MPC, 8th June 2003.Matthew 5:17-48 - "Heart Condition"
Matt Rowson MPC, 8th June 2003.
Sometimes it takes drastic action to avoid the worst. I don’t know if you saw the news item about Aron Ralston a rock climber from the United States who found himself in exactly that situation, where drastic action was needed to save his life.
We’ve actually got the news item lined up, so lets have a look at it.
Show VIDEO –News item about Aron Ralston the rock climber who’s arm was pinned under a boulder. After 5 days stuck there he had to cut off his arm in order to save his life and get to safety.
Just like Aron Ralston, as we’ve seen at the start of Matthew’s gospel, Israel are pinned by the arm and its time for them to decide what to do – stay as they are and die or take drastic action and repent. Israel’s exile is over and it’s decision time.
You may remember the challenge for Israel from Deuteronomy 30:1-6. Moses describes the situation where they will go into exile because of their continual rebellion against God, but then they’ll come out of exile, then, if they return to God and obey him with all their heart and soul, then God would restore them again, and bless them again. He would gather them together and give them new hearts so that they may love him with all their heart and with all their soul.
The challenge is ahead of Israel. As we’ve seen over the past weeks, the time of Israel’s exile is over, their King has arrived on the scene but he brings with him both blessing and judgment – it’s time for Israel to decide. Will they return to God and obey him with their whole heart and soul – will they be hungry and thirsty for righteousness?
So that’s the challenge that Israel are faced with. If you were around at the time, it might have looked like things were on track. The Pharisees and teachers of the law were very keen to obey laws. They had heaps of laws and they even made up laws where other laws weren’t clear enough.
They strictly obeyed these laws and made a point of showing it. If you were around back then you probably would have been very impressed with the outward appearance of the Pharisees. They thought that was all that was needed to get God to bless them again, to restore them and be pleased with them.
But there was one problem. Sure they had laws and laws, and more laws; but no heart; there was no real hunger and thirst for righteousness, just a religious rut that was getting in the way of true repentance. And now, Jesus, the King of God’s kingdom comes with the ultimatum. Will they finally get it right? After generations of failure, will they return to God and obey him from the heart?
We’re picking things up from last week, as Jesus continues the Sermon on the Mount. And it’s here that Jesus begins addressing the problem that they have with the law.
In Chapter 5, verse 17 Jesus says Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.
In the passage we’re looking at today, Jesus wants Israel to know from the start he’s not here to abolish the law or the prophets, but to fulfill them, and to show what kind of wholehearted behaviour the laws were meant to produce in them from the start.
It’s true that Jesus does fulfill the law by being completely perfect himself – the perfect example of obedience to God – heart and soul.
But I think here its also referring to how Jesus came to fill out the law, to fill out their true meaning, what it was always meant to involve for someone who’s heart is in it – what it was always meant to look like in everyday life for God’s Old Testament people who were hungry and thirsty for righteousness.
The Laws of the Pharisees were just a checklist. If I obeyed that one , I can tick it off and think I’ve done my duty. But with Jesus words in these verses, they’re going to get a big shock to realize that they actually have it all wrong.
For those listening to Jesus who admired the Pharisees strict law keeping, they would have been terrified at Jesus words in verse 20 that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the Kingdom of heaven;
How could anyone possibly surpass the Pharisees?
We usually find that a list of rules produces the opposite reaction in us – we want to break them.
They say that if you want to get something done, you either do it yourself, pay for someone else to do it, or tell your kids NOT to do it, (and it will get done).
There was a minister from Sydney who was saying that he caught the train from Central Station in Sydney going out west it was an old carriage with windows that opened and he noticed a sign in the carriage “Spitting out window prohibited: penalty 20 pounds.” He said even as he read it he could feel the saliva building up in his mouth!
Perhaps for us. rules just make us want to break them…
But the Pharisees loved rules, they loved laws, they kept them meticulously, and they had the admiration and the praise of the people.
So how could the people possibly surpass the Pharisees in righteousness?
After all they were the “professional law keepers”, the ones who obeyed laws for a living!
But the righteousness that Jesus is talking about is a true commitment to obedience… from the HEART. Not just ticking off a great list of laws. The important thing is where your heart is at, and Jesus goes on to show what righteousness from the heart will look like, how it differs from Pharisees law keeping.
Jesus is going to give a number of examples and with all the examples there’s a pattern in what he says...
