Good News of Pure Religion

Intro

Real religion is tied up in good deeds like charitable giving, prayer and fasting. When we do good deeds in public what is our motive? When we pray, how ought we talk to God?

Goal

Religion that is pure is giving, but motive must also be pure.

Plan

We will look at Jesus’ discussion of religious duties and the Lord’s Prayer.

The problem with public giving

In one place Jesus taught us to let people see our good deeds and yet in another place he taught us to do good deeds in secret not to be seen by others (Matthew 6:1-17). Is this a contradiction? It may sound so, but the key to the whole puzzle is our motive. If our motive for charitable giving, praying or fasting is to show off to other people then it is far better to do those things in private. We see this quite frequently in the public arena. Some people like to toot their own horns so to speak by making a big to do when they give. Others like to give anonymously. If our motive it to glorify our Father in heaven (Matthew 5:14-16) or that others may believe (John 11:41-42) then it is good.

The problem with public prayers

Jesus taught us to pray in private rather than show off. When he prayed in public his motive was that they may believe (John 11:41-42). Our public prayers will never really be totally devoid of wrong motives, so we will be exposed to prayers that may be manipulative, gossipy, a show, long and tedious, trite, irrelevant, repetitive or even self-righteous. Some churches use repetition by first announcing a prayer and then praying the exact same thoughts to God. Others avoid this tedious repetition by dispensing with a “let's pray about” discussion. Prayer is very important and churches ought to be houses of prayer, but Jesus taught us not to pray like hypocrites where our motive is to be seen by others (Matthew 6:5-8). Public prayer is difficult for imperfect humans and so we must overlook each other’s faults.

The pastoral prayer

Are pastors disobedient to Jesus when they lead prayers in church? Did not Jesus teach to pray in our closets, a private place, and not in public like hypocrites? Yes he did. But, he said more than that. He said that pretenders do so to be seen by others (Matthew 6:5-6). It was their motive that was wrong. It is better to pray in a closet than pray to show off. In John 11:41-42 and Matthew 14:19 Jesus set an example by praying in front of others, but his motive was totally unlike hypocritical show-offs. He prayed for the benefit of the people standing there, that they may believe. And that is the origin of the pastoral prayer. It is still a prayer to God but motivated by a desire to encourage the faith of the hearers.

To whom ought we pray

Who should we pray to? Contrary to our Protestant bigotry, the Bible nowhere forbids Catholics from making requests of Mary or of any other departed saints in heaven. Neither Jesus nor the apostles taught or forbade this practice. The Bible also nowhere indicates whether those departed saints even listen to our requests on earth. Another more modern practice is to pray to the Holy Spirit. This idea is also nowhere specifically taught or forbidden in Holy Scripture, and I’m certain that the Holy Spirit can hear what we pray. However, this practice also deviates from what is taught in the Bible. Who is our teacher? If he is Christ then we might be interested in what Jesus specifically taught us about who we should pray to? Jesus taught us to pray in this manner, “Our Father who is in heaven…”

Our...

Are we humbled by the Lord’s prayer. God is OUR Father, not one person’s alone. The very first word that Jesus wanted us to learn as we focus on the model for prayer is that we have no exclusive claim on God. Most of us must admit that we are bigots when it comes to our faith. We may disagree with the vocal outward show of some Christians, dislike the dogmas of others, abhor man-made rules, differ over traditions, theological interpretations, music, liturgies, authority, polity, social stances and so on, but our opinion does not gives us exclusive access to God the Father. When we pray, the very first thing that we need to acknowledge is that others also have access to heaven. We do not have a sole franchise on faith in God. He is OUR Father in heaven.

...Father...

In Matthew 6:9 Jesus taught us to pray to God as our FATHER. That really annoys some people. The word patriarch is almost a swear word today. Some people argue that because God is gender-less, he could be called our Parent, the Universe or even our Mother. Such bigotry overlooks the lesson that addressing God as our Father in heaven teaches. Fatherless homes have increased, causing crime and social maladjustment. Children with fathers at home have greater success in life, are far less likely to be in trouble, more likely to show initiative, exhibit self-control, and are at less risk of alcohol and drug abuse, suicide, less likely to cause sexual violence or have an unwanted pregnancy.* If God wants us to understand him primarily in patriarchal fatherly terms, it is we that need to learn something, not God.

*Child Welfare Information Gateway

...in heaven

Have you ever noticed the interesting contrast in the opening line of the Lord’s Prayer? First of all Jesus taught us to pray to God as a Father, one who is a protector and provider for his children. Yet, at the same time, he taught us to pray to a Father who is IN HEAVEN. God is a Father who transcends everything that we know physically and has power to provide and protect in a way that no human father can. We may love our human fathers, but they all ultimately fail. Though most fathers try hard, they are ultimately incapable of rescuing us, providing for us and protecting us from life’s greatest difficulties. Without an all powerful heavenly Father, we’re all sunk (Matthew 6:9) but God has the power and the resources to solve all the world’s problems.

hallowed...

