Class Lesson February 21, 2016

THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE 

 

Some of us live according to “to-do” lists. Time management folks tell us these are a great way to keep track of and prioritize the things we need to accomplish. The blessing of such a “to-do” list is that you have a target to shoot for. The curse of a “to-do” list is that it can remind you of what you didn’t get accomplished—or what remains to be finished.

Unfinished “to-do” lists happen a lot. That’s not because the tasks weren’t important. It’s because things pop up every day you simply didn’t anticipate.


Interruptions.

We can’t stop the interruptions or demands other people make in our lives. But how we react to those interruptions is completely in our hands. Jesus is concerned about our reactions. Why? Because the ways we react in irritating situations will—or won’t—show us to be distinctly Christian. Jesus calls us to a standard that is consistent, honest, and filled with grace. 

Jesus’ theme of greater righteousness continues.

In the remaining examples, Jesus addressed subjects not specifically covered by one of the Ten Commandments, even though they are found in the Old Testament law. He continued to call attention to traditional understandings and confronted His hearers with His new and fresh perspectives. His word is not always easy, but it is the way people in the kingdom of God act. Such is the righteousness exceeding that of the scribes and Pharisees.

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

Matthew 5:33-42 (NIV)

33 “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’

34 But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne;

35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King.

36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black.

37 All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’

39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.

40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well.

41 If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.

42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.



His footstool (v. 35)—When used literally, this term refers to an actual footstool (see Jas. 2:3). Here, the term is used figuratively—God has no need of a place to rest His feet. Thus, it represents the earth’s complete submission to God.



Swear by your head (v. 36)—It was a custom to guarantee the truthfulness of a statement by swearing or taking an oath by invoking God or some substitute for God; here, “your head” is that substitute.

Matthew 5:33-37

We’ve all felt the pain of a broken commitment or word. And we’ve all had our own share of failed commitments to others. It hurts in both directions. As we continue with the Sermon on the Mount, we see Jesus pushing us to examine our integrity through the lens of our words and the promises we make.


The Old Testament law repeatedly commanded people to keep their word and be absolutely truthful (see Lev. 19:12; Num. 30:2; Deut. 23:21-23). But by the time of Jesus, people were making distinctions in their promises and oaths: some were super serious, others were not so serious.


If someone made a promise using God’s name, he was bringing God into the promise; thus, it became a serious promise he must keep. But if someone simply gave her own word on a matter, it was considered much less serious. Jesus made the point that God is always involved when a person gives his or her word.


Whenever we make a promise, we are doing so in the presence of God.


Here are two things worth remembering:

• Be careful what you commit to. Many of us have a tendency to over commit ourselves. We may have the best of intentions, but at some point we have to develop the discipline of saying no. 

• Keep your word when you give it. God honors the person “who keeps an oath even when it hurts, and does not change their mind” (Ps. 15:4). Unforeseen circumstances can pop up that make it difficult to keep some promises. Even when it hurts to do so, however, the one who keeps his promises pleases God.

Matthew 5:38-39

The Old Testament records this “eye for an eye” law three times (see Ex. 21:23-24; Lev. 24:19-20; Deut. 19:21). But God’s intention was to limit vengeance, not give license to it. The law was meant to make sure that conflict didn’t escalate, but was kept within specific boundaries.


Furthermore, the wronged individual was never to seek justice or vengeance on his own. Instead, the law served as a guide for judges as they decided appropriate punishments through court proceedings.


Jesus, however, reordered our thinking. He told us we are not to retaliate when we are humiliated or insulted.


Because we’re born with the inclination of self-defense and retaliation, we are fighting against our sinful human nature when we follow Jesus in this distinct way. In other words, we must choose to deny ourselves in order to obey Jesus’ commands.

• We deny our rights. People usually believe they have something coming to them when we they’re wronged. Yet Jesus called us to deny our “rights.” We are to follow Him on the road of forgiveness and self-denial.

• We deny our entitlement. Closely akin to our rights is a sense of entitlement. Something rises up inside us that says, “I deserve better.” But any feeling of entitlement fails to recognize that all we are truly entitled to is death and hell. We experience God’s mercy and forgiveness because of His grace, not because we are entitled to them.

• We deny our pride. Often the worst part of what we experience at the hand of someone else is the blow to our ego. We feel humiliated and our pride is offended. We must let go of our inflated ego and release our pride in favor of following Jesus on the path of humility (see Phil. 2:5-8).

Matthew 5:40-42

As if it weren’t enough to say we should not seek revenge when someone does us wrong, Jesus went the extra mile in His teaching. He said we should do the same thing—go the extra mile—even for those who want to take advantage of us. According to Jesus, we should overwhelm such people with kindness.


We tend to think about obedience in terms of minimums. What’s the minimum amount of stuff I have to do to get by? That kind of attitude shows a heart out of touch with the grace God has lavished on us. Jesus’ point is that we shouldn’t focus on the minimum; instead, we should focus on how we can be a blessing to others.


To go the extra mile—above and beyond—takes more than willpower. It takes faith. We need to believe three things to go the extra mile:

• Believe God will provide. Going the extra mile is costly. It could be a coat; it could be some money; it could be our time. It will cost us something. We must believe in a God who will provide the coat, the money, or the time that we’ve given up for the sake of someone else.

