GOSPEL OF MATTHEW - LIFE OF INTEGRITY

LET YOU YES BE YES - MATTHEW 5:33-37

Matthew 5:20 – For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.  Jesus then started teaching how to do that and that true righteousness is more than external obedience.  It is about a heart that rejects anger, a heart that seeks reconciliation, and a heart that resolves conflict quickly.  It also means the heart is a heart of purity not only in our thoughts but in our commitments as well.  It is taking radical action against sin and setting up guardrails in our lives and faithfulness in commitments.

This leads us into living a life of integrity and simply living out “Let our yes be yes and our no be a no.”

So as we begin today – let us pray!

Sermon Title: Living with Integrity: Let Your Yes Be Yes

Scripture Text: Matthew 5:33-37 – “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.

         The theme of righteousness greater than the Pharisees continues here

1. Honesty Over Empty Promises (Matthew 5:33-34) –

Illustration: Imagine a person who constantly makes promises but rarely keeps them. Over time, their words lose credibility. In contrast, a trustworthy person doesn’t need to convince others with elaborate vows—their word alone is enough.

Oaths and vows were not only permitted Israel but in some circumstances commanded by law –

Numbers 30:2 – If a man vows a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word. He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.

 Leviticus 19:12 – You shall not swear by my name falsely, and so profane the name of your God: I am the Lord.

Why were oaths needed?  When someone was unreliable with their word – ensure someone would resolve to follow through with an obligation

Jews believed swearing an oath by heaven and earth, Jerusalem, or even one’s head was less binding that swearing by God.

Jesus here turns it upside down

Our integrity is shown by our actions and our words matching

Key Idea: Jesus teaches that truthfulness should be a way of life, not something that requires oaths to guarantee. God values integrity in our words.

Supporting Scripture:

Proverbs 12:22 – "The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy."

Titus 2:7-8 – "In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned."

Open-Ended Questions:

1. How do people see you and your integrity?  Do they view you as someone whose words can be trusted?

2. How can you practice honesty even in small, everyday conversations?

2. Speaking Truth in Every Circumstance (Matthew 5:35-36)

Illustration: Imagine you are very thirsty, and someone hands you a glass of water. It looks pure, but before you drink it, they tell you that it has just a tiny drop of poison—too small to notice, but still there. Would you drink it? Of course not! Even the smallest amount of contamination makes the entire glass unsafe. (Kanda and JB’s water bottle)

In the same way, truth should be completely pure. A small lie, half-truth, or exaggeration might seem insignificant at the moment, but it contaminates our integrity. Over time, if we keep justifying small distortions of the truth, people will stop trusting us completely. But when we commit to honesty in every situation, our words remain as refreshing and life-giving as a pure glass of water.

Key Idea: Oaths were often misused to manipulate or make false impressions. Jesus calls us to speak truth consistently rather than trying to strengthen our words with elaborate swearing.

Jesus says do not swear by…

         Heaven – that is where God the Father resides – His throne is there

         Earth – God’s Creation – God is still in control of what happens here

         Jerusalem – besides Mt. Sinai – this is where God made His presence known

         Your Head – You are created in His Image –

All of these belong to God – equates to swear by God’s very name and nature

Supporting Scripture:

Ephesians 4:25 – "Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body."

Psalm 15:2-3 – " The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart; whose tongue utters no slander, who does no wrong to a neighbor, and casts no slur on others."

But what does v1 say?

v1 – Lord who may dwell in your house, who can live on your mountain?  God’s answer

v4-5 – continues – who despises a vile person but honors those who fear the Lord; who keeps an oath even when it hurts, and does not change their mind; who lends money to the poor without interest; who does not accept a bribe against the innocent. Whoever does these things will never be shaken.

Open-Ended Questions:

1. What has happened when you have told a small lie or half-truth?  How did it or could it have led to bigger problems later?

2. How can you ensure that your words always align with truth, even when it’s difficult?

3. Have you ever been in a situation where telling the full truth was difficult? How did you respond?

3. Let Your Yes Be Yes, and Your No Be No (Matthew 5:37)

Illustration: Imagine a clock that sometimes tells the correct time and sometimes doesn't. One day, it runs fast; another day, it runs slow. People who rely on it are constantly late or early because they never know if the time is accurate. Eventually, they stop trusting it altogether.

Now, compare that to a clock that always tells the right time. Whether morning or night, rain or shine, it is dependable. People trust it completely because it never wavers.

 A life of integrity is like the digital clock—consistent, reliable, and unwavering in truth.

Key Idea: A disciple of Christ should not need to swear by anything because their character should be trustworthy. Their simple "yes" or "no" should be enough.

Our words and action show our integrity – if we are a true follower of Christ – if our hearts are with God – our words are enough

Our words should be binding – when they’re not – it comes from a source of evil –

One of Satan’s nicknames – Father of Lies

Supporting Scripture:

Colossians 3:9 – "Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices."

James 5:12 – "Let your ‘Yes’ be yes, and your ‘No’ be no, or you will be condemned."

Open-Ended Questions:

1. What areas of your life require greater consistency between your words and actions?

2. How can you demonstrate integrity in your workplace, home, and church community?

Conclusion & Call to Action

Key Takeaway: A life of integrity means our words align with truth, without exaggeration or manipulation. When we live with honesty, we reflect the character of Christ.

Challenge: This week, take a step toward integrity by:

Examining whether your words and actions align consistently.

Practicing honesty, even when it’s inconvenient.

Being a person whose word can always be trusted.

Closing Scripture: Psalm 19:14 – "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer."

One Big Idea for Matthew 5:33-37:

Followers of Christ are called to be people of integrity, where their words and actions align with truth, without the need for exaggerated promises or oaths.