Lies That Limit Life #1
Text: Matthew 5:17-26
How wonderful it is to be with the congregation of God's people
here at the West Side Church of Christ. God is to be praised for all
of His wonderful works especially that great gift of His Son Jesus the
one called Christ!
We want to begin a new sermon series today that will cover the
next 6 weeks based on Matthew 5:17-48, called lies that limit life!
The greatest sermon ever recorded by man is the Sermon on the Mount
that Jesus spoke in Matthew chapter 5,6 & 7. Every time the child of
God reads that famous address, he will come away with a fresh sense of
awe at the words the Master spoke in telling us how to enjoy a better
life here and be prepared for the eternal walk with the Father above.
I wanted to spend some time with you this morning setting up how
Jesus set up the portion of this sermon that I have termed dealing with
the lies that limit our lives. Basically, these are spiritual or
religious lies that people have been told that limit not only their
understanding of the Father's will but in so doing limit their present
day living as well. I think you will find that North American society
in the 21st century is falling for these same spiritual lies and need a
refresher course from Jesus on how to live life to its fullest. (John
10:10).
One thing we need to note is this:
the Devil is the father of all lies (John 8:44) and anything that is
not the truth, that is used to blind people's eyes from the truth at
least shares its essence with the Devil himself. Jesus on the other
hand is the embodiment of truth (John 14:6) and he clearly showed us
that the truth sets man free (John 8:32).
I believe that most people even in today's society want two basic
things:
- what is the best life possible &
- I don't want to offend a higher power!
There are some granted who do not care about a higher power, but I do
believe most people want some how to be in the higher power's good
graces and yet enjoy life. Unfortunately, many people don't look to
the proper place to find both. Many people are falling for so many
lies that truly limit their life, even though they may not realize it!
Turn to Matthew 5:17-26 this morning and read with me as we look
together at the way Jesus set up this portion of his sermon and then
the first lie that people fall for that truly limits their life!
Okay, now as I was preparing this series I was amazed at what Jesus
spoke in vs.17-20. To be honest with you I had never read those verses
in connection with what followed in vs.21ff. I had (properly I
believe) expounded the truth of those statements but only looked at it
as its own paragraph.
Watch closely however at what Jesus says.
Everybody is watching Jesus. Why?
As he is upsetting the Pharisees apple cart, the question is asked, is
he against the Law of Moses or not?
Is he saying everything associated with the past is wrong because the
current leaders are so corrupt or is there another message?
Indeed there is-
I have not come to destroy the law but to fulfill it. Not only that
but God's law is good and all of it should be kept.
Now notice something, Jesus is calling on the hearers to recognize a
fact about God's law:
every command is to be respected not just certain ones that make it
easier to appear righteous!
The first thing Jesus seeks to establish is this:
the contest is not between Jesus & the Law of Moses, but it is actually
between God & the Pharisees & the scribes. Why?
Because the things they have told you over and over again are actually
false interpretations of God's intentions in the law!
As we will see over the next six weeks is simply this:
the Pharisees & scribes had changed the law of God into a lie that
actually limited people's lives and Jesus was going to declare the
truth to all mankind that would free us to enjoy a fulfilled life!
Jesus will also show us something else, he will not simply correct the
traditions of men with what the law of Moses actually states, but with
what he now says, declaring what God's true intentions are!
Lie #1 that is told that limits life is this:
You can be angry with someone as long as you don't kill him!
Read with me again vs.21-26.
Jesus begins by what was actually being taught- don't murder and
whoever does will be in danger of the judgment.
We want to note this judgment is not talking about God's final judgment
but the judgment of the council. Now, we might think this command is
not so off! Well, in one sense it isn't because murdering was wrong.
But, according to what Jesus says afterwards they had missed a great
point-
It's the anger behind the murderous intention that is the problem.
There are three things Jesus says puts you in danger with God:
- being angry with your brother
- calling your brother Raca- worthless or empty-headed &
- calling your brother a fool- morally worthless!
He then goes on and tells us that if we have feelings of bitterness in
our hearts toward a brother before worshipping go and be at peace.
Vs.25- a literal interpretation is be well disposed toward him!
One of the great lies today that doesn't allow us to truly live
abundantly is the lie that says I'm not allowed to act on my anger but
I can still hate you in my heart!
Jesus says, that's not the case.
We live in an angry world today don't we?
