Surpassing the Scribes - Called to a Higher Standard Part 2
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
Introduction
Introduction
Good morning Church.
Today, we will be continuing on in part two of our study on Surpassing the Scribes - Called to a Higher Standard.
Last week, we looked at Verses 17-20 where Jesus informed the crowd before Him at the Sermon on the Mount that He had not come to destroy the law but rather to fulfill it.
We looked at how the law, still to this day, has it’s place in the believer’s life or at least it ought to have.
It is our guidebook to living the Christian life. It is what teaches us about our God and His righteousness and holiness and it’s what drives us to be more like Him.
The key to understanding the law, as it applies to us today, is to understand that we are not under the law, meaning the keeping of the law cannot, shall not, will not bring salvation but simply that the law is what shows us our need for a savior and then guides us to be more like our Lord Jesus Christ for He and He alone is the only one in all of history who has kept the letter of the law.
Therefore, we look to Him for salvation and we look to His word to grow more like Him.
As the Psalmist said in...
97 Oh, how I love your instructions! I think about them all day long.
98 Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are my constant guide.
99 Yes, I have more insight than my teachers, for I am always thinking of your laws.
100 I am even wiser than my elders, for I have kept your commandments.
101 I have refused to walk on any evil path, so that I may remain obedient to your word.
102 I haven’t turned away from your regulations, for you have taught me well.
103 How sweet your words taste to me; they are sweeter than honey.
104 Your commandments give me understanding; no wonder I hate every false way of life.
105 Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.
David said in...
7 The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
8 The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for living.
9 Reverence for the Lord is pure, lasting forever. The laws of the Lord are true; each one is fair.
10 They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb.
11 They are a warning to your servant, a great reward for those who obey them.
The reason, the goal, the objective of the law in the life of the believer is to drive them from sin and to a deeper relationship with the Savior.
11 I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
That’s the goal of the law. That’s why it is still needed even today and maybe today more than ever before, considering the depth of immorality that this world has plunged into.
Today, we will be finishing out Matthew Chapter 5, looking at Verses 21-48, and for sake of time we are simply going to take a flyover view of this passage instead taking each and breaking it down every week.
Jesus teaches over six different specifics here in the second half of Chapter five and in doing so, He intensifies the commands of the Old Testament.
If you will remember, last week we talked about how Jesus never lessened the command of the law but rather deepened it.
So too, will He do so here today.
I will say that we are going to be looking at some things today that tend to be very touchy subjects. My goal is to simply tell you what the word of God says and if there are issues you find with what God’s word says, then I would encourage you to come at the end of service, kneel here at this altar and take those problems up with God because at the end of the day I didn’t write the Book, I’ve simply been called to teach and preach it and I try to do so with the utmost sincerity.
With that being said, I would ask you if you have your Bibles turned to Matthew Chapter 5 and Verse 21, would you say, Amen.
Temper and the Tongue — (Vs. 21-26)
Temper and the Tongue — (Vs. 21-26)
“Raca” — means literally “empty” but it’s speaking in an intellectual sense. Basically it would be like saying either…you’re ignorant, or you’re an idiot.
The NLT actually even translates it, “idiot”.
“Thou fool” — speaks of being "stupid or dull" when used speaking of a person, the word means morally worthless, a scoundrel, a more serious reproach than "Raca;" the latter scorns a man's mind and calls him stupid; mōros scorns his heart and character; hence the Lord's more severe condemnation; — Vine's Dictionary
Notice the progression in the teaching here.
Jesus begins with whosoever is angry without cause shall be in danger of the judgment — John Phillips said, “this is speaking of a reference to the lower court, the council of three in a local synagogue who had jurisdiction over lesser offenses.”
Then Jesus says, as the temper flares and the tongue rages, if you shall say to your brother Raca, then you shall be in danger of the council.
The council referred to the next level of the judicial system. The Supreme Court of the Sanhedrin Council.
Then He goes on to say, whosoever shall call their brother a fool shall be in danger of hell fire!
When Jesus says here hell fire, John Phillips says… “Literally, the reference was to the fiery valley of Hinnom just outside Jerusalem, where the refuse of the city was dumped and bodies of criminals were burned. No greater shame could be imagined by a Jew than to be so cremated.”
Every Scribe and Pharisee understood that the punishment for murder was death but Jesus addresses the deeper underlying condition that brings about murder.
It starts with a heated temper and an untamed tongue and if not dealt with, it will fester into a feud that can possibly end in murder!
Warren Wiersbe — Anger is such a foolish thing. It makes us destroyers instead of builders. It robs us of freedom and makes us prisoners. To hate someone is to commit murder in our hearts for the Bible says in...
15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
He goes on to say… “It has well been said that the person who refuses to forgive his brother destroys the very bridge over which he himself must walk.”
So what is the key to keeping oneself from murder?
