Summer Blockbusters: Little Rascals

Alphalpha wanted to relevant in 2 different groups.

The he-man woman hater club.

A relationship with the love of his life, Darla.

His effort to live two lives got him in a mess of trouble.

Our lives look exactly the same when we live two lives.

Matthew 5:33–37 NASB95

33 “Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not make false vows, but shall fulfill your vows to the Lord.’ 34 “But I say to you, make no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35 or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 “Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 “But let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’; anything beyond these is of evil.

The Jews were a conflicted people.

They held on to a broken history.

Numerous broken covenants with God.

Numerous broken covenants with God.

Spread out due to a split kingdom.

Suffered from the threat of Rome.

Jesus, in the sermon on the mount spreads out a pointed message to His Jewish audiene.

This message flips Jewish tradition upside down.

Vows - a lifelong (eternal) committment.

Numbers 30:2 NASB95

2 “If a man makes a vow to the Lord, or takes an oath to bind himself with a binding obligation, he shall not violate his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.

Levit

Leviticus 19:12 NASB95

12 ‘You shall not swear falsely by My name, so as to profane the name of your God; I am the Lord.

A vow, when taken by man is only as good and the person who makes it.

How can I succeed when people ask me to make a promise?

1. Learn from the mistakes of others.

Jesus was referencing words that have been made to the ancestors of the Jews. Why?

He wanted to connect with their history.

History would expose their mistakes.

Not only was their present wrong, their past was also imperfect.

Man, apart from God has proved that they are unable to keep a promise. It’s intrinsic in our nature.

Their history was littered with broken promises they had made to God.

Romans 3:10–18 NASB95

10 as it is written, “There is none righteous, not even one; 11 There is none who understands, There is none who seeks for God; 12 All have turned aside, together they have become useless; There is none who does good, There is not even one.” 13 “Their throat is an open grave, With their tongues they keep deceiving,” “The poison of asps is under their lips”; 14 “Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness”; 15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood, 16 Destruction and misery are in their paths, 17 And the path of peace they have not known.” 18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

Jesus instructed the Jews to stop the pattern of broken vows their forefathers had made and simply live in the grace of God.

Politicians make promises to secure voters with no intention to keep them. Pastors can do the same.

You have nothing to prove by making promises. God has already covered that for you.

Don’t fall into the trap like everyone else.

Instead of making promises that others have made , walk in His promise to be faithful to you.

You were never meant to be perfect. That is for God.

Don’t make the mistakes that people have made before You. Learn from them.

2. Point others to the true promise keeper.

Jesus told the Jews to take no oath at all.

By Heaven — That’s where God’s throne is.

By Earth — That’s where God rules.

By Jerusalem -- That’s God’s Kingdom

By youself — God made you.

The people had nothing to swear with because they owned nothing. “Standing on the promises of God”.

It was silly.

Clark Griswald swore that his kids could go to Wally World.

Christians can become powerful disciples when they realize that they have no control.

We are useless when we feel like we have all the control.

Where we live, spend our money, how our family acts, our children, our spouse, other people, circumstances.

We can actually cause damage to people. Especially our family and church.

Why do our earthly vows cause trouble?

They legitimize man instead of God.

When they aren’t kept, people lose trust in us (and God).

Vows don’t belong to us.

Our God is a God of promise who will not share His glory with another.

Exodus 34:6–7 NASB95

6 Then the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; 7 who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.”

Exodux 34:6-7

The office of promise keeper is God and He asks for no counterfeits.

His promise goes beyond you.

You are better of living in His promise instead of trying to make your own.

3. Stick to your “yes” and hold on to your “no”.

Jesus simplified everything for the Jews.

They were told to simply tell the truth and live right instead instead of telling people what they want to hear.

Instead of making ridiculous promises to God, simply just live for Him.

The disciples would have the learn this lesson hard way.

Not to make promises to Jesus.

Not to make promises to people.

They were unable to meet these expectations nor were they expected to.

FBC FBG “Average YM” tenure.

Why do we think saying yes but living no is ever a good idea?

We want to please people.

We have a God complex.

We struggle with giving God control.

Your “yes” and “no” reveal your character.

Tell the truth.

Do what you say you’re gonna do.

We struggle with giving God control.

Your “yes” and “no” reveals your character.

Tell the truth.

Do what you say you’re gonna do.

Say no when you don’t have margin.

Determine your yes and no by God’s standard and not your own.

Disappointing people is never fun. Not listening to God is much worse!

Learn to mean what you say. Don’t live in the gray.