• Believe God will rectify. When we give sacrificially for the sake of someone else, we might be tempted to treat it like a loan. We shouldn’t. Much in the same way that we don’t seek revenge because we believe God will set everything right in the end, we can freely go the extra mile without the expectation of payback. Trust in God, who knows what we’ve done. 

• Believe God will redeem. What if we go the extra mile and nothing happens? What if the person doesn’t recognize our gift or what it cost us? We might be tempted to become bitter and resentful, or to wish we never made the effort in the first place. But God redeems. Though it might seem like a waste at first, we trust God in His wisdom and power to redeem what we’ve done for His good purposes.

LIVE IT OUT

You’re going to be caught off guard this week; how will you respond? Here are some ways to be distinct in your reactions: 

•  Keep your word. What is one commitment you’ve made that you wish you hadn’t? Recommit yourself to keeping your word even though it’s going to hurt.

• Pray. Is one relationship particularly difficult for you right now? Pray and ask God to bless that person this week. Even better, write a note and let the person know you’ve been praying for him or her. 

• Go the extra mile. Think back over the past month. Have you missed any opportunities to do good for someone, an occasion when you chose to do the minimum? Go back and do something extra for that person this week.

Life is about reactions. Things will happen this week you have absolutely no control over, no matter how well you plan. The question is: what happens next? Will you practice grace and integrity when others make demands of you? Or will you hold tightly to your rights and privileges?




Our Lesson Today:

In 1982, the movie “First Blood” came to theaters. It was about a Vietnam War veteran named Rambo, played by Sylvester Stallone, who had become a drifter. He had come to a small town in the Northwest looking for an old army buddy. No one welcomed him. The town sheriff immediately treated him with suspicion and disdain and tried to kick him out of town. Because Rambo refused to go, he was arrested, beaten and humiliated. From that point on, Rambo took on his former persona and used his many and varied skills gained in the military to evade capture and eventually defeat the sheriff. When Rambo is contacted by his former CO to find out why he had started this one man war, he says, “All I wanted was something to eat. But the man kept pushing Sir. … They drew first blood, not me.” Some of you know a little bit of what Rambo felt. Everybody keeps pushing. It’s so easy to push back when you get pushed. It’s just the natural inclination.


Isaac Newton gave us this scientific principle: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. That law works for science, but it is only partially true with people. Everything said or done to us will cause us to react, but how we react is totally in our hands.


Jesus calls us to a standard that is consistent, honest, and grace-filled regardless of what is said or done.



Jesus’ theme of greater righteousness continues.

• In the remaining examples, Jesus addressed subjects not specifically covered by one of the Ten Commandments, even though they are found in the Old Testament law. He continued to call attention to traditional understandings and confronted His hearers with His new and fresh perspectives. His word is not always easy, but it is the way people in the kingdom of God act. Such is the righteousness exceeding that of the scribes and Pharisees. 

• In Matthew 5:38-48 Jesus told his hearers to react distinctively. He stated the oldest law in the world, Lex Talionis, “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” It was a common practice and a part of everyday life. It was stained with the blood of revenge and vengeance. Jesus now sought to abolish that law with a reaction so radical that it was totally unexpected. He painted three portraits to get the message across. 

 

 
 

I. Speak with Integrity - Matthew 5:33-37
33 “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ 34 But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37 All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.


What motivates us to say, “I promise” or to ask, “Do you promise?”

• We’ve all felt the pain of a broken commitment or word. And we’ve all had our own share of failed commitments to others. It hurts in both directions. As we continue with the Sermon on the Mount, we see Jesus pushing us to examine our integrity through the lens of our words and the promises we make. The Old Testament law repeatedly commanded people to keep their word and be absolutely truthful (see Lev. 19:12; Num. 30:2; Deut. 23:21-23). But by the time of Jesus, people were making distinctions in their promises and oaths: some were super serious, others were not so serious. If someone made a promise using God’s name, he was bringing God into the promise; thus, it became a serious promise he must keep. But if someone simply gave her own word on a matter, it was considered much less serious. Jesus made the point that God is always involved when a person gives his or her word. Whenever we make a promise, we are doing so in the presence of God.

So, what is the big deal about making a promise?

