Introduction
Probably many of you
have been watching the Olympics this week. I have noticed not only the athletes
themselves and the excitement and joy they have when they do well, but also the
coaches. They are very excited when the athletes they have been coaching do
well because they have been so invested in their success. They know the sport
well and they know the athletes and have helped them give the best of what they
have. Wouldn’t it be great to have a coach for life? There are actually people
who have life coaches. As Christians, each of us has a life coach. Jesus is the
one who knows us and knows what God wants and He is able to help us live well
in this world and live well in our relationship with God.
Two weeks ago we talked
about what God wants and we learned that God wants us to accept the sacrifice
of Jesus for our sins and then to live the abundant life He has for us. Last
week we talked about how God’s Spirit helps us live in that way because He
lives within us. This week, we will look at Matthew 5:21-37 in order to
think about how Jesus is the one who will teach us how to live the Christian
life. Jesus understands God’s righteousness and He understands us and by His
instruction and example, we learn how to live. Matthew 5 is an example, not only of His instruction, but
also of how Jesus thinks and there is much to learn from Him in this passage.
I.
You Have Heard…But I Say
We are specifically
examining Matthew 5:21-37, but the teaching of Jesus extends to verse 48. In
this section, there are 6 themes addressed. Each one begins with the phrase,
“You have heard that it was said.” Jesus points to the teaching of
righteousness that they were very familiar with. Some of these statements come
from the Ten Commandments, others from some other parts of the Old Testament
and some from the customs and teachings of the Jews which have arisen the Old Testament.
Those listening would have agreed with each statement which began, “you have
heard that it was said.”
However, Jesus goes on
to say in each of these sections, “but I say to you.” In some of these
teachings, Jesus furthers their intent. For example, when he says “you have heard…don’t
murder” he deepens the command to say “don’t even hate.” Regarding the issue of
divorce Jesus actually contradicts what the Old Testament says. We read in
verse 31 that if you want a divorce you just have to write a certificate of
divorce. This comes from Deuteronomy 24:1. But Jesus says, “…don’t divorce at
all.”
When Jesus said, “…but
I say to you” it shows us that Jesus did not hesitate to make authoritative
comments on God’s Word. As followers of Jesus, we need to listen to His
teaching, but how is His teaching to be applied to us?
II.
A New Legalism?
There is no doubt that
these words must be read in the context of Matthew 5:17-20 where Jesus
says “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets” and “whoever
breaks one of the least of these commandments...will be called least in the
kingdom of heaven…”
When we read that and
then read what follows, it is not difficult to come to the conclusion that what
we have here is a new set of laws for Christians. Are these the new rules which
Christians must obey in order to remain in relationship with God? If we fail to
do these things, will that leave us outside of God’s favor?
If that is what this
teaching of Jesus is telling us to do, we are in a very difficult situation
because what Jesus teaches us to do is much more difficult than the laws about
which He says, “you have heard that it was said.” Although it is sad that some
people choose to murder others, most of us would never consider such a thing.
But how many of us have been angry with or insulted a brother or sister?
Adultery happens, but we all understand that it is wrong and most of us would
not do it. But how many of us have at one time or another looked at someone who
is not our spouse and desired that person? If we read these things in the light
of the warning that if we break these commandments we will be called least in
the kingdom of heaven, we are in serious trouble.
If this is a new
Christian legalism, then what happens to the gospel as good news? In Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus
invites us “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens,
and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am
gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke
is easy, and my burden is light.” If Jesus is setting up a new Christian
legalism in Matthew 5 ,
where is the rest He promises in Matthew 11? Where is the yoke that is easy and
the burden that is light?
In Ephesians 2:8-10 Paul
declares the good news that “…by grace you have been saved through faith, and
this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God—not the result of works, so
that no one may boast. For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus
for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life."
One of the things all
three of these passages teach us is that it is by God’s grace that we have been
saved and we have done nothing to earn what is a gift from God. At the same
time, each of these passages also speaks of the yoke we take up when we are in
Christ and that we “belong to another” in order to “do good works” and in order
that “we may bear fruit for God.”
