Part 9 - Retaliation

INTRODUCTION

Matthew 5:38-42 - Retaliation

38 "You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' 39 But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41 If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

I. Tighten the Law

a. Scripture warns of ‘breaking’ (loosen) the Law

† Matthew 5:19 – whoever breaks (‘Loo-o’ loosen or relax) the least of these commands (law) and teaches others to do so will be called least in the Kingdom of heaven.

b. Jesus clarifies where man distorts

c. Tolerance to a point there is no longer sin

No sin = no need for a savior

The Law of God was not given to justify man, but to show his sin, and a need for a savior.

Galatians 2:16

“know that a man is not justified (GRK Dik-ah-yo-o = innocent) by observing the law,

but by faith (GRK Pistis = moral conviction or commitment to) in Jesus Christ.

So we, too, have put our faith (GRK Pistis = moral conviction or commitment to) in Christ Jesus that we may be justified (GRK Dik-ah-yo-o = innocent) by faith (GRK Pistis = moral conviction or commitment to) in Christ and not by observing the law,

because by observing the law no one will be justified. (GRK Dik-ah-yo-o = innocent)”

We are not made innocent by observing the Law, but guilty.

We are only found innocent by being committed to Jesus Christ.

BELIEVE and you are SAVED…

Acts 16:31

They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved…”

James 2:19

You believe (in respect to) that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe (in respect to) that—and shudder.

Simply believing there is a God is not salvation.

If so, according to James 2:19 demons would have salvation…

Remember the Greek words…

Pistis = our moral conviction or our commitment to

Believe = pist-yoo'-o – You are committed to

Acts 16:13 should read;’

Acts 16:31

They replied, "Be committed to the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved…."

The law is to show our guilt, and being committed to Christ is our innocence and our salvation.

So Jesus tightens God’s Law that has been loosened by man.

II. But I tells you

a. Jesus the Word made flesh (John 1:14)

b. The Word (Jesus) clarifies God’s written Word

III. Jesus says - Do not return evil for evil (do not resist evil)

a. May anthi-stay-mee

i. Don’t stand against

ii. Do not oppose

iii. Do not retaliate

IV. Turn the other cheek

a. Do not return evil for evil

b. This does not mean to be a Christ Follower Door Mat

c. You may rebuke, Jesus did

This statement is figurative.

When our Lord was struck on the cheek in John 18:22-23, He did not simply turn the other cheek.

But He did not retaliate wither.

What He did was rebuke (scold) the attacker.

With dignity, Jesus rebuked the assailant.

d. This phrase is a metaphor

We are not to retaliate evil for evil, but God does not expect us to allow ourselves to be trodden upon.

Christ followers have become weak,

The Word has become watered down in our culture,

Sin against God has become a blurred line,

Tradition has taken place of worship,

Religion taken place of relationship with God,

We have to get back to the Word of God, and take it for what it says.

Jesus in tightening and clarifying the Word tells us;

V. If someone wants…give

a. If they sue for your shirt, give them your coat as well.

b. If they force you to go a mile, go two.

c. Give to the one who asks

d. And do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

Because when someone is in need, and we give, not because we sought them, but because they came seeking, we have shown them the way to God.

When one seeks the Lord, He will respond to them.

When one is in need, He will supply.

We are to be the Body of Christ, Here and now, the Kingdom of God on earth.

Part 8 - Oaths

INTRODUCTION

Jesus speaks on oaths

Matthew 5:33-37 - Oaths

33 "Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.' 34 But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne; 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37 Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.”

I. OATHS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT TIMES

a. A mans word in Old Testament Times

i. Jesus tightens the Word on God man has loosened

ii. "Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.' BUT I SAY TO YOU

Anytime in this sermon Jesus says ‘BUT I SAY TO YOU’, He is tightening the Law man has loosened by proclaiming the TRUE MEANING of the law.

He continued with ‘DO NOT SWEAR AT ALL’

This has nothing to do with profanity, but using God’s name in an oath.

This refers to the third commandment – DON’T USE GOD’S NAME IN VAIN (Exodus 20:7)

We are also told by Jesus not to swear by any of God’s creation, even our own head, for man is God’s highest creation!

What is the significance of our words?

Besides the third command, and the power of the tongue in what we speak whether it be good or evil;

b. We represent the Kingdom of Heaven / God

i. If we are indecisive – God appears to be

ii. If we are untrustworthy – God appears to be

iii. If we Say one thing but do another – God appears unstable

c. A mans word today

i. Who can you trust?

ii. Ananias & Sapphira – Were they followers of Christ?

iii. What does God say about indecisive people?

