Sunday Sermon Matthew 5:31-32

But, we will need to reread last weeks passage, because it is connected by the word Furthermore which is aa term of contrast, a marker of closely related events.

I would suggest, in verses 31-32 in Chap 5, that Jesus is giving his listeners an example of adultery...

Read Matthew 5:27-32

Matthew 5:27–30 NKJV

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.

Prayer

Gracious Father, thank you for all the gifts, graces, and blessings this week has brought and thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit and your Word. As we open Your Word today, we would ask for nuggets to fall upon us. And may these nuggets of grace produce fruit for your Kingdom. For the down cast ones who might be here, we pray that you would encourage and love them well.

In Jesus Name, we Love You! Amen!

Review

Last week we learned that the Pharisees and scribes thought they were keeping the law, until Jesus gave them the one, two punch.

Yes, the religious leaders were not committing the physical or external act, but when Jesus spoke to them and us, we found ourselves all guilty.

Jesus moved from the external act, to the internal matter and motives of our hearts.

The purpose of being guilty is to bring us to Jesus. Once we are there, then its purpose is finished. If we continue to make ourselves guilty—to blame ourselves—then that is sin in itself.

Corrie ten Boom

Have you noticed that Jesus is raising the standard that we cannot keep apart from Him?

Jesus came to fulfill, the Law church, we did not.

However, if we are walking in the Spirit, we will not be fulfilling the lust of the flesh or our carnal desires.

Paul says it like this:

Romans 8:3–6 NKJV

For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

So Jesus’ is draw his listeners to himself.

That is you and me.

The only way for us to ever to be in the will of the Father is through a relationship with Jesus and his saving and enabling grace.

Saving grace makes a man as willing to leave his lusts as a slave is willing to leave his galley, or a prisoner his dungeon, or a thief his bolts, or a beggar his rags.

Thomas Brooks

Last week we ended on verse 29, so I would like to pick up there.

Matthew 5:29–30 NKJV

If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.

As we closed out the service last week, I shared that an early church Father by the name of Origen who was struggling with lust decided to castrate himself, which means, well you know what it means.

But guess what? Did it fix the problem of lust in his heart? NO

He continued to struggle, why?

Well he still had two eyes right?

But what if he gouged out his eyes? Would this fix the problem?

Or if someone cut off his right hand, would this fix the problem? NO, it would not! Why, its because the have a left had to continue in sin.

Jesus is using hyperbole here, which means he is trying to use an exaggeration or overstatement in order to drive home a point.

And the point is, that sin begins in the heart, therefore if we struggle in the arena of lust, we must do something radical to get free of it.

Did you notice that Jesus uses the right eye and the right hand?

It is because the Jews believed the right eye and right hand were the strongest and most powerful. We can see in the Word that God’s right hand is often used....

But how do we get free from sin????

Three things to do when we are caught in sin:

Confess your sin to God!

Repent!

If you have tried this and are still struggling with a certain sin or pet sin, then invite someone into the situation to help hold you acceptable.

Because if true repentance is not there, you will go right back to what you know.

I have a friend who I love dearly, but he is addicted to gaming. This man is 62 years old and is a faithful church goer. Several years ago, we were talking about plucking out our eye and cutting off our hands with regards to our sinful habits, we prayed and guess what he did?

He was convicted by the Holy Spirit that he needed to deal radically with his gaming!

He had spent hundreds of dollars on this gear, if not thousands, and he grabbed it all and threw it in the trash. That day the trash truck came and it was gone, all gone!

He had plucked out his eye, and cut off his hand!

Did he have a victory? YES! Did it last? NO Why?

It is because he dealt with the what he was addicted to, and not the why!

He did not ask the question, “Why am I still addicted?”

And he did not invite anyone into his life to help hold him accountable.

So today, he spends much of his time on a recliner with his gaming controller in hand… SAD

And if we are all brutally honest we can identify with this story.

