[Six times in
Matthew chapter five Jesus says,
Ye have heard
that it was said . . . (vs 21, 27, 31, 33, 38, 43) – In saying this
Jesus reveals six areas where the heart is more important than the heal:]
·
[Murder (vs 21-26) - The
Heat of your heart]
·
[Adultery (Matt 5.27-30) - The Health of your
heart]
·
[Divorce (Matt 5.31-32) - The Harnessing of your
heart.]
·
[Integrity/Honesty (Matt 5.33-37) - The Home of
your heart.]
·
[Revenge (Matt 5.38-42) - The Hurdles of your
heart]
·
[Loving your enemies (Matt 5.43-48) The Harbor of
your heart]
["Jesus is going to teach us that righteousness begins on
the inside of a person."[1]
[Six times Jesus says, "Ye have heard that is was said. . .,"
"It hath been said . . .," etc . . . (vs 21, 27, 31, 33, 38, 43).]
-
[The religious leaders were teaching their interpretation of God's Word.
But, their interpretation was wrong.]
-
[Jesus is giving
the correct meaning of the things that God asks for in His Word.]
[Mark
Twain once said this about the Bible: "I have no problem with those parts of the
Bible I don't understand. It's those parts of the Bible I do understand that
gives me fits."]
[In this section of the Sermon On The Mount Jesus asked those
that He was talking to, and you and I as we study through this text, to consider
what’s in their heart. What do you
think? What do you believe is right
and wrong? What do you believe
ought to guide us in our lives?
Just what are you thinking?]
[What you think affects how you feel about things.
What you think and feel guide the decisions that you make and is
reflected in what you choose to do.
So what are you thinking? What’s in
your heart?]
[Almost everyone here has some of our cultures hurdles in
their heart. These hurdles are
hindering you from developing the mind of Christ and a heart like God’s.
Jesus directly confronts some major hurdles in our text today.]
In Our Text Jesus
Says,
A.
Be Willing To Get
Worse Than You Deserve (vs 38-39) [-Ye
have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on
thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. –
This Deals with the
hurdle of Pride.]
This verse leads us to think about,]
1.
The Insult
(vs 39, Matt 26.67) [–
But I say unto you, That ye resist not
evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other
also. -
The Insult of all insults. In the 1st
Century a slap on the cheek was a way of insulting someone. A slap on the other
cheek was a way of compounding the insult. Today it would be like an insulting
comment. We say today,
"That was a backhanded
compliment if I've ever heard one." This refers exactly to what Jesus
was talking about. You see, there were two certain things that would make any
Jew mad 2,000 years ago; one would be a spit in his face, and the other would be
to backhandedly slap him on the cheek.]
a.
[In fact, that is
exactly what they did to the Lord Jesus. The Bible says,]
[Matthew
26:67
67 Then did they spit in his face, and
buffeted him; and others smote him
with the palms of their hands, ]
b.
[Even a slave would
rather be struck on his back by a whip than slapped on his cheek by his master.
To be slapped on the cheek was a
great insult, but then to be slapped on the other check was unconscionable.]
2.
The Impulse
(vs 38; Exodus 21.22-25; Rom 12.19) [-
Ye have heard that it hath been said,
An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
- When somebody slaps you, what is your
natural impulse? Well, it's to slap
them back. Someone insults you, the first thought is to insult them back. ]
a.
[Bill Cosby has
interviewed thousands of children and received hilarious responses to his
questions. He was talking to a little boy one time named Peter, and he said, "Do
you try to do the things Jesus told you to do?" Peter said, "Jesus hadn't told
me to do nothing." Cosby said, "Well how about if somebody hits you on one
cheek, turn the other cheek." Peter said, "What does that mean?" Cosby said,
"That means if somebody hits you, you don't hit him back." Peter looked at him
confused and said, "That don't sound too smart." Cosby said, "Well that's the
whole point of what Jesus said, Peter. You have to be bigger than the other
person." Peter thought for a moment and he said, "Well, that makes sense because
if you're bigger then you should hit him back."
