Integrity| Matthew 5:32-37
“Sticks and stones will break my bones but words will never hurt me.”
Numbers 30:2
• The nation of Israel had developed an elaborate system of “I swear” to guarantee that an individual was telling the truth. Of course, people used swears to make themselves look good and you could take their word for it but at the end of the day, they wouldn’t come through.
• It reminds us of our own “cross my heart and hope to die.” Or on the other hand we believe that as long as our fingers are crossed behind our back, then we are not obligated to abide by any agreement. “I swear on my mothers grave” “Scouts honor.”
Matthew 23:16:
• Jesus heaps contempt on the Pharisees for assuming that swearing by the gold of the temple holds more weight than swearing by the temple itself.
• The religious leaders of the day were telling/leading the people into thinking they simply needed to honor their pledges and they would not offend God if they did so. Of course, God was already being offended because we should not be people who need to add anything to make others believe that they can take our word for it.
[The Way of Jesus]
(1) Live consistently without compartments
a. April 15, 1912 at 220 am the Titanic sank and 1517 people lost their lives.
b. The Titanic was considered to be “unsinkable” because it had new technology which involved taking the hull of the ship and dividing it into 16 water-tight compartments and it even allowed up to 4 of those compartments to become flooded and the ship would be fine.
c. So what happened?
d. What they found in 1985 was that the impact the iceberg had on the ship was that it caused buckled or loosened the seams in the hull, causing the hull plates to separate. In other words, one compartment being flooded affected all the others.
e. We cannot be “Sunday Christians” who live a holy life on Sunday but exclude God in our work lives, in our social lives, in our relationships with others.
f. Faith is personal but it is never private!
1 John 2:4
Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him…
John 8:32
And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
(2) Speak Truth without deception.
a. Since we cannot keep promises, don’t make them. We should not be people who need evidence to convince others that our word is our bond.
b. Example: Customer at BJs who accused me of using cuss words.
c. Jesus is telling us to be people of our word – let your yes be YES and let your No be NO! Don’t promise without true commitment!
d. Lies never win!
Proverbs 12:19
Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment.
Luke 8:17
For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light.
(3) Cultivate a heart of purity and integrity.
a. Why do we have legal documentation?
i. Before we give a testimony in court we have to “swear” under-oath that what we are about to say is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
ii. The President of the United States has to swear that he will uphold the Constitution of the United States.
iii. We have to sign documents when we make specific purchases (if we are not paying in full).
iv. These things exists because of our fallen nature.
v. When Jesus was arrested and being questioned about his activities his response was that he spoke openly and they could ask anyone what he said. Jesus had nothing to hide!
Proverbs 10:9
Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out.
Proverbs 11:3
The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.
(4) Consider the power of your word(s)
Genesis 1:1 & Genesis 1:26
a. God spoke the world into existence
b. God pronounced death for disobedience and yet after the fall Adam named the women “Eve” which meant Life or Living (Genesis 3)
Genesis 1:26
• You are the image of God.
• That should be how we respond to one another. That is how we should treat one another. That is how we should speak to one another.
• Speak Life!
o Use your words to speak truth!
o Use your words to encourage others.
o Use your words to strengthen others.
o Use your words to remind others of their value.
