Strathalbyn Church of Christ

Matthew 5:21-47. Sermon: Radically right.

Pastor David Williams. Strathalbyn Church of Christ. 22 Jan 2023.

What is right and wrong? No other question has caused more conflict in our society and in our homes in this century. Old systems of right and wrong – of morality – are not just seen as outdated but as oppressive, as harmful. Most people now believe – as a given – that no-one and no god can tell me what is right and wrong. Whatever feels good to me is right. Whatever stops me fulfilling my identity is wrong. This is today’s world. But not just the world. This is today’s church. If it feels good, it is right. Yes, we dress it up in Christian language – if I feel it in the Spirit, it is right. If it feels good to me, it is right. No-one can say otherwise. But Jesus has said otherwise.

As his followers, we should stand out as radically different. For our thinking should be shaped by our King, not by the world, nor by our imaginations. When people see how we face up to real life problems, they will see that we are different - in

· How we deal with anger and lust

· How we relate to our spouses, our neighbours, and our enemies

· How we handle our tongues.

Introduction

Jesus threw out six challenges. They all follow the same pattern

You have heard that it was said to those of old

Six times, Jesus quoted a teaching, either from the OT or from the Jewish teachers – the Rabbis. Then Jesus added his own personal direction.

But I say to you

At the end of the Sermon on the Mount, we hear this

And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their Rabbis, Mt 7:28-29

They were right to be astonished. The Rabbis often explained the OT law – nothing new there – but they explained it by quoting one other. Rabbi Hillel says this and Rabbi Shammai says that. But Jesus didn’t quote anyone. He boldly asserted, Moses said this but I say to you … Jesus relied on his own interpretation alone. He was putting himself even above Moses, their greatest prophet.

1. Murder/anger

21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’

The command is against murder, not killing. Thou shalt not kill is how the KJV puts it, but that translation is wrong. Like every version, the KJV is sometimes wrong. The Hebrew (ratsach) is clear – it means murder, not killing.

22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council ….

Murder begins in the heart, in the imagination. Anger longs for the downfall of another, even death. It can start in insults, slurs and gossip - such words can wound as deeply as blows (Jas 3:5-6). Such anger deserves the judgment of hell. This is only fair. For if I desire the destruction of another, why should I escape destruction myself? Jesus warns:

whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.

There are two words used of the afterlife: Gehenna, the name for the smouldering rubbish tip outside Jerusalem, and Hades – the place of the dead. And some writers make a lot of these differences, but both terms usually mean the same thing, which is hell.

We make light of anger, but anger is deadly serious. Cain was warned by God,

“Why are you angry … if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you.” Gen 4:6-7

And that is what anger will do to us – it will control us, with terrible consequences. Jesus goes on with two illustrations – one with a brother, the other an adversary.

23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

25 Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison…

Both examples require quick action – when coming before God, or when in conflict. “Malicious anger is so evil and God’s judgment so certain that we must do all we can to end it” (cf. Eph 4:26–27). Those who delay are utter fools. Those who say, “I’ll make it up with them later.” But we know don’t we, that a conflict that is not nipped in the bud can fester for years. If you are in conflict with someone, stop now and go and fix it, even while you are sitting in church – that is what Jesus said. Don’t wait for the other person to take the first step. And there are those who say, “I’ll repent just before I die, and in the meantime I’ll enjoy life”. What fools! Others think they can put off the day even longer and work it out in purgatory – a fictitious place to work off your sins. Some quote the next verse to justify purgatory.

Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.

But purgatory has no basis in scripture – as if one could ever pay enough to get out of hell. Rather Jesus warned of the great chasm that no one could cross between heaven and hell (Lk 16:26).

2. Lust

27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

As with murder, adultery doesn’t appear out of nowhere. It begins in the mind, with the imagination. The remedy – Go take a cold shower? No, Jesus’ remedy is shocking and brutal.

