2. How To Become A Good Person

Me:

Welcome to part two of our sermon series, Apex. If you are new with us, this sermon series is part of a larger spiritual growth campaign called Core52. Each week we focus in on one of the 52 core verses that makes up the Bible. We just started into the New Testament verses, and it would be a great time to join the conversation. If you would like a guide book as we start week nineteen, just contact me and I will get it into your hands.

We:

There is this universal pull within most every person on the planet: A desire to be better. All you have to do is do a quick internet search on “How to be a good person” and you will find a plethora of articles about how to be a good person. There are lists laying our the qualities of a good person. Articles about why we want to be good. Definitions about what good is. Even an article from Reader’s Digest: How to Be A Good Person According to Science.

This of course raises an equal amount of important questions, such as: Who determines what good is? If we want to be a good person, does that mean we start off as a bad person? What is good enough? Or how about this, is it really possible to be a good person?

If you believe in the Bible and adhere to what it lays out we kind of have a few answers to some of those questions. For example, God created everything good, because he is good. Humanity had the choice to continue to pursue God’s goodness and live in his good world or define good and evil on their own terms. Humanity has chosen to choose good and evil on their own terms. Because of that we feel the separation from God and his plan for life. We also have this pull in our lives that tells us that we should be good…but because of sin and brokenness…and just plain stubbornness we can’t seem to find it on our own. So we work really hard trying to improve ourselves, trying to make ourselves better—yet we can never quite get there. Yet we keep trying new formulas, new strategies, or keep moving the definition of good around…but we can’t ever really reach that destination of being good.

So maybe we need to look at it differently and understand that we don’t need better actions or more discipline or a new plan, we need something better. Something that goes deeper. Thankfully Jesus has a few things to say about being a good person…let’s check them out.

God:

If you have a Bible or device, go ahead and find Matthew chapter 5. If you have the YouVersion Bible app, go to Events....look for Iowa City Church and all of the Scriptures and sermon notes should show up on your device.

As Jesus opened his ministry, his main message, one that repeated often can be summed up here in Matthew chapter 4. Here is what he said:

Matthew 4:17 NIV

From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

I grew up going to church, and the concept of kingdom of heaven was confusing to me…and it was for a long time. The idea of going to heaven when one dies is a consist theme and hope that we talk about in church. So when I would hear statements like what Jesus was saying, it made me think about repenting and turning to God so that when I die I can go to heaven. I may be the only person who thought that, and if so, this is good because that is not what Jesus is talking about.

Jesus is talking about God’s space, Heaven invading earth or human space. Think of it like this: What is happening is heaven is coming to earth. There’s a new King and he’s bringing a new kingdom…God’s Kingdom.

So, The Sermon on the Mount. It’s the at the top, it’s the apex of Jesus…and the main focus of this sermon is a picture of what it looks like to be a citizen of God’s Kingdom that is coming near.

Here’s where it’s so important to make a shift in how we think about our lives and the drive to be good. For a lot of folks, and maybe even you, there is this drive to be a good person and do the right things to get into heaven when you die. Because of this, there is this push to be a good person…and to keep becoming a better person so that you can be good enough to get into the kingdom. I’ve heard, well meaning, Christians who will talk about being good enough or doing more. Listen, here’s where the shift needs to take place. Instead of trying to be good enough to get into heaven when you die, we need to be thinking about how we can be a part of the Kingdom of Heaven now?

Do you see the difference? This is why The Sermon on the Mount is so crucial. Jesus is describing what it means to be a part of the Kingdom of Heaven now.

Let’s dive into the text and see what Jesus says about being good enough. This is our core verse for this week:

Matthew 5:20 NIV

For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

First, let’s talk about Pharisees. In this Jewish culture, the Pharisees were the keepers and teachers of God’s Law that was given to the Jewish people from Moses. Pharisees were adamant about obeying, interpreting and living out the Mosiac Law. One of the ways that they did this was to set an example for the Jewish people. The prayed and fasted at least three times a day. They fasted at least one day every week. They tithed or gave 10% of everything that they had…even their garden herbs. To the Jewish people, the Pharisees were the model of what it looked like to be righteous. So when Jesus says: “Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees”, pretty much everyone threw up their hands saying, “Well I’m out! So much for me!”

The issue that Jesus is going to expose later is that the Pharisees appeared to be righteous by their impressive prayers, strict adherence to the Law, and their impressive tithing skills. What Jesus is going to point out is that the Pharisees had found loop holes, exceptions that let them off the hook. They may have looked the part, but their goodness wasn’t quite as good as it seemed. Now, before we start pointing our fingers at the Pharisees, it should be noted that most of us fall into the same category. We look the part, and act the part, however we have found loopholes in our lives to continue to pursue unrighteous activities. We shouldn’t criticize Pharisees as much as we should admit that we aren’t too dissimilar.

So here is where Jesus is going with his teaching. To get in on the Kingdom of Heaven, his listeners have to be more righteous then the Pharisees…but it’s not going to happen with better, more disciplined actions. Instead to be more righteous then the Pharisees one needs better motives. Do you see the shift to becoming better at being good? You don’t need better actions you need better motives.

How does this happen? Well, thankfully Jesus gives a few examples. Because of time we are just going to cover the first two, but you really should take some time and think through the others. Jump down to verse 21. Jesus is going to begin to do a bit of comparison. He’s going to compare the Mosiac Law that the Pharisees adhered to: You have heard it said. That’s referring to the action. Then Jesus is going to respond: “But I say”. He is going to refer to the change in motive. So to be clear: You have heard it said - Action. But I say - Motive.

Okay, let’s look at the first one.

Matthew 5:21–22 NIV

“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister, will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.

