The Sermon on the Mount #2
Kingdom of the Heart - Respect
Matthew 5:17-26
CHCC: September 16, 2007
INTRODUCTION:
What do you think most people want out of life? I’ve noticed that when you ask parents what they want for their kids, they usually say something like, “I don’t care what job they have. I just want them to be happy.” People want what “happiness” for themselves and their loved ones. But what kind of life makes someone happy? Some people look for the good life in money or possessions. Some people look to marriage and family to give them the good life. Others go after pleasure or status or education or success in a career. But the question remains: “Exactly what IS the good life?”
Plenty of people have tried to answer that question. But in the Sermon on the Mount you can get what I consider the definitive answer … a description of the good life from the One who Created life. In the Beatitudes, Jesus started out by describing who is ELIGIBLE for the good life. The rest of the sermon explains what the Good Life IS and how we can LIVE it.
The first thing Jesus did, in Matthew 5:17-20, was to be sure people understood that the good life means obeying God’s perfect Law. Some people seem to think God came up with Laws just to make life harder. The truth is that every Prohibition God gives is for our own GOOD. God KNOWS what will makes life good … and He knows what will ultimately make us miserable. God’s Law is a blue-print for living the good life.
The people listening to Jesus were probably not surprised to hear him say I did not come to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it. But his next statement must have shocked them I can picture them looking around and asking each other, “Did you hear what I heard? Did he really say we have to be more righteous than the PHARISEES?”
Who could be more righteous than Pharisees? They were the most Religious people around. They researched “righteous;” they talked “righteous;” they walked “righteous;” they even dressed “righteous.” How could ANYONE be part of the Kingdom of Heaven if they had to be more “righteous” than the Righteousness Professionals?
Jesus was not being naïve or idealistic about the human condition. He dove straight into the most depraved of all human sins by quoting the 6th Commandment: You shall not murder.
1. The heart of murder
Of all the Laws about how we treat each other, this is the most basic. It’s kind of like Jesus was starting at the “primer” level: The Good Life 101 – If you want to have the good life … then don’t murder anyone. But Jesus took this command to a new level. You have heard that it said ’Do not murder, …But I tell you, anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment.
According to the last United Nations survey, there are about 12,000 murders in the USA each year. There were all kinds of circumstances behind those murders, but you can be sure of one thing. ANGER was at the heart of all of them. Jesus went straight to the heart of the matter.
Dallas Willard put it this way, Anger and contempt are the twin scourges of the earth, these bitter emotions form the poisonous brew in which human existence stands suspended. Few people ever get free of them in this life, and for most of us even old age does not bring relief. To cut off the root of anger is to wither the tree of human evil. (Dallas Willard, The Divine Conspiracy p. 151)
In its simplest form, anger is nothing more than an inborn response … and it serves an important function. I’m starting the Grandparent phase of life, so I’ve seen recent examples of how instinctive anger is. Even my adorable grandchildren can throw a temper tantrum if someone takes a toy away. And guess what … we didn’t have to TRAIN them on how to get angry.
Anger is the spontaneous reaction we have when someone interferes with our will or messes up our plans. If you doubt that, see what emotion seizes you on the way home when someone cuts you off on 410. (The other day, Susan and I were driving to church when a car wasn’t cooperating with my need to change lanes. I got a little irate and Susan said, “Don’t you think your temper is a little quick?” Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m just glad to have SOMETHING that’s still quick!)
Instinctive anger in itself is not sinful … even though we are better off to avoid it when we can. But natural anger can quickly turn to something evil. . That real problem comes when we indulge anger. We nurture it and feed on it and rehearse it until it takes over our minds and hearts.
Many people carry a big bag of anger around with them everywhere they go. All you have to do is jostle them and it spills out all over you. It’s a well documented fact that habitual anger can literally kill a person. And many others die of “second-hand anger” … like second-hand smoke; anger can kill the innocent one who just happens to be in the vicinity when that anger erupts.
I don’t know if you’ve ever thought of it this way … but there is almost always a kind of self-righteousness that causes a person to indulge their anger toward someone else. It’s that feeling of “How could they do that to ME … perfect, innocent ME, of all people!” Our ego is wounded, so we rehash the event over and over in our mind, letting it grow in significance. The more we think about it, the angrier we get. And before long, we can get addicted to being angry … angry at anyone and everyone who has ever done us wrong!
Habitual anger leads to a dangerous progression. Jesus said, anyone who is angry with his brother would be subject to judgment. Then he went on to say, … anyone who says to his brother, ’Raca,’ is answerable to the Sanhedrin. Matthew 5:22
2. The progression of anger … to contempt … to malice
The Aramaic word “Raca” is a term of utter contempt. The term probably came from the sound someone makes when they get ready to spit (hhhhrrraca) Jesus was illustrating a progression that is common to anger. Anger that is nurtured will turn to Contempt.
Anger may say, “I want to hurt you because you hurt me,” Contempt says, “You are so far below me that you’re not even worth my anger.” The intent is always to EXCLUDE and to ISOLATE the person we hold in Contempt. Since every person NEEDS to feel like they belong somewhere, Contempt is even more cruel than outright anger.
This progression is especially prevalent in Marriages. See if this sounds like something you’ve seen or experienced:
You get angry at your spouse … but you don’t get it settled, and you don’t let it go. Instead you rehearse it over and over in your mind.
