THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT
YOU HAVE HEARD IT SAID – MURDER
MATTHEW 5:21–26 “YOU HAVE HEARD THAT IT WAS SAID TO THE PEOPLE LONG AGO, ‘DO NOT MURDER, AND ANYONE WHO MURDERS WILL BE SUBJECT TO JUDGMENT.’ 22BUT I TELL YOU THAT ANYONE WHO IS ANGRY WITH HIS BROTHER WILL BE SUBJECT TO JUDGMENT. AGAIN, ANYONE WHO SAYS TO HIS BROTHER, ‘RACA,’ IS ANSWERABLE TO THE SANHEDRIN. BUT ANYONE WHO SAYS, ‘YOU FOOL!’ WILL BE IN DANGER OF THE FIRE OF HELL. 23“THEREFORE, IF YOU ARE OFFERING YOUR GIFT AT THE ALTAR AND THERE REMEMBER THAT YOUR BROTHER HAS SOMETHING AGAINST YOU, 24LEAVE YOUR GIFT THERE IN FRONT OF THE ALTAR. FIRST GO AND BE RECONCILED TO YOUR BROTHER; THEN COME AND OFFER YOUR GIFT. 25“SETTLE MATTERS QUICKLY WITH YOUR ADVERSARY WHO IS TAKING YOU TO COURT. DO IT WHILE YOU ARE STILL WITH HIM ON THE WAY, OR HE MAY HAND YOU OVER TO THE JUDGE, AND THE JUDGE MAY HAND YOU OVER TO THE OFFICER, AND YOU MAY BE THROWN INTO PRISON. 26I TELL YOU THE TRUTH, YOU WILL NOT GET OUT UNTIL YOU HAVE PAID THE LAST PENNY.
INTRODUCTION: AS WE CONTINUE IN OUR STUDY OF THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT WE ARE NOW MOVING INTO THE FIRST OF SIX DEFINITIVE STATEMENTS OF JESUS WHICH CONTRAST THE TEACHING OF THE PHARISEES WITH THE INTENT OF GOD CONCERNING THESE LAWS.
TRANSITION: AS WE GET INTO THIS PASSAGE, WHAT I WOULD LIKE YOU TO NOTICE IS THAT WHEN JESUS SPEAKS TO THE ISSUE OF MURDER, HE, IN HIS AUTHORITY AS GOD MOVES THE ISSUE FROM OUTWARD ACTION TO INWARD THOUGHT.
I. THE ATTITUDE ABOUT MURDER
MATTHEW 5:21 “YOU HAVE HEARD THAT IT WAS SAID TO THE PEOPLE LONG AGO, ‘DO NOT MURDER, AND ANYONE WHO MURDERS WILL BE SUBJECT TO JUDGMENT.’
a. THIS ATTITUDE COMES FROM THE 6TH COMMANDMENT – THOU SHALT NOT KILL.
i. THE 6TH COMMANDMENT PROHIBITED MURDER. THE NATION OF ISRAEL WAS NOT TO TAKE A LIFE IN THIS MANNER
1. THE WORD KILL MEANS TO MURDER – TO MURDER HUMANS
2. ANYONE WHO UNLAWFULLY TOOK HUMAN LIFE
3. KILLING ANOTHER WITH MALICE AFORETHOUGHT EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED
4.
