thrilled by it all. God wants everyone one of us to jealously guard our marriages from anything and everything that threatens to destroy them.

Conclusion:

In closing, let me just briefly tie this message in with our general theme: Laying a Firm Foundation.

If you want to build a firm foundation for your life that will withstand the most severe storms of life, make every effort to strengthen your marriage. (If you’re not married yet, make every effort to guard yourself against lusts and traps that will endanger your future relationship.) If any of us are defeated in the arena of moral purity it will negatively impact the rest of our lives as well. If we have compromised the sanctity of marriage, it will not only have a negative impact on our home life and families, but it will hinder our entire spiritual development.

For example, Peter instructed husbands to give honor to their wives so that their prayers would not be hindered. This is just one example of how wounded relationships at home can affect one’s spiritual connection to God. So, taking every possible step to guard against temptations that would threaten to destroy marriage will also enable us to have the kind of foundation in our lives that can weather the storms.

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Laying a Firm Foundation - Love & Hate [32 mb]

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This is the fourth sermon in a series of messages on the Sermon on the Mount. This message is based on Matthew 5:21-27.

Written Excerpts:

Introduction:

We are involved in a series of sermons based on the Sermon on the Mount given by Jesus and recorded by Matthew in chapters 5-7.

We have named this series, “Laying a Firm Foundation” because of the words that Jesus spoke in Matt. 7, “Whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock…. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand….”

We are examining the sermon given by Jesus in order to learn what kinds of attitudes, character and actions are needed in order to build our lives on a solid foundation. So far in this series I have been saying that we need to learn these things in order to be better prepared for the storms of life. However, with today’s lesson, I believe we will see that learning these lessons not only helps us prepare for the storms of life, but if we don’t learn these lessons, that may even cause severe storms to come into our lives.

Starting with today’s topic and continuing through the next several topics, Jesus seems to be confirming the truth of the previous lesson; i.e. He didn’t come to destroy the law, but to complete it or fulfill it. You will notice with the next several paragraphs, Jesus starts off each one by saying, “You have heard that it was said by them of old time” – Or, “by them of ancient times.” He is probably speaking about those Rabbis and teachers of the law that gave traditional interpretations along with their man-made additions and explanations.

It seems very unlikely that Jesus was contrasting His teaching against Moses, for that would go against what he had just said in the previous paragraph about not coming to destroy the law. More than likely these are references to the common interpretations as understood by the Rabbis and teachers of the Law. However, Jesus is expanding the meanings and showing the genuine intent and purpose of the commands. After all, being the Second Person of the Trinity, He was the One who gave the law to begin with.

Our topic today is based on verses 21-26 and concerns the matter of relationships with our fellowman.

With the help of God’s Spirit, I want to discuss three important principles that spring from this lesson in Jesus’ sermon.

I.    Murder is an assault on the image of God.

We can tell by the way that this verse begins that it is based on the Sixth Commandment from the Law: “Thou Shalt Not Kill.”

Many of you were here last year when I did a series of messages on the Ten Commandments. If you recall, when we talked about the Sixth Commandment, we emphasized the point that murder is so evil because it is an attack against a creature that has been created in the image of God. Human beings are the only creatures in God’s entire universe that are defined as being created in God’s image. It is that image of God that gives human life more value over and above any other creature in the world. So, to attack and murder another human being is, in a sense, equivalent to attacking God Himself.

Now, I admit that Jesus did not mention the image of God in this passage, but I am doing so because of the obvious connection to the Ten Commandments and the reasoning God used back in the OT when He originally gave the command, “Do not kill.”

I will be enlarging on this in a moment, but it seems to me that when Jesus starts out this paragraph by making a reference to the commandment, “Do not kill,” He is re-establishing the all-important principle that we are made in the image of God and that principle has implications for behaviors other than just murder.

II.   Anger (and Hatred) is the seed of murder.

A. Anger as a root of evil

After re-establishing the foundational principle of the sacredness of human life, Jesus moves on to further implications in the law.

“Whoever is angry …” – Jesus is now explaining that there is another principle that is at the root of murder and that principle is the seed of anger (or hatred).

We will discuss in a moment some of the expressions of anger that Jesus highlights, but it is important to understand that anger is the seed of hatred and murder as well as other outward expressions, and it must be addressed if one is to avoid the guilt and judgment that Jesus mentions. Anger against another human being must be understood as an attitude that is directed toward someone that is created in the image of God.

Now, I recognize that sometimes humans do things that are evil and wrong and contrary to the image of God that we all were meant to reflect in this life. And yet, this does not give any of us the right to deny another person the value attached to God’s image with which they were created.

“… without cause….” – This phrase does not appear in the oldest manuscripts. Therefore, many Bible scholars believe that it was a marginal note made by some scribe that eventually made its way into the text. Yet we do need to acknowledge that anger in itself is not always wrong. Jesus was described in various places in the Gospels as having anger and expressing anger. The Apostle Paul advised, “Be angry [but] do not sin.” So this phrase is a reminder that Jesus seems to be speaking about the kind of anger that is self-centered and retaliatory, rather than anger that is focused on the defense of God’s righteous character.