Then, the next time something similar happens, you get even angrier and the rehearsals get even longer.
You can’t live that way for long without the Anger turning to Contempt. Before long you’re avoiding each other, ignoring each other, and giving each other the silent treatment. When you do speak, it’s to insult each other with some English version of “Raca.”
This progression may not lead to Murder, but if it isn’t stopped, it will kill a Marriage … break up a Family … or ruin a friendship.
Jesus went on to warn, Anyone who says, ’You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell. The Biblical use of the word “fool” is much harsher than what we would think of. In the Bible a fool is someone who is willfully perverted. To call someone a “fool” is to basically write him off as too low for even God to reach.
Anger says “I want to hurt you because you hurt me.”
Contempt says, “You’re so low, I don’t care about you one way or the other.”
But Malice says, “You’re so low that you are sub-human.”
Malice is the kind of studied hatred that caused the murder of 6 million Jews in the Holocaust. The progression from anger to contempt to malice is behind most of the pain and cruelty that destroys the good life for people all over the world.
Jesus did not give us Newer and Harder Laws when he warned against anger. Instead, He revealed the HEART of God’s Perfect Law. Here’s the bottom line: the kind of person who harbors anger in his or her heart will never feel at home in the Kingdom of God. The person who harbors anger, contempt, and malice toward others will never experience the good life.
This is the week for all of us to take an honest look inside our own hearts.
Are you harboring anger?
Do you habitually rehearse wrongs that were done to you?
Are you holding grudges?
Have you progressed to Contempt or even Malice in the way you treat your spouse or your neighbor or your co-worker?
If living with Anger has become a habit with you, it may take time to break that habit. But that’s where the Good News comes in. If you WANT to develop a Kingdom Heart … if you want to start experiencing the good life … then God WILL give you the Grace to succeed.
That’s what Jesus meant when he said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness for they will be filled.” He will help you let go of the anger that is ruining your life. And you can start living a truly “righteous” life today.
I want to take a minute to look at the meaning of the word “righteous” because Jesus uses that word several times in this sermon. We tend to think of a “Righteous” person as a “Religious” person … someone who avoids obvious sins and does lots of “Religious” things. But the word means something much deeper than that.
In Greek, the word is dikiosune. It’s a word that describes the Kingdom Heart. The full meaning of this word can’t be captured in any one English word. It includes things like Justice and Virtue and Stability and Right Standing with God.
3. The Kingdom heart in action
The Kingdom of Heaven is meant to be lived out in real life. That’s why Jesus always used practical illustrations. At this point in the sermon, Jesus takes time to give two examples of how a truly Righteous person behaves in everyday life. (I’ll update the illustrations just a little, but the point will remain the same.)
Suppose you come to Church some Sunday… but just as you’re giving your Offering you remember that your Christian friend is mad at you. What would a truly Righteous person do? You would drop your Offering there in the Tray and immediately go and make things right with your offended friend.
Now, let’s be honest. This is just the kind of thing we try to put off. We know someone’s mad at us, but we rationalize: Well, they SHOULDN’T be mad at me. In fact, I should be mad at THEM! They’re being unreasonable. I mean, obviously I’m a good person. Look at me here, putting this offering in the plate. I do all kinds of good things. They’re the one with the problem, and they just need to get over it!
The only problem is that -- according to Jesus -- keeping relationships free of anger is more important than ANYTHING … even more important than acts of Christian service.
If you want to live the good life, then take care of relationship problems as soon as you can. Don’t put it off, hoping it will just go away. Don’t let ANYTHING serve as an excuse to let anger fester and grow.
(Now, I want you to notice that Jesus said, leave our offering at the altar and THEN go to your brother. … So you can go ahead and put your offering in the tray before you go and reconcile with your friend.)
Jesus gave a second example that describes a situation we see a lot. If I asked how many people sitting in this room today have ever been sued … or thought they were about to be sued … I bet we’d be surprised at how many hands would go up! Jesus said that a Righteous person will do absolutely anything they can to settle the matter amicably.
If someone threatens to sue you, go to them with genuine love … and do your very best to resolve the matter before it comes to trial. By truly loving your adversary --- by doing all you can to reconcile your differences --- you will stand in the reality of God’s Kingdom.
Not only is this the RIGHT way to deal with an Adversary … it is the SMART way. Jesus points out, --- quite realistically --- that if you go to court with a hostile Adversary, they may very well take you for all you’re worth.
CONCLUSION:
God wants you to live life to the fullest. And you simply can’t enjoy life the way God intends if anger has a place in your Heart. Even if you have a “right” to be angry … you are still hurting yourself … and hurting others … by harboring resentment and bitterness in your heart.
Do you want to enjoy the good life? Then listen to the advice of Jesus Christ. Get rid of all your pent up anger, contempt, and malice.
During our time of Decision, ask God to show you if you have any root of bitterness or anger hiding in your heart. Then simply let it go, in obedience to Christ.
God will help you clear your heart of anger, contempt, and malice ---
He will replace it with a Kingdom Heart … full of love, respect, and forgiveness..
(Sermon #1 of this series (the beatitudes section of Matt. 5)was preached by Ronnie Morgan)
(Background info. for this passage came from The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard)
