Sermon on the Mount (Truth and Lies)
Notes
Transcript
What do I want them to know? We are to tell the truth at all times
Why? It brings life (life in truth, death in lies)
What do I want them to do? Tell the truth
Why? Truth brings life, lies bring death
ME/WE
Have you ever bought a product that claimed and promised amazing benefits, if you buy this product it will do this amazing thing
Maybe it was a health product, buy these these health pills, workout machine, ab roller
And guess what in 30 days you will have six pick abs, this body
And the show you what the person looked like before they bought the product....then 30 days later this is now what they look like.
Then you get it and try it and it does not work that way.....or worse I had this 20 years ago....it does weird things to your body, your stomach is upset, you can’t sleep
Maybe it wasn’t a health product for you but it was an electronic product, household product, vehicle
That promised you the best results
You use this vacuum and you will never have to buy another vaccum again.
You buy this computer and you will be set for the next 10 years
and you buy it and it did not do what it said
It is not products, we have bought a line from someone about a promise
We have this with politicians all the time....
I promise I will fix the roads
I promise I will not raise taxes
I promise I will fill in the blank
and it does not happen
Politicians over promise and underdeliever ALL THE TIME
But it is not just politicians, let’s not point the finger in judgement, we bought a promise from a friend or family member
Our friend said I will be over for dinner tonight, I promise this time.
A family member who said I promise to take out the trash, fix the sink
Anybody been there? Anybody broken a promise?
TENSION
How does that make you feel when a promise has been broken?
Grateful, oh jeeh, gosh golly I am so happy!
No we are ANGRY
And rightfully so, someone promised something to you, that they did not give you what they promised
We are angry externally at them or the company and/or internally
How could I be so dumb, I knew that product was too good to be true, I knew John would not come threw
Then to get over this anger we go back to what Jesus said a couple points ago in His sermon....we forgive
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Let’s return back to the a question of that day and today is what does Jesus have to say about promises???
They in that day had a system in how to handle promises and your word
- As we will see they were changing what God’s law to fit there needs.
What does Jesus have to say about promises? Our word?
GOD
“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.’
You shall not swear by my name falsely, and so profane the name of your God: I am the Lord.
“If you make a vow to the Lord your God, you shall not delay fulfilling it, for the Lord your God will surely require it of you, and you will be guilty of sin.
You shall not make a promise in God’s name and not keep it.
God I promise I will do that
To do so would also take the name of God in PROFANE or take the name of God in vain.
Ok, Got it God....Do not swear by your NAME and not do it....
What’s the loop hole in the letter of the law that many RELIGIOUS FOUND?
There are ways we can make promises we don’t have to keep
HOW? WHAT WAS IT?
I just won’t swear or take an oath in God’s name
They thought they were so smart
What they created BOUND oaths and UNBOND OATHS “We’re so smart!?!”
Bound oaths were in God’s name
Unbound oaths were in anyone or anything else’s name....you did not have to keep those because they were not in God’s name
Maybe you have done this I didn’t PROMISE YOU I WOULD DO IT
Or I was just joking
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.
“Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’
They were swearing by all different things, the throne of God, the temple but not the gold of the temple
Bonnie I didn’t swear by God I would do it....I swore by the pew I would do it…I swore by the Bible.
Jesus says don’t do that....there is not exception clauses....if I swear by something that is God’s name, it is not valid…that is just wrong and sinful.....the flesh getting in the way of the HEART of THE LAW
Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.
WHAT!?! ARE YOU SERIOUS JESUS!?!
you are saying that anything that comes out of my MOUTH yes or no and that our bound and unbound system is EVIL
Yes
But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.
Whatever you say YES to let it be YES....NO be NO
If you said YES will fix their washer, you fix it
Yes you will hang out with them you will hang out with them
If you said NO I will not hang out with you let it be NO (I say that because sometimes as Christians we yeah let’s get together and it don’t do it because our plate is too full but we say YES, because no feels mean....you can said I cannot do it right now but maybe I can in the future)
Not shade the truth either (we like to shade the truth…any truth shaders here at times)
Did you talk to your dad? Yes, yes I did…but what your spouse was implying though was did you talk to your dad about his behavior last night was unexceptable
Did you clean the garage....you clean a section
Did you talk to the client today? yes, the client that you were going to let go and clear the books with.