James 1:7-8

7 That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.

2 Peter 2:13 – 15 Unstable people targeted by the enemy

13 They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done. Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you. 14 With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they (false teachers – the enemy) seduce the unstable; they are experts in greed—an accursed brood! 15 They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness.

Those who are unstable are wishy-washy, never truly committed.

Remember, Salvation is not merely believing in Christ, even the devils believe and tremble, the Greek word means ‘committed to’.

We must be committed to, not lukewarm.

Revelation 3:14 – 16

14 "To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

d. God’s word / oath

i. Gen 24:7 God’s Oath to Abraham

"The LORD, the God of heaven, who brought me out of my father's household and my native land and who spoke to me and promised me on oath, saying, 'To your offspring I will give this land'-he will send his angel before you so that you can get a wife for my son from there.

ii. Gen 25:32 – 34 Esau swore an oath to Jacob & sold his birthright

32 "Look, I am about to die," Esau said. "What good is the birthright to me?"

33 But Jacob said, "Swear to me first." So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob.

34 Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left.
So Esau despised his birthright.

Once saved always saved?

Can we too sell our birthright?

The scriptures warn, ‘what good is it to profit the whole world if you lose your everlasting soul?’

iii. Hebrews 7:20 – 25 Christ is God’s Oath

20 And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath, 21 but he became a priest with an oath when God said to him:
"The Lord has sworn
and will not change his mind:
'You are a priest forever.' “22 Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant.

23 Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; 24 but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. 25 Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.

37 Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.”

CONCLUSION

Followers of Christ must stand out by their truthfulness, honesty, and integrity.

Wishy-washy, double talking, unstable, lukewarm, unreliable, oath swearing people are not a true representation of the people we are called to be.

We must let our yes be yes, and our no be no.

Straight forward, stable, reliable and trustworthy.

Then we will rightly represent the Kingdom of Heaven.

Part 7 - Divorce

I. INTRODUCTION

Jesus began His sermon with describing the characteristics of a Christ follower.

He then explained that those who are Christ followers belong to the Kingdom of Heaven, and that they are to stay pure (keep the Word of God pure) for they are the salt of the earth.

He also explained that they are the light of the world as well, which is the good fruit that naturally comes from us because we have the Holy Spirit in us.

Jesus also explains that He did not come to abolish the Law, but in actuality He came to tighten it back up to where it was originally intended to be.

Man had loosened the law of God to a point that it was no longer effective.

Jesus said in Mark 7:13 – “… you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down.”

Traditions that loosen the commands over time.

To the point where the commands mean nothing anymore because they have been loosened to the point where man thinks he is justified with God.

SCRIPTURE READING

Matthew 5:31 – 32

“31 "It has been said, 'Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.' 32 But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery.”

II. THE LAW

a. You have heard it said…

Deuteronomy 24:1-4

“1 If a man marries a woman who becomes displeasing to him because he finds something indecent about her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce, gives it to her and sends her from his house, 2 and if after she leaves his house she becomes the wife of another man, 3 and her second husband dislikes her and writes her a certificate of divorce, gives it to her and sends her from his house, or if he dies, 4 then her first husband, who divorced her, is not allowed to marry her again after she has been defiled. That would be detestable in the eyes of the LORD. Do not bring sin upon the land the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance.”

1. Define displeasing…
2. If you divorce her and she marries again, if he dies or divorces her you cannot marry her again.

b. The Command

The Jews had perverted the law on marriage that was given by God, loosening the meaning to the point that they were giving letters of divorce because they didn’t find their wives pleasing any longer…

Loosening God’s Word.

They would divorce, remarry, divorce and marry again at their whim.

This takes the value of covenant away, and destroys the entire point of the marriage commitment.

In fact, before they were allowed to divorce, many found their demise in the fields at the hands or hired killers.

c. Why God hates Divorce

Marriage is a covenant between two people with God in which the two become ONE and the promise is not to be broken.

Marriage represents the promise of God.

Jesus is the Groom and the Body of Christ, Christ followers here on earth are the bride.

Groom = Jesus

Bride = Christ Followers

Covenantal agreement = accepted at Communion

Preparing a place = Jesus went to prepare that place

Taking the Bride = Rapture

Wedding Feast of 7 days = Wedding feast of 7 years (during tribulation)

Revealing of the Bride after 7 days = 2^nd coming in Glory with us by His side!

