Your Word... Your Oath

I. Introduction

(live as message starts)

me: Della, Did you bring that powerpoint?

No,

You told me you would

I am sorry but with convention and stuff

But, Della I was counting on you, I don’t know what I am going to do for the Sermon

Pastor J, I never promised anything

I know but…

Della’s Husband Eric: Pastor, Della has done more than enough; cut her some slack!

How many of you have ever felt like you were counting on someone, but they let you down?

- hand shake meant something

- no need for contracts, lawyers

- Your word was your oath

1. Open to Joshua 9 Story of Gibeonites came acted as it they were someone else,

Deception

But Joshua’s word was his promise

v. 26 So, Joshua saved them from the Israelites, they did not kill them as a matter of fact he fights for them Joshua 10:6 (The Amorite kings were going after them)

2. Story of Jacob, Essau, and Isaac (Gen. 27)

a. We often look at this about the blessing (there is validy in the blessing) but we often overlook the importance of someone giving their word

b. Could Isaac have said, I gave that blessing by deception… I think so…

i. But he spoke it, he declared- he was not going to go back on what he said,

Today we have categorized our words

1. Do you promise

2. Do you swear on the Bible

3. Scouts honor

4. pinky promise

5. Lies are so popular today

If we don’t do what we said, we come back with

1. I never promised

2. I just got too buzy

3. I forgot

4. I don’t feel good

5. I am over whelmed

Marriage is a joke because we no longer care about integrity, respect, keeping our word. The marriage vow begins to mean NOTHING!

What do your words mean? Are you a person of your word? Does your yes mean yes? Does your no mean no? Are you double minded?

What does God say about your word? Does it really matter? God is not silent.

Transition: Share some Declarations that God makes

II. Body

1. Declaration: Your word Is binding Mat. 5:33 (Let your yes be yes, no be no)

a. Contracts

i. We are all familure with contracts, both parties sign in agreement I will pay x amount of $ and you will give me your car.

ii. A contract is binding meaning: There is an obligation to do something

iii. Our words are to be binding (an obligation, trustworthy)

b. Sermon on the Mountain Turn to Matthew 5:33

i. Jesus discoursing on how people had abused some of the laws

ii. You are to be salt in this generation, in this culture, in your community.

1. fulfillment of the law

2. Murder same as hatred

3. Adultery – whoever looks a someone with lust in his eyes committed adultery

4. oaths

a. I swear by heaven

b. I swear by the gates of heaven

c. I swear by Jerusalem

5. Jesus said, let your yes be yes and No be no

iii. Jewish people came to the point that if you did not swear by God or swear by heaven it was not binding. Tamud states, "If any adjure another by heaven or earth, he is not guilty. (from Adam Clarke’s Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright © 1996, 2003 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.) Jesus said simply, “Let your yes be yes and no be no”

1. Be a person with integrity (honesty, truthfulness, reliability)

2. Be a person who can be trusted

3. IN other words be salt in this generation, be a light for all to see.

iv. Let your words mean something!

2. Declaration: Not keeping your word gives false hope (prov . 25:14)

Proverbs 25:14 Like clouds and wind without rain is a man who boasts of gifts he does not give. NIV

Latin Vulgate says, “a bragging man who does not fulfill his promise”

a. Compared to clouds and wind that come

i. Farmers in a dry land look forward to it, prepare for it, excitement, joy…

ii. “Our crops are saved”… but then NOTHING

b. This is the same as the person who gives His word on something, then doesn’t follow through

i. It crushes people

ii. It discourages people

c. WE have all been effected by someone, company, that told us we could count on them only to have them

i. Not show up

ii. Find something else more important

iii. Conviently forget

iv. Run out of time

d. Not keeping your word destroys your (reputation) name. We all know people that we have a difficult time trusting, we find them undependable. To some degree have lost value in their name.

3. Declaration: Keeping your word leads to a good name