ARE YOU A MURDERER?
Text: Matthew 5:21-26
INTRODUCTION:
1. Jesus contrasts the words of the ancients with his teachings.
2. He says that things go deeper than our actions.
3. He tells us that we should watch what we say.
4. He tells us to correct our anger quickly.
5. The implications of these lessons from the mouth of Jesus are enormous
TRANSITION: Jesus contrasts the words of the ancients with his teaching.
I. The words of the Ancients
A. Is Jesus contradicting the Old Law?
1. Remember Matthew 5:19, “Anyone who annuls one of the least of
these…shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven.”
a. In Revelation he is honored by the elders.
b. This is definitely not the least if those surrounding the throne are praising him.
2. In verses 31-32 and 19:9 he deals with contrasting teachings on divorce.
3. In John 4 he deals with an adulteress woman.
4. Look @ Matthew 19:8, “Because of the hardness of your hearts MOSES permitted you to divorce and it was not this way from the beginning.”
5. See the Jews made up traditions as they went along.
a. They would say, “This is what Moses meant to say.”
b. They would then hold people to these opinions as if they were the Law.
6. John 5 vs. the Tract of the Sabbath
a. The healed man transported his bed.
b. The actual Law doesn’t mention this activity.
c. There were 39 rules in the Tract of the Sabbath.
d. The last one was transporting anything at all.
B. What about Jeremiah 17:21 and Nehemiah 13:19?
1. These verses are talking about transporting things related to work. Loads of merchandise, the like as this.
2. Jesus healed a man.
3. Look at Matthew 12:11. “What man is there among you who has a sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable then is a man than a sheep!? So then it is lawful to do good (works) on the Sabbath.”
4. Jesus was pointing out that they were teaching for doctrine the traditions of man.
5. He never violates or contradicts the Law; he simply fulfills it, and refuses to be subject to the binding of men.
TRANSITION: The Pharisees were worried about what they could and could not do
II. Jesus says that things go deeper than your actions. You say that whoever commits murder is subject to the court.
A. Jesus says whoever is angry (without cause) is liable to the court.
1. If we examine the word court here we may get more insight into the meaning.
2. It is the word kris-eye.
3. This means the process of passing judgment or someone who judges.
4. Jesus is saying that if you commit murder you are subject to someone who will pass judgment on you.
a. A tribunal
b. Most likely referring to the Sanhedrin or some court of law.
5. If you are angry for no reason you are subject to a judge also.
a. How will the Sanhedrin know about or deal with an angry person?
b. They could not and would not deal with everyone who got angry.
c. But there is a judge who can and will deal with them.
d. Acts 1:24, “And they prayed, ‘You Lord who knows the hearts of all men’.”
e. God knows the heart of everyone.
f. From the smallest to the greatest he knows and deals justly with each of us.
B. By the same token, the Sanhedrin is not going to go around slapping the back of the hand of everyone who hurls an insult.
1. Granted, this is not just any insult.
a. It is the word where we get our word moron.
b. It means foolishly stupid.
c. It is calling someone a stupid idiot.
d. The NASB has “good-for-nothing” calling someone worthless.
e. It is toned down in the term raca.
f. If you say, “You are a good-for-nothing, stupid fool” you will stand before the Sanhedrin.
g. If you say, “You are empty-headed (raca)” you are in danger of the fires of hell.
h. The Sanhedrin will help take care of the more visible and heinous activities, God still expects us to be right on the inside.
2. We may sneak one past the rulers of the land, but God sees even the small things and will deal out punishment if those small things are not acceptable to him.
TRANSITION: So I am mad at someone, I am not going to kill them, but I have a few choice words I would like to share with them. What do I do now?
III. Jesus tells us to correct the problem quickly.
A. It hinders our worship.
1. If you are making an offering at the altar and remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering and be reconciled to him.
2. If you are coming to worship God and remember that you have an unresolved issue lingering, that issue will hinder your worship.
a. I Peter 3:7, “In the same way you husbands love your wives in an understanding way as with a weaker vessel, and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayer might not be hindered."
b. In the husband/wife relationship this idea of hindered worship is stressed. If you do not deal right with your spouse your worship will be hindered. Your prayers will not reach God.
c. Dealing incorrectly with her will impede your worship to God.
d. Paul tells the Corinthians in II Corinthians 13:5 to test themselves. Examine yourself to be sure that you are right.
e. In I Corinthians 11:26-34 he tells them to examine themselves before taking the Lord’s Supper.
ii. He tells them to examine their hearts to be sure they are acceptable before partaking.
iii. Partaking in an unworthy manner brings guilt of the blood of Christ.
iv. Verse 29, “Whoever eats and drinks brings judgment on himself if he does not judge his body rightly.”
v. The word translated “judgment” here is another form of the word in our text translated “courts”.
vi. If we are not right within ourselves at the time of worship our worship is hindered.
vii. The hindrance spoken of in I Corinthians brings condemnation upon us.
B. So we must resolve matters quickly.
1. “Make friends quickly, while you are on the way…”
2. What does this passage mean?
a. Settle matters quickly so that the roots of anger do not have time to grow in and grip the heart.
b. Do not allow your wrongs to fester and boil in the heart of your accuser; placate him quickly before he is consumed by hatred and wrath.
c. While you are on the way means while you are on the road to court.
d. Do not wait for the judge to settle the issue, work it out on your own.
C. Of course the best way to avoid the judge is to deal justly with people. “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
D. If you do mess up and deal dishonestly with someone, or call someone a name, or in any other way offend someone, help solve the problem quickly.
1. Ephesians 4:26 teaches us to be angry and not sin and not to let the sun go down on our anger.
2. This says #1 that when you are angry you are not to sin.
a. We help others avoid the sins caused by anger when we go to them to correct the situation.
b. When we do it quickly, that anger cannot take hold of their heart and control their life.
3. It also says not to let the sun go down on your anger.
a. Again this is dealing with rectifying the situation quickly.
b. You help them to avoid lingering anger when you go to them to straighten up the problem.
4. Both Jesus and Paul warn against causing others to stumble. If anger gets someone because of you; you are guilty too.
CONCLUSION:
1. You do not have to murder someone to be guilty of murder.
2. Proverbs 23:7, “As he thinks in his heart, so is he.”
3. If you wish someone were dead, or want someone else to be injured, you are guilty of such.
4. The Sanhedrin may not come after you for it
- The courts of the land cannot arrest you for thinking evil thoughts of someone
- But the court of God can
- He is the one who knows the hearts of all men
5. Being involved in such; anger, hatred, malice, and the like hinders our worship.
- It hinders our prayers
- It impedes our communion with God
- In fact it can bring condemnation down on us
6. Resolve your issues quickly
- If you said something, did something, or even if you just thought something evil or wrong, right the ship
- Make things right
- It frees you to worship again
- It stops you from being a stumbling block
- It helps to stave off the sins of anger in someone else’s life
7. Love one another; try to do what is best for one another. Resolve issues quickly that hinder you and the other person so that both of you can be OK.
8. Let the love of Christ dwell in you richly.