Many people feel they have been disadvantaged unfairly and are mad at
everything from God to their first-grade teacher. I mean, the church,
friends, family, spouses, co-workers, bosses even law-enforcement. We
are angry. So many people need to realize that not only does this
jeopardize your standing with God, but it also limits your own life!
We are told in Galatians 5:20 that anger is in fact a work of the
flesh and not part of the fruit of the Spirit. That alone should tell
us something.
What is the big deal about anger?
How does it really limit our lives?
Listen to what the Bible says:
Psalms 37:8- it only causes harm.
Proverbs 14:17- anger is close to foolishness.
When do the words you never meant to say find their way out quicker?
Usually when you are angry. We were all horrified this past year when
an angry parent at his kid's hockey game couldn't control his anger and
beat and killed another parent. Why?
Jesus says, the spirit of anger among God's children is similar
to a murderous spirit. In the moment of anger or bitterness it may
feel good to inflict some kind of hurt on a brother or sister but after
it subsides will you have killed someone's spirit?
Will it be worth it then?
Listen to what one man wrote about anger in the church today:
"Today, we see a type of neo-gnosticism, a contemporary Pharisaism, in
the midst of the modern local congregation as some who claim to wear
the name of Christ try to worship God acceptably while hating those who
are made in His image. Racial and ethnic prejudices and bias
regarding customs and cultures stand as painful proof of this problem
of not fully accepting brethren in Christ. Personal disputes
unresolved, as one generation hands them down to the next. Doctrinal
differences among those who truly belong to Christ continue to result
in multiple splinters and fractures of the body of Christ, ranging in
degree from cliques and sectarian subcommunities to full-blown
denominational divisions. And do we wonder why the present generation
is not listening to us?"1
Listen to what Moses wrote in Leviticus 19:17,18..
Think of what anger resulted in the following cases:
- Cain (1 John 3:15)
- Moses struck a rock
- Joseph's brothers (Genesis 37:4)
- Haman (Esther 3:5,6)
- Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 3:19)
- The Jewish leaders (Luke 23:5)
- Saul of Tarsus (Acts 7:57-59, 22:20)
If anger between brethren limits our lives what fills it?
LOVE!
Remember Paul's great love chapter- 1 Corinthians 13- the greatest of
these is love. John 13:34,35
Another speaks about bitter feelings between us and says "we hold
each other at arm's length. We are civil with each other, but we will
not embrace one another as brothers and sisters in Christ and affirm
that we are one. Accepted by grace and cleansed by blood, people who
make an orthodox confession of faith in Jesus must end the intramural
bloodbaths that mock God's will for the unity of his people."2
How can we become the people we need to become?
Why do we get angry with others?
- They disagree with me!
Believe it or not, we all preach we should be able to disagree, until
you disagree with me. Romans 15:7. People are not stupid or foolish
if they just don't see the benefit or danger you do about a situation
God never covered in the Bible!
- I just don't like them!
Their personality, their financial status, their schooling, their
background, their friends, their hobbies, just make it hard for me to
like them! (Look closely at the differences between Jew & Gentile and
then Ephesians 2:11-22)
- I have been offended!
Isn't that a hard one?
Why is it that some can be offended and still be amiable?
What have they learned? (Colossians 3:13,14, Proverbs 19:11)
- I have been sinned against!
This is the biggest one isn't it?
In fact, before getting angry you should always ask if it is a sin?
Because then, there is something there.
What did Jesus say? Luke 17:3,4.
How can we hate what a man does and still not hate the man?
C.S. Lewis explained it this way "It occurred to me that there was one
man for whom I had long been doing this all of my life -- myself."3
My friends, Jesus explains to us that this is a lie that really limits
life. Why?
Anger does not allow us to be happy!
Anger does not allow us to live free! (We're always on guard when the
object of our anger is around)
Anger robs us of good Christian fellowship!
A social club, place of employment or even a sports team can function
well with discord among its members, but a family cannot.
Would Jesus be angry?
What would Jesus be angry at?
What would it take for Jesus to stop being angry?
How would Jesus act?
Don't limit your life for a lie. 1 John 4:7-11
1. Larry Deason, The Love of Christ in the Local Congregation (Life
Communications: Clifton Park, NY. 1987) p.63
2. Mike Cope & Rubel Shelly, What Would Jesus Do Today? (Howard
Publishing Co., Inc.: West Monroe, LA. 1998) p.80
3. Quoted from Wendell Winkler, Heart Diseases and Their Cure (Winkler
Publications: Fort Worth, TX. 1972) p.78
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