• There are about 30 biblical references to vows, most of which are from the Old Testament. The books of Leviticus and Numbers have several references to vows in relation to offerings and sacrifices. There were dire consequences for the Israelites who made and broke vows, especially vows to God.
• The story of Jephthah illustrates the foolishness of making vows without understanding the consequences. Before leading the Israelites into battle against the Ammonites, Jephthah—described as a mighty man of valor—made a rash vow that he would give to the Lord whoever first came out of doors to meet him if he returned home as the victor. When the Lord granted him victory, the one who came out to meet him was his daughter. Jephthah remembered his vow and offered her to the Lord (Judges 11:29-40). Whether or not Jephthah should have kept this vow is dealt with in another article. What this account shows us is the foolishness of rash vows.
• Perhaps this is why Jesus gave a new commandment concerning vows. "Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.' But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No ,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one" (Matthew 5:33-37).
• The principle here is clear for Christians: do not make vows, either to the Lord or to one another. First, we are unable to know for sure whether we will be able to keep vows. The fact that we are prone to the errors in judgment which are part of our fallen nature means that we may make vows foolishly or out of immaturity. Further, we don’t know what the future will bring—only God does. We don’t know what will happen tomorrow (James 4:14), so to make a vow that we will do or not do something is foolish. God is the one in control, not us, and He “works all things together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). Knowing this, we can see that it is unnecessary to make vows and that it indicates a lack of trust in Him. Finally, Jesus commands that our word be sufficient without making vows. When we say “yes” or “no,” that’s exactly what we should mean. Adding vows or oaths to our words opens us up to the influence of Satan whose desire is to trap us and compromise our Christian testimony.
• If we have made a vow foolishly and realized we cannot or should not keep it, we should confess it to God, knowing that He is “faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” A broken vow, while serious, is not an unforgivable matter if taken to the Lord in true confession. God will not hold us to vows made imprudently, but He expects us to obey Jesus and refrain from making vows in the future.
• Christians should not make promises at all. It doesn’t matter if it’s to God, our friends, or our children. Sometimes people make promises and they can’t deliver or sometimes people just don’t want to when the time comes. How does that glorify God? You don’t know how your life will be tomorrow.
• You don’t know if you’re going to be able to keep your word. God will always be here for you. If you’re going to do something just do it. If you can’t then don’t. Don’t speak foolishly with your mouth. God is serious when it comes to vows to him or others. If you foolishly make a promise than you need to do what you said you would do. In the future do not make promises at all. If you have made one and you can’t keep it confess your sins and don’t do it again. 

 

 

1. Ecclesiastes 5:5 It is better not to make a promise than to make one and not keep it.

2. Proverbs 10:19 Sin is unavoidable when there is much talk, but whoever seals his lips is wise.

3. Ecclesiastes 5:6 Don’t let your mouth make you sin. And don’t defend yourself by telling the Temple messenger that the promise you made was a mistake. That would make God angry, and he might wipe out everything you have achieved.

4. Matthew 5:33-36 “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black.

5. Ecclesiastes 5:2 Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.

6. Proverbs 20:25 Don’t trap yourself by making a rash promise to God and only later counting the cost.

7. Ecclesiastes 5:4 When you make a promise to God, don’t delay in following through, for God takes no pleasure in fools. Keep all the promises you make to him.

8. Proverbs 19:1 Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity Than he who is perverse in speech and is a fool.


Yes or no

9. James 5:12 But most of all, my brothers and sisters, never take an oath, by heaven or earth or anything else. Just say a simple yes or no, so that you will not sin and be condemned.

10. Matthew 5:38 Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one.


What was Jesus’ point concerning our speech?

• Jesus expects His followers to do what they say. We ought to be known for telling the truth, without a shadow of doubt.
• Jesus was emphasizing the importance of telling the truth. People were breaking promises and using sacred language casually and carelessly. Keeping oaths and promises is important; it builds trust and makes committed human relationships possible. The Bible condemns making vows or taking oaths casually, giving your word while knowing that you won’t keep it, or swearing falsely in God’s name (Exodus 20:7; Leviticus 19:12; Numbers 30:1, 2; Deuteronomy 19:16-20). Oaths are needed in certain situations only because we live in a sinful society that breeds distrust.
• Oaths, or vows were common, but Jesus told His followers not to use them – their word alone should be enough (see James 5:12). Are you known as a person of your word? Truthfulness seems so rare that we feel we must end our statements with “I promise.” If we tell the truth all the time, we will have less pressure to back up our words with an oath or promise. 

 

 

II. Let it Go - Matthew 5:38-39
38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ 39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.

  

What traditional understanding did Jesus confront in these verses?

• An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. Believers and unbelievers alike who are looking to justify some vengeful action can be heard to recite these words.
• Actually, this is only a portion of larger statements found in Exodus 21:24 and Deuteronomy 19:21. Known as the lex talionis – law of retaliation – it was not intended to be an authorization for vengeance without restraint but to put a limit on the degree of retaliation as applied by the legal authorities. The statement was part of a guideline for proportionate punishment in which the punishment fit the crime as opposed to a process marked by escalating violence. It was not intended to be a license for personal retaliation but was to be practiced by the courts and judges within the confines of the legal system.

What does Jesus mean when He says do not resist an evil person?

• Resist is to “set one’s self against” or “to oppose.”
• Some thought Jesus’ words were to be understood to mean, “Don’t resist evil with evil.” One evil act never cancels out another evil act. Still others think Jesus was forbidding ever taking an action to resist an evildoer.

Was Jesus calling us to be “passive” and is this a command against self-defense?

