September 6, 2015
Evening Service

Jesus began this discourse with the statement; “I have not come to destroy the Law and prophets, but to fulfill them.”  (Matt.5:17) We have been comparing the Ten Commandments and how Jesus is now “magnifying” the true meaning behind each one.  This morning we looked at Jesus’ teachings pertaining to adultery and stealing.  I think the teaching on adultery gives us the clearest example of the level of righteousness Jesus wants us to seek to achieve.

 Mat 5:28 But I say to you that whoever looks on a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

 

Remember the prophecy from Jeremiah where God proclaimed that there will be a time in which “I will put my law in their minds and write it in their hearts.” Jere 31:33

 

Jesus’ goal for us to not obey His commands because they are right, but to obey them because it is our heart’s desire to please and follow Him.

 

Tonight the teaching Jesus gives us fulfills two commandments and they deal with the words that proceed from our mouths.

3. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.

9. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.  (Don’t lie)

 

Lev 19:11-12  You shall not steal, nor lie, nor be deceitful to one another.  (12)  And you shall not swear by My name falsely; nor shall you profane the name of your God. I am Jehovah.

 

Now let’s see how Jesus magnifies this OT command.

 

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.  This was strongly warned against throughout the OT teachings.  The Jews had simply begun to substitute the temple, heaven and earth to swear by, thus not breaking the “letter of the law.”   That was however far from the true meaning of it.

·         Jesus said that we have no need to swear an oath at all; our word should be strong enough guarantee that we were speaking the truth.  If we are adding anything additional to our words to prove it is the truth then it is admitting that evil has a hold in our life.  We should speak a simple “yes” or “no” and mean it.

·         Let’s look at what James said about our words in his letter to the church.

 

Jas 3:2-12  For in many things we all offend. If anyone does not offend in word, the same is a full-grown man, able also to bridle the whole body.  (3)  Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, so that they may obey us, and we turn about their whole body.  (4)  Behold also the ships being so great, and driven by fierce winds, yet they are turned about with a very small rudder, where the impulse of him steering desires.  (5)  Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. Behold how little a fire kindles how large a forest!  (6)  And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. So the tongue is set among our members, spotting all the body and inflaming the course of nature, and being inflamed by hell.  (7)  For every kind of animals, and of birds, and of reptiles, and of sea-animals, is tamed, and has been tamed by mankind.  (8)  But no one can tame the tongue, it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.  (9)  By this we bless God, even the Father. And by this we curse men, who have come into being according to the image of God.  (10)  Out of the same mouth proceeds blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.  (11)  Does a fountain send forth at the same hole the sweet and the bitter?  (12)  Can the fig tree, my brothers, bear olive berries; or a vine, figs? So no fountain can yield both salt water and fresh.

·         The tongue and our words are a battle we will fight right down to our last breath.  We use the same tongue to both send praise to God and to curse men, how do we justify that?

·         Jesus later addressed this issue of hypocrisy with the Pharisees.

 

Mat 12:33-37 Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree corrupt and its fruit corrupt; for the tree is known by its fruit.  (34)  Offspring of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.  (35)  A good man out of the good treasure of the heart brings out good things; and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings out evil things.  (36)  But I say to you that every idle word, whatever men may speak, they shall give account of it in the day of judgment.  (37)  For by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned.

·         Our words are one of the most visible fruits in our lives.  Jesus said our mouth speaks what our heart feels.   We can either justify or condemn ourselves.  A true believer will prove his level of faith by the words he says.   

·         What do your words show about your heart?  Is there work to be done?  If so, start with prayer and watch the things you allow entering into your heart through your ears and eyes.  “Be careful little eyes what you see.”

·         Every idle word we say we will have to answer for it.  This reminds me of the wise advice James gives us.

 

Jas 1:19 Therefore, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.

·         Be slow speak always thinking before engaging our tongue.  We can build people up with our words or tear them down; which do you choose?

 

Lord, create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me.