Is anything treated as HALLOWED today? Something is holy when it has been set aside for only divine purposes. It may not be used as commonplace. Everything is regarded as either holy or common. An object became holy through an act of sanctification. It became common by an act of profanity. When we treat the things of God as common, we profane them. Yet, we ought to respect the things of God as sacred. Many things can be holy. If we have dedicated them to God, we have hallowed them, made them holy. That act is called sanctification, making them sacred. They have been set apart for holy use. God’s name is also holy. The petition in Matthew 6:9 is purposefully said in a manner which shows that we have a part to play in making God’s name holy.

...be your name

In ancient society people were often named because it meant something important to the family. It may have been a significant event, or even a character quality. So, people were named David (beloved), Barnabas (son of consolation), Elijah (Yah is God), John (God is a gracious giver). God’s name has everything to do with who he is. It is already holy. And so the petition of Matthew 6:9 in the Lord’s Prayer is not a request that something common be made holy, but rather that we all treat it with holiness that it has. How many times is God’s name used as a common swear word or used as an exclamation for surprise? God’s name is not an expletive, but the holiest name in the universe. How do we treat the name of God? May his name be hallowed.

...your kingdom come

In a world programmed to think in democratic ideals it seems strange to pray that a kingdom would come, yet that is precisely the administrative comparison chosen to represent God’s rule. There is however, a democratic component of sorts. We get to choose whether we want God to rule over us or not. Most of us probably would agree that democracy is as good as it gets in the human sphere. However, a problem with democracy is that a largely ignorant majority elects candidates based upon popularity, not real qualification for office. There is no question that God is the only one qualified to be who he is. He is a reasonable king who does not force himself upon an unwilling humanity. We get to choose. This world’s governments cannot save us. Let us pray to God, your kingdom come.

...your will be done

When we are indoctrinated with the fear of submitting to someone else’s will, praying that God’s will be done, can seem scary. Is not mindlessly obeying God what fanatics do? That’s the lie. Extremists actually follow the stupid and destructive ideas of men, not God. If we really would get to know God then we would have no problems in wanting his will to be done. It is God’s will that our planet be blessed with flowers and trees and rain and food. It is God’s will that we have life and live in happiness and peace. It is God’s will that we thrive and do well in our lives. It is God’s will that we be called his children and that we be given a magnificent life forever. Yes, let us pray your will be done (Matthew 6:10).

...on earth as in heaven

The first three petitions of the model prayer in Matthew 6:9-10 are set in a passive third person tense. That means we pray: may your name be hallowed, may your kingdom come, and may your will be done. We do not pray, I will hallow your name, I will bring your kingdom and I will do your will. Though we also play a part, we are praying that it may be done by others as well as ourselves. It can also be understood that we are praying that all three requests are fulfilled on earth as they already are in heaven. Humanity’s worldwide troubles come because we have turned our backs on God’s will. Those who hallow God’s name now are already citizens of that kingdom. Doing the will of God is a powerful summary of a disciple’s life.

Give us...

We live in a fortress society where neighbors often do not know each other. This is partly fostered by the fear of crime and partly by commercialism which incessantly entices us to spend our money greedily on ourselves. We are often unaware and unconcerned about the needs of others in our own communities. The first statement of the Lord’s Prayer is OUR Father in heaven, not my Father. The model prayer then shifted to requests for everyone. Beginning with the fourth petition the model prayer shifts to back to a focus on community using the word US. No part of the prayer is selfish, but always includes others. That is not to say that an individual request is wrong. It is just not the prayer modeled in Matthew 6. We were taught to pray, give US our daily bread.

...this day our daily bread

In the fourth petition of the Pater Noster or Lord’s Prayer, the focus is on our needs for the coming day. In the context of an itinerant ministry, we can understand the immediate dependence of Jesus and his disciples upon God’s daily provision. First century workers also lived the precarious life of a day laborer, paid at the end of each day’s work. Today, we live in a different world and especially in wealthy modern countries may find the need to pray for daily provision of food to be rather pointless. But, we all have things which could worry us. The point of praying for our daily needs is that we don’t worry incessantly. As the old saying goes, if you are worried, pray; if you have prayed, don’t worry (Matthew 6:11) and consider the daily needs of others.

...and forgive us our debts

It is a burden to carry a debt. Why does the Lord’s Prayer use the word debt when it means sins? Why did Jesus teach us to pray, forgive us our debts? Debt is the word used in the original Greek in Matthew 6:12. The concept is that sin which has not been forgiven is maintained on the heavenly balance sheets as a debt owed to God. In other words, sin is not just an offense against our fellow humans, but an offense against God and he demands just compensation. We pay for that debt with either our lives or the substitute death of Jesus Christ. Many churches include a prayer for forgiveness in their weekly service. Certainly in private prayer, we ought to habitually include a request for God’s forgiveness. That’s why we pray: forgive us our debts.