• What Jesus asks of His followers is not passivity, but surrender of the right to personal revenge.
• To "turn the other cheek," does not imply pacifism, nor does it mean we place ourselves or others in mortal danger. Like the principle of the eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth in Matthew 5:38, turning the other cheek refers to personal retaliation, not criminal offenses or acts of military aggression. Clearly, Jesus did not mean to negate all God’s laws and injunctions protecting us against violent crime or invading armies. Rather, Jesus is speaking here of the principle of non-retaliation to affronts against our own dignity, as well as lawsuits to gain one’s personal assets (v. 40), infringements on one’s liberty (v. 41), and violations of property rights (v. 42). He was calling for a full surrender of all personal rights.
• Turning the other cheek means not to return insult for insult in retaliation, which is what most people expect and how worldly people act. Responding to hatred with love just might grab someone's attention and afford us a chance to share the gospel. When we respond in a manner that is unnatural, it displays the supernatural power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Jesus was the perfect example because He was silent before His accusers and did not call down revenge from heaven on those who crucified Him.

What was God’s intention with this new law?

• Let it go! God’s purpose behind this law was an expression of mercy. The law was given to judges and said, in effect, “Make the punishment fit the crime.” It was not a guide for personal revenge (Exodus 21:23-25; Leviticus 24:19-20; Deuteronomy 19:21). These laws were given to limit revenge and help the court administer punishment that was neither too strict nor too lenient. Some people, however, were using this phrase to justify their vendettas against others. People still try to excuse their acts of revenge by saying, “I was just doing to him what he did to me.”
• God’s intention was to limit vengeance, not give license to it. The law was meant to make sure that conflict didn’t escalate, but was kept within specific boundaries.
• Furthermore, the wronged individual was never to seek justice or vengeance on his own. Instead, the law served as a guide for judges as they decided appropriate punishments through court proceedings.
• Jesus, however, reordered our thinking. He told us we are not to retaliate when we are humiliated or insulted.

Because we’re born with the inclination of self-defense and retaliation, we are fighting against our sinful human nature when we follow Jesus in this distinct way. In other words, we must choose to deny ourselves in order to obey Jesus’ commands.

• Deny our rights. People usually believe they have something coming to them when we they’re wronged. Yet Jesus called us to deny our “rights.” We are to follow Him on the road of forgiveness and self-denial.
• Deny our entitlement. Closely akin to our rights is a sense of entitlement. Something rises up inside us that says, “I deserve better.” But any feeling of entitlement fails to recognize that all we are truly entitled to is death and hell. We experience God’s mercy and forgiveness because of His grace, not because we are entitled to them.
• Deny our pride. Often the worst part of what we experience at the hand of someone else is the blow to our ego. We feel humiliated and our pride is offended. We must let go of our inflated ego and release our pride in favor of following Jesus on the path of humility (see Phil. 2:5-8).

III. Go the Extra Mile - Matthew 5:40-42
40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. 41 If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

What is Jesus asking us to do now after we have turned the other cheek?

• Go the extra mile! Show them unexpected kindness in return. These verses give three remaining examples of Jesus’ call for His followers not to refuse to retaliate or inflict evil for evil against those who insulted them or disregarded their personal rights. Be willing to do more than is expected with a willing spirit rather than a bitter attitude.
• When we are wronged, often our first reaction is to get even. Instead, Jesus said we should do good to those who wrong us! Our desire should not be to keep score, but to love and forgive. This is not natural – it is supernatural. Only God can give us the strength to love as He does. instead of planning vengeance, pray for those who hurt you.

Why is this so hard for us to do?

• We tend to think about obedience in terms of minimums. What’s the minimum amount of stuff I have to do to get by? That kind of attitude shows a heart out of touch with the grace God has lavished on us. Jesus’ point is that we shouldn’t focus on the minimum; instead, we should focus on how we can be a blessing to others.

To go the extra mile—above and beyond—takes more than willpower. It takes faith. We need to believe three things to go the extra mile:

• Believe God will provide. Going the extra mile is costly. It could be a coat; it could be some money; it could be our time. It will cost us something. We must believe in a God who will provide the coat, the money, or the time that we’ve given up for the sake of someone else.
• Believe God will rectify. When we give sacrificially for the sake of someone else, we might be tempted to treat it like a loan. We shouldn’t. Much in the same way that we don’t seek revenge because we believe God will set everything right in the end, we can freely go the extra mile without the expectation of payback. Trust in God, who knows what we’ve done.
• Believe God will redeem. What if we go the extra mile and nothing happens? What if the person doesn’t recognize our gift or what it cost us? We might be tempted to become bitter and resentful, or to wish we never made the effort in the first place. But God redeems. Though it might seem like a waste at first, we trust God in His wisdom and power to redeem what we’ve done for His good purposes.

What is so special about going the extra mile?

• Going the second mile is an unexpected service of love. True Christian love is never expressed in the first mile. That is expected. That is obligatory and mandatory. We must do that. Christian love is always expressed in the second mile. Loving and serving beyond what is expected.
• An amazing power exists in unexpected service. When we exceed the barest minimums of service, when we go beyond the call of duty, when we give more than is expected, it has a transforming, unforgettable effect on people. 

 

 

Integrity, grace, and kindness

What powerful words!

Integrity is the quality of being complete, undivided, and transparent. A person has integrity when what he or she says or does is consistent with what he or she claims to be and to believe. The people we respect the most are people with integrity.


Grace is the willingness to show favor to someone even when they are not deserving. A person insults you. He deserves some retaliatory action at least equal to the insult. To respond with grace is to refuse to retaliate and to be gracious in hope that a relationship can be restored.


