Let your yes be yes

Title: Let your yes be yes

Text: Matthew 5:33-37

D.T. Stop making commitments for the purpose of representing a status symbol. Start making commitments for the purpose of representing Jesus.

Introduction: (Crossing fingers illustration) This idea isn’t new, and it certainly didn’t originate from kids on a playground. As a matter of fact, it was happening very frequently during Jesus' time. People were making oaths with the knowledge they would allow themselves a way to back out of their oaths. This is why Jesus mentions oaths during his sermon on the mount, he wants to stop this notion that people weren’t taking their oaths seriously.

Read: Matthew 5:33-37

Matthew 5:33–37 ESV

“Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.

People believed they were being clever. When they would swear an oath, they would swear on things which sounded important, but ultimately they knew the oath didn’t carry any weight. It just sounded like it bore weight.(I.E The throne of God, Jerusalem, their heads) Jesus reminds people of the 10 commandments. Jesus calls back to the command “You shall not bear false witness” According to Jesus, making empty oaths is just as bad as bearing false witness.

Jesus specifically calls out the attitude people have when making these empty oaths. Jesus basically tells people “if you make fake oaths you can easily break. It’s better for you not to make the oath at all. In other words, Jesus says making fake oaths just so you can have the appearance of sincerity is a violation of the command to not bear false witness.

How often do we see this today? People make oaths and commitments not for the purpose of obeying them, but for the purpose of appearances. They want to sound invested, they want to appear sincere, they want to sound as if they care. However at the end of the day this is an insincere commitment, because it’s not made for the purpose of fulfilling it, the commitment is made of how it looks.

Somehow busyness has become a status symbol in America. Busyness has become a badge of courage.

The pew research center has recently conducted a study revealing that 60 percent of Americans feel too busy to enjoy life. 74 percent of Amercians with children under 18 feel too busy to enjoy life.

How many people are making commitments for the purpose of maintaining busyness. Even though it makes them too busy to enjoy life. Even though it clearly spreads their finite time too thin.

I am not saying that EVERYONE who is busy is chasing a status symbol. Sometimes life comes at you fast. However I am willing to bet the amount of people who over-commit and make themselves super busy do so because they believe it makes them look good.

How many people make commitments and oaths because they can’t say no? They realize the commitment is probably more than they can handle, but they make the commitment anyway because they don’t want to disappoint.

Making an oath or commitment just because we don’t want to disappoint people is also an abuse of oaths. Especially if we know there is a good chance we’ll eventually have to back out.

How many people make commitments knowing they can’t make good on the oath, but they want to buy themselves more time to say no. They are buying themselves time to come up with some extravagant excuse, because they don’t feel like admitting how busy they are is a worthwhile excuse? Even though it’s admirable to be honest enough to admit one is just too busy.

How many people make commitments simple because they believe they don’t have a choice, or feel pressured into making the commitments.

Is any of this healthy? Physically and spiritually? You can make a clear case the answer is no to both questions

Studies have shown that overextending ourselves by becoming too busy compromises our immune system because of lack of rest. People who are too busy experience heightened stress levels and chronic fatigue.

This status symbol of making ourselves too busy is costly to our health.

Is busyness affecting our spiritual health? In Luke 10 we find a popular story. Mary and Martha are preparing to receive Jesus as a guest in their home. Martha has allowed herself to be swamped with busyness to make sure everything is perfect. Meanwhile Mary took the opportunity to learn from Jesus. Martha finds herself irritated by this, so she tries to get Jesus to encourage Mary to help her instead of listening to his teaching. Jesus' response caught Martha off guard. (READ Luke 10:41-42

Luke 10:41–42 ESV

But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

Jesus makes it clear that our spiritual health is of more importance than our busyness.

So how do we respond?

Stop making commitments for the purpose of representing a status symbol. Start making commitments for the purpose of representing Jesus.

We should only make commitments to things we are honestly invested in

Make commitments with the objective of fulfillment

Prioritize commitments It would be easy for me to use the opportunity to say “Commitments to the church should always be the number 1 priority.” Maybe that’s true, and maybe that’s exactly what you need to hear this morning. However, here is something that’s more true. Representing Jesus should be the priority of all our commitments. Colossians 3:17

Colossians 3:17 ESV

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

This applies to commitments both in and out of church. I know many of you have substantial commitments outside of church. Far be it from me to EVER say you shouldn't prioritize that commitment. Instead I just leave you with a simple question. Are you allowing your commitments to be a chance to spread the gospel?

Let your yes be yes, and your no be no.

Jesus and James both say the same thing about commitments. Let your yes be yes, and your no be no.

This implies that sometimes no is the necessary answer, don’t be afraid to answer accordingly.

Let your answer put you in the best position to represent Jesus.