Peter obviously misunderstood what Bill Cosby meant when he said you have
to be bigger than the other person.]
[It takes great personal
inner fortitude to not strike back when someone strikes or insults you.
I remember my
grandfather once saying to me, it takes a big and strong man to walk away from a
fight. Many in our world
would call a man weak or a coward if he bore an insult and did not retaliate or
fight back. But the truth is, it
takes a man of great inner strength to bear up under an insult, know who he
really is, and turn the other cheek.
This was the example of our Lord Jesus Christ.]
[Getting
Revenge - What is our human impulse when we are offended or wronged?
It is to get someone back, to get our revenge.
If someone offends, embarrasses, or insults you then justice demands that
they pay for their offence. Not
only is this the natural human response but it is Biblical as well.
Jesus said,]
[Matthew 5:38
38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a
tooth for a tooth: ]
[Jesus is quoting the Hebrew
law,]
[Exodus
21:22-25
22 If men strive, and hurt a woman with
child, so that her fruit depart from
her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according
as the woman's husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges
determine.
23 And if
any mischief follow, then thou
shalt give life for life, 24 Eye
for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,
25 Burning for burning, wound for wound,
stripe for stripe.]
[Misplaced
Personal Judicial Responsibility - Many in Jesus day were taking this
command out of its context and were understanding it and teaching it in a mere
human context. They were teaching
that if someone offended you then you have the right and even the responsibility
of being sure that they paid for their offences.
People were taking the law into their own hands.]
[The problem with revenge is
that it breeds a vengeful spirit, contempt, and a bitter heart.
Vengeance will ruin your life.
It will grow to consume your every thought and drive you to insidious
means and ends.]
[Governmental
Responsibility - When God gave the law in Exodus he was not tasking each
individual with the enforcement of the law and the execution of justice.
God tasks government with the execution of justice.
God tasks each individual with forgiveness healing and restoration.
It is not any individuals place or responsibility to be sure that other
people get what they deserve. This
is the task of our Government. But
what if our government isn’t executing justice as we think it should?
It is still not your place to execute justice.
God says,]
[Romans 12:19
19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but
rather give place unto wrath:
for it is written, Vengeance is
mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. ]
[If government is corrupt
and does not do what it is supposed to do then Christians need to know that God
will be their sure defense and that our Heavenly Father is absolutely just and
never misses a thing. God will
execute any justice that needs to be executed in His time and in His way.]
[Look
At Your Heart - Jesus in addressing this issue is again tasking all who will
walk with God to consider what’s in their heart.
Are you thinking in mortal worldly ways?
Or are you thinking in godly and righteous ways?
We must, especially in our day, get our thinking right, so that our
hearts (feelings) will be right, so that we can live out the kind of life our
Lord wishes for us to live.
Vengeance is never a mark of godliness.]
3.
The
Instruction
(vs 38-39; Rom 12.19-21) [–
Ye have heard that it hath been said, An
eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: 39
But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall
smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
– We are reminded again of what Paul said in,]
[Romans
12:18-21
18 If it be possible, as much as lieth
in you, live peaceably with all men. 19
Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but
rather give place unto wrath:
for it is written, Vengeance is
mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. 20
Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink:
for in so doing thou
shalt heap coals of fire on his head.
21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome
evil with good.]
[In other words, you never get even by
trying to get even. ]
[Let me give you a
simple rule. ]
[Be quick to defend
others, but be slow to defend yourself.]
[The
Door Mat of the World - There is nothing of the world in our Lord’s teaching
or the New Testament’s command.
Lost worldly people break down in uncontrollable laughter at the thought of this
principle. It is utter foolishness
to turn the other cheek. They
cannot and will not understand what God is saying or what God’s principle is in
this text. It makes no worldly
sense. The worldly might say, “If
you don’t stand up for yourself, then no one will. You will be the door mat of
the world, and no one likes to be walked on.”
For a person that does not know our God this may be true.]
[Our
Defender - But for us as Christians, we have an omnipotent, and
sovereign Heavenly Father who reigns on high. And He has said,]
[Isaiah 54:
17
17 No weapon that is formed against thee
shall prosper; and every tongue that
shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn.