...as we forgive our debtors

When people do us harm, they become our debtors. They owe us compensation for the injury. Whether or not any court of this world recognizes our right, the supreme court of heaven may. In Matthew’s version of the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus defines those who sin against us as our debtors. They owe us. Yet, he encourages us that when we ask God for forgiveness of our debts towards heaven, we also should have forgiven others their debts towards us. This is the only part of the Lord’s Prayer which Christ specially commented on. If we refuse to pardon others, our heavenly Father will not forgive us. In other words, how can we expect to be forgiven of our faults by God, if we habitually and stubbornly refuse to exonerate others? The obligation of God’s forgiveness is that we forgive too.

...and lead us not into temptation

Sin can ruin everything that we treasure – family, health, reputation, finances and careers. How do we protect ourselves from our own human weakness? Even the strongest of us eventually give in to temptation and sin. Human will is too unreliable. There is a more reliable approach. Jesus described a simple two-step petition in prayer in Matthew 6:13. The first of those steps has to do with avoiding traps. The best way to battle a temptation is not to get near it at all. As we gain experience and wisdom, we become more aware of potentially tempting circumstances and avoid them. However, there are always those situations that come along unexpectedly. That’s why we need to ask God to back us up with his extra help to avoid a dangerous ambush. So, we pray lead us not into temptation.

...but deliver us from evil

Although we may be aware of many of life’s traps, we need God’s help to avoid the majority of those ambushes which seduce us to sin. We could live ascetic and isolated lives like monks, or some very exclusive religious sects, or we could just hang out with Christians and never go anywhere with non-Christians. But even monks fall into temptations and sin. In any case, such a radical approach makes being a light and spreading the good news very difficult. We are called to be “in the world, but not of the world,” and as a result we fall into many doing the wrong thing, we sin. It’s almost inevitable. That’s where a second petition is needed. Jesus’ encouragement in the Our Father, the Lord’s Prayer, is to pray for God’s deliverance. Deliver us from evil (Matthew 6:13).

Outro

As James wrote pure religion involves charitable giving, but it also involves prayer and fasting. It involves a close look at our hearts and our motives for what we do.

Good News from Beyond the Grave

Intro

What does life look like beyond the grave? Jesus gave us a brief glimpse in the Transfiguration on the Mount.

Goal

To encourage us to look beyond this life.

Plan

We will look at the transfiguration and its application in transforming our lives today.

A pastor’s disciples

Jesus had thousands of listeners, over a hundred disciples, the twelve and inside the twelve, three were chosen for special training. The three were Peter, James and John (Matthew 17:1). Is this time with three key leaders a model of how pastors ought to operate? Is a pastor’s job to spend equal time with everybody or special time with key leaders? Is the whole church the pastor’s flock or a special group of disciples? Is it then up to that special group to provide for the rest of the flock? Why were the three chosen? Were they the right choice? They were as awkward as any group of ordinary people. Jesus’ little church contained twelve men and several women. It was as small as many country churches today, yet even there, he spend extra time with an inner core.

Transfigured lives

The word translated as “transfigured” (μετεμορφώθη, metemorphōthē) in Matthew 17:2 is also used in the letter to the Romans about us being “transformed” by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2). It is the root of the word metamorphosis and means to change form in keeping with inner reality. We also are being “transformed” into the image of Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18). So the transformation that took place on the mountain top is also occurring in each one of us gradually. As Peter, James and John saw the transfiguration a transformation was occurring in their lives. As Moses’ face shone like the sun after being close to God, so too did Jesus’ and so too will ours. A life that is close to God is a shining light in a dark world and will soon shine forever.

Preview of the end of our story

Some of us don’t like movies like Titanic or Romeo and Juliet. We already know the end is bad and prefer a happy ending. How many of us are similarly tempted to inquire whether a book ends well or in tragedy? Somebody once said the same thing about the Bible. They had read the end of the book and it was good. In Matthew 17:2-3 Jesus showed a few of his disciples a preview of the end of the book. He revealed the happy ending for two of history’s greatest prophets, Moses and Elijah. We may wonder about things like heaven and the afterlife. This life is not forever. Anti-aging creams only disguise the inevitable for a short while. Nothing can really return us to our youth except the resurrection. The happy ending is that glory awaits the faithful.

Jesus speaking with "dead" people

In Matthew 17:3 is a vision of Jesus speaking with Moses and Elijah. The week before this, Jesus had predicted that some of his disciples would not die before having see him coming in his heavenly glory. Jesus was clearly superior to both Moses and Elijah. Both Moses and Elijah prophesied the coming of the Messiah, yet they disappeared and only Jesus was left "to carry out the final act of deliverance". The three disciples heard God's own voice telling them to listen to Jesus. The disciples had seen Jesus in his true glory, shining like the sun, a vision that would remind them of glory beyond suffering. Previously the disciples had been shocked and disappointed to find out that their Messiah must suffer and die. Just like the disciples, we too can so easily overlook Jesus' present majesty.