What all this teaches
us is that Jesus is not calling us to a new legalism. Yet He is calling us to
follow Him and to learn from Him. What is the difference? A focus on law
separates between right and wrong in very linear way. It sets what is obedience
to law on one side and what is disobedience to law on the other and the line is
very clearly defined. Legalism makes judgments about what is success and what
is failure in keeping the laws and implies that those who fail to keep the laws
are under judgment. Legalism has very little room for exceptional circumstances
and fails to answer every situation justly. Instead, it looks for laws to cover
exceptions and applies them rigorously. When legalism is in play there is
little room for grace and there is little room for considering what God really
wants in any situation.
So I would suggest that
although a quick reading of this text may make it look like a new set of
Christian laws which we must follow, if we read the text carefully in the
context of all that Jesus has said and done, we cannot come to that conclusion.
Unfortunately, Christians have too often come to that conclusion. Too often we
have tried to find the law that covers a situation and we have been judgmental
of anyone who does not follow the laws that we think must be followed. We have also
not been consistent in declaring what is a law nor have we been consistent in our
judgment of those we believe have broken that law. I can’t speak for you, but I
know that I have been guilty of this kind of law based perspective and judgment
of others. When I was involved in the youth program a friend of mine brought a
person who I don’t think was a believer to a youth event. During the course of
the event, my friend asked me to take his friend to a store so he could buy
some cigarettes. I refused, of course, because smoking is wrong, but it wasn’t
long afterwards that I realized how legalistic and judgmental I had been and
how I had failed to extend the love of Christ to that person.
III.
What is Jesus Teaching?
So if Jesus is not
teaching a new Christian legalism, how do we understand this passage and how do
we learn from Jesus? What is Jesus teaching?
The key is found in Matthew 5:20 where Jesus said, “…unless your righteousness
exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of
heaven.” The righteousness of the Pharisees was founded on their ability to
obey the law. If they followed every precept laid down not only in the Old
Testament Scriptures, but in all their interpretations of the Scriptures, they
believed that they would be worthy of the kingdom of heaven. How do you achieve
that high degree of righteousness? Is Jesus saying that if we obey the higher
Christian legalism we will exceed their righteousness?
I am quite sure that is
not what Jesus is saying. What is the foundation of our righteousness? Is it
not the righteousness of Jesus Christ? So the way in which to exceed the
righteousness of the Pharisees is to be righteous in Jesus and if we have
received His forgiveness and if we have placed our trust in Him then our
righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees not because of anything
that we have done, but because of the sinless life and freely given sacrifice
of Jesus Christ. Our righteousness is in Him and that is good news and that is
an easy yoke and that is rest!
If
that is what Jesus is teaching us, then what is the meaning of each of the six
following issues which look, for all the world, like a new set of Christian
laws? Let us examine the first four and see what Jesus is teaching us.
A.
Healing the Brokenness that Leads to Murder
The first issue which
we find in verse 21 says “You shall not murder…” Murder is bad. It breaks
relationships and it destroys life. When Jesus says, “But I say to you…” He
invites us to a deeper teaching. What do we learn from Jesus?
The things Jesus speaks
of here are those things that could lead to murder. The precursor to murder is
things like anger, insult, and broken relationships. Remember, Jesus is not
teaching us a new list of Christian laws. We are accepted by God because of the
blood of Jesus. What Jesus is teaching us is a way to live that follows upon acceptance
and that allows us to live an abundant life. Jesus is inviting us to live
according to those things that will lead to life not to murder. The way of
Jesus invites us to reconcile quickly with those whom we have offended and to
be willing to come to terms quickly with an accuser so that we can live in good
relationships with all. Human good will cannot accomplish these things. If we
are wronged, we quickly cry for justice. If we wrong others, we easily excuse
our abuse as a mere foible. It is only in a relationship with Jesus in which we
trust Him to lead us into the future He has for us that we can live in this
way. It is only when we know that He will make all things right in the end that
we can have the foundation from which to live such a yielded life. This is not
a new legalism, but a life of dependence on the one who accepts us on the basis
of His own righteousness and invites us to live an abundant life of trust in
Him. You can’t do that without a changed heart and a submissive attitude that
trusts in Jesus.
B.
Healing the Brokenness that Leads to Adultery
The next issue Jesus
addresses is adultery. This also was one of the Ten Commandments given to
promote the sanctity of marriage.