Look what Jesus says to do…Verse 23-26.
What does He say to do?
He says to deal with it, right?
To deal with the temper and the tongue!
Remember, Jesus just finished teaching on different attitudes that ought to be found in the believer, right?
Well, anger isn’t one of them. Anger should be put out of our hearts and our minds because nothing good ever comes from it.
Jesus begins with the Temper and the Tongue, next, He deals with the very touchy subject of Desire and Divorce in Verses 27-32.
Desire and Divorce — (Vs. 27-32)
Desire and Divorce — (Vs. 27-32)
“Looketh” — is the Greek word (blepō) and it means to "observe, discern, perceive," frequently implying special contemplation.
Listen, men and women alike, this isn’t speaking of a quick glance. It’s speaking of a longing look, a lost gaze, a desiring daze.
It’s looking at another woman or for women, another man, and contemplating what it would be like to be with that person in a sexual manner.
The word “Lust” used here is the Greek word (epithymeō) and it means to desire or to yearn for. It describes having affections for something.
When we look at another person and lust after them, when we undress them with our eyes and imagine what could be, Jesus says we’ve already committed adultery in our hearts.
Does that mean we should follow through with the desire since we’ve already committed the deed?
Absolutely not!
At this point the only person we have harmed is ourselves, but if you follow through with the deed, then it brings shame and harm to others!
Think of King David on that roof top with Bathsheba.
If he’d of just left it at a look of lust, neither Bathsheba or Uriah would have been harmed but no, he took it to the next level and caused Bathsheba to commit adultery and then he murdered one of most loyal servants Uriah!
All because of a lustful look.
Jesus says we must deal with our lustful hearts.
Now, what He’s not saying here is to go plucking your eye out or cutting your hand off.
These are representative of the things that bring about the sin of adultery.
With the eyes we do look and with the hand we do touch.
What He is saying here though is that adultery is an extremely serious matter and should be dealt with accordingly.
If you have a problem with lust then do not allow yourself to gaze upon an attractive woman and especially don’t engage in touching another woman.
Same goes for the women. For men, it’s more the eyes. For women, it’s more the touch.
Maybe it’s been a while since you’ve been able to enjoy the touch of your husbands hand. The last thing you need to do is find yourself in a situation engaging the touch of another man.
Listen, you can’t walk through an unopened door.
Do you understand what I’m saying?
Don’t allow yourself to give into the desires of lust.
5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
22 Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
When Paul told Timothy here to “flee youthful lusts” you know what that word means?
It means to run away from, to escape to avoid danger!
Listen, we all know and remember what those youthful lusts feel like and there’s a time and place for those and it’s with your wife or your husband!
Those feelings are to be enjoyed with one person and one person only and that is the one you vowed a vow to when you said “I do”.
The Bible speaks of this in...
15 Drink waters out of thine own cistern, And running waters out of thine own well.
16 Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, And rivers of waters in the streets.
17 Let them be only thine own, And not strangers’ with thee.
18 Let thy fountain be blessed: And rejoice with the wife of thy youth.
19 Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; Let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; And be thou ravished always with her love.
20 And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, And embrace the bosom of a stranger?
21 For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, And he pondereth all his goings.
22 His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, And he shall be holden with the cords of his sins.
23 He shall die without instruction; And in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.
Do not be distracted this morning with the danger of adultery. Flee it. Run from it and to the Lord for He is our strong tower!
Not only does Jesus deal with adultery but He goes on to also deal with divorce which had been taken out of context and apparently was raging flippantly as it is our day and time as well.
Look at Verses 31-32.
Today, many, not all but many, say, “ah, well if this one doesn’t work I’ll just move on to the next one!”
Listen to me this morning friend, that’s not how God intended on marriage to be!
He intended on marriage to be between one woman and one man for one lifetime.
1 And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these sayings, he departed from Galilee, and came into the coasts of Judaea beyond Jordan;
2 And great multitudes followed him; and he healed them there.
3 The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?
4 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,
5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?
6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
7 They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?
8 He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.
9 And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.
10 His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry.
11 But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given.
12 For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother’s womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.
In the OT Book of Malachi in Chapter 2 and Verse 16 the Bible even goes as far as to say...
16 “For I hate divorce!” says the Lord, the God of Israel. “To divorce your wife is to overwhelm her with cruelty,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “So guard your heart; do not be unfaithful to your wife.”
God hates divorce except in the case of adultery. The problem that Jesus was dealing with though is that during this day and time there were two differing views on marriage.
The background of the Lord's teaching about marriage was the prevalent permissiveness and immorality of the Judeo-Greco-Roman world in which He lived—a world much like the one in which we live.
