This Is US!
Pt. 3 - Grown Ups
I. Introduction
“When I discover who I am, I’ll be free.” That was the declaration of the Ralph Ellison who was the author of the Invisible Man. Time and time again in Scripture we see folks who don't know who they are and they struggle and flounder and once they discover who they are their life is changed . . . Jacob to Israel. So many of us don't understand who we are and if Ralph Ellison is right, then we are not free we are bound. I believe the confusion about who we are results in the blood bought \from operating at the level of effectiveness, influence, and authority that is ours. So we began our study of what Jesus said about US by saying that this is US . . . blessed and then Square Pegs & Spotlights. As we continue this examination of US let me say this will be the most Scripture we cover in one setting and also the most brutal and blunt. Buckle up as Jesus tells us about us!
Did you know that in Maine there is a new adulting school for young adults? Recognizing that many young adults who have spent the majority of their time playing computer games and have no real social interaction can now be taught how to adult. Well, in light of what we are about to read welcome to adulting school for believers. He addresses four areas of our life.
Matthew 5:19-48
“Trivialize even the smallest item in God’s Law and you will only have trivialized yourself. But take it seriously, show the way for others, and you will find honor in the kingdom. Unless you do far better than the Pharisees in the matters of right living, you won’t know the first thing about entering the kingdom.
Area one . . . contentious relationships.
“You’re familiar with the command to the ancients, ‘Do not murder.’ I’m telling you that anyone who is so much as angry with a brother or sister is guilty of murder. Carelessly call a brother ‘idiot!’ and you just might find yourself hauled into court. Thoughtlessly yell ‘stupid!’ at a sister and you are on the brink of hellfire. The simple moral fact is that words kill.“This is how I want you to conduct yourself in these matters. If you enter your place of worship and, about to make an offering, you suddenly remember a grudge a friend has against you, abandon your offering, leave immediately, go to this friend and make things right. Then and only then, come back and work things out with God. “Or say you’re out on the street and an old enemy accosts you. Don’t lose a minute. Make the first move; make things right with him. After all, if you leave the first move to him, knowing his track record, you’re likely to end up in court, maybe even jail. If that happens, you won’t get out without a stiff fine.
Area two . . . lust
“You know the next commandment pretty well, too: ‘Don’t go to bed with another’s spouse.’ But don’t think you’ve preserved your virtue simply by staying out of bed. Your heart can be corrupted by lust even quicker than your body. Those leering looks you think nobody notices—they also corrupt. “Let’s not pretend this is easier than it really is. If you want to live a morally pure life, here’s what you have to do: You have to blind your right eye the moment you catch it in a lustful leer. You have to choose to live one-eyed or else be dumped on a moral trash pile. And you have to chop off your right hand the moment you notice it raised threateningly. Better a bloody stump than your entire being discarded for good in the dump. “Remember the Scripture that says, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him do it legally, giving her divorce papers and her legal rights’? Too many of you are using that as a cover for selfishness and whim, pretending to be righteous just because you are ‘legal.’ Please, no more pretending. If you divorce your wife, you’re responsible for making her an adulteress (unless she has already made herself that by sexual promiscuity). And if you marry such a divorced adulteress, you’re automatically an adulterer yourself. You can’t use legal cover to mask a moral failure.
Area three . . . truth.
“And don’t say anything you don’t mean. This counsel is embedded deep in our traditions. You only make things worse when you lay down a smoke screen of pious talk, saying, ‘I’ll pray for you,’ and never doing it, or saying, ‘God be with you,’ and not meaning it. You don’t make your words true by embellishing them with religious lace. In making your speech sound more religious, it becomes less true. Just say ‘yes’ and ‘no.’ When you manipulate words to get your own way, you go wrong.
Area 4 . . . Enemies
“Here’s another old saying that deserves a second look: ‘Eye for eye, tooth for tooth.’ Is that going to get us anywhere? Here’s what I propose: ‘Don’t hit back at all.’ If someone strikes you, stand there and take it. If someone drags you into court and sues for the shirt off your back, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. And if someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously. “You’re familiar with the old written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’ I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that.
“In a word, what I’m saying is, Grow up. You’re kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you.” (Message)
Talk about raising the bar! He says that "Unless you do far better than the Pharisees in the matters of right living, you won’t know the first thing about entering the kingdom." Jesus confronts this idea of religious fronting. Playing like saints but living like aints. Actors playing a part. Talking a good game of right living but not really living right. So, He tells us that we must grow up and live better in these four areas contentious relationships, lust, truth, and how we respond to enemies.