Moses, Elijah & Jesus

In the transfiguration on the mount (Matthew 17:5), we read of Jesus being paid a visit by Moses and Elijah. Moses represents the law and Elijah represents the prophets, the two major divisions of the Old Testament. We are not told the content of their conversation. Perhaps part of it included their names, because the disciples knew who they were. The grouping connects the three, but only Jesus remains indicating his superiority. The words of God confirm this. In a red letter Bible, we should also pick a color for the words of God. The present imperative active voice of the original Greek is: y’all keep on listening to Jesus. Bible reading is important but faith comes by hearing (Romans 10:17) and hearing what Jesus taught comes by being at a church where Jesus is preached each week.

Outro

Let us look beyond the decaying body of our earthly existence to the joy of our metamorphosis into joyful, bright children of God for eternity.

Good News in the Law Part 3

Intro

How perfect do we have to be? Did not Jesus tell us to be as perfect as God? How is that even possible?

Goal

Let us understand the measure of love that is expected from Christians.

Sermon Plan

We will examine an eye for an eye, insults, generosity, enemies, borrowers and God’s love.

Lex talionis

In Matthew 5:38 Jesus addressed a law that many have applied in retaliation, an eye for an eye. Legally, this is sometimes called the lex talionis. A vindictive understanding of that law is to trade bomb for bomb and life for life. This kind of tit for tat only escalates hostilities and hinders peace. A more amicable course is monetary compensation equal to an eye. It is certainly a less inflammatory approach to social justice than revenge. However, Jesus indicated an even better application of the the eye for an eye principle. As with all of Jesus’ teachings, this too is very hard to do. Jesus suggested that if we have been responsible for injury to another, go above and beyond in compensation. Jesus wants us to go further than mere justice. He wants us to create good will.

Taking insults

A slap on the cheek is a serious affront. A slap on the right cheek as Jesus suggested in Matthew 5:39 could refer to a backhanded slap from a right-handed person, an even more serious indignity. Rather than retaliating for insults, Jesus strangely asked his disciples to humiliate themselves by allowing further slaps. Even the business world understands that if we have a customer with a complaint, the best thing to do is to allow them to vent without interruption, to get it off their chest. In so doing, they have time to calm down, and having gotten a hearing, often become a more satisfied customer. If even the carnal world understands how to win people, by respectfully giving them opportunity to fully complain, then how much more should we take insults in order to win peace for Christ.

Living generously

So you lost in court and now they’re going to take the shirt off your back. How can you possibly win? Paul’s commentary on this kind of thing was that perhaps we lost before we even got to court. Did we let things go too far (1 Corinthians 6:7)? Did we fail to create peace, or were we actually at fault? It does not really matter. Jesus told his disciples how to really win in heaven’s eyes — give more than was asked for — go way above the settlement price (Matthew 5:40). If someone sues us for the shirt off our backs, we are encouraged to gift wrap our coat as well and give it away to the plaintiff. Does Jesus want us to be suckers who are taken advantage of, or does living generously really work?

Helping an enemy

In some countries if a uniformed soldier is hitch-hiking on the side of the road, it is illegal to just keep going. A driver must stop and give him a ride. What if that soldier was from enemy occupation forces? Would we take offense at the imposition? Probably! In Roman occupied Palestine of Jesus’ day, there was a similar law. If a Roman soldier asked any Jew for help, they were required to come to their aid. Jesus alluded to just such a scenario in Matthew 5:41 where it was common for an enemy soldier to ask a Jew to carry arms for a distance. Jesus suggested helping out to double the amount asked. Jesus challenges us by teaching what is the exact opposite of our natural inclination. God is impartial and treats all people equally. Do we?

Lending to a borrower

We have all lent something which has not been returned, whether it be a book, lawnmower or money. It makes us reluctant to lend again. Jesus encouraged his disciples to lend to the borrower (Matthew 5:42) and not turn him away. Does this mean that we are to lend until we have no money? That is a natural conclusion, which leads some to criticize Jesus. He spoke of starting with one borrower, not an unlimited number. Our natural inclination is the opposite extreme, not to lend at all or with very few exceptions for family or close friends. It is that extreme that Jesus challenged his disciples to reconsider. He challenges us also to consider lending without discrimination. Naturally, there are boundaries and limitations, but perhaps we could think about starting with at least one, like Jesus spoke about.

Boundless love

One of the central tenets of the Bible is love your neighbor. In Matthew 5:44 Jesus expanded the traditional understanding of neighbor to include everyone. We normally love our friends but discriminate against our foes. Jesus wants us to love even our enemies. How is that possible? How can that make any sense in a world where every generation has gone to war against one form of enemy or another? We all have personal, criminal, political and foreign enemies. Are we to love them all? We tend to follow the example of those decent folks around us who treat their friends with respect and dignity, but Jesus challenged us to live above the standard of our neighbors. We are to live by heavenly standards. Those standards are not defined by address, flag or national border, but by God alone.

