Sermon on the Mount week 5

Adultery

Last week we start this section of the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus brings up an Old Testament law and then expounds on it.

Last week we looked at murder and how it is more than the just the physical act of murder but that when we have anger towards another we are committing murder in our hearts.

This week we are looking at Adultery, and just like last week, Jesus takes this Old Testament law and expounds on it.

He share how adultery is more than the physical act.

Last week we looked at the 6th commandment and this week we are looking at the 7th commandment.

This morning as we look at Matthew 5:27-30, we will see what Jesus has to say about Adultery, there is more to the 7th commandment then the physical act, we will also look at stumbling blocks, and then how to deal with temptations drastically.

Matthew 5:27–30 NASB95

27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery’; 28 but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 “If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 “If your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to go into hell.

Pray

I. Shall Not Commit Adultery

Matthew 5:27–28 NASB95

27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery’; 28 but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Here we see Jesus addressing the 7th of the Ten Commandments.

Exodus 20:14 NASB95

14 “You shall not commit adultery.

The Pharisees’ teachings were concerned only with the outward acts.

They said the only way one could commit adultery was through an act of sexual union.

They had correctly quoted the commandment, but they missed the point of the commandment.

Adultery begins within one’s heart and then follows in action.

The lustful action in the heart, is as wrong as the act, indicating that one is not rightly related to God.

It is important to note that these verses do not just refer to noticing a women/men as attractive, or even as a brief recognition that they are sexually appealing.

The verse instead actually refers to a person contemplating having sex with the person, or to having the intentions of doing so.

Looks lustfully translates to say wants to sleep with the person or wants to have intimate relations with them.

Thus, when looking at a person in this way you have therefore, already committed adultery in your heart.

The sin of adultery is not in the act but in the lust or desire to do so.

II. Stumbling Blocks

The first part of our last two verses deal with things that cause us to stumble or tempt us.

Matthew 5:29–30 NASB95

29 “If your right eye makes you stumble, 30 “If your right hand makes you stumble,

First we are told the right eye, which was regarded as more useful than the left.

If the eye is causing a person to stumble, that is to sin in this situation it would be commit adultery.

Then in the first line of verse 30 we are told the right hand, again considered the more useful hand, which can cause a person to sin then it is a stumbling block.

Eyes and hands are considered the primary offenders in sexual sins.

Jesus calls Peter - Satan - and says he is a stumbling block.

Matthew 16:23 NASB95

23 But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.”

As things in our lives, even parts of our bodies, or people can become stumbling blocks that can cause us to sin, when they do become stumbling blocks, they are then being used as instruments or tools of Satan and we must remove them.

We also can become stumbling blocks, if we are not careful, like Peter did, we are warned not to be stumbling blocks for others.

1 Corinthians 8 Paul was telling the Corinthian believers that they were free from the Law, and free to eat whatever they wanted, but they must not be stumbling blocks - as we see in 1 Corinthians 8:9

1 Corinthians 8:9 NASB95

9 But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.

In Acts God shows Peter that He has made all meat clean, and that he was able to eat all meat.

But Paul’s point here is that as people come to Christ, and especially in the Biblical times, the Jews, they would still believe that they needed to refrain from certain meats.

Therefore, Paul tells the Corinthians even though you are free to eat any meat, do not cause another person who is not as mature in the faith to stumble.

We must be careful that we do not cause those that are younger Christians to stumble and fall into sin.

When we notice a stumbling block in our lives, Jesus tells us in the rest of those two verses ways of dealing with stumbling blocks.

III. Deal with Temptations Drastically

Matthew 5:29–30 NASB95

29 “If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 “If your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to go into hell.

As we have seen that the right eye, and the right hand can cause us to stumble, that is to fall into temptation, Jesus says pluck out the eye and cut off the hand.

Jesus is not talking about literal self-mutilation - like He is not literally saying if you have lusted for a person then go to the mirror and pluck your eye out.

As it is quite possible to be blind and still lust.

Now you may think how is that possible, but you hear a person talking and think oh she has a beautiful voice and next you are imaging what she looks like and on from there and you have never even seen her.

What we need to see here is not the fact that we need to pluck our eye out or cut our hand off, but that Jesu is saying that we need to take drastic measures to avoid temptation and falling into sin.

This being drastic could be that you must stop participating in something.

It could be that you stop hanging around certain friends or even certain family members.

Because you know that those things causes temptation.

Jesus said, it is better to lose one part of your body, than be thrown into hell - you must not let anything prevent you from entering the kingdom of God.

Now let me say, this is not saying that you can loose your salvation.

But even as Christians we deal with temptation, and even though we are not going to loose our salvation, we will face punishment by God.

Hebrews 12:6 NASB95

6 For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, And He scourges every son whom He receives.”

Do not allow pride, your reputation, your friends, your spouse, your family to keep you from entering the kingdom of God, and thus have you thrown into the pit of Hell.

We must deal immediately and decisively with sin.

Do not try to tapper off sin - you must - cut off sin.

Jesus was advocating for the removal of the inward cause of the offense.

Since lustful hearts would ultimately lead to adultery, one’s heart must be changed.

We must take sin seriously.

It is not something to play with, it is something that needs to be dealt with immediately, and drastically.

Jesus was seriousness enough about it that He said pluck out your eye or cut off your hand.