Why is this such a BIG DEAL and Why do we lie?
Much of what I am saying is reminder, that even the secular world agrees
Why is lying such a big deal?
DISOBEYS GOD INSTRUCTION
lying is a sin
9th commandment
Follows the ways of the kingdom of darkness
You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
Disobey God’s instructions and follow the kingdom of DARKNESS
and when we follow the kingdom of darkness…we reap the what we sow
Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.
For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.
So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.
One of the things that we reap is DESTRUCTION
LIE BRING DEATH AND DESTRUCTION TRUTH BRINGS LIFE
It was not what we did that broke the relationship but that we lied about doing what we did.
(disobeys God, brings destruction)
How does destruction come? (3 ways, there are more ways
DIVISION
lies divid relationships
If someone lies to you and you find out about it and they don’t confess it and say I am sorry…it brings a way of division up between you and them....
I cannot trust you because I do not
many people have been in work places like this or have certain family members like this.
We cannot TRUST you because I don’t know if I can TRUST YOU
we see this in some marriages… “I can’t trust you”
TRUTH BRINGS LIFE....LIES BRING DIVISION and DESTRUCTION
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
DEPRESSION and ANGER
When you lie to someone you cause anger and depression
You would hang out with them
You would buy them that thing they wanted
And then you don’t do it....you didn’t forget about it…you just didn’t do it.
It brings DEPRESSION and ANGER....Anybody experience this?
I see this and have seen this in kids over and over....
One of the reason you find a mad child is because they have a parent of parents who continually let them down and rarely keep there word to their child
DISHONORS THEE NAME and YOUR NAME
One of the greatest treasures we have is our name....our name can mean something…if you are somebody who keeps there word it gives you a good name
A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold.
....one if Pete said he is going to do it they are going to do it....but when you lie you dishonor your name....Pete is not trustworthy....he said it but He will not do it.
More importantly you dishonor God’s name...
“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.
God’s name is written on you when you become a believer....when you go out and act contray to God’s name…you take the name of the Lord in vain.
What does lying do?
DISOBEY’S GOD LAW
when we do that
BRINGS DESTRUCTION
DIVIDS BRINGING DISTRUST
DEPRESSION AND ANGER
DISHONORS OUR NAME AND HIS NAME
LIES BRING DESTRUCTION, TRUTH BRINGS LIFE
We could end the sermon here…but I believe God wants to go a little deeper and ask the question
Why do we lie?
For some of what is said brought a good reminder, clarification, revelation.
Motives of the heart…confront it with Gospel Truth
Why do you and I lie?
Two of the biggest reasons are
DESIRES THAT BECOME SELFISH
FORGETTING OUR IDENTITY IN CHRIST
We lie to get something we want
We see this in dating websites
People lie about their weight, age, height and job, picture is 10 years old
I want a date so I lie about my who I am to get a date and it is also tied to the second reason we lie
What is another thing people lie about to get something
$....work, fudge the truth…if I tell the truth I won’t get $$$ or worse fired
I lied when I was in middle school when I was a caddie
At the job their were A, B, C caddies and everyday A and B caddies would get some work but C caddies could be there for hours and no work, so I decided when the golf pro went on vacation that I would change my status to B so I did and as a result I was guarentted work every day…until the golf pro found out and I went back to be being a C caddie
I lied to cover my lie
Here’s God’s truth that we attack it with
And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
2. We like because we want to be liked.
We a fear that if people knew the real us they wouldn’t like us....so we lie
If they knew I struggled with this or that
If they knew I did ___ they wouldn’t like me
So we live a lie
Here’s the interesting, we believe the lie that we will be in less bondage IF WE LIE but what’s the truth? We are in bondange when we lie....we afraid to being found out, shame,
TRUTH IS WE CONFESS IT and OUR HEALED
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.
AND WE REJOICE IN THE FACT THAT GOD KNOWS EVERYTHING ABOUT US AND LIKES AND LOVES US
but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
We as the church are to be like Jesus to each other
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,
not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
Friends let us be people of the TRUTH