Marriage was to teach people of God’s covenant and commitment.

Man loosened to the point the Word was nullified. It meant nothing.

III. JESUS TIGHTENS THE LAW

a. But I say

Matthew 5:32

“32 But I tell you that anyone who divorces (LIT – PUTS AWAY) his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery.”

Jesus does not repeat the word divorce He used in verse 31.

The word Jesus uses in verse 32 is the Greek word for leaving or letting go.

So Jesus isn’t talking about actual divorce, but if you even leave, abandon or tell your spouse to go.

UNLESS Jesus says for Porneia (where we get the word porn from) which means adultery, sexual sin, idolatry, etc…

Then you have caused THEM to become an adulterer.

And anyone who marries them will be an adulterer.

Jesus is saying YOUR ACTIONS are causing others to sin, or fall.

He’s not saying they will be held responsible, but that the one who causes them to be in this state will be held responsible.

Because one does not have control over someone else’s action.

If a man divorces his wife without just cause, that is no fault of her.

God being a just God would not hold her responsible, but the one who put her in that state.

What does Jesus say about those who cause His own to fall?

Luke 17:1-3

“1 Jesus said to his disciples: "Things that cause people to sin are bound to come, but woe to that person through whom they come. 2 It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. 3 So watch yourselves.”

b. Divorce

God hates divorce:

Malachi 2:16

"I hate divorce," says the LORD God of Israel, "and I hate a man's covering himself with violence as well as with his garment," says the LORD Almighty. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith.

God divorced Israel:

Jeremiah 3:8

I gave faithless Israel her certificate of divorce and sent her away because of all her adulteries. Yet I saw that her unfaithful sister Judah had no fear; she also went out and committed adultery.

Divorce itself is not the sin, unless it was done for selfish unscriptural reasons.

Then, just as with ANY SIN, one must repent and ask forgiveness.

c. Put Away

God hates divorce, true, but God divorced unfaithful Israel.

Is unrighteous divorce worse than any other sin? No

Is there any sin that is unforgivable? Yes, blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.

All other sin is forgivable.

Why do we have a problem with Divorce?

Sin is sin.

IV. CONCLUSION

Culture plays the biggest role in sin…

But the Word tells us all sins, save blasphemy, are forgivable!

One God –

No Idols –

No Blasphemy of God’s name -

Keep Sabbath Holy –

Honor Father & Mother -

No Murder -

No Adultery -

No Stealing -

No Lying -

No Coveting -

ALTAR CALL

It is God’s will that ALL are saved and come to a knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Jesus died for us while we were still sinners.

If we confess our sins against God and repent, asking forgiveness, there will be nothing standing in the way of a relationship with our Father in heaven.

That is why Jesus came.

Part 6 - Christian Relationship

I. INTRODUCTION

We’ve been going over the life of Jesus to gain better understanding of the Great Commission.

We’re looking at the first recorded Sermon of Jesus which took place approximately 1 – 1 ½ years after His baptism.

We looked at the fact that Jesus has not come to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it.

He fulfilled the law by living a perfect life.

He satisfied the requirements of the law by His blood, which is the requirement for sin.

This is the atoning sacrifice that makes relationship with our Father in heaven possible.

Last week we talked about Jesus and Anger and how Jesus equates Anger with Murder.

This week we are going to look at the next part of Jesus’ Sermon, and it looks at Christian Relationships.

II. SCRIPTURE READING

MATTHEW 5:27 - 30

27 "You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.”

III. DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY

Jesus again, is tightening where we loosen.

Remember Jesus talking about the Law just a few short verses ago, spoke about those who “LOOSEN” the law?

Man is continually looking for loop-holes.

My brother and I made a game out of “loosening” our parent’s laws.

We would ask, “Can I have 3 cookies?” they would answer “NO”, and if that was all they said, we would take 4.

After all, they did not say no to 4 cookies.

I wasn’t supposed to ride down Beacher Rd on my bike, so I would ride on the sidewalk, and proceed to the part of town I was not supposed to be in.

We are always looking for loopholes, and as adults, we do the same thing.

We know what is right, but we are selfish and want what we want.

And we are self-righteous.

We want what we want, while at the same time, giving the appearance of obedience to all of those around us.

In the leadership as Elder in another church, we were dealing with someone who had been participating in activities that can not be tolerated in the church, especially by the leadership.

When disciplining this person it was like dealing with a child trying to find the loophole so they could be righteous, and still act inappropriate.