Nitpicky Christianity

Some Christians are nitpickers. In Matthew 5:48 Jesus taught the disciples to become perfect and many understand that to be even fussier than the tradition-burdened Pharisees. Yet being overly concerned with non-essential details is not what Jesus meant at all. The word often rendered as perfect is better understood to mean mature or complete. It has nothing to do with nit-picky Christianity at all. Being obsessed with non-essentials is a mark of spiritual immaturity. Mature Christians are salty. They taste good. Mature Christians are a bright shining light. They are liberated from picky legalism. Mature Christians reconcile rather than harbor grudges. They preserve the sanctity of marriage. They are not pretentious, create good will and take insults without retribution. They are a very generous people rather than quibbling and would treat an enemy the same as a friend.

Honoring bad parents

Must we honor even bad parents? No parent is perfect, but some are really bad. Some verbally or physically abuse their children to such an extent that deep scars remain. What does Jesus require? In John 15:9-17 he taught the general idea that we are to love each other. And for enemies he taught that we should love them too (Matthew 5:44). Some of our worst enemies can be family members. Jesus reminded us to pray that God will forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors, and that if we forgive others their trespasses, our heavenly Father will also forgive us (Matthew 6:9-15). As hard as that may be, one way of honoring our parents is to forgive them. Forgiveness also releases us from an emotional prison. Honoring even bad parents is for our good.

Does Jesus call for sinless perfection

Matthew 5:48 is a puzzle for many of us because when we think of the word perfect in English, we think of sinless perfection. However, that is impossible. On the one hand, the Greek word actually means mature or complete. In context Jesus taught us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us, so that we may be the children of our Father in heaven. On the other hand, the context is complete love like our Father’s, in loving our enemies. Luke 6:35-36 explains the same teaching in different words, that we are to love our enemies and be merciful, just as our Father is merciful. Perfect love is what Jesus demands. A Christian cannot be contented with love only towards a friend, but strive towards a higher, more perfect love like that of God.

Outro

It is impossible for us to live morally perfect lives, but we can grow in God’s love. Let’s start with our closest enemy.

Good News in the Law Part 2

Intro

If we could read a commentary on the Old Testament from Jesus Christ would not that be wonderful? Well we actually have that opportunity in the Sermon on the Mount.

Goal

To help us see the law as Jesus its author intended for both Jews and Christians.

Sermon Plan

We will examine the laws on murder, adultery and lying and their real intent.

Opposite direction of murder

Paul described the law as wonderful but weakened by human failures (Romans 8:2-4). Jesus gave several examples of that (Matthew 5:21-37). His first illustration was of the law against murder. Jesus showed that although most of us may have never actually committed murder in the letter, we are all guilty of breaking a deeper meaning of that law. The law could not change our human hearts from unjust anger and character assassination. A negative approach of more rigid laws against murder does not solve the real problem. A neutral position of avoiding anger or name-calling is not the answer. He taught a positive approach by actually going in the opposite direction of murder. A couple of examples that Jesus gave were: seeking reconciliation between estranged parties and where reconciliation is not possible a speedy settlement of disagreements.

Hey Nobody!

Calling someone a nobody is an insult from a world that does not value all human beings alike. It excuses treating people differently based upon prejudice, like paying inferior wages to those who may be hard working but nobodies, and giving preferential treatment to those deemed to be somebodies whether or not they have worked hard. Jesus condemned this way of dealing with fellow human beings (Matthew 5:21-22). He considered it to be such a serious offense that it should be charged in court. Verbally abusive intellectual insults are similar whereby some are called stupid morons or the like. In fact Jesus was so serious about this that he said that those who use such terms are in danger of hell. Jesus calls Christians to live the opposite of this kind of verbal abuse, to value all human life.

Jesus on murder

In Matthew 5:21-26 Jesus discussed the law “thou shalt not murder.” The letter of the law gives us license to miss its purpose, love. We can look down on murderers on death row and justify ourselves simply because we have never acted on the anger in our own hearts. We can call others empty-headed fools or worthless fools and believe that we are not criminals. Yet, Jesus pointed out that such thoughts move us in the same direction as murder. So, he encouraged us to move in the opposite direction. Our first duty in worshiping God is to reconcile with those with whom we have conflicts. With those who hate us and refuse to reconcile, we ought to hasten at least to come to some kind of agreement, lest the whole matter go to court and we lose everything.

Jesus on adultery

In Matthew 5:27-30 Jesus discussed the law “thou shalt not commit adultery.” The problem with the letter of any law is that it gives excuse to use loopholes as long as the specific forbidden act is not done. Jesus addressed that problem in principle by the example of looking on a woman lustfully. As with anger possibly leading to the act of murder, so too can lust lead to the act of adultery. Both begin as a wrong thought in our hearts. In fact, Jesus challenged us to see the premeditated thought as essentially the same as the act. As with murder there is a positive alternative. However, this time Jesus shocked everyone by suggesting self-mutilation. He was not encouraging the wrongful practice of self-harm but exaggerating to make the point of taking drastic steps to avoid tempting situations.

