You Have Heard It Said...

Jesus addresses actions and attitudes.

A question may have been forming: “What does this Jesus say about the law and the prophets?”

The crowd has formed and Jesus is teaching — he’s saying some very unique things. They must have asked where this teacher was regarding the OT law.

Deuteronomy 13:1–3 NIV

1 If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a sign or wonder, 2 and if the sign or wonder spoken of takes place, and the prophet says, “Let us follow other gods” (gods you have not known) “and let us worship them,” 3 you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The Lord your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul.

What does he say about the law of Moses? The religious leaders of the time started to be suspicious about Jesus.

This passage goes on to instruct the people of God to put to death anyone who would try to lead them away from worshiping the one true God. This is much of the case that the Pharisee’s make at the end of Jesus’ life. Do NOT Tolerate a False Prophet.

Jesus does not destroy the Law, he fulfils it.

But Jesus actually knows that there is this question— he already knows and is already going to teach them:

Matthew 5:17 NIV

17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

Matthew 5:18 NIV

18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.

He basically says— if you have any questions about where I stand on what the Law states and what the prophets have declared— I’ve not come to question that— or undermine that— I’ve come to “fulfil” them!

There are two primary ways that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law:

-He is the fulfilment of all the requirements of the Law

-He is the centerpiece of the scriptures.

He challenges the Pharisee’s in another way— in John’s gospel:

John 5:39 NIV

39 You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me,

Also- after his resurrection, on that Emmaus road:

Luke 24:27 NIV

27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.

Jesus puts the highest value on the Law and the Prophets.

He goes on:

Matthew 5:19 NIV

19 Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

This actually shows us even more clearly what Jesus thinks about the Law— He’s stating here that those who undermine God’s law, and teach others to do so— that’s a negative— But those who are practicing it, and teaching others to do the same are going to be great in the Kingdom.

Today this isn’t just pastors or Sunday School teachers— that’s everyone. Who are you teaching to obey and cherish scripture? The life principles we find here are invaluable. We should be excited to model and share wisdom for life from this book!

They are loving this— this guy is a breath of fresh air— and then he drops verse 20:

Matthew 5:20 NIV

20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Oh- by the way— you will need to be Better than the Pharisees and teachers. These were, in the eyes of the common people, were the very top of the ladder. How can this be?

I’m never going to be good enough. Yep- sorry about that. But if I try hard enough— if I’m sincere enough?

Nope. For most of us— we’ve already broken the Law— It’s already done.

How can anyone be saved?

I’m so glad you asked— You’re not the only one who ever asked that:

Luke 18:26–27 NIV

26 Those who heard this asked, “Who then can be saved?” 27 Jesus replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”

This is Peter asking the question— after he watches Jesus interact with the Rich Young Ruler. This young man was a seemingly faithful, honorable, leader who had followed all the commandments— He simply asks Jesus a similar form of this question— “What must I do to inherit eternal life?”

Remember— it’s there in Luke 18, also in Matthew 19. We’ll unpack it probably after Easter next spring.

Jesus challenges this young man to take what he probably values most— and give it away to those in need. That’s taking our crossbar from here— (LOW) to here (HIGH).

Many of you know that I was blessed to compete as a track and field athlete in both HS and College. This week we surpassed the 54th anniversary of Dick Fosbury’s Gold medal performance in the High Jump. October 20th, 1968.

The high jump is a wonderful and exciting event— up until 1968, all jumpers would perform a style called the “Western Roll”, placing their belly to the bar and clearing that way.

Track and Field Legend and Lore records that Young Richard couldn’t approach the bar in his backyard due to a large tree— so he decided to try to approach the bar from the opposite direction— and then placed his BACK toward the bar— thus creating a completely revolutionary and new technique to high jumping— it’s now called the “Fosbury Flop”.

This short video explains what happen that day back in 1968 in Mexico City.

We can boil all the world religions—over 4000 different known religions--- everything down into just two categories:

All religions fall into one of two categories:

-Human performance

-Divine accomplishment

That’s it. You’re either in a camp where people will need to act or perform a certain way—or you’re in a camp where God himself makes the way. Is your faith based on what you do— or what God has done?

You either have to do something— or God does something for you.

The first is “worth”- the second is “grace”

One is our work— the other is God’s work.

This statement in verse 20 would really shake someone up, if they only viewed their salvation as the result of “human performance”. And he really doesn’t resolve this issue for us here

Jesus explores several significant areas of teaching.