ii. THIS COMMANDMENT DID NOT APPLY TO THE KILLING OF ANIMALS. THERE IS NO SCRIPTURAL SUPPORT FOR ANIMAL RIGHTS AGENDA
1. GOD HAD INSTITUTED SACRIFICE AS A MEANS OF APPROACHING GOD BECAUSE OF SIN
2. GOD RELATES THE FINISHED WORK OF CHRIST TO THE IMAGE OF SLAYING A LAMB
3. GOD HIMSELF TOOK THE LIFE OF ANIMALS IN ORDER TO CLOTHE ADAM AND EVE.
4. THIS DOES NOT DENY THE PREFERENCE OF PEOPLE TO VARYING DEGREES IN AVOIDING MEAT.
iii. JUST AS THIS VERSE DEFINES WHAT MURDER IS, IT ALSO REFERENCES THE PUNISHMENT FOR MURDER
1. SUBJECT TO JUDGMENT
2. EXECUTION AND CONDEMNATION
WHAT JESUS WILL BE ASKING IS WHETHER MURDER IS NOTHING MORE THAN THE ACT OF TAKING A LIFE
II. JESUS ADJUSTS THE MEANING OF MURDER
MATTHEW 5:22 BUT I TELL YOU THAT ANYONE WHO IS ANGRY WITH HIS BROTHER WILL BE SUBJECT TO JUDGMENT. AGAIN, ANYONE WHO SAYS TO HIS BROTHER, ‘RACA,’ IS ANSWERABLE TO THE SANHEDRIN. BUT ANYONE WHO SAYS, ‘YOU FOOL!’ WILL BE IN DANGER OF THE FIRE OF HELL.
a. THIS IS NOT A CRITICISM OF HOW MURDER HAS BEEN DEFINED
b. JESUS ENLARGES THE CONCEPT OF MURDER BY LOOKING BACK INTO THE THINGS THAT WOULD AND AT TIMES DO CAUSE MURDER.
i. JESUS ADDS MURDER IN TEMPER
ii. JESUS ADDS MURDER IN TONGUE
c. BAD TEMPERS AND BAD TONGUES LEAD TO:
i. MURDER
ii. JUDGMENT
d. THE ANGER JESUS IS TALKING ABOUT
i. ANGRY ENOUGH TO MURDER OR TO LASH OUT
ii. WOULD HAVE ALREADY COMMITTED IT IN YOUR HEART
iii. AN ATTITUDE OF SEETHING AND BROODING THAT IS READY TO LEAP OUT OF CONTROL
1. LEADS TO VIOLENCE
2. LEADS TO EMOTIONAL HURT
3. LEADS TO SPIRITUAL HURT
4. CAN EVEN LEAD TO MURDER – REMEMBER CAIN AND ABLE
GENESIS 4:2–8 LATER SHE GAVE BIRTH TO HIS BROTHER ABEL. NOW ABEL KEPT FLOCKS, AND CAIN WORKED THE SOIL. 3IN THE COURSE OF TIME CAIN BROUGHT SOME OF THE FRUITS OF THE SOIL AS AN OFFERING TO THE LORD. 4BUT ABEL BROUGHT FAT PORTIONS FROM SOME OF THE FIRSTBORN OF HIS FLOCK. THE LORD LOOKED WITH FAVOR ON ABEL AND HIS OFFERING, 5BUT ON CAIN AND HIS OFFERING HE DID NOT LOOK WITH FAVOR. SO CAIN WAS VERY ANGRY, AND HIS FACE WAS DOWNCAST. 6THEN THE LORD SAID TO CAIN, “WHY ARE YOU ANGRY? WHY IS YOUR FACE DOWNCAST? 7IF YOU DO WHAT IS RIGHT, WILL YOU NOT BE ACCEPTED? BUT IF YOU DO NOT DO WHAT IS RIGHT, SIN IS CROUCHING AT YOUR DOOR; IT DESIRES TO HAVE YOU, BUT YOU MUST MASTER IT.” 8NOW CAIN SAID TO HIS BROTHER ABEL, “LET’S GO OUT TO THE FIELD.” AND WHILE THEY WERE IN THE FIELD, CAIN ATTACKED HIS BROTHER ABEL AND KILLED HIM.
a. GOD HAS SET UP A STANDARD
b. ABLE OBEYS GOD’S STANDARD
c. CAIN DISOBEYS GOD’S STANDARD
d. GOD SEE THE INTENT OF THE HEART, NOT JUST THE ACTION OF OUR HANDS
iv. ANGER WILL ALWAYS KEEP US FROM DEVELOPING A SPIRIT PLEASING TO GOD
e. ANGRY WORDS HAVE NO PLACE IN THE FOLLOWER OF CHRIST
i. ASSUME SUPERIORITY BY BELITTLING ANOTHER PERSON
ii. ANGRY WORDS REVEAL A HEART FAR FROM GOD
iii. ANGRY WORDS MAKE US PRONE TO JUDGMENT
THE CORE THOUGHT HERE IS THAT INWARD ATTITUDES ARE REFLECTED IN OUTWARD ACTIONS.