He begins by saying “You have heard that it was said…” and states the law that they would have been familiar with, and that the Pharisees would have been seen to uphold, at that point they would all be agreeing with him and thinking, “well I’m ok”. But he then goes on to say “But I tell you…”. Jesus is getting to the heart of the issue in each of the examples, showing that it’s not just good enough for Israel to tick off a law. For Israel to truly repent, and turn back to God whole-heartedly, then this is the kind of attitude that Jesus is looking for.
Lets have a look at the examples that Jesus gives.
In verse 21 Jesus says: “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not murder and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.” This is one that possibly 100% of Jesus listeners would have been quite comfortable with. You can hear the Pharisees saying “You can tick that one off the list – I haven’t killed anyone, I’ve done my duty – there’s no judgment for me. Let’s move on to the next one…”
And then Jesus says, “Well, hang on just a minute, you might not have killed anyone, but I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment.
The Pharisees had stopped at not murdering, but Jesus is saying to them that if your heart is in it, then you won’t even be angry with someone and hate them.
Jesus goes on to say in verse 23 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the alter and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave you’re gift there in front of the alter. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift”.
For the Pharisees their religious duty was the important thing, but Jesus even says to them put your religious activities on hold until you’ve sorted out your differences with your brother. Forget about offering your sacrifice – fix up your relationship with your fellow brother.
You see how Jesus has begun to expose the empty religion of the Pharisees, and wants them to know that true repentance is going to look a lot different than what they currently do.
Jesus then moves on to the issue of adultery. How’s their heart going there I wonder? Verse 27 “You have heard that it was said, “Do not commit adultery.’ Again, most of Jesus’ listeners probably felt quite comfortable at the fact that they hadn’t committed adultery, you can see them nodding their head in agreement, perhaps there would even been a few “Hallelujah” and “preach it brother” encouragements yelled from the crowd.
But Jesus says again, “But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Remember it’s a heart matter. The Pharisees were on about looking good in the eyes of the people, seen to be obeying the laws meticulously. But could anyone see what lustful thoughts are in the head and heart? Only God. How seriously do they want to repent, how thirsty are they for righteousness? If they think they can simply tick off the “No adultery” law but at the same time have lustful thoughts about a woman then they’ve missed the point of the law in the first place. They’ve missed what true repentance will look like.
And just like in the story at the beginning about Aron who had the choice to lose his arm or die, will Israel be serious enough to get rid of things that cause them to sin, and return to God wholeheartedly. Or face the consequence of losing their place as God’s people.
Jesus words in verse 29 seem over the top don’t they: If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell. Just like Aron who had to lose his arm to avoid death.
Drastic measures are needed, and perhaps no more so than in the case of lustfulness. Simply not committing adultery is not good enough. A heart response is to avoid even looking and thinking lustfully.
Another issue where the Pharisees had made a mockery of God’s intentions for them was in the mater of marriage and divorce. Jesus says in verse 31, “It has been said ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’” They thought that as long as there was legal paperwork allowing them to do so, as long as you could download the correct forms from the internet, then you could divorce your wife for the most insignificant reason. “But I’m not breaking any laws” they say “This clause here means I’m entitled to divorce my wife!” They have let their laws get in the way of their heart, of God’s intention for marriage. Instead of loving their wives they could virtually divorce her if she burnt the toast. If Israel are to return to God in repentance and obey him with their heart and soul, then Jesus is showing them things will have to change.
What about on the matter of oaths. Verse 33 “Again, you have heard it said to the people long ago “Do not break your oath but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.” On certain matters the law said you could make oaths – binding you to keep your promise. But Jesus says no – you shouldn’t need to make oaths at all, binding you to keep your promise, you should just let your yes be yes and your no be no, in other words, you should just be truthful all the time, you should keep your word all the time, not just when legally bound to.
No retaliationWhat about in the case of getting even?
The Pharisees thought it was ok to get back at someone when they got you.
Verse 38… “You have heard it said Eye for eye, tooth for tooth,
That’s fair isn’t it? Equal payback! This would have to be one of the most basic human reactions to a situation isn’t it? When we are hard done by, hurt or humiliated, we want to get our own back.
Jesus continues in verse 39…
But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.
Well Jesus says that to be hungry for righteousness then they will not want to retaliate. In fact, they will turn the other cheek.
