MATTHEW 5;21-26
INTRO;
THE MAN WHO HAS VISION AND NO TASK IS A DREAMER. THE MAN WHO
HAS A TASK AND NO VISION IS A DRUDGE. THE MAN WHO HAS BOTH A TASK
AND A VISION IS A HERO. PLAN YOUR WORK. WORK YOUR PLAN. AS WE
CONTINUE THRU THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT, AND AS W E PREPARE FOR
THE 40 DAYS OF PURPOSE IN OCTOBER, WE MUST BEGIN TO FORMULATE A
VISION FOR THE CHURCH. A PLAN. A GOAL. THIS VISION SHOULD BE A. R.M.
ATTAINABLE. REALISTIC. MEASURABLE. WE MUST SEEK GODS WILL, AND
THEN WE MUST DO IT.
NOW LETS GET TO OUR TEXT. THE NEXT SEVERAL VERSES DEAL WITH THE
EVERY DAY STUFF OF LIFE. THESE THINGS ARE THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF MY
SPIRITUAL WALK. THESE TIE IN A NATURAL PROGRESSION OF WHAT WE
TALKED ABOUT LAST WEEK, IN THE FULFILLMENT OF THE LAW.
REMEMBER, JESUS SAID, I COME NOT TO DESTROY BUT TO FULFILL THE
LAW. WHAT WE ARE SEEING HERE IS THE FULFILLMENT OF THE LAW.
REMEMBER JESUS ALWAYS RAISED THE STANDARD, HE NEVER LOWERS IT.
THERE ARE SIX DIFFERENT ISSUES THAT JESUS SPEAKS TO, EACH BEGIN WITH THE PHRASE, YOU HAVE HEARD IT SAID, OR IT WAS SAID. NOTICE,
THAT HE USES THIS IN THE PAST TENSE. THIS IS IMPORTANT. HE IS DRAWING A COMPARISON OF THE OLD TO THE NEW OR BETTER. KEEP IN MIND AS WE TALK ABOUT THESE THE WORDS OF JESUS, I COME NOT TO DESTROY BUT TO FULFILL.
I. MURDER
YOU HAVE HEARD IT SAID, BY THE ANCIENTS- BY THOSE YOU CALL FATHER,
DO NOT MURDER. DO NOT TAKE THE LIFE OF ANOTHER. WE IN OUR SYSTEM OF LAW HAVE VARIOUS DEGREES OF LIFE TAKING. ACCIDENTAL. MANSLAUGHTER. MURDER. WE DO NOT CALL TAKING THE LIFE OF THE UNBORN WHAT IT IS- MURDER, WE MAKE IT MORE ACCEPTABLE BY CALLING IT ABORTION, OR CHOICE.
IN THE 10 COMMANDMENTS, THE FIRST FOUR DEAL WITH OUR RELATIONSHIP TO GOD. THE LAST SIX DEAL WITH OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH MAN. THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT IS; THOU SHALT NOT MURDER.
MURDER IS A TERRIBLE SIN. THE NEWSPAPERS ARE FULL OF ACCOUNTS OF THIS ACT. A FEW YEARS BACK, A MOTHER IN SOUTH CAROLINA, DROVE HER 2 LITTLE BOYS INTO A POND AND DROWNED THEM, FINALLY SHE CONFESSED TO HAVING DONE THIS ACT. THIS HAS NOT BEEN AN ISOLATED INSTANCE. CALIFORNIA, THEY ARE TRYING SCOT PETERSON FOR THE DEATH OF HIS WIFE AND THEIR UNBORN CHILD. VIRTUALLY ANY DAY, YOU CAN OPEN THE PAPER OR TURN ON THE TV AND SEE ANOTHER MURDER.
JESUS SAYS, MURDER IS WRONG. THEN HE ADDS TO THIS, RAISES THE STANDARD. GETS TO THE SEED OF THE MATTER. TO THE VERY HEART OF THE MATTER, THIS IS NOT JUST AN ACT, IT’S THE SEED OF THE ACT. NOT ONLY IS MURDER WRONG, EVEN BEING ANGRY (SOME ADD W/O JUST CAUSE)
WITH YOUR BROTHER IS SUBJECT TO JUDGMENT. JESUS IS MAKING ANGER
EQUAL TO MURDER.
REMEMBER, IN YOUR ANGER DO NOT SIN. THIS IS NOT A CONTRADICTION,
THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT DEMAND RIGHTEOUS ANGER.
THEN JESUS ADDS JUDGMENT TO TWO MORE ASPECTS OF ANGER.
1) ANYONE WHO SAYS RACA ---> ARAMAIC, MEANS STUPID OR EMPTY HEAD.
2) CALL SOMEONE A FOOL –> CONTEMPT FOR THE HEART AND CHARACTER, MUCH LIKE A SCOUNDREL. IN CONTEXT THESE STAND EQUAL TO MURDER.
OUCH !!! STEPPED ON MY TOES A LITTLE. THINK. HOW OFTEN DO YOU SAY
SOMETHING LIKE, "HEY! STUPID, LEARN TO DRIVE!" THE NEXT TIME YOU ARE IN THAT SITUATION, INSTEAD OF SAYING RACA- SAY A PRAYER FOR THAT PERSON. I CHALLENGE YOU –> THE NEXT TIME YOU BEGIN TO CALL SOMEONE STUPID, OR A FOOL, THE NEXT TIME YOU LOSE YOUR TEMPER, START TO GET ANGRY, CONSIDER –> I JUST PULLED MY 357 MAGNUM OUT OF THE HOLSTER AND SQUEEZED THE TRIGGER. I JUST MURDERED THAT PERSON, NOW, IS THAT WHAT YOU REALLY WANT TO DO?
IN THE NATURAL PROGRESSION, JESUS GIVES THE ANSWER TO DEALING WITH THESE SITUATIONS.
IF YOU ARE IN YOUR PLACE OF WORSHIP, AND YOU REMEMBER THAT THERE IS A RELATIONSHIP THAT IS STRAINED, YOUR BROTHER HAS SOMETHING AGAINST YOU, LEAVE YOUR GIFT AND GO AND BE RECONCILED TO THAT BROTHER. THERE IS A REASON THAT JESUS SAYS THIS, THINK BACK TO THE VERY FIRST MURDER. CAIN KILLED ABEL. WHAT WAS THE REASON FOR CAINS ANGER? ABEL OFFERED A BETTER SACRIFICE THAN HE DID. THIS POINT WOULD HIT HOME WITH HIS JESUS LISTENER.