Anger and Adultery: verses 21-30

Divorce and Oaths: verses 31-37

Retaliation and Love of enemies: verses 38-48

Anger and Adultery (or lust)- I’ll tackle these in a moment

Divorce and Oaths- We will cover these next week, and they fit very nicely with our plan to have communion next week too!

Retaliation and Love for Enemies- This will be a wonderful chance for Owen to cover these with us on November 13th.

#1: Concerning Murder

Matthew 5:21 NIV

21 “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’

Matthew 5:22 NIV

22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister, will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.

He’s referencing the 6th commandment of Moses, but he’s also specifically saying “You’ve heard it said”— rather than “it is written”.

You shall not murder.

And you’ve been taught what that means--

Fine- that’s pretty easy to understand and “fulfil” right?

But what Jesus is driving home with these statements is that

Obeying God’s commands is not just about the outward action, but also about the inward attitude.

What Jesus is also pointing out here is that while he certainly agrees with the statement— in every one of these areas— redefines what the offense is.

In this case, he is saying, “yes, I agree with the 6th commandment and what you’ve been taught about it--, ‘do not murder’, but let me tell you how murder is really defined in my Kingdom.”

It’s like he is getting at not just the outward fruit of an action, but also the little seed of how that action begins.

Matthew 5:23 NIV

23 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you,

Matthew 5:24 NIV

24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.

This is a very difficult issue. He’s actually flipping the scenario— now he points out that someone ELSE may be upset with us— and we have a responsibility to GO to that person and be reconciled BEFORE we approach God to worship.

Conflict with our neighbor hinders our worship of God.

This infers that we aren’t ready to be close with God in worship, if we are harboring anger or if someone has anger with us. If the horizontal is broken— the vertical isn’t going to work either.

He goes on to say that if you have wronged someone, and you won’t be reconciled, then they may just push it to a legal judge. And then it’s out of your hands. There will only be “transaction” justice.

There is a way that our enemy the devil can keep us from the genuine, transparent whole-hearted worship that God desires. God wants worshipers who worship in spirit— and in truth. We seek reconciliation with our brother— THEN we move to make our offering and come to worship God.

#2 Concerning Adultery:

Matthew 5:27–28 NIV

27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall 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.

This is now referring to the 7th commandment, and how they have been taught about this portion of the Law.

This draws a very clear line in the sand so to speak. If you look at another person, and you lust for them in your heart— you’ve already committed adultery.

But I would suggest to you that there is a difference between a glance— and a gaze. When the glance becomes a gaze— that’s a problem. Because of the culture and the society that we live in- we will see things- but the question becomes what we do with what we see.

A glance is different from a gaze.

King David’s failure is the classic example of how we should be careful what we see. His glance of Bathsheba becomes a gaze— and that leads to unbelievable pain, hardship and the sins of adultery and murder for David.

Now Jesus really challenges everyone listening with the following reasoning:

Matthew 5:29 NIV

29 If your right eye causes you to stumble, 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.

Wendy and I attending college at a larger public university, but we were also involved with a Christian student group on campus called InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. (IVCF). We would sometimes go out and speak to people about spiritual matters, and more than once, I would ask someone about a relationship with God— and they would say “Oh- Dude, I just live by the Sermon on the Mount”. Really? All of it. Like, I’m not sure that dude had even read the Sermon on the mount— let alone considered living by it.!

Matthew 5:30 NIV

30 And if your right hand causes you to stumble, 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.

We read that— and we think Man— this is tough. Lord, what - How can I make sense of this?

Yeah— that’s the point.

I think he wants people to have a little shock after hearing it.

But we understand this is a set of figurative statements.

The point is that if we have something that is causing us to stumble or fail in this area— we need to eliminate it.

We must be decisive and direct to control our thought lives.

Jesus uses a drastic example to show us that what he is talking about here demands a drastic response.

Because of the results if you don’t.

It’s better for you to keep your character and be right with God, than to have “whatever” and lose your character.

2 Corinthians 10:5 (NIV)

5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

The OT Story of Joseph and Potifer’s wife comes to mind.

She made an advance at him— and he didn’t even consider it.

He didn’t pause, he didn’t consider how to get out of this gracefully, or kindly— he just ran.

Psalm 18:29 (CSB)

29 With you I can attack a barricade, and with my God I can leap over a wall.

Psalm 19:14 (NIV)

14 May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.