Stumbling into lust

Why did Jesus often speak in exaggerations? Hyperbolic language is a melodramatic way of teaching that emphasizes the lesson. Just as sensationalism sells news stories, so too does embellishment make illustrating principles more memorable. In Matthew 5:27-30 Jesus dramatized the efforts one ought to take to avoid adultery. Cutting off a body part to avoid stumbling into lust emphasized the amount of effort needed. The opposite would be a careless approach. Such foolhardiness might include spending too much time with or being alone with a member of the opposite sex who is married to someone else. Because we are all weak, we cannot be so naive as to think that we are immune to lust. Stay as far away from temptation as possible by taking diligent steps to avoid being in a situation where we cannot control our lusts.

Gender revolution failure

The industrial revolution took fathers away from their families. The educational revolution took children away from parents. Then the gender revolution took mothers from their husbands and children. We have the highest divorce rates in history. We now spend more time with other people than our own families. The temptation for adultery and thus family ruin has dramatically increased. We allow ourselves to be treated like slaves for the sake of industrial efficiency at great personal and marital costs. In Matthew 5:27-30 Jesus dramatized the efforts needed to avoid adultery, by illustrating that we need to begin by striving to cut off temptation. With men and women from different marriages spending more time with each other than their own spouses, have we sown the seeds for the destruction of the most basic building block of our society, the family?

Is remarriage adultery

In Matthew 5:31-32 Jesus spoke of conditions where divorce and remarriage are not sin. He called porneia the exception. The Louw-Nida Lexicon defines that as sexual immorality of any kind. The Friberg Lexicon defines it as every kind of extramarital, unlawful, or unnatural sexual intercourse. Jesus’ position is stricter than the world’s, but it does provide freedom for the sexually-wronged marriage partner. His description was broad enough that the sin could be something either during or even before a marriage took place. Paul expanded upon this concept in 1 Corinthians 7:14-15, explaining that even if an unbelieving spouse walks out on the other, the believing spouse is free from the marriage. There are unanswered questions in Jesus’ brief comment such as: what about spousal abuse? However, the general principle is clear: easy divorce is not the godly ideal.

The delusion of oaths

In Matthew 5:33-37 Jesus referred to a series of laws in the Old Testament relating to the theme of not swearing falsely. Making an oath and not fulfilling it is wrong. Jesus encouraged his disciples not to swear oaths invoking things in heaven or earth, but to just say yes or no. Swearing by external things does not guarantee fulfillment of an obligation. Such oaths are a form of leverage supposedly making that person more believable. In actuality, they underline the fact that we humans are too often unreliable and untruthful. By invoking heaven or earth, we are in effect deluded that a veneer of honesty can change liars into truth-tellers and covenant breakers into contract keepers. We Christians do not need to engage in such useless swearing. We simply need to be truthful as best as we can.

The purpose of oaths

In Matthew 5:33-37 Jesus taught not to swear any oaths. Did that include pledges, or covenants, wedding vows or oaths in court? God swore an oath (Hebrews 6:16-18), Jesus answered under oath (Matthew 26:63-64), and Paul wrote oaths in his letters (2 Corinthians 1:23; Galatians 1:20). What did Jesus not say? He did not say “swear not at all” period, but immediately included a list of qualifiers under which swearing an oath had led to vows being taken too lightly. Oaths were allowed in the Old Testament, but when anything less than God was sworn by, people were no longer taking their vows seriously. Jesus did not condemn the swearing of sincere oaths, but frivolous and deceptive ones. Christians ought not make oaths that cover up perjury or insincerity but simply answer yes or no.

Why legalism does not work

Some Christians think of themselves as superior to others because of a legalistic attempt to keep certain rules or laws. In Matthew 5:21-37 Jesus showed how all such efforts fail, because the letter of the law ignores the more important dimension of the heart. If we claim not to have murdered but were angry or insulted anyone, we have failed. If we claim to be faithful spouses, but have lusted at any time, we have failed. If we claim to tell the truth, but have ever broken a promise, we have failed. The Sermon on the Mount should teach us one valuable lesson: we have all failed. So, should we give up because we cannot measure up? The closer we come to perfect obedience, the happier we are, but only Jesus was faultless. That’s why we need a Savior.

Outro

Many of the Ten Commandments were written in the negative, thou shalt not. In today’s lesson we saw how Jesus teaches the positive side, thou shalt. Instead of just not committing murder we are encouraged to reconcile where possible. Instead of just avoiding adultery, we are encouraged to preserve our marriages by cutting off all avenues to potential temptation. Instead of trying to prevent lies by making elaborate and sometimes even blasphemous oaths we are encouraged to tell the simple truth, yes or no. In the end though, we will never measure up to being faultless and we don’t have to. That’s why we have a Savior.