Jesus invites us to
something deeper. Let’s learn from Jesus. Once again, this is not a new Christian
law which says never lust. There are some who have taken this as a new
Christian law and have gouged out an eye or cut off a hand. Yet the sin of lust
does not come from without, but from within, so simply making a new law does
not help us live. Jesus invites us to live in a way that is life giving. On the
foundation of His sacrifice, we are invited to live in a relationship with Him
that rejects the source of sin and seeks to honor marriage and honor others
even in the way we look at them because this is life giving.
C.
Healing the Brokenness that leads to Divorce
The temptation to treat
these as a new Christian law is quite strong when it comes to divorce and
remarriage. I know of many situations in which church people have told those
who have left their spouse that they are condemned to hell if they don’t return
to their spouse. If whether we divorce or not is the foundation of our
salvation, then what happens to the gospel of grace which tells us that our
sins are forgiven in Jesus? What happens to the gospel of grace that offers
forgiveness? Once again we need to be careful not to make this the defining
basis of righteousness.
The law from the Old
Testament was a concession which Moses made so that, particularly women, would
be treated with fairness when their husbands were tired of them and didn’t want
them anymore.
Once again, Jesus
invites us to think about that which is life giving. He invites His followers
to recognize that divorce is not life giving. Talk to any person who has gone
through divorce and they will tell you about the brokenness and the terrible impact
it has. Divorce has huge financial implications, but even more devastating is
the broken relationships it leaves in its wake. If there are children in the
marriage they are impacted. There are usually changes in friendships and family
relationships. No matter how long you are apart from your spouse the brokenness
is always a memory. That is why Jesus encourages that divorce should be avoided
at all cost. God’s original plan for marriage should be followed. Divorce is not
life giving.
Yet Jesus recognized
that there are situations in which remaining in a marriage is even more
destructive and so he says, “…except on the ground of unchastity.” Now let’s be
careful that we do not interpret this to mean that if unfaithfulness happens
that is an automatic ground for divorce and let’s be careful to understand that
unfaithfulness is not the only possible ground for divorce. If we do that, we
are once again making this a Christian legalism and that is not what Jesus
intends.
We are all sinners who
have been saved by grace alone. When marriage becomes difficult, rather than
find a rule that fits our situation and either break it or follow it to our
hurt, we need to walk with Jesus in these situations and seek Him for that
which is life giving and faith affirming.
Jesus invites us to
live in such a way that our marriage relationships are life giving and life
affirming. How can we do that as we walk in relationship with Him?
D.
Healing the Brokenness of Dishonest Words
The Jews had a very
sophisticated system of deciding how binding an oath was by judging how closely
related to God’s name it was. So if you swore by heaven and earth, that was not
a binding oath. If you swore towards Jerusalem, that was binding because God
lived in Jerusalem. The whole practice seems rather strange, but we do very
similar things. In our court system we invite people to swear with their hands
on the Bible, but how many people nevertheless perjure themselves while under
oath.
Once again we need to
learn from Jesus and once again He invites those who are His followers to
simply be honest. This is not a new Christian law, but it is the way in which
we can live in a life affirming way. As those who have been forgiven by Christ,
we have no need to lie because all our needs are met in Him and because He
cares for us. We have no need to put on false pretenses because we are all
sinners saved by grace. So there is no need to lie and the life affirming way is
to live in a basic and consistent honesty.
Conclusion
Legalism kills and
Christian legalism is a travesty of the grace by which we have come to life and
by which Jesus wants us to live.
Yet the temptation and
the drive towards legalism is strong. We find it in each of us and it is common
in the church. On the basis of it we judge one another and we are unable to
acknowledge the acceptance we have in Christ.
Whether we live
perfectly or fail miserably, we cannot do anything to earn our place before
God. We are received by grace on the foundation of the death of Jesus on the
cross. To live by law after that is a denial of the grace and of the efficacy
of Jesus’ death on the cross.
Yet having experienced
that grace, we are called to live in a new way. How can we do that without
going into legalism? We do so on the foundation that we are accepted in Jesus.
We do so on the ground that we can never be separated from the love of God. We
do so with the goal holiness because we know that life is found there.
Let us learn from Jesus
how to walk in Him.
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