THE PHARISEES LOOKED AT THE ISSUE OF MURDER FROM A PURELY OUTWARD PERSPECTIVE – THE TAKING OF A LIFE
JAMES MONTGOMERY BOICE IN HIS COMMENTARY OF THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT SAY THIS, “DO WE COMMIT MURDER? YES—BY THIS DEFINITION. WE LOSE OUR TEMPER. WE HARBOR GRUDGES. WE GOSSIP. WE KILL BY NEGLECT, SPITE, AND JEALOUSY. AND WE WOULD LEARN THAT WE ACTUALLY DO WORSE THINGS THAN THESE IF ONLY WE COULD SEE OUR HEARTS AS GOD IS ABLE TO SEE THEM. IT IS NO ACCIDENT THAT EVEN IN OUR OWN SPEECH SUCH THINGS SOMETIMES ARE TERMED CHARACTER ASSASSINATION, OR THAT WE SPEAK OF DESTROYING A PERSON BY WORDS. THIS IS LITERALLY TRUE, AND WE DO IT. JESUS SAYS, WE ARE NOT TO BE THAT WAY AS CHRISTIANS.”
JESUS (WITH AUTHORITY) TELLS US THAT THE ISSUE OF MURDER HAS ITS ROOTS IN OUR THOUGHTS AND WORDS BEFORE IT EVER COMES OUT IN OUR ACTIONS.
WITH THAT IN MIND, JESUS GIVES US THE CURE
III. THE CURE FOR THE ROOT OF MURDER -- ANGER
a. WE NEED TO ADMIT THAT WE GET ANGRY!
i. WE LIVE IN A WORLD THAT HAS FOUND A WAY FOR US TO BLAME EVERYTHING ON SOMETHING OR SOMEONE ELSE.
AGAIN, BOICE ILLUSTRATES THIS FROM A CRIMINAL OF HISTORICAL NOTE -- IN MAY OF 1931, THE CITY OF NEW YORK WITNESSED THE CAPTURE OF ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS CRIMINALS THE CITY UP TO THAT TIME HAD EVER SEEN. HIS NAME WAS “TWO GUN” CROWLEY. HE HAD SHOWN HIMSELF TO BE THE KIND OF MAN WHO WOULD KILL AT THE DROP OF A HAT. SOME TIME BEFORE HIS CAPTURE HE HAD BEEN PARKED AT THE SIDE OF A ROAD WHEN A POLICEMAN CAME UP AND ASKED TO SEE HIS LICENSE. WITHOUT SAYING A WORD CROWLEY DREW HIS GUN AND CUT THE POLICEMAN DOWN. THEN, AS THE OFFICER LAY DYING, CROWLEY JUMPED OUT OF HIS CAR, TOOK THE POLICEMAN’S REVOLVER AND FIRED ANOTHER BULLET INTO THE BODY. WHAT DID THIS MAN, “TWO GUN” CROWLEY, THINK OF HIMSELF AS A PERSON? WE KNOW, BECAUSE WHEN HE WAS FINALLY CAPTURED IN HIS GIRL FRIEND’S APARTMENT AT THE END OF AN HOUR-LONG GUN BATTLE INVOLVING HUNDREDS OF POLICE, A BLOOD-STAINED NOTE WAS DISCOVERED THAT HAD BEEN WRITTEN BY CROWLEY DURING THE BATTLE. IT SAID, “UNDER MY COAT IS A WEARY HEART, BUT A KIND ONE—ONE THAT WOULD DO NOBODY ANY HARM.”