Jesus knew that Pharisee wouldn't actually pull the trigger and murder but they would hate someone to death. Jesus says we must be better than that! We must handle our anger differently. Jesus got angry to the point of lashing out, literally, at times. So what's the difference? Paul clarifies in Ephesians and says "In your anger do not sin": "Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry," So, there is a timeframe for anger. Short lived. Not life time. Some of us have carried anger for decades. It has become sin. Then we get our mouth involved and we use our words as weapons. He demands that we manage our mouth. We are supposed to be grown up enough to know that words can literally kill!
So how do we grow up in regards to contentious relationships?
This is US . . . First Responders!
Notice, once again, Jesus doesn't deal with offenses as if they might happen. It is a foregone conclusion. We can't live without the opportunity to be offended. But now He tells us that we shouldn't hold onto offenses. He explains that grudges block our worship and our prayers. In other words, a breakdown of an earthly relationship equals a breakdown in our heavenly relationship! He makes it clear that we are supposed to be a first responder. So many of us sit around waiting on someone else to make the first move and so there is never a move made. It is a stale mate that causes our relationship with God to go stale. So Jesus says don't lose a minute. How much time have you lost? Minutes, months, decades? Anger is a key leverage point for the enemy. If we don't deal with offense quickly we will allow anger to interpret intentions and we will find US in bondage . . . separated from God and man.
Jesus goes on and says this is US . . . Pirates!
Listen to His powerful statement . . . Your heart can be corrupted by lust even quicker than your body. In fact, the body is usually only the visible indication that the heart has become corrupted. Lust must be cut off at its source . . . looks. It can't get into our heart if it doesn't get into our eyes and ears. We open the door/gate and then wonder why it is in our heart! Jesus says we must be willing to live one eyed. Singular focus. Jesus is trying to teach us to be brutal with how we deal with looks. Wandering hands and feet are the byproduct of wandering eyes that have been allowed to roam. No exceptions or excuses. Ruthless honesty with our eyes. He continues by going one step further by saying to cut off hand rather than raise it in anger. What is He saying? What is He trying to communicate? Extreme measures. At all cost mentality. He knows and we should know by watching others that it is inevitable . . . our life will end up on the trash pile if we allow lust to run rampant in our life. A wandering eye leads to a wounded heart! Jesu says it is time to adult! We have been told to keep our hands to ourselves and Jesus says keep your eyes to yourself. Grow up! Take the steps necessary to address this area of life. Quit window shopping!
This is us . . . Yes Men!
In the third area Jesus is confronting the fact that the Pharisees had developed an elaborate system of making oaths that would limit their liability. They knew that according to the Law in Deuteronomy 23 that making a vow and not keeping it was a sin. So they worked to make it sound like they were making a promise but by adding unnecessary words they would muddy the water of what they were actually saying they would do. John Stott said, “Swearing (taking oaths,) is really a pathetic confession of our own dishonesty.” And A.M. Hunter said, “Oaths arise because men are so often liars.” Jesus is saying this is us . . . Yes men. When we say we will do something we will do it. Our promise is a direct reflection of God's promise. When I say yes and don't fulfill my yes, I give God a bad rep. So my yes is yes and my no is no. How good is your yes? How good is your no? Can anyone count on you to live up to your word? Jesus says grow up!
This is us . . . Two Faced!
OK, I need to explain. After telling you to be "yes men" or truthful now i am saying be two faced. Jesus says we are to turn the other cheek. If you hit me on this side of my face, then I will turn to the other side and give you access to my other cheek. That sounds crazy! We have been taught by our society to strike back. Revenge. Pain for pain. If you hurt me, then I will inflict more pain on you. In fact, I will do my dead level best to make your injury worse than mine. Jesus says even pagans treat friendly people kindly. So, there is no way to stand out by being nice to the nice. He says it is how we treat those that treat us badly that sets us apart and puts God on display. You act and look more like Jesus when you refuse to strike back at those who strike you. Jesus illustrates and demonstrates the greatest strength when He is beaten and crucified. He had the necessary strength and resources to retaliate and win against His enemies. However, even in the worst case He refused to open His mouth or lift His hand to exact revenge. Who is stronger the one who hits or the one who has the ability to strike back and doesn't? And some of us can't even let someone get the last word in a simple argument. Some of us can't stop dreaming about and fantasizing about revenge. Jesus says there is a better way, a stronger way, a more adult way. Turn the other cheek. Giftwrap your best when you have been treated the worst.
Too wrap it up . . . This is US . . . Grown Ups!
We are grown ups! We see the pain caused by broken relationships, lust, lying, and fighting and because of our maturity in Christ we are grown up enough to deal with it like adults! We behave and treat people differently because we are citizens of a different kingdom.
