Message from the Mount
Message from the Mount • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 4 viewsNotes
Transcript
Rightly dealing with anger
Rightly dealing with anger
“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’
But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire.
Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you,
leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison.
Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.
When Jordan was young, maybe 3 or 4, he had a habit of sticking his tongue out at you if he got mad at you. We tried to discourage this behavior; but, he did not relent. I remember one time in particular that Jordan was angry with me over something and I warned him that he had better not stick his tongue out at me. So, what did he do. He did not allow his tongue to go past his lips but he surely did show me his tongue.
A lady once came to Billy Sunday and tried to rationalize her angry outbursts. "There's nothing wrong with losing my temper," she said. "I blow up, and then it's all over."
"So does a shotgun," Sunday replied, "and look at the damage it leaves behind!"
Billy Sunday.
It’s natural, we all like know where the lines are. We like to know how far we can go without crossing the line. And this is the way many people think about the law of God and being in right standing before God. They believe that there are certain lines that shouldn’t be crossed and as long as we don’t cross those lines we will be in good standing with God.
This a simplified version of the false teaching of the scribes and Pharisees during the time of Jesus. They had taken the law of God and created lines and parameters. They had a system by which they believed they could determine who was right with God and who wasn’t.
A Righteousness of the Heart
In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus is teaching what it looks like to live as the people of God. What becomes abundantly clear is that God’s standard is much different than the standard of the scribes and Pharisees. In fact, Jesus says that the true people of God will have a righteousness that exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees.
In Matthew 5:21-48 Jesus offers six examples contrasting the teaching of the scribes and Pharisees and the true law of God. What’s clear is that the righteousness of God is a righteousness of the heart and it goes far beyond the lines and parameters of the religious leaders. Further, we can never live up to God’s standard – but instead He gives those who are His new hearts – hearts that hunger and thirst for true righteousness.
The Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees – Do Not Murder (5:21)
You have heard it said – In verse 21 and in the other 5 places where Jesus uses this phrase He isn’t taking issue with the law of God. Jesus isn’t dismissing God’s law, rather He’s contrasting the teaching of the scribes and Pharisees and the true law of God
A hardline approach to the command – In the system of the scribes and Pharisees the law was simple - to not murder was to keep the law and therefore to be righteous. However, Jesus is going to show that their application of the law was far too simple.
The Marks of True Righteousness (5:22)
The authority of Jesus – The scribes and Pharisees were men with authority and they stood on the tradition of generations before them. Now Jesus comes and claims to be a greater authority – one who is able to rightly interpret the law of God.
The standard explained – It’s a matter of the heart – While the religious leaders were concerned with outward behavior (don’t murder), Jesus is making it clear that the real standard is a matter of the heart – have you murdered in your heart? Let’s take a look at 1 John 3:14-15
We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death.
Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
The standard illustrated – In order to illustrate His point Jesus offers three examples of sin and the corresponding consequences.
The seriousness of an angry heart James 4:1-2
Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?
You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask.
For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.
The seriousness of insulting words James 3:10-12
Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.
Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening?
Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.
The seriousness of harsh slander
The consequences of ignoring the heart – With each of the three examples Jesus includes a consequence. These are all synonymous and work together to show that in every case where we’ve violated God’s standard, we are guilty before Him.
Cultivating a Heart of Reconciliation (5:23-26)
In verses 23-26 Jesus comes at the issue from a positive angle. Not only should the people of God avoid anger and insult, we should be quick to pursue reconciliation and restoration.
The necessity of reconciliation Matthew 5:23-24
Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you,
leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
Using a scenario of a person going to the Temple to offer a sacrifice Jesus shows the importance of reconciliation. Reconciling a broken relationship should be a priority, even over other important aspects of devotion to God Ephesians 4:26-27
“Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath,
nor give place to the devil.
The urgency of reconciliation Matthew 5:25-26
Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison.
Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.
Using a scenario of a person being taken to court over a debt Jesus shows the urgency of reconciliation. There is judgment for those who remain in sin so don’t wait – pursue reconciliation right away Romans 12:18
If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.
God’s Work of Reconciliation – While we may feel justified in our anger and feel that someone deserves our wrath, we must remember that God was justified in His anger against us and we deserved His wrath, yet He sent Jesus to die for us. It’s only through Jesus that we can be seen as righteous and be accepted by God. Now we are called to show the same mercy to others.