29 If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.

These commands are not to be taken literally. Some have done this – Origen, a church father, castrated himself. But even this drastic action does not stop lust. And Jesus is not exchanging one law for another. We don’t take them literally, but nor should we water down their impact. Drastic action is needed to avoid sin for sin has drastic consequences. Lust ruins marriages – broken marriages destroy children. Sexual sin starts with the eyes – especially with guys, it’s how we are wired. So, Jesus’ teaching is very practical. To stop lusting, stop looking! Guys, avert your eyes from those low-cut dresses. Turn off your computer when you are bored and restless. Avoid temptation (cf. Php 4:8). For some it will mean giving away your TV or finding a friend who will keep you accountable.

Sin and temptations will be different for each of us. You know your weak points – whether it is porn or pastries, gossip or greed. Whatever triggers your sin, deal with it! Take drastic action to avoid temptation.

3. Divorce

31 “It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’

Moses allowed divorce because of ‘something indecent’ in the wife (Dt 24:1–4). No further explanation is given. The rabbis disagreed on what it meant. Rabbi Shammai took a strong line; only unfaithfulness could justify divorce. But Rabbi Hillel taught that ‘something indecent’ meant ‘any good cause’. So, a woman could be divorced even for burning the toast! In that culture, a divorced woman was extremely vulnerable – many went to live with another man for protection and to escape poverty. This is why Jesus said,

But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery…

The poor woman often had no other choice. So, divorced women were assumed to be living in adultery or worse – as prostitutes. Doesn’t this show up the hypocrisy of the Rabbis? Their teaching ruined many lives when they allowed divorce for trivial reasons. Jesus had such a high view of marriage that he took divorce very seriously. Jesus expanded on this in Matthew 19 when again he challenged the Rabbis (cf., also 1 Cor 7:10-16).

Many of us are from broken homes or have been divorced or have children with broken relationships. When we have failed sexually or have a son or daughter who is gay or living in adultery, we can be strongly tempted to ignore or explain away Jesus’ teaching. When we are unfaithful in following Jesus’ words, so often we fail to teach his words faithfully. We should never use our own failings as an excuse for changing Jesus’ teaching.

The church has been accused of majoring on sex. Isn’t that ironic in our sex sodden society. But there are two sides to this. All sins are sins: gay sex, lying and gossip are all wrong in God’s eyes. One is not worse than another – but the church often gets this wrong. On the other hand, the church is right to call out sexual sins for these sins bring greater, even lifelong consequences – deep shame for those involved and harm to others.

The Rabbi’s allowed divorce for burning the toast. And we trivialise divorce when we say – they were incompatible. The church needs to recover Jesus’ own high view of marriage. What God has joined, let not the church so willingly separate (cf., Mt 19:6).

Sexual sins can have lifelong consequences – as it was with David’s adultery with Bathsheba. But they need not have eternal consequences. If you have sinned sexually, do as you do for any sin. Repent and know his forgiveness. Whatever sins you have committed – even murder, gay sex, rape – Jesus died to bring complete forgiveness. He covered the lot! Jesus set us free from all our sins. The weight of our guilt and shame was laid fully on his shoulders on the cross – and we are free of them, completely free.

4. Promises

33 “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ 34 But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all …

An oath is a solemn promise. Jesus was not saying – never make a promise or oath. A lot of Christians will not swear on the Bible in court – but that is not what Jesus was getting at here. Jesus, Paul, and even God himself all swore oaths (if you want to check this, you can look up the transcripts of these sermons on the web to find the references that I add there) (Mt 26:63–64, Ro 1:9; 2Co 1:23; 1Th 2:5, 10; cf. Php 1:8, Ge 9:9–11; Lk 1:72–75; cf. Ps 16:10 and Ac 2:30, Heb 6:17). But the Rabbis made silly excuses to get out of promises. So, instead of swearing by God, you could break your promise by swearing by heaven or by earth, or by Jerusalem. They were hair splitting and Jesus called them out.

34 … Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.

They were like children who make a promise while crossing their fingers. Jesus taught – it is better not to swear at all than to swear falsely. In the past, a man’s word was his bond. We are said to be in a post truth era. The truth is all relative. The facts don’t count. Trump was averaging 30 lies per day.[1] Yet his deceit had no impact on his polling – even and especially among evangelical Christians. The truth is of little value in today’s society, even among Christians. What is our response then? In such a world, God’s people should stand out as those who stand by their word. Truth matters for us.