B. Expressions of anger and their consequences

1. The verbal expressions of anger

“Whoever says…” – with these words Jesus introduces two different degrees of verbal attack against another person that spring from internal anger.

Notice that Jesus first of all addresses the principle of anger and then He mentions the verbal expressions of anger. It is important to notice that inward attitudes and motivations are just as serious as outward actions and expressions of them. (This is a primary point in all these lessons about the law.)

“Raca” – (Adam Clarke) to be empty. It signifies a vain, empty, worthless fellow, shallow brains; a term of great contempt.

(IVP Bible Background Commentary) “Raca” is Aramaic for “empty-headed one….”

“Fool” – (A. Clarke) probably from a word meaning, to rebel, a rebel against God, apostate from all good. This term implied, among the Jews, the highest enormity, and most aggravated guilt, [i.e. apostasy].

(Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown) Every age and every country has its modes of expressing such things; and no doubt our Lord seized on the current phraseology of unholy disrespect and contempt merely to … condemn the different degrees of such feeling when brought out in words, as he had immediately before condemned the feeling itself.

Dear friends, let me remind each of us on the authority of Jesus’ own words, it is a serious offense against the divine image of God to verbally attack another human being and call them derogatory names. Even when expressing anger over conduct that is evil, we must remain focused on the behavior and not attack the inherent worth of the person.

2. The consequences for anger and its expressions

As Jesus talks about anger and its consequences, He seems to indicate that there are not only varying degrees in the expression of it but in the consequences for it as well.

“…judgment; council; and hell fire…” – The literal meanings are:

Judgment – (Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown) [A word used to describe] the lowest of Jewish tribunals. (Clarke) A senate composed of 23 magistrates whose business it was to judge in cases of murder and other capital crimes.

Council – The word used is the word for Sanhedrin. (Clarke) It was composed of 72 elders and received appeals from the lower senate, as well as tried cases of the highest crimes.

Hell fire – lit. “fire of Gehenna” which was a reference to the valley of the Sons of Hinnom; a valley outside Jerusalem where refuse was consumed by the fires that were often burning.

Some Bible scholars think that these three terms represent three different expressions for the same punishment or judgment. Others insist that they truly represent varying degrees of punishment. Most seem to agree that these terms really refer to future and divine judgments of God for the violations of this commandment. By describing these consequences, Jesus is vividly establishing God’s attitude toward murder and its predecessors that all violate His divine image that was implanted in every human being. 

III.   Reconciliation and Harmony is God’s Design.

The final principle we want to point out today is this:

God’s first and primary desire regarding anger and hatred is for people to be reconciled with one another and for relationships to be healed, rather than allowing anger to fester and develop into words and actions that are seriously destructive. By these examples that Jesus describes next, we can’t help but recognize that God’s heart is set on reconciliation and healing of relationships. Jesus demonstrates this principle by using two examples or illustrations – offering of a sacrifice, and charges pending in court.

Without taking the time to describe the intimate details of these analogies, let me simply summarize the conclusion drawn by Jesus.

In both cases, it is absolutely essential to reconcile with the offended party beforehand in order to receive God’s approval and acceptance or to avoid the consequences of judgment in the court. In both of these examples Jesus was undoubtedly using real life examples to express spiritual truths.

Sacrifice – Before anyone attempts to offer up to God any type of spiritual service as a sacrifice to the Lord, he / she must first of all become reconciled with anyone that has “ought against” me.

(Notice that this is not primarily talking about those whom I may have something against, but it is talking about the ones who have something against me. This places the burden upon me to seek them to be reconciled, rather than waiting for them to come to me.)

Agree with Adversary – Make every effort to come to an acceptable agreement with the one that is bringing charges against you before you get to the point of being forced to accept the judgment of the court.

Reconciliation and healing are very high in priority with God. He is not pleased with anger and bitterness or any broken relationships that might end up in the kind of expressions we have already discussed. It is not so important for me to demand my rights and insist on having my way. It is far more important to patch up relationships and demonstrate the kind of love for each other that God has demonstrated towards us. The seed of anger can and will develop into hatred or even murder, but God’s desire is that we receive His divine love and let it produce reconciliation and healing in our broken lives and broken relationships.

Conclusion:

What is the Holy Spirit bringing to your mind right now?

Who is the individual or individuals that you are thinking of right now?

Are there roots of bitterness and anger festering within your heart and your spirit?

Are there wounds that you are nursing and grudges that you are harboring?

Is there anyone that you know has anger or a grudge toward you?

These kinds of things will lead to serious violations of God’s design for how we treat one another.

The only solution is to confess it all to God and give it to Him, and then become reconciled with those against whom we may have harbored anger and bitterness.

 

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