Church, we are called to deal radically with our sin!

Someone once said they would not change until the pain of remaining the same, is greater than the pain of change.

Pain and loss are often the precursors of brokenness and repentance.

But it doesn’t have to be that way!

Romans 2:4 NKJV

Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?

God desires his goodness to lead us to repentance church and he is so, so good.

What is God calling you to radically deal with?

Is it living in self-gratification?

Is it lust or anger?

Is it over spending or over eating?

Is it laziness?

Is it not being kind or generous ?

Is it an addiction like food, drugs, alcohol, porn, gaming???

Is it fornication?

What is it?

Church, I know the text that we are dealing with is talking about adultery, but this text has great application to a believers life.

Last week, we talked about how King David was in the wrong place at the wrong time and committed murder, adultery and lied.

He confessed his sin, he repented of his sin, and had surrounded himself with men to hold him accountable and he did not commit these same sins again.

The scripture says that King David was a man after God’s own heart, why?

Why was he a man after God’s own heart?

David trusted and had faith in God.

It is not our trust that keeps us, but the God in whom we trust who keeps us.

Oswald Chambers

Without faith it is impossible to please God...

2. He had love for God, therefore love toward others. David could have killed Saul, but instead he gave him grace and showed him the same love and forgiveness that God had given him.

3. David had integrity- David admitted when he was wrong and took responsibility for his mistakes, and attempted to make things right which was a sign of his deep integrity. HE REPENTED...

4. David exercised humility of heart. When the prophet Nathan came to him and and gave him a parable>>> Lets go there:

2 Samuel 12:1–4 NKJV

Then the Lord sent Nathan to David. And he came to him, and said to him: “There were two men in one city, one rich and the other poor. The rich man had exceedingly many flocks and herds. But the poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb which he had bought and nourished; and it grew up together with him and with his children. It ate of his own food and drank from his own cup and lay in his bosom; and it was like a daughter to him. And a traveler came to the rich man, who refused to take from his own flock and from his own herd to prepare one for the wayfaring man who had come to him; but he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.”

2 Samuel 12:5–7 NKJV

So David’s anger was greatly aroused against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this shall surely die! And he shall restore fourfold for the lamb, because he did this thing and because he had no pity.” Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul.

David attempted to cover his sins and his bones grew old, just like Adam and Eve did with the fig leaves.

Read Psalm 32

And guess what? Our God who is rich in mercy and grace did?

HE SENT A PROPHET TO DAVID BECAUSE HE WISHES NOT ONE SHOULD PERISH, BUT THAT ALL SHOULD COME TO REPENTANCE.

5. David loved God’s Law, God’s Word, therefore he worshiped him with all his heart, mind, soul, and strength church.

Psalm 119:17–18 NKJV

Deal bountifully with Your servant, That I may live and keep Your word. Open my eyes, that I may see Wondrous things from Your law.

Psalm 119:23–24 NKJV

Princes also sit and speak against me, But Your servant meditates on Your statutes. Your testimonies also are my delight And my counselors.

Psalm 119:28 NKJV

My soul melts from heaviness; Strengthen me according to Your word.

Psalm 119:97 NKJV

Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day.

David was all in and his focus was on the Lord!

Yes, he fell short, yes he failed, but in the end he was still a man after God’s own heart.

Matthew 5:27–30 NKJV

Our text for today is teaching us radical Christianity, if we are his, then we must be willing today whatever it take to eradicate sin from our lives!

Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank you for teaching us today to deal radically with the sin in our lives and for the example of King David. May we be a church that follows you with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength and may we be a church that when your eyes run to a fro throughout the whole earth that you not only will strengthen us according to your Word, but that you will find our hearts loyal to You!

In Jesus Name! We Love You! Amen and Amen!

Numbers 6:24–26 NKJV

“The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.” ’

YOUR MISSION STARTS NOW!

HAVE A GREAT WEEK!

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