The Law is “You shall not murder.” For the Pharisee, and actually for the typical American, they can walk around feeling like they are pretty good folks. We even have this saying when people think we are bad. The typical response is: Well, at least I didn’t kill someone. As if that’s the indicator that we aren’t bad. Jesus’ point is that we shouldn’t feel too good about ourselves if that is our indicator when it comes to being a good person. Remember, a Jesus follower needs to be more righteous. Jesus goes in deep, he goes for the motive. He says that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment.

A lot of people may say that they are good because they haven’t killed anyone, yet they have been angry with someone and tore down their reputation with gossip. Or disowned them or cut them off from their lives. Maybe destroyed their lively hood. I think we all understand what is going on here. We even have a phrase to describe it. Have you ever heard the phrase: if looks could kill. Oh, you may not murder them, but your anger, viciousness, libel and slander comes just as close. What Jesus is pointing out is that to be more righteous then the Pharisees, you can’t just modify their behavior or change their actions…they need to get to the heart of the problem…which is the anger that hangs out in our hearts.

To be a good person you don’t need better actions, you need different motives. You need a new heart. Jesus can give you a new heart.

Okay, let’s jump down to verse 27.

Matthew 5:27–30 NIV

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.

The Law is “You shall not commit adultery.” For the Pharisee, and the typical American, we feel like we are good people if we can say…well at least I didn’t cheat on my spouse. I can’t be all bad because I didn’t commit adultery. However, Jesus has something to say about that. Jesus says that to look on a woman lustfully. The word lustfully means to desire, covet or long for someone for any immoral behavior. So, to be clear, this isn’t looking and noticing someone who is attractive. There are attractive, beautiful people in the world. To look at them, notice them nothing wrong with that. Jesus is specific about the desire of the heart. If they heart because to desire this person and begins to formulate a video that is played inside your mind…that is adultery. Jesus is even very clear about where the problem lies. It’s not with the attractive person. It’s not with noticing them. The problem is in the heart. The motive for what is happening is selfish and hurtful.

What Jesus has to say is especially relevant for our current culture. We live an a sexually saturated culture. It drives advertising, is a core part of our entertainment, and it is one of the wealthy industries in the world. We have found ways to justify it. Things like, well it’s personal. It’s my thoughts or it’s what I look at or think about…it’s not hurting anyone. The reality is, it is hurting people. It’s rewiring how they view sex. It’s reshaping how we look at people. Instead of seeing people as beings made in the image of God, we see people or images who are there for our own personal gratification. This is a serious problem…however, just modifying behaviors is not going to fix the problem. Jesus in fact uses hyperbole to show how serious it is. He says to gouge out an eye or cut off a hand. His point is that this is serious business. Don’t take these words lightly. A lustfully stare is not harmless because it reveals a deeper issue…a motive that needs to be dealt with in the heart.

To be a good person you don’t need better actions, you need different motives. You need a new heart. Jesus can give you a new heart.

So, how can one get a new heart and keep it?

You:

Let me tell you a story and then I will give you two questions to consider. This comes from Pastor and author Tim Keller in his book Preaching to the Heart.

Some years ago, I had a relative who never would wear a seat belt. Every time I talked to him, he would get in the car, but wouldn't wear his seat belt. We all nagged him to no avail. Then one day he got in the car and put his seat belt on right away. We said, "What happened to you?" He said, "A couple weeks ago, I went to see a friend of mine in the hospital. He was in a car crash, and he went through the windshield. He had like 200 stitches in his face. For some strange reason, ever since then, I've been having no problem buckling up."

I asked him, "Well, did you get new information? What changed you? Did you not know that people go through the windshield?" Of course I knew the answer to those questions: What happened was that an abstract proposition became connected to an actual sensory experience that he saw. As Jonathan Edwards used to basically say over and over again, it's only when you attach to some truth—that's when real life change occurs. Something has to become real to your heart. Then you will be changed.

What Is Something Real That Can Change Your Heart? - Let me suggest something for you: the death of Jesus on the cross. This event was a real historical event. Jesus dying on the cross happened. So we have to ask ourselves, why did Jesus die on the cross? Was it just an unfortunate event? Or was there a purpose for it? The Bible tells us that the purpose of Jesus’ death was for the forgiveness of our sins. It was an atoning death. He paid the ransom price so that we could be free. If this is true do you know what this means? It means that your behaviors, actions to fix what is wrong inside your heart will never work. It also means that you are ignoring the work of Jesus on the cross. Jesus died so you could have a new heart…so you could have new motives. When you put your faith in the Jesus who died for your sins, you will find that you have a new heart and new motives.

What Is Standing In The Way Of You Becoming A Good Person? Answer: You. We are our own worst enemy. We think that if we just work harder, become more disciplined or have the right coach…then we can turn things around and become better at being good. The truth is, you can’t do it. Do you remember the words of Jesus as he opened this sermon? Verse three he said:

Matthew 5:3 NIV

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Until someone admits they are spiritually bankrupt, God can’t help. Until we admit we have a problem, until we admit that our behaviors and actions aren’t fixing the problem…until then God can’t help. However, according to Jesus, anyone…anyone who admits that they are empty…spiritual…nothing left in the tank…those people can be a part of what God is doing in his kingdom. God can fill the emptiness with a new heart, and with a new heart comes new motives.

One way to admit being poor in spirit is sharing in the loaf and cup during the Lord’s Supper. By taking these elements and focusing your life on Jesus you are admitting your feeble attempts to live life and acknowledging that you need Jesus to change you from the inside out. In just a minute, we are going to share in bread and the cup, you will be given a moment to admit your need for Jesus to make you good.

Alright, in case you missed it here is our second essential of a Christ follower: To be a good person you don’t need better actions, you need different motives. You need a new heart. Jesus can give you a new heart.