Good News in the Law Part 1

Intro

In the sermon on the mount Jesus called us salt and light, then condemned whoever sets aside the least of God’s commands. Does that mean that Christians should put to death idolaters, Sabbath breakers, adulterers and those who dishonor their parents, sacrifices animals, be circumcised, rest farmland every seventh year, observe the new moons, build leafy huts for the feast of tabernacles, pay wages daily and use no leaven at Easter?

Goal

To let us know that we already are salt and light, and introduce our relationship to the law.

Plan

We will examine salt, light and the law.

Salty Bible Study

In Matthew 5:13 is a description of salt losing its saltiness. In our world that doesn’t happen without a chemical reaction of some kind. Our science of chemistry defines a salt as a compound that results when an acid reacts with a base. The most common salt is table salt or sodium chloride. Another common salt is a road salt, calcium chloride. However, what Jesus meant by salt cannot be defined by modern language. It was probably a mixture of calcium sulfate and our table salt. Calcium sulfate is gypsum and used to make plaster of Paris. This mixture could lose the salt component and thus its saltiness. All this proves a very important step in studying the Bible: get our definitions right. Careful research rather than jumping to hasty conclusions helps us understand the Bible so much better.

Jesus' Salt was not our Salt

Bible critics often claim that the Holy Scriptures say something they do not. Any of us can be guilty of inserting our culture into the Bible. For instance, when Jesus said "if the salt has lost its flavor..." (Matthew 5:13), it is wrong to mistake that as sodium chloride. That's our language. What Jesus meant by salt was not sodium chloride, but a substance that usually came from the Dead Sea that contained some of what we call salt but also contained white gypsum. That "salt" could lose its saltiness, because the gypsum content became too high as the other leached out. Our "salt" does not normally lose its saltiness. Salt has a different meaning today. We cannot retrofit today’s meaning as some have done trying to claim that Jesus didn't know what he was talking about.

Be ourselves

In Matthew 5:14 Jesus told his disciples that they are the salt of the earth and are the light of the world. This was no encouragement to become something that they were not yet, but to be what they already were. The same applies to us today. We are the salt that gives the world a good taste and the light that brightens this dark planet. When we are not ourselves, what we have been called to be, our communities suffer. Salt preserves. When we fail to live up to our calling, our nations rotten from the inside out and are not preserved. Light helps us see. When we fail to rise up and be the light of the world, others cannot see God in us. Let’s wake up and be who God says we are. Let’s be ourselves.

The secret Christian

Have you ever heard of secret Christians? Few people know that they are Christians and if asked they may hide their faith. Membership in some Christian societies is also exclusive and people must be invited. Even some churches are like that and it contradicts what Jesus taught in Matthew 5:15. He told his disciples that they were a city on a hill that cannot be hid. The followers of Jesus Christ are a light that is meant to be seen, not hidden away in secret. What exactly about the church is to be seen? Is it our fancy buildings, our church music, our TV shows, our political commentaries or something else? Jesus specifically mentioned that we are to let our good deeds be seen, not to show off, as he later explained, but so that others may glorify God.

Do good things

In the beatitudes Jesus taught his disciples some of the most important fundamentals of Christianity: recognizing their spiritual poverty, mourning world ills and their own sins, humility, craving to do the right thing, showing leniency to the undeserving, filling their hearts with clean things, willingness to take a loss for the sake peace and being harassed or criticized for doing what's right. Then, in Matthew 5:16 he said that they were the salt of the earth and light of the world. How does that work in real life? Jesus encouraged those disciples to go and do something about the wonderfully deep blessings associated with being a follower of Christ, good deeds. Christianity is not just about sitting in a church building, worshiping, singing, and being taught the saving words of Jesus. It is also about doing good things.

Evangelism by good works

Inactive Christianity is an oxymoron, a contradiction in terms. Inactive Christianity is incomplete, weak Christianity. Thinking that we can “just believe” is not enough. Wanting to “just worship him” is only a start. Jesus encouraged his disciples to also do. In Matthew 5:16, he gave his disciples exactly that encouragement, to do good works. But what are good works? Is that obedience to the law or is that helping our neighbor? In this passage, that description is not limited to either of these conditions. It simply says that we ought to do good works, unspecified. That can mean being honest in our business dealings, using appropriate and inoffensive language, being commendable in our charity, honorable in the way we speak of others and praiseworthy in our community life. Sometimes the most effective form of evangelism is doing good works.

Jesus & the law

The Old Testament law is variously understood by Christians. Jesus gave his interpretation in the Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew 5:17 he began to touch on that topic. Jesus did not say that obedience to the law is no longer required because of faith. He did later explain how some of those laws should be applied. Yet, almost no Christian sacrifices animals or mandates circumcision. Should we? Did Jesus divide his commentary into defunct ceremonial versus still binding moral laws? No. He spoke of the law as a unit, and that he did not come to abolish but to fulfill. Until heaven and earth disappear, the law applies. How can our righteousness be greater than that of devout Jews? In the Church, we obey the law on a higher plane in a temple not made with human hands.

