Being the Sons & Daughters of The Our Father In Heaven
Matthew 5:33-48
I. Matt. 5:33-37 Let your yes be yes. James 5:12
A. Humans are congenital liars by nature! Gen. 3:1-5; John 8:44 (37-44)
1. The Law of oaths: Num. 30; Deut. 23:21-23; Lev. 19:12; (Ecc. 5:1-7 God’s cell phone warning) Vows and oaths in the OT are merely solemnly focusing attention on keeping our word. The warnings grow out of the third commandment (Ex. 20:7; Lev. 19:12) The vow laws seem to be intended to insure that an inherently untruthful people keep their word!
2. Jesus is here confronting the use of “amplifiers” of our word in order to appear more truthful than we actually are!
a. Matt. 23:16-22 The Pharisees had taken this false interpretation of the law to a whole new level. To be really holy, you did it this way! This is always legalisms’ approach.
B. Vs 34-35/Isa. 66:1-2 No man is righteous enough nor omniscient enough to tack on the High and Lofty One’s Name to our mere temporal promises. In so doing, we are elevating ourselves into that which only belongs to Him, and/or we are dragging His Name into the folly of our own judgement. Malachi 1:14 A warning!
C. Our entire eternal hope depends upon The God Who cannot lie!!! Deut. 23:19; Titus 1:1-2
1. John 1:1, 14, 18; Heb 1:1-3 God has given us His Word—Personified!!! And He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He is the Heavenly Yes or No of the Father. Hear ye Him. Follow in His foot steps—Let your yes be yes and your no be no. “any more than these is from the evil one! Be careful not to take away nor add to God’s Word—Jesus!!!
II. Matt 5:38-48 The absolute vulnerability of absolute faith in The Heavenly Father.
A. Because of the separation that occurred at the fall, we are necessarily defensive, paranoid, and security conscious. That is why we have locks, ADT, security forces, and supposedly governments. Having lost the one Sustaining, Protective Relationship with the Almighty, we are naked and fearful! We can never do what Jesus says in this passage even close to adequately!
B. Who does this portrait look like??? The Son Who came to show us the Father and what it looks like to do the Father’s will—even unto death!!!
1. Isa. 53:7 “Yet He opened not His mouth.” It is His “mind set”. Phil 2:5-8 2. Phil. 2:12-15 For adopted sons, found IN The Son, I think this is a progressive attitude. As our confidence in our Father grows, so does our “faithful vulnerability”. As we shall see next week, our doing all things as before the Father Who is in Secret changes everything! 3. Vs 46-48 “Before our Father good works” never expect pay back!
Matthew 5:33-48
I. Matt. 5:33-37 Let your yes be yes. James 5:12
A. Humans are congenital liars by nature! Gen. 3:1-5; John 8:44 (37-44)
1. The Law of oaths: Num. 30; Deut. 23:21-23; Lev. 19:12; (Ecc. 5:1-7 God’s cell phone warning) Vows and oaths in the OT are merely solemnly focusing attention on keeping our word. The warnings grow out of the third commandment (Ex. 20:7; Lev. 19:12) The vow laws seem to be intended to insure that an inherently untruthful people keep their word!
2. Jesus is here confronting the use of “amplifiers” of our word in order to appear more truthful than we actually are!
a. Matt. 23:16-22 The Pharisees had taken this false interpretation of the law to a whole new level. To be really holy, you did it this way! This is always legalisms’ approach.
B. Vs 34-35/Isa. 66:1-2 No man is righteous enough nor omniscient enough to tack on the High and Lofty One’s Name to our mere temporal promises. In so doing, we are elevating ourselves into that which only belongs to Him, and/or we are dragging His Name into the folly of our own judgement. Malachi 1:14 A warning!
C. Our entire eternal hope depends upon The God Who cannot lie!!! Deut. 23:19; Titus 1:1-2
1. John 1:1, 14, 18; Heb 1:1-3 God has given us His Word—Personified!!! And He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He is the Heavenly Yes or No of the Father. Hear ye Him. Follow in His foot steps—Let your yes be yes and your no be no. “any more than these is from the evil one! Be careful not to take away nor add to God’s Word—Jesus!!!
II. Matt 5:38-48 The absolute vulnerability of absolute faith in The Heavenly Father.
A. Because of the separation that occurred at the fall, we are necessarily defensive, paranoid, and security conscious. That is why we have locks, ADT, security forces, and supposedly governments. Having lost the one Sustaining, Protective Relationship with the Almighty, we are naked and fearful! We can never do what Jesus says in this passage even close to adequately!
B. Who does this portrait look like??? The Son Who came to show us the Father and what it looks like to do the Father’s will—even unto death!!!
1. Isa. 53:7 “Yet He opened not His mouth.” It is His “mind set”. Phil 2:5-8 2. Phil. 2:12-15 For adopted sons, found IN The Son, I think this is a progressive attitude. As our confidence in our Father grows, so does our “faithful vulnerability”. As we shall see next week, our doing all things as before the Father Who is in Secret changes everything! 3. Vs 46-48 “Before our Father good works” never expect pay back!