37 Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.

5. Revenge

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’

This law – the lex talionis - was not made to encourage vengeance, but to limit it. If you had lost a tooth, you could get a tooth but nothing more. Usually, a monetary amount was given instead (perhaps the going rate for the Tooth Fairy in those days?). It looks brutal to us, but that is because we have grown used to a legal system based on fair compensation – which is based on this law, the lex talionis. You can see this when you compare this to cultures where no such limits are in place. Think of the Hillbilly feuds or the endless payback cycles in PNG and Aboriginal societies. However, some used this law to settle scores. So, Jesus said,

39 But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil.

Jesus’ followers are different. How so? Four illustrations are given

But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.

40 And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.

41 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.

42 Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.

Again, I don’t think Jesus expected us to follow him literally. In turning the other cheek Jesus is not saying you should put up with domestic violence or child abuse. No Jewish man would have walked home in his underwear. It would be foolish to give money to professional beggars or alcoholics (cf. Pr 11:15; 17:18; 22:26). What Jesus was getting at is that our knee jerk response to evil needs to change. Instead of thinking of myself, I should seek the good of others – even my enemies: those who take advantage of me. This may mean turning the cheek, literally - as Jesus did for the soldiers (Mt 26:67; Isa 50:6).

6. Love

Jesus continued this theme in his final challenge:

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.

Leviticus commands us to love our neighbour. Hating enemies is never commanded! But many took hate as the flip side to love. Is there someone you can’t get on with? Then start praying – pray for them daily – not until they change but until your attitude changes. Because it is impossible to hate someone that you sincerely pray for. Jesus prayed for his tormentors as they drove stakes into his hands (Lk 23:34).

“If the cruel torture of crucifixion could not silence our Lord’s prayer for his enemies, what pain, pride, prejudice, or sloth could justify our silence?”

Two examples follow. First

For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

God also shows love for his enemies. This is called common grace - he gives his grace for the common good of all. This is remarkable, for all deserve his punishment but instead he gives us his sun and rain, day after day.

2nd example

46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?

If our love stops at the door to the church – what are we doing that is different to others. Even drug dealers greet their fellow drug dealers. Even Russian mercenaries love their fello
w mercenaries. It can be hard to love someone who is different. The lad next door playing rap music at 2am, a boy dressed up as a girl. Hudson Taylor was seen as a misfit among missionaries. For he dressed as the Chinese did in his time – discarding the outfit considered proper and pukka by any self-respecting British gentleman. But the Chinese responded. Paul became all things to all men (1 Cor 9:22). We too need to go beyond our comfort zones if we are to love and reach those who are different.

Conclusion

Jesus came not to bring a new law but to fulfill God’s law perfectly. He fulfilled God’s law as he died for the sins of the world. As his followers, we are free from our sins. Free to follow him. As we follow him, we will stand out as radically different. For we will

o Control our anger and lust

o Keep our word

o Offer love instead of retaliation

o Be faithful in marriage

The world says – If it feels good it is right. But Jesus’ followers don’t go by how we feel. Instead, we trust and obey our King. Is that you? Do you decide by what you feel the Spirit is telling you or by what the King has already told you in his Word – his Spirit breathed word? As we follow the King, we will shine out as radically different. As

blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, Phil 2:14-15.

Jesus, forgive us when we disobey you. Strengthen us to so love and obey you that we may follow you faithfully and so bring your hope and life to others. In your name Amen.

Source:

· Stott J. R. W. (2020). The message of the Sermon on the Mount: Christian Counter-Culture (Revised). IVP Academic

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[1] Kessler, Glenn; Rizzo, Salvador; Kelly, Meg (November 2, 2018). “President Trump has made 6,420 false or misleading claims over 649 days”. The Washington Post.

Series: Matthew

Topics: #Matthew , #Anger , #Lust , #Divorce , #Sex , #Truth , #Revenge , #Love