Liberal or literal

How liberal or literal was Jesus’ approach to the Old Testament law? We might think that he was rather persnickety in Matthew 5:18, insisting that not one smallest pen-stroke of the law would disappear as long as heaven and earth exist. Is the Old Testament law now even more binding? He said that our righteousness must surpass that of Jewish religious leaders. How? Did he break the law against collecting food on the Sabbath or was he obedient to a higher principle (Matthew 12:1-13)? He often showed how the spirit surpasses the letter of the law. The rest of the New Testament carries that discussion further and perhaps the most poignant example is the law of circumcision, whereby a literal interpretation is no longer relevant for the Christian, but a more liberal interpretation, a circumcision of the heart.

Law liberated from literalism

Christians hold varying opinions about which Old Testament laws to obey. Laws like making a burnt offering twice a day, sounding silver trumpets at feasts, making an offering after childbirth, leaving field corners unharvested for the poor, resting farmland every seventh year, observing the new moons, building booths for the feast of tabernacles, building guardrails on flat-roofed homes, paying wages daily, circumcising all males, using no leaven at Easter, using a second tithe for feasts and no tale-bearing are usually ignored. In Matthew 5:18 Jesus said that even the least laws would remain as long as heaven and earth do. How do we obey them? Jesus taught the law in a transformed manner, in the spirit and not the letter. Rather than a simplistic, literal understanding of the law, an era of a deeper, liberal application had begun.

Do Christians obey the Ten Commandments

Does Jesus demand we obey the Ten Commandments (Matthew 5:19)? The word commandments does not mean the Ten Commandments. That makes the Bible say what it does not say. The phrase law and the prophets means the entire Old Testament with over 600 commandments. Deuteronomy expands the ten via many more commandments. No Christian keeps the Ten Commandments as the law teaches, not even those who practice the original Sabbath day. If they did, they would put to death idolaters, Sabbath breakers, adulterers and those who dishonor their parents. That’s what the law demands to keep the Ten Commandments in the letter. Jesus explained how Christians keep the spirit of the law in the Sermon on the Mount. Christians fulfill the law in spirit not the letter. The letter kills, but the spirit gives life (2 Corinthians 3:6).

What Jesus did not say

It is as important to notice what Jesus did not say as much as what he did say. Many people assume that he came to do away with the Old Testament, but the phrase the law or the prophets refers to the entire Old Testament, and Jesus did not come to abolish them but to fill them to the full (Matthew 5:19). What did he not say? He did not address the Ten Commandments as some assume but commandments. In the law and the prophets, the Old Testament, there are 613 commandments. He commended those who practice and teach them in a manner surpassing the righteousness of the Pharisees, explaining that anger and verbal abuse are murder, lustful looks and divorce are adultery, not to seek an eye for an eye justice and that we should love our enemies.

Deuteronomy and the Ten Commandments

Deuteronomy expounds the Ten Commandments (#1 6-11; #2 12; #3 13:1-14:21; #4 14:22-16:17; #5 16:18-18:22; #6 19-21; #7 22:1-23:14; #8 23:15-24:7; #9 24:8-16; #10 24:17-26:15).1 No Christian keeps the letter of the law, not as Deuteronomy demands. How do Christians keep the law if not in the letter? Some claim to keep it in the letter and the spirit, but the letter kills (2 Corinthians 3:6). The only option left is keeping the law in spirit. Three commandments teach us how. Circumcision is no longer required in the flesh in the New Testament, but in the heart (Romans 2:29); there remains a Sabbath rest in Jesus for eternity (Matthew 11:28; Hebrews 4) and love fulfills the whole law (Romans 13:8-10; Galatians 5:14).

1Hill, Andrew E. & Walton, John H. A Survey of the Old Testament. Zondervan Publishing House. 1991. 58.

The purpose of stop signs

What is the purpose of a stop sign? Let’s imagine a stop sign at an intersection in the middle of nowhere. For half a minute before approaching the stop sign someone could easily see whether or not there was traffic coming from the left or the right. Imagine a police officer on the side of the road watching the intersection. Will you stop completely or slowly roll on through the stop sign? If the officer operates on the letter of the law, he may ticket you. If he operates on the spirit of the law, he may realize that you drove in a completely safe manner and let you go. In Matthew 5:20 Jesus began such a discussion on the law. Which is better, a burdensome, legalistic interpretation, or a liberal approach which understands the purpose of the law?

Outro

We Christians fulfill the law via Jesus’ law of love. We don’t need to put to death idolaters, Sabbath breakers, adulterers and those who dishonor their parents, sacrifice animals, be circumcised, observe the new moons, build leafy huts for the feast of tabernacles, pay wages daily or use no leaven at Easter. The law can teach us, but it is only the shadow of things to come. The cross is the reality. Love fulfills the law, all of it.