Kindness is being disposed to be helpful, forbearing, gentle, and agreeable. A kind person thinks less about himself and more about another person.



Jesus was calling for His disciples to exhibit each of those qualities, even under the most difficult or trying circumstances. However, He not only demanded them from others, He modeled them in His own life and in His own relationships with others.

• Did anyone have greater integrity than Jesus? He was who He claimed to be and stayed true to His calling as God’s Son even when others rejected Him.
• Was anyone more filled with grace? In fact, He was the embodiment of divine grace in that He came to extend God’s favor on a world that deserved punishment but received salvation instead by Jesus’ gracious atoning death.
• Was anyone more kind than Jesus? Repeatedly, in the Gospel accounts, Jesus acted kindly toward those who were hurting, dealing with loss, and disenfranchised. He was even kind in His responses to the likes of Pilate and Herod who falsely judged Him, and to the Roman soldiers who ridiculed, abused, and executed Him. He did not retaliate, argue, or complain. In fact, even then He responded with the same kind of integrity, grace, and kindness He expected from His disciples.

If we want to have more integrity, grace, and kindness, we need to walk more closely with Jesus.


Conclusion: “First Blood” is the kind of movie that makes you want to stand up and cheer. It hits a chord with every person that has ever been pushed around. With every person that Rambo pummels, we see ourselves getting back at the people who have so unfairly treated us. It’s normal to push back when we are pushed. But Jesus calls us to something higher, and Jesus gives us an example of something more majestic.


He who could have pushed the hardest when pushed, chose to exercise grace and forgiveness. He calls us to nothing less.



LIVE IT OUT
You’re going to be caught off guard this week; how will you respond? Here are some ways to be distinct in your reactions:

• Keep your word. What is one commitment you’ve made that you wish you hadn’t? Recommit yourself to keeping your word even though it’s going to hurt.
• Pray. Is one relationship particularly difficult for you right now? Pray and ask God to bless that person this week. Even better, write a note and let the person know you’ve been praying for him or her.
• Go the extra mile. Think back over the past month. Have you missed any opportunities to do good for someone, an occasion when you chose to do the minimum? Go back and do something extra for that person this week.

Life is about reactions. Things will happen this week you have absolutely no control over, no matter how well you plan. The question is: what happens next? Will you practice grace and integrity when others make demands of you? Or will you hold tightly to your rights and privileges?

Prayer of Commitment

Lord Jesus, sometimes living according to Your expectations is hard. I want to be a person marked by integrity, grace, and kindness. You know I cannot do it on my own, so I turn to You for help and strength that I may be more like You. Thank you for being there. Amen.

_______________________________


_______________________________


_______________________________

See you on Sunday!


In His Love,


David & Susan

Class Lesson February 14, 2016

THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE

The world’s quietest room is at Orfield Laboratories in Minneapolis, MN. It’s a chamber built with double walls of concrete and insulated steel covered by 3.3-foot thick acoustic fiberglass wedges. It’s said that a person can hear his or her own beating heart, gurgling stomach, and even pulsing inner ear.

Most people can’t take the silence for more than 30 minutes.

Our lives are filled with “noise,” and we’re often comfortable with that. But busy, noisy lives can keep us from hearing the truth of what’s inside us. Greed, selfishness, lust, and a host of other things are hiding in our hearts. When we recognize the dual threat of both the internal and the external, we see the gravity of God’s call to live pure lives. It’s not just a call to purity in terms of our actions, but in our very being. It’s a call for absolute agreement in our thoughts, feelings, and actions.

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

Matthew 5:27-32 (NIV)

27“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’

28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

29 If your right eye causes you to stumble, 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.

30 And if your right hand causes you to stumble, 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.

31 “It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’

32 But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.



A certificate of divorce (v. 31)—The Greek word translated here originally carried the sense of abandonment of property; then, in Jewish circles, the term acquired the meaning of a certificate of divorce given to a woman so she could remarry without charge of adultery.

Matthew 5:27-30

There’s no doubt about it: sex is a powerful force in today’s world. “Sex sells.” But why?

 

The answer is that sex was designed to be the most pure, the most uninhibited, and the most unashamed kind of intimacy imaginable. God intended it to be an act in which a person is both known and fully knows another person without shame, holding nothing back. But, like everything else in the world, sex has been corrupted. Instead of serving as an expression of love and intimacy, sex has become a tool for personal gratification at the expense of another human being.


That brings us to the topic of purity. In Matthew 5, Jesus taught that true purity isn’t just a matter of abstaining from sinful sex; it’s a condition of the heart that must be corrected. He called us to engage in the fight for purity at any cost. In verses 29-30, He gave us a battle plan for pursuing that kind of purity:

• Identify the source. Jesus told us to root out the source of impurity. His vivid illustrations involved the eyes and the hand, but we might think about temptation in terms of other sources. Are you tempted by images you see on your computer or television? Does a certain relationship or habit trouble you? Do you struggle during a period of time you have to spend alone?