Among the Jews, two voices were raised to interpret the Mosaic teaching on divorce (Deuteronomy 24:1): the voices of Shammai and Hillel. The school of Shammai heeded the prophet Malachi, who recorded God's voice ringing down the centuries, "I hate divorce." Hillel's school, on the other hand, was liberal in the extreme, teaching that a man could divorce his wife for almost anything he found displeasing in her, while a woman had no rights at all. Jewish divorce laws, according to this interpretation, were one-sided and chauvinistic.
The Greeks expected a respectable woman to live in seclusion and never to appear on the streets unchaperoned or take part in social life. A Greek man demanded absolute moral purity in his wife, but he granted himself the utmost license to be as immoral as he pleased. He saw nothing wrong with visiting houses of ill-repute, nothing wrong with the employment of a thousand harlots as priestesses in the temple of Aphrodite at Corinth. If he wanted to divorce his wife for any reason, he simply had to dismiss her in the presence of a couple of witnesses and return her dowry.
The Romans started well. Their religion and society were originally founded on the home and the authority of the father in the home. For five centuries divorce was virtually unknown and harlots were viewed with contempt. Then Rome conquered Greece militarily, and Greece avenged herself by conquering Rome morally. Rome plunged into the quagmire of Greek moral pollution. The historian Lecky wrote of the "frantic depravity" that followed Roman contact with Greece. Among the Romans, marriage became "nothing more than an unfortunate necessity."
In cultures outside the Bible world, matters were as bad. We know how Hinduism has debased women and how the raw paganism of other religions has reduced women to the status of childbearing beasts of burden.
Against such a background, Jesus raised His voice with His authoritative "But I say unto you". — John Phillips
But I say unto you, that whosever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.
Well, preacher I’ve been divorced and remarried, and some maybe even multiple times, what am I supposed to do?
Am I to go and get divorced from my now spouse?
Listen, you can’t undo something that’s already been done and if you did so, you would actually be causing more harm than good!
I would simply point you to the woman at the well in John Chapter 4.
Here was a woman who had 5 husbands and the one she was now with wasn’t her husband. Jesus did not condemn her. But what He did do was change her life forever and I’d dare say she never had another one!
When the Pharisees brought the woman who was caught in an act of adultery before Jesus, what did He do and say to her?
He asked for whoever who had not sinned to cast the first stone and they all had sinned so they all left, right?
Then, He said to the woman, “where are thine accusers?”
“There are none Lord,” was her reply.
“Neither do I condemn thee, go and sin no more!”
Dear friend, we’ve all made mistakes and come short of the glory of God in our past.
The key is not to make the same mistake again.
If you are divorced and remarried save for the sake of fornication on your spouses part, I would simply say talk to God about it and seek His wisdom on your situation.
If you feel convicted that you need to ask for forgiveness, simply ask Him for it!
He is kind, loving, gracious, and merciful God who’s mercies are new every morning and at the end of the day there is only one sin that is unforgivable and that is the sin of unbelief.
Short of that, the Bible says if we will confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness!
So far, Jesus has dealt with our Temper and our Tongues, Our Desires and Divorce, and next, He’s going to deal with Vows.
Vows — (Vs. 33-37)
Vows — (Vs. 33-37)
The two vows mentioned here are from two different, but related, Greek terms. The first is from the verb epiorkeō, which means to perjure oneself, to swear falsely, to make false vows.
The second is from the noun horkos, which literally means to enclose, as with a fence, or to bind together. The truth of an oath or vow is enclosed, bound, and therefore strengthened by that which is invoked on its behalf. — MacArthur New Testament Commentary
In the Old Testament, making a vow was encouraged by God but if an oath was made in His name it was essential that oath was brought about to completion.
Whatever you vowed to God, you had to do or complete.
21 When thou shalt vow a vow unto the Lord thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it: for the Lord thy God will surely require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee.
12 And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the Lord.
2 If a man vow a vow unto the Lord, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.
The problem that Jesus was referring to here though was the fact that somewhere along the lines, some of the Pharisees had come to think that as long as you made an oath by something other than God, or as long as you did not make an oath publicly, it wasn’t a big deal to break to that oath.
Therefore, in casual conversation, to spice up the lingo, they were making oaths by heaven, or by earth, or Jerusalem and that way if they broke their oath it was no big deal.
So, Jesus sets the record straight and says, “look, if you’re gonna make an oath without intent on following through, you’re better off not making an oath at all!”
If you tell someone you’re going to do something, then you need to follow through!
If you tell God you’re going to do something you definitely better follow through!
Let your conversation be ye, ye or nay, nay because anything more than that, you stand the potential to break the oath, and the end is worse than the beginning!
Listen this morning friend, a man’s word ought to be his bond.
Dr. Rod Mattoon said it this way...
We should keep our word and our promises. Obviously an oath, no matter how strong the words used, is only as reliable as the one who makes it. The ideal is that a man should never need an oath to buttress or guarantee the truth of anything he may say. The man's character should make an oath completely unnecessary. His guarantee and his witness should lie in what he is himself.
