Which is Better?

INTRODUCTION

Let’s play a game as we begin. I’m going to give you two choices and each of us is going to shout out which one is better!

Hamburger or Hot Dog

Summer or Winter

Coffee or Tea

Dogs or Cats

Ice Cream or Cake

Tillamook ice cream or Umpqua ice cream

Some of these questions were probably difficult for you to choose which one you thought was better. Other times the answer is readily apparent. For instance,

Steak or Salad (or better yet, a steak salad)

Lebron James or Michael Jordan

In the book of Matthew Jesus confronts his disciples with a “which is better?” situation. But in Jesus’ case, he gives the disciples the answer.

*Turn to Matthew 18:8-9

Matthew 18:8–9 (KJV 1900)

8 Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire. 9 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.

Here are the choices: 1) Enter into hell (everlasting fire) with both feet and both hands or 2) Enter heaven missing one hand or a foot. Which is better?

Now I hope the answer is readily apparent. Shout it out!

MISCONCEPTION

How many of you have heard this passage before? What sin is the passage normally connected to? (does anyone know?) — adultery / lust

Matthew 5:27–30 KJV 1900

27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: 28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. 29 And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. 30 And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

Here’s the common misconception — Radical sins require radical amputation. What do I mean by that?

We shouldn’t disagree with that statement necessarily. Its just a little incomplete. Our passage is describing our attitude toward all sin, not just “serious” sins.

So I want to amend my earlier statement: All sins require radical amputation.

*Illustration about the difference between amputating my arm because of a cut or because of a disease.

All sin is a disease. We must change our thinking concerning sin and reflect the serious attitude toward which Jesus instructs us to eradicate sin from our life.

What are some sins that we excuse (or think aren’t as bad)? (lack of self-control, impatience, pride, anxiety, worry, fear, jealousy, unthankfulness, complaining, irritability, harsh tongue, gossip, etc.)

Now I’ve got a confession I need to make. (I used to think this a lot) Sometimes I think that older people don’t struggle with sin. You guys just make the Christian life look easy. I think that as we age and hopefully mature, that we stop sinning. Is that the case? (yes or no)

MORTIFICATION

So here’s my encouragement for today: Identify sin in your life and fight it until it is removed from your life.

This is better than the alternative!

Identify your sin.

How can we identify our sin? (godly friends, Scripture, engaging with preaching, prayer, etc.)

Identify you sin. Don’t excuse it. Remember it is a disease and must be eradicated.

Kill your sin.

John Owen wrote in his book The Mortification of Sin, “always be killing sin or it will be killing you.”

Romans 8:13 KJV 1900

13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

The biblical word mortification simply means, to put to death. We must put our sin to death.

Colossians 3:5–10 KJV 1900

5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: 6 For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: 7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. 8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. 9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; 10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

Sin is characteristic of an unbeliever. For those of us in here that have accepted Christ as our Lord and Savior, sin should not characterize us.

Hence, why Jesus encourages those listening to him and several other times throughout the gospels to go to radical lengths to kill their sin.

I’m not sure what sin you are allowing in your life, or what sin you consistently struggle with. But I know that we must fight those sins in our life. We can’t dismiss them or allow them. We must go to radical lengths to rid our lives of those sins.

Which is better?