 

• Deal ruthlessly with the temptation. According to Jesus, if our eye causes us to sin, we should gouge it out. If it’s our hand, we should cut it off. Though that might sound extreme, the reason is simple: When you consider what’s at stake, you’ll do whatever it takes to protect your purity. When you consider that these patterns of behavior, if left unchecked, cause you to fall under God’s judgment, then you’ll start taking them a little more seriously. 

• Replace the temptation with something better. Don’t focus on not thinking impure thoughts; focus instead on something better. Find something constructive to do for the kingdom with your time. Fill the void left by temptation with something more—something better—and soon you won’t have to invest the mental energy to not think about whatever it was that caused you to struggle. It’s been replaced.

 
 

Matthew 5:31-32

God created our bodies, and He gave us our human needs and desires as integral parts of those bodies. God also gave us good and right avenues to fulfill those desires.

Sin happens when we seek to satisfy a God-given desire through an unholy avenue. Instead of turning to the God-given avenues of fulfilling those desires, we turn to whatever is easiest. Or most convenient. Or the least costly.

In verse 31, Jesus brought marriage into His discussion of purity. Marriage is the physical and spiritual union between a man and a woman for a lifetime; it is the one and only way God has given us to express and fulfill sexual desire.

Unfortunately, marriage—like sex—has fallen under the shadow of sin. God intended the marriage covenant to be a reflection of the covenant He makes with His own people and, therefore, to be unbroken. Because of sin, however, marriages have failed to live up to God’s standard.

In verse 31, Jesus quoted from the Old Testament law (see Deut. 24:1). In this particular law, a man was required to produce a divorce certificate instead of just arbitrarily deciding he didn’t want to be married anymore. This provision was instituted to provide legal protection for the divorced woman, since women had few rights in that culture and little ability to provide for themselves. Without this stipulation, a man could threaten to divorce his wife and leave her destitute.


Even though the law was designed to protect women, the rabbis and religious leaders of Jesus’ day had distorted this law to allow divorce for even minor complaints. What was designed to be good was being used to abuse.

Jesus called us back to the sacred nature of marriage. He did give one exception, however. Divorce may be permitted if a spouse is unfaithful to the marriage. That doesn’t mean Jesus condones divorce; in fact, it means the opposite. God loves and values marriage highly as a covenant relationship. A marriage can be ended only if someone is unfaithful. Faithfulness is so important that, if violated, God will allow a covenant that was established before Him to be ended.


What can we learn from these verses? Jesus is telling us to hold onto marriage. Commit to it. Don’t run, but stay faithful. Keep the following in mind:

• Marriage is difficult. Marriage is difficult because we confront the depth of our selfishness. When we truly have to put someone else’s needs ahead of our own, we discover where our commitments lie.

• Marriage is supported. No couple faces the challenges of marriage alone. God is with us, and God is for us. He is pro-marriage. In fact, He’s so much in favor of marriage that He chose the relationship between a husband and a wife to represent His own relationship with His people (see Rev. 19:7-8; 21:2; 22:17). 

• Marriage is an opportunity for growth. God uses difficulties within marriage to make us more like Jesus. Marriage, the most intimate relationship, is the ideal place to display and practice the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control (see Gal. 5:22-23).

“It is human to err. It is devilish

to remain willfully in error.”

-St. Augustine

LIVE IT OUT

Holding on to purity isn’t always easy, but it’s always valuable. Consider the following suggestions for seeking purity this week: 

• Replace. What is one way you are spending your time that is not contributing to your personal purity? Look for something to replace it this week. 

• Serve. Consider a practical way you can serve your spouse this week. For example, intentionally do the one thing around the house your spouse doesn’t enjoy doing. 

• Talk. Begin the process of accountability by letting your guard down with someone you trust. Initiate a conversation with that person and share one way in which you are struggling to hold on to purity at all costs.

You don’t have to settle for the world’s standard of purity and faithfulness. God has something more. Go after it.

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Our Lesson Today:

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A reporter once asked a couple, “How did you manage to stay together for 65 years?” The woman replied, “We were born in a time when if something broke we would FIX it, not just throw it away.”




How true is this today?


We applaud the anniversaries of those who have been married for 25 years or longer and we are right to celebrate, but our society seems to celebrate this with amazement. They see it as if a miracle has happened that two people stayed committed to each other for so long. Faithfulness and purity are a complete wonder to our culture, but as Christ followers, it should be our norm.


This week Jesus discusses two issues related to the greatest of human relationships – marriage.


He calls for purity and faithfulness between husband and wife.

• Purity - With this Jesus turns to the 7th Commandment for His next example of how to live with a righteousness that exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees. Just as we saw last week, the scribes and Pharisees’ traditional interpretation dealt with adultery only as a physical act. Jesus goes further by saying that adultery is a matter of the heart driven by lust. The physical act is prevented when the heart issue is dealt with.
• Faithfulness - Jesus also deals with divorce, because it had become a common practice, had become too easy and was more now just an act of personal convenience.

The Point: Hold on to purity at all costs.

I. Practice Purity in Your Sexual Conduct - Matthew 5:27-30
27“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to stumble, 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. 30 And if your right hand causes you to stumble, 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.