This
is the heritage of the servants
of the LORD, and their righteousness
is of me, saith the LORD. ]
[Psalms
34:15-19
15 The eyes of the LORD
are upon the righteous, and his
ears are open unto their cry.
16 The face of the LORD
is against them that do evil,
to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
17
The righteous
cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.
18 The LORD
is nigh unto them that are of a
broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
19
Many
are the afflictions of the
righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all. ]
[So that the Child of God
can say,]
[Psalms
7:10-11
10 My defence
is of God, which saveth the
upright in heart. 11 God judgeth
the righteous, and God is angry with
the wicked every day. ]
[Have you received the Lord
Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, then Almighty God has become your
Heavenly Father, and He has promised to be your fortress and your defense.
Your Heavenly Father has promised to be your strength and your avenger.
You do not have to worry about defending yourself or about avenging
yourself. Don’t be distracted by
bitterness and don’t destroy your life with a consuming spirit of vengeance.
Turn all of that over to your Heavenly Father and know that He will stand
for your cause.]
B.
Be Willing To
Give More Than You are Asked (vs 40) [-
And if any man will sue thee at the law,
and take away thy coat, let him have
thy cloke also. –
This deals with the
hurdles of your possessions.]
1.
The Tradition
(Exo 22.26-27) [- A Judgment in
Court.]
[If one person took another
person to court, and the person did not have the money to pay the judgment, the
court could order payment of the lawsuit in clothing.
You could take the man's
tunic; you could take the man's shirt, but you could not take his coat.
Now the shirt was a type of tunic that was worn as an undergarment. The coat was
an outer garment that served as a blanket at night. Most people in those days
owned only one coat and perhaps one or two shirts. But the reason the coat is
mentioned specifically is that it was the most valuable garment that people
owned. Because it served both as a blanket and, in a sense, a shelter. As a
matter of fact, the Mosaic Law required that the coat could not be kept. ]
[Exodus
22:26-27 If thou at all take thy
neighbour's raiment to pledge, thou shalt deliver it unto him by that the sun
goeth down:
27For that is his
covering only, it is his
raiment for his skin: wherein shall he sleep? and it shall come to pass, when he
crieth unto me, that I will hear; for I
am gracious.]
2.
The
Transition
(Matt 5.23-24) [- Going the extra
mile. Do more than expected.]
[If you lose a lawsuit, but
the judgment does not satisfy the plaintiff, and there are still bitter hard
feelings, voluntarily give more than the judgment if it will make things right,
and thereby you can settle things not only legally, but you can settle things
morally.]
[Matthew
5:23-24 Therefore if thou bring
thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against
thee; 24Leave
there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way;
first be reconciled to
thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. ]
[To have an extra mile
attitude will help you to excel in your life.]
a.
[If your boss asks for a certain amount of labor and you
do more with a joyful and kind spirit, just because you can, without asking for
something in return, then your boss will value you as an employee.
b.
[If your parents ask you to do something, and you do a
little more than they expected, just because you can and it will help out around
the house, you will gain favor with your parents and will find them more willing
to help you in the future.]
c.
[If there is a need in your community and you find a way
to help out, without expecting anything in return, you will find that people in
your community will take notice of your kindness and will show you respect and
regard.]
C.
Be Willing To Go
Farther Than You're Required (vs 41) [-
And whosoever shall compel thee to go a
mile, go with him twain. –This
deals with the hurdle of Providence,
independence, liberty, or your rights.]
1.
The
Conscription
[- A slave for a mile.]
a.
[Remember that Israel was
occupied territory. It was controlled by the Roman Empire.
The Romans had a law
that greatly embittered the Jewish people. By law a Roman soldier
could compel a Jew to carry his weapons, or his knapsack, or any burden that he
had, one mile. It didn't matter whether the Jewish person was working in his
field or on his way to the synagogue to worship, the Roman soldier had the right
to conscript this man and force him to carry his burden. Every Jewish boy had
marked off one mile from his house and had memorized the exact distance.