They wanted their cake and eat it too as the saying goes.

Or in this case, they wanted their Kate and Edith too.

When told that the inappropriate relationship had to end, they asked,

“What if we are only together when other people are around?” – No

“What if the church is going somewhere, can we sit by each other?” – No

“Can we talk on the phone?” – No

It went on like this…until I had lost my patience, and said;

“What part of THIS ADULTERY MUST END don’t you understand?”

To that he said, “Can’t we stay friends?”

Man always looks for a way to sin, yet appear right with God.

This, is self-righteousness.

Jesus said of the Pharisees, you are like white washed tombs.

Clean on the outside, but full of dead man’s bones.

This is the modern Christian.

We see those who put on the Christian shell, but is nothing more than a lost soul with a pretty package.

What’s the saying about perfume on a pig?

The Pharisees played the part, but Jesus saw through their self-righteousness, and called them out.

DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY…

You may say, well, it’s only pictures, or a movie, it’s not like its real or anything.

I hear every excuse in the world about pornography.

Where does adultery take place?

But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Lust means to have sexual desire…

Those looking for loopholes right now are saying, I’m just appreciating beauty…

Again, God knows your heart.

You may fool the world around you, but you are not fooling God, for He knows your heart, and He judges it.

Everything that matters it spiritual, and inside of us.

God judges our hearts.

We can have a glimpse of someone’s heart because the scriptures tell us that from the overflow of our hearts, our mouths speak.

Salvation takes place in our hearts.

Sin takes place in our hearts.

Mark 7:6 Jesus rebukes the scribes and Pharisees

Jesus replied, "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: " 'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.

Hebrews 4:12

“For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

When we are self-righteous, when we put on an appearance, when we are acting, there has been no change in our hearts.

If you are here today claiming to have a relationship with Jesus Christ, and there has been no change in your heart, you may need to rethink your stand with the Lord.

When you receive Christ, you become a new creature.

If there has been no change in you, you may not have Jesus Christ in your heart.

If you do not have a new relationship with sin, you may not have a relationship with Christ.

IV. WHAT CAUSES YOU TO SIN?

Jesus said “It doesn’t matter what is causing you to sin, GET RID OF IT!

Even if it was your eye, gouge it out…

If it was your hand, cut it off…

Does this mean literally? No of course not. Jesus is not telling us to mutilate ourselves, but rather, it doesn’t matter what it is, or how important we think it is to us, it is better to lose it here, than to keep it and end up in Gehenna for eternity with it.

You know, even a blind man can lust.

If we do not stop this lusting in our hearts, our soul will be lost.

The cross is the ONLY means by which evil passions can be subdued.

Romans 6:1 – 13

“1 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

5 If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7 because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.

8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.

11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13 Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness.”

Committing sin and living in sin.

Will we still commit sin in life? Yes…

Unfortunately our flesh is sinful and has not been redeemed.

This is why we receive a new body to live in the new heaven, new earth and new Jerusalem, which will never have seen sin.

But while our spirits are redeemed, our flesh is not, and we do struggle.

This is what Paul tells us.

The struggle between the flesh and the spirit.

But when we sin, we recognize that we have sinned, repent of that sin (means to STOP AND GO IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION), and we ask for forgiveness from God.

To live in sin means we are sinning, we do not stop, we do not go in the opposite direction, and we do not ask God for forgiveness.

Forgiveness can only come when there has been repentance.

Without repentance, without stopping the sin, you can not be forgiven.

We commit sin, but we do not live in it, nor do we allow it to be our master.

Living in sin allows that sin to be our master.

We do not have to live that way.

V. RECONCILIATION

Because of Jesus’ sacrifice we can be freed from sin. No longer a slave to it.

No longer living in sin, but living in righteousness.

Living with Jesus as our master.

But for Jesus to be our Lord, we must accept Him in our heart.

VI. CONCLUSION

Jesus has shown us that our sinful thoughts are just as deadly as sinful acts.

He has shown us that if we are always looking for loopholes, we are self-righteous.

Wanting to

Wanting to give the appearance of being right with God, while still doing the things WE want to do.

He must be our righteousness, and that only comes through a relationship with Him.

When we receive Jesus we become a new creation, and we receive a new relationship with sin as well.

We begin to see sin for what it is, as it tries to master us.

Call on Jesus, your Lord.

Repent of your sins, do not live in them and lose your soul.

Repent and ask God for forgiveness.

ALTAR CALL