This is something that Jesus demonstrates for us so perfectly on his way to the cross. They took his clothes, they beat him continually, but Jesus did not retaliate. He could have stopped it from happening; he could have called down lightening from heaven and disintegrated them. But he didn’t retaliate.
If Israel were to truly repent then they would have had the same attitude instead of wanting to retaliate and get even.
Love enemiesFrom verse 43 we find out that the Pharisees had taken the command to love your neighbour and added to it “but hate your enemy”. But Jesus tells them, no, love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you. If that is their attitude then they will be people who belong to God’s kingdom, who are hungering and thirsting for righteousness. As Jesus points out in the following verses that its easy to love those who love you. Even the cruelest and self-centered people are quite capable of loving their family and friends – those who love them back. But loving your enemy – well that’s another issue and its here that people of God’s kingdom will stand out from the rest of the world, because its such an unnatural thing to do.
Again its what Jesus himself demonstrated on the cross. He cried out Father forgive them for the don’t know what they do, as he hung there and died for sinners, for his enemies.
Jesus has exposed the failure of the Pharisees religion, they are not obeying God with their heart.
And where laws let them off the hook they could quite easily hate their brother, divorce their wife, retaliate in anger, lie when not under oath, hate their enemies, and entertain lustful thoughts.
Al Bourke is a good friend of mine. He has a few kids, and Al loves playing with his kids. Now when Reuben, his oldest son was a baby Al used to like throwing him up in the air and catching him. But what Al didn’t take into consideration one day was that you shouldn’t do that straight after Reuben has just been fed. Al lifted Rueben up in the air, he lovingly looked into his face, Rueben looked into his dads face, Al opened his mouth,
Reuben opened his mouth and out flowed his dinner straight into Al’s mouth. He had no time to close his throat and it went straight into his stomach.
Al had not thought through the consequences of his actions.
For Israel it was the time for decision – and there were consequences awaiting their decision. It was time for Israel to get serious – would they repent, would they turn back to God with wholeheartedness, would they take drastic action and cut themselves loose from the way they were going, which was leading to death.
What Israel needed was radical repentance and obedience that came from the heart. The question is: how’s your heart? We know that we are saved by grace and we live by grace as well, we can’t do anything to earn our favour with God, that has been won for us by Jesus death on the cross. But if you are hungry and thirsty for righteousness then you will want to obey God from the heart as well. Jesus is still looking for those kind of hearts.
It’s hard to actually preach on a passage like this because it shows up my own heart and my own motives. It’s a challenge for all of us to check where our hearts are at.
Hate/anger
Do you think you have done your duty when you love your friends and family, but hold grudges and hateful thoughts against others? People who get on your nerve, or say something to offend you? Or someone who has just been gossiping about you, saying things behind your back.
Do you make it a priority to lovingly resolve differences between yourself and others, even those at church. Or do you store up angry thoughts.
Love for enemies
Do you love those who don’t like you – the person at work who keeps taking the credit for work you’ve done, the driver who cuts you off in the traffic, what goes through your head – how’s your heart?
Lust
What about the internet sights you click on? The movies you watch? The books or magazines you read? Is radical surgery needed to avoid thinking lustfully. Are you prepared to take measures to avoid temptation in this area? Do you hunger and thirst for righteousness in this area?
Empty Religion
Or maybe like the Pharisees you’ve slipped into empty religion. Perhaps church has become just a club to you – something that keeps you busy, a place where you feel like you belong, but underneath you’re just going through the motions?
Just like the Pharisees we can get stuck in religious ruts where we become comfortable, and happy just to go through the motions. Do you ever feel you have to turn up to church, just to keep up appearances… but without having a heart to serve and encourage and see people come to know Jesus?
Israel was at the position where they needed to repent and follow Jesus the King wholeheartedly.
Is a repentant heart something you desire, or do you think repenting is just how we start the Christian life.
David Cook my principle at Bible College was telling me about when his principle at college was retiring, and someone asked the principle what he was going to do in retirement. Probably thinking he’d say something like, take up golf, or grow some roses or do a bit of fishing. His answer was “I’m going to repent. That’s what I’ve been doing, and that’s what I’m going to continue to do. Now that’s a heart hungry for righteousness isn’t it? Ongoing repentance.
I want to just leave you with this question this morning: Do you have a repentant heart that wants to turn to God, a heart that’s hungry and thirsty for righteousness?