Whenever a Jewish boy or man was compelled to go that mile, he would walk that
mile down to the very foot, put that burden down, and with a bitter look on his
face make the point "not one foot more." ]
2.
The
Consternation [- The result of forced
labor.]
a.
[Now the Pharisees had
all of life boiled down to the minimum. They practiced what I call a
"minimum morality."
They boiled life down to just the minimum of what they had to do.]
b.
[I heard about a
mother who said to her little boy one time, "I want you to eat a little bit of
spinach." The boy said, "How
little can I get by with?" The Pharisees were always trying to figure
out how little they could get by with.]
3.
The Conversion
[- Go the extra mile.]
a.
[But Jesus said, "Don't go
just the first mile that you have to go, go the second mile that you don't have
to go, because that's where the real blessing of life is found."]
D.
Be Willing To Grant
All That Is Needed (vs 42) [-
Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not
thou away. This
deals with the hurdle of your purpose.]
1.
Your Prosperity
[- Who's is it?]
[Now the implication here is
that the person doing the asking has a real genuine need. If it is a real need,
you should meet that need. Now that does not mean that you are required to
respond to every foolish or every selfish request. ]
[For
example: A fellow preacher once
said, “My son, Joshua, turns 16 this year. He asked me if I would buy him a
BMW? I said, ‘Son, it would be most deleterious for your spiritual fortitude if
I were to provide you with automated transportation that could be damaging to
your health, welfare, and character.’ He looked at me and said, ‘I don't get
it.’ I said, ‘That's exactly right.’ You see, some giving hurts more than it
helps.”]
2.
Your Provision [- Why has God given
you what you have?]
[I remember being in New Orleans during the Southern Baptist
Convention and I was on Bourbon
Street witnessing. I walked by a man standing on the
street corner, and went up to engage him in conversation. He said, "Mister, I
haven't eaten in several days, would you give me some money?" I said, "No, but I
tell you what I will do. I will give you a free meal; I will buy you some
clothes; and I will tell you how to be saved." That man began a tirade on how I
was a racist, and people like me didn't care about people like him, and why
couldn't I just give him what he asked for. You see, he didn't want help, he
wanted a handout, and those are two different things.”]
[Psalm 112:5
A good man sheweth favour, and lendeth: he will guide his affairs with
discretion. ]
[Yes, when someone comes to
you and has a real need, and asks to borrow something, loan it to them. Even
better yet, if you can, give it to them. But do it with discretion.]
3.
Your Perspective [- Where is your
treasure?]
[The
Character Of God – Jesus, in this sermon on the mount, asks us to
take the abuses of those around us and to pour out blessings to those who ask us
because this is what God does. God
shows mercy, forgiveness, and blessedness because it is His character to care
and to give. Therefore, God is not
asking us to do anything that He does not already do.
So the question arises, will be like God?]
[The
Hurdles of Humanity - What keeps people from being like God in this
regard, It is the hurdles in their heart, the obstacles that obstruct our
benevolent and kind spirit. What
are these hurdles that you need to overcome to be more like God?
These hurdles include,]
a.
[Pride keeps
you from forgiving and causes you to seek revenge.]
b.
[Selfishness
keeps you from going a step further than you fell you have to go.]
c.
[Greed keeps
you from sharing and compassionately giving to others. ]
[Christians we need to develop an extra mile attitude
toward God and our fellow man.]
[Go the extra
mile! Things to think about as an
extra mile Christian,
§
[The first mile is the
lone mile; the second mile is the love mile. ]
§
[The first mile is the
slave mile; the second mile is the smile mile. ]
§
[The really successful
people in life, and the really happy people in life, and the really blessed
people in life are second milers. ]
§
[Going the second mile
will make you a success. ]
§
[Clock watchers never
ever climb very high. ]
§
[There is something
more important than quitting time.]
§
[There is something
more important than getting every little second out of your lunch hour. ]
§
[There is something
wonderfully Christian about someone who goes beyond and above what is asked for,
or required, or expected, just as a habit of life.]
CrossRoads Baptist,
Feb 22, 2009