The Number One Secret in America

Some secrets are fun:

• Knowing about a surprise party.
• Knowing the best place to fish.
• Knowing the secret to a card trick.

But some secrets are far from fun. In fact, we may want some secrets to stay secret.

Do you know what the number one secret is in America? It’s who views pornography.

• Approximately 40 million people are sexually involved through the Internet.
• Almost 9 out of 10 young men (87 percent) and 1 out of 3 young women (31 percent) report viewing pornography.
• Twenty-five percent of all search engine requests are pornographic related.

Sure, lots of people view pornography, but the secret is who these people are. It’s not the kind of behavior people openly talk about—especially in Christian circles. But maybe we should.

• Fifty percent of Christian men regularly view pornography.
• Twenty percent of Christian women regularly view pornography.

Let that sink in. These statistics do not reflect those infrequent Internet searches that may take you someplace you did not intend to go. These are Christians who regularlyview pornography. 

 

When did sex become something we didn’t talk about?

• Probably when it lost its purity. That brings us to the topic of purity. Sex was designed to be the most pure, the most uninhibited, and the most unashamed kind of intimacy imaginable. God intended it to be an act in which a person is both known and fully knows another person without shame, holding nothing back. But, like everything else in the world, sex has been corrupted. Instead of serving as an expression of love and intimacy, sex has become a tool for personal gratification at the expense of another human being.

Does the media encourage sexual impurity? Should Christians take a stance regarding such media? Have you drawn a line on what is proper and what is not? Should you?



In Jesus’ day, the thought was as long as I don’t have a sexual act with another woman other than my wife - then anything else is okay. But Jesus said that’s not true purity - just abstaining from sinful sex - it’s a condition of the heart that must be corrected.



How does Jesus compare the act of adultery to lust?

• Here Jesus sees lusting after a woman or a man is like adultery that is being committed already in the heart. This is because that is where adultery begins…in lusting and in the heart. Jesus said more specifically that if they looked at another “with lustful intent” or in other words, their intent is to lust or commit adultery in their heart or in their mind (essentially the same thing). The heart is often spoken of as being the seat of the intellect by the Jews so “in the heart” is the same thing as being “in the mind.” Either way, lusting in the heart or mind for someone who is not your spouse might as well be committing adultery, even though it is not the actual physical act. This is why pornography is so destructive to marriages. The person who looks at pornography is sinning in their heart by lusting after what they see and it is with intent (intentionally) that they are doing it. If they actually had the woman or man in the image actually been there, you can almost be certain that the act of adultery would be fulfilled in reality.
• We are to see members of the opposite sex not as objects to be used for selfish purposes but as persons to be treated with respect. Jesus urged His disciples to bring their feelings of lust under control of the divine expectation of purity of heart.
• Everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. The act begins with a lustful look.
• The overt act of adultery is rooted in the desires of the heart.

How did Jesus illustrate the seriousness with which we are to consider His instruction in this matter? How are we to apply Jesus’ words?

• We need to take deliberate and sometimes difficult actions to free ourselves from situations that have potential to lead us to sin. Better to suffer the pain of separating ourselves from tempting situations than to suffer the eternal judgment of God against our sin.

Jesus offered 3 practical instructions of how to remain sexually pure:

1. Guard your mind.

• People don’t just fall into adultery. It is a process that begins in the mind. “For as he thinks within himself, so he is” (Prov. 23:7 NASB), goes the proverb. Jesus said, “. . . out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality . . .” (Matt. 15:19 NIV), and “. . . anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matt. 5:28 NIV). Regardless of outward behavior, the true test of sexual purity is our thought life. It is what we allow to enter our minds and what we choose to dwell on. What we do is extremely important, of course. But what we think determines what we do. Consequently, the only effective and lasting way to change our behavior is to change our minds. Lust is a battle fought first and foremost in the mind. One may be lustfully occupied while listening to a sermon or driving a car or even while praying. Because of its unseen character, it is never safe to say of another person, “He could never have that problem.”

2. Be careful what you look at.

• Adultery is much more than the physical act, or perhaps we should say it is much less than the physical act. It is the lustful look, the leering glance, the furtive thought, the imagined act. Lust is the runaway desire that causes one to imagine having sexual encounters with a person. Billy Graham said: “Lust is the second look. Many times you can’t avoid the first look, but you can avoid the second look. That look is sin.” Jesus made it clear that adultery is the fruit of which lust is the root. Jesus’ whole point is that it is quite possible to commit adultery in the heart without ever physically touching anyone else. The control of the heart is due to the control of the eyes. You may outwardly remain faithful to your spouse while inwardly lusting after someone else. That inward lusting—though it remains hidden for years—is “adultery in the heart” and is a way of breaking the Seventh Commandment—quietly, silently, repeatedly.

3. Don’t go to places that will lead to sin.

• Jesus added to the don’t-look policy a don’t-touch policy. The command to get rid of troublesome eyes, hands, and feet is an example of Jesus’ use of dramatic figures of speech and exaggeration. To remove the eye and hand would not remove the sinful thought of the heart. Jesus wasn’t advocating a literal physical self maiming, but more a ruthless self-denial. He is instructing His followers to behave as if they had actually plucked out their eyes and cut off their hands and feet, and were now blind and crippled and so could not do the things or visit the places which previously caused you to sin. If your eye causes you to sin, don’t look; if your foot causes you to sin, don’t go; if your hand causes you to sin, don’t do it.
• Jesus’ point was that we are to refuse sexual contact with any person other than our spouse.
• Jesus wants us to be committed to a principle as well as to a person who is our spouse.