Socrates, the Greek teacher and orator, said, "A man must lead a life which will gain more confidence in him than ever an oath could do."
Clement of Alexandria insisted that Christians must lead such a life and demonstrate such a character that no one will ever dream of asking an oath from them.
The man who is always trusted and believed, is he whose character is beyond suspicion in all things, who obeys all the laws of God, and whose simple declaration therefore is enough. A man that is truly a Christian, and leads a Christian life, does not need oaths and profaneness to make him believed.
After dealing with Vows, our Lord now moves on to Retribution and Restitution in Verses 38-42.
Retribution and Restitution — (Vs. 38-42)
Retribution and Restitution — (Vs. 38-42)
Exodus 21:24 — Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,
This is the law of retaliation, which is technically known as Lex (Law) Talionis (retaliation).
I don’t have a ton of time to get into this one this morning but Jesus isn’t saying here that Christians are to be door mats to the world.
He’s not saying that we aren’t to protect ourselves or our families or our countries even for that matter.
The best application I came across for this section is that Jesus is speaking of being insulted for our beliefs.
Notice it says if anyone smite the on thy “right” cheek. Now, if most people are right handed, in order to be smacked on the right cheek, it would have to be done with a backhand.
And during this day and time to be smacked with a backhand, was meant to be more of an insult than anything.
According to rabbinic law, to hit someone with the back of the hand was twice as insulting as hitting him with the flat of the hand. The back of the hand meant calculated contempt or withering disdain for a person. It meant that you were insulted, vilified, and scorned as a nobody. You were considered worthless or as nothing. — Rod Mattoon
On multiple occasions our Lord was referred to as gluttonous, a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners but He didn’t retaliate.
Instead, He allowed people to continue their verbal assault and think whatever they wanted.
Essentially, He turned the other cheek and left the judging up to God the Father and that’s exactly what He calls us to do as well.
17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
30 For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.
Not only are we not to retaliate when insulted but then Jesus goes on to say if someone sues you take away your coat, then you are to give him your cloak also.
The cloak was an outer garment worn to protect a person from the elements and was heavy enough that it doubled up at night time as a blanket of sorts to keep one warm.
And Jesus says here if someone sues you to take your coat give them your cloak also.
Basically, if they can live with it, you can live without it.
Why?
19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Also because in so doing as the Bible says in...
20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.
He finishes the section out with, “whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain and give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.”
In the context of this application it means not to withhold good from someone who has done you evil. If someone did you evil a month ago and they come to you for help, they are often refused because they did you evil earlier (so your refusal is a form of retaliation). It is this refusal that forbidden by this application. — John G Butler
Retribution and Restitution is to be left up to God. Now, He finishes this section out with a lesson on Malice and Manners.
Malice and Manners — (Vs. 43-47)
Malice and Manners — (Vs. 43-47)
One writer said of this command...
It might be fruitful to reflect upon the ways in which this command actually breaks down barriers between people. As my daughter, then in grade school, once said to me about this verse, “Jesus makes it so enemies aren’t enemies anymore.” This command really messes with our “us/them” categories. Our preaching and teaching on the passage should do no less. — Teaching the Text Commentary
Jesus here, goes against the rational way of thinking. It goes against our natural instinct. It goes against the desire of our flesh!
Our flesh says, get even.
Our flesh says, if someone does me wrong, I’m going to do more wrong to them in return!
Our flesh says, get even or even one over on our enemies.
Jesus says to love them, bless them, and pray for them!
So that we, might be the children of our Father in Heaven!
We are to go against the grain of the world’s way of thinking so that the world might see the light of our Lord in us!
Closing — (Vs. 48)
Closing — (Vs. 48)
He finishes it out with… “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”
Here, we cannot attain unto perfection but it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t still strive to be as close to perfect as we can because in so doing, we are striving to be like our Lord!
My work one year came up with a pretty clever slogan that went something like this… “chase perfection, obtain excellence.”
While we are here in this world we shall not be perfect but when we get there, where Jesus our Lord is, we shall be like Him!
2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
While we are at home in this world though, we are to surpass the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, we are called a higher standard, a higher purpose than the rest of the world.
We are called to not only address our actions but the underlying attitudes that lead to those actions.
But what I want to leave you with here today is the thought that you and I cannot, will not, shall not, surpass the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees unless we have a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ who fulfilled the law all the way down to the most minute jot and tittle.
Do you have a relationship with Jesus this morning?
If not, you need one.
If you do, let me simply ask you how that relationship is going. When was the last time you just got humble with Him and shared your stresses, your cares, your fears, your sins and shortcomings with Him?
If it’s been a while, why don’t you come right now while we give the invitation.