Don't Climb That Tree!

It Starts So Simple

Please open your Bible or Bible App

What we are about to read is a back and forth between two lovers. A man and a woman. Some believe that it is Solomon and his first wife. Possibly the woman who laid down to warm David in his old age. As they go back and forth I want you to pay attention to how the mind of a man functions.

Have them turn to Song of Solomon 7:1-9 Explain as you go along.

Sex is sacred

Designed by God

Should be used the way that he said that it should be used.

Sex is like fire

It is useful when used properly.

Procreation

Enjoyment & Bond between spouses (Man & Wife)

When not used properly it can kill whole people groups.

Understand some more things

It is not sinful to notice beauty

You may even find your stare come across fruits

But when you begin to imbibe and figure out ways to climb the tree! That is when the trouble begins!!

DON’T CLIMB THAT TREE!

Jesus calls us in his sermon to live up to a higher standard. And we truly believe that if we would but obey the callings of Jesus in this sermon then we would be able to touch and heal this Land!

Turn your Bibles with me to Mt 5 27-32

Matthew 5:27–32 ESV

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell. “It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

What was…

Matthew 5:27 ESV

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’

d

Exodus 20:14 ESV

“You shall not commit adultery.

Their standard was in avoiding the action

They believed in not doing things Jesus is calling us to a higher standard.

What is…

Matthew 5:28 ESV

But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Jesus speaks with authority calling to a higher standard.

Look

There is no sin in the look.

I do not want you men to think that you are going to hell for noticing the beauty of a woman.

Here is where the sin lies

“…looks at a woman with lustful intent...”

Don’t Climb That Tree!

Jesus is saying you thought what my Father wanted was action based rules but I am calling you to have a heart that is pure!

“…has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

For all my literal folks do not go jumping off a bridge

Jesus is explaining here that our actions do not just HAPPEN, they begin in the heart!

He is pointing out the danger of not protecting your heart! It will lead to actions that are against God!

One of these days I am going to decide to get six pack abs!

Input/Output

Matthew 5:29–30 ESV

If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.

Tear out your right eye… Throw it away

Cut off your right hand… Throw it away

This isn’t literal because in most cases if we did this a lot of us would be some one eyed one handed adulterers!

The eye is an input device. You commit adultery with another member. Jesus is saying nip it at the bud

“Destroy it at the earliest stage”

We understand how sin works.

James 1:14-15

James 1:14–15 ESV

But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

We can’t cut off problem members if we do not know there is a problem.

We must recognize sin

And be able to accept it

If we do not fix our hearts we are going to find ourselves at the top of a tree wondering how we got there!

Don’t Climb That Tree!

What was…

Matthew 5:31 ESV

“It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’

Deuteronomy 24:1 ESV

“When a man takes a wife and marries her, if then she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some indecency in her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house, and she departs out of his house,

Go study what this is about…

What is…

Matthew 5:32 ESV

But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

W

Conclusion

In Living Jesus by Randy Harris he shares an idea of Sheldon Vanuken in which he says

“…when you get a new car you should also get a hammer. Take that hammer and go out and put the first dent in the brand new car yourself. Then you’re not afraid to use it anymore. That way you don’t have to park at the end of the parking lot to protect from door dings, because you’ve already put the first dent in it yourself.”

“things are not to be loved, they’re to be used. The corollary to that is this:people are not to be used, they’re to be loved.”

Perhaps what Jesus is getting at here is that we not see the “lesser than” people in the world as lesser than in the kingdom.

Our wives are not trees!

Our sisters are not trees!

Our daughters are not trees!

They are not objects to be climbed! They are are our counterparts to be loved, cherished, nourished, built up!

Perhaps if we changed our mind about how we see women it would change the way we see women.