LATER, CROWLEY WAS SENTENCED TO THE ELECTRIC CHAIR. WHEN HE ARRIVED ON DEATH ROW AT SING SING, HE DID NOT SAY, “THIS IS WHAT I GET FOR KILLING POLICEMEN.” NO! HE SAID, “THIS IS WHAT I GET FOR DEFENDING MYSELF.” THE POINT IS THAT “TWO GUN” CROWLEY DID NOT BLAME HIMSELF FOR ANYTHING.
NOW IF THAT WAS TRUE OF “TWO GUN” CROWLEY AND OTHER CRIMINALS, HOW MUCH MORE TRUE IT IS OF NORMAL MEN AND WOMEN LIKE YOU AND ME. WE SIN, BUT WE COVER UP THE SIN. WE REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT EVEN TO OURSELVES. NO WONDER, THEN, THAT JESUS TAUGHT WE ARE TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT FIRST OF ALL. WE ARE TO ADMIT OUR ANGER, ACKNOWLEDGING OUR GUILT, AND WE ARE TO DO THIS AS THE FIRST STEP TO ITS CURE.
b. ONCE WE ADMIT THEN WE NEED TO CORRECT
i. WE OFTEN LOOK AT THE SACRIFICE AND SAY THE WRONG HAS BEEN CORRECTED
ii. JESUS TELLS US TO STOP AT THE ALTAR AND GO MAKE IT RIGHT WITH MY BROTHER
iii. WE WILL ALWAYS FIND IT EASIER TO DO THE CEREMONIAL TINGS RATHER THAN WHAT GOD DEMANDS
iv. GOD SAYS OUR OFFERING IS WORTHLESS WITHOUT FIRST BEING RIGHT WITH OUR BROTHER
v. WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO MAKE TO CONFESS AND SEEK FORGIVENESS – AND THERE IS PLENTY OF INJUSTICE ON BOTH SIDES WHETHER OFFENDED OR OFFENDER.
1 JOHN 3:18–20 DEAR CHILDREN, LET US NOT LOVE WITH WORDS OR TONGUE BUT WITH ACTIONS AND IN TRUTH. 19THIS THEN IS HOW WE KNOW THAT WE BELONG TO THE TRUTH, AND HOW WE SET OUR HEARTS AT REST IN HIS PRESENCE 20WHENEVER OUR HEARTS CONDEMN US. FOR GOD IS GREATER THAN OUR HEARTS, AND HE KNOWS EVERYTHING.
vi. THERE IS THE OBLIGATION TO RIGHT THE WRONG AS MUCH AS WE ARE ABLE – SHOW OUR LOVE IN WHAT WE DO!
c. WE ADMIT, THEN CORRECT AND FINALLY, DO IT ASAP!
i. WE ARE TO GO IMMEDIATELY
ii. THE LONGER WE WAIT THE HARDER IT BECOMES
iii. THERE COMES A TIME WHEN OUR NEGLECT TO SEEK FORGIVENESS BECOMES A JUDGMENT ON US
1. LOST FRIENDSHIPS
2. BROKEN FAMILIES
3. CHURCH DISCIPLINE
4. FRACTURED TESTIMONY
AND THEN HOW CAN WE DO THIS, WHEN OUR NATURAL BENT IS TO NOT DO IT?
ASK GOD TO CHANGE OUR HEARTS
ROMANS 12:2 DO NOT CONFORM ANY LONGER TO THE PATTERN OF THIS WORLD, BUT BE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND. THEN YOU WILL BE ABLE TO TEST AND APPROVE WHAT GOD’S WILL IS—HIS GOOD, PLEASING AND PERFECT WILL.
JESUS TEACHES US THAT WE CAN DO BETTER. WILL WE DO THE BETTER JESUS ASKS OF US?
