January 13, 2013
Evening Service

This morning Jesus taught us that He did not come to “destroy the Law but to fulfill it.”  God’s new covenant with us to be written on our “hearts and minds” and we have the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us along our way.  We also read the prophesy from Isaiah and saw how Jesus showed us how it would be fulfilled. 

 

Isa 42:21 The Lord is well pleased for His righteousness sake; He will magnify the Law and make it honorable.

 

He has magnified “do not murder to include any form of unrighteous anger, contempt or condemnation.

 

He has magnified the giving of an offering to God must be done with a pure heart.

 

He advised us to agree with our adversary quickly and even accept being wronged rather than pursue justice in court.

 

He magnified adultery to include the looking and lusting that occurs within the secret world of our mind.

 

He advised us to be ready to take extreme measures to remove areas of sin in our lives that hold us back from being all God has called us to be.

 

It is obvious that Jesus is calling His followers to be different than the world.  He is “transforming us through the renewing of our minds.”  He continues with this magnification tonight on several other fronts.

 

 

Mat 5:31-32 It was also said, Whoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a bill of divorce.  (32)  But I say to you that whoever shall put away his wife, except for the cause of fornication, causes her to commit adultery. And whoever shall marry her who is put away commits adultery.

            Deu 24:1 When a man has taken a wife and married her, and it happens that she finds no favor in his eyes, because he has found some uncleanness in her, then let him write her a bill of divorce and put it in her hand, and send her out of his house.

·         Divorce was allowed when the husband no longer found favor in his wife.  It left a very wide range of reasons.  Mark records the Pharisees questioning Jesus on this very subject.

Mar 10:5-9 And Jesus answered and said to them, He wrote you this precept because of the hardness of your hearts.  (6)  But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.  (7)  For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother and shall cleave to his wife.  (8)  And the two of them shall be one flesh. So then they are no longer two, but one flesh.  (9)  Therefore what God has joined together, let not man put apart.

·         This is God’s perfect will for marriage; one man and one woman for life.  Jesus again magnifies this law back to its original intention.  He allowed it for a season because of the “hardness of their hearts.”  Unfaithfulness is the only reason given in Matthew that would justify divorce.  Every circumstance is different and can be very complicated, but this is God’s perfect and original plan for marriage.

·         Marriage is designed for procreation and also serves as an example for us to understand the relationship of Christ (bridegroom) and His church (bride).

 

 

Mat 5:33-37 Again, you have heard that it has been said to the ancients, "You shall not swear falsely, but you shall perform your oaths to the Lord."  (34)  But I say to you, Do not swear at all! Not by Heaven, because it is God's throne; (35) not by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet; not by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King;  (36)  nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black.  (37)  But let your word be, Yes, yes; No, no. For whatever is more than these comes from evil.

·         To swear or take an oath was a solemn call upon God, as your witness, that you were telling the truth.  Swearing falsely by God’s name was strongly forbidden several places within the Law.  The Jews would then simply substitute in the temple, heaven, and earth to swear by thinking they could side step the Law.  Jesus said this was not so at all (34-36).

·         We have no need to swear an oath or to add something to our word to guarantee that we are being truthful.  Our “yes’” is to mean yes and our “no” is to mean no.  If you have to add anything to your word, you are admitting that evil is has a hold in your life.

·         We are to be a person of our word.  Honesty is always God’s way. 

 

 Mat 5:38-42 You have heard that it was said, "An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth."  (39)  But I say to you, Do not resist evil. But whoever shall strike you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.  (40)  And to him desiring to sue you, and to take away your tunic, let him have your coat also.  (41)  And whoever shall compel you to go a mile, go with him two.  (42)  Give to him who asks of you, and you shall not turn away from him who would borrow from you.

·         The Law called for justice, and surely this command gave it.

·         Revenge and retaliation are not to be our reaction to being wronged.  Jesus asks us to take it patiently and even exceed any expectations by turning the other cheek and giving or doing twice what is asked.

·         A Roman soldier could command any civilian to carry his pack for a distance of one mile.  Imagine the surprise and impact it would make when a Christian offered to carry it even further.

·         The last command seems one that now would be very difficult and impractical today.  We live in a very materialistic world and we work hard for our “stuff,” and here we are told to give it away to whoever asks us for it.  Jesus calls us to be a people who give to those in need and to put the proper perspective on our “stuff.”  Jesus addresses this later in this teaching.

 

Mat 5:43-48 You have heard that it was said, "You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy."  (44)  But I say to you, Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who despitefully use you and persecute you,  (45)  so that you may become sons of your Father in Heaven. For He makes His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.  (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 your brothers only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax-collectors do so?  (48)  Therefore be perfect, even as your Father in Heaven is perfect.

·         To love someone is an act of one’s will much more than an emotion.  We choose to love them.  Jesus here magnifies that love be extended to our enemies as well.  We are to bless, do good and pray for those who despitefully use and persecute us.

·         Certainly this command is impossible for the natural man to obey.  It is only through yielding our heart to the Holy Spirit that we can achieve this feat.

·         Notice here, He explains to us why this is so important.  Verses 45-48 show that we are to not be a respecter of persons, because God is not.  We are most salty and illuminate the world around us when we imitate our Father.

·         This section began with Jesus telling us our righteousness must “exceed” that of the scribes and Pharisees.  Our standard of love must be set higher than theirs.

 

We have seen Jesus magnify the OT teaching on divorce.  He warned us to be honest in our communications and to avoid unnecessary swearing or oaths.  He commanded us not to seek revenge, but to offer more than what has been taken from us; keeping our material possessions in perspective.  Lastly, and certainly not least, He teaches us to love, bless, do good, and pray for those who seek to do us harm.  In so doing we imitate our perfect Father in heaven and bring glory to His name.  This is a very clear teaching on what it means to live a “transformed” life, one that is different form the world.

 

 

Lord prepare me to be a sanctuary, pure and holy tried and true.  May my life reflect the perfection You possess.