Give some thought this week to any habits, practices, or relationships that maybe you need to change, or eliminate because they could put your commitment to your spouse at risk.

II. Maintain Faithfulness in Marriage - Matthew 5:31-32
31 “It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32 But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

Jesus called us back to the sacred nature of marriage. He gives one exception - divorce may be permitted if a spouse is unfaithful to the marriage. That doesn’t mean He condones divorce; in fact, it means the opposite. God loves and values marriage as a covenant relationship. A marriage can be ended only if someone is unfaithful. Faithfulness is so important that, if violated, God will allow a covenant that was established before Him to be ended.



How had the law been distorted or abused as it related to divorce?

• Divorce was the man’s prerogative, when Jesus said this, not the woman’s. Men were divorcing their wives for the most minor grievances.

Is getting a divorce too easy today and should it be changed?

 

How did Jesus challenge the practices that allowed for an easy divorce?

• Persons in marriage foremost need to strive to maintain the relationship rather than to look for a way to escape. (Fix it, don’t throw it away!)
• Jesus may have been referring to the rabbinic interpretation of Deuteronomy 24:1-4. In that account a man found something improper about the woman to whom he was married. The man could provide her written documentation and “send her out of his house” (Deut. 24:1). No guidelines were given for what circumstances justified his action, but the language implies that it might have been sexual impropriety. Theoretically, it could have been anything, even the most minor grievance, which is the way it had come to be popularly applied. According to this case, the woman would be able to marry another. If later her new husband decided he didn’t like her, he too could follow the same procedure and dismiss her from his home. The original intent of Deut. 24:1-4, however, may not have been so much focused on divorce but on guidelines for remarriage following divorce. The woman apparently could remarry. However, if her first husband wanted to remarry her following the dissolution of her second marriage, he was prohibited from doing so. In time, the original intent of the law appears to have been ignored. Rather, it became a legal precedent for saying that a marriage could be dissolved by issuing a writing of divorcement. That is what Jesus was challenging.

What was God’s plan for marriage?

• God’s expectation is that marriage be between one man and one woman for a lifetime.
• Jesus is advocating that marriage be honored. The Ten Commandments are about honor and value; we are to honor God, honor His name, honor the Sabbath, honor our parents, and honor human life. Now in the seventh commandment God is instructing that we honor marriage and the family by committing to marital faithfulness. The Bible clearly states that “Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral” (Heb. 13:4 NIV). To understand what Jesus is saying, we should remember what marriage is supposed to be: One man with one woman pledged in a public commitment to live together as husband and wife for life. One man with one woman for life! That’s what marriage is supposed to be. Anything less falls short of the Scriptural ideal. This teaching is as much about marriage as it is about adultery. In fact, Jesus raised the standard of marriage.
• Nothing destroys God’s ideal of marriage quicker than adultery. God is not a kill-joy when it comes to sex. He invented sex. But like everything else, it must be controlled. He wants us to use it not abuse it. Properly controlled and expressed within a marriage, sex is beautiful and fantastic. But outside of marriage, it is destructive and detrimental to your health—emotionally, physically, and spiritually. Herein lies the reason God commands us not to commit adultery. God classifies adultery among the worst sins a person can commit. Hollywood makes the free and easy lifestyle of adultery so glamorous. But it is a blatant lie. Name one good thing adultery ever accomplished. Name one home that was made stronger by unfaithfulness. Point out the children made happier because a parent broke his or her vows. Search the pages of history and see if you can find one good thing to say about adultery—even one positive benefit of unfaithfulness. I submit it can’t be done. There is nothing good to be said about adultery. Adultery wrecks homes, destroys lives, harms children, ruins reputations, and causes pain. Everybody loses. Everybody suffers. Solomon wrote, “A man who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself” (Prov. 6:32 NIV).
• Even if a marriage fails, God is a God of grace and is ready to forgive and to restore.

What are some actions that you and your spouse can take to strengthen the quality of your relationship with one another? What is the best way to maintain and protect your marriage?

• A growing relationship with your spouse will reduce the pull and attraction of adultery. Jesus is advocating a call to fidelity in marriage. The apostle Paul added, “The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband” (1 Cor. 7:13 NIV). It has always been true that the best defense against adultery is a happy marriage.
• To the unmarried Jesus is advocating that marriage is worth waiting for.
• To the married Jesus is advocating that marriage is worth working for. Someone once said that married couples should keep their lawns so green that it would make everybody else’s look brown by comparison. Mary Alda, the wife of Alan Alda, the actor, said, “It’s real easy to leave your spouse. It’s not easy to leave your best friend.” You cannot be best friends with someone you don’t spend time with that you don’t see very often, that you don’t talk and tell your heart to.

Jesus is telling us to hold onto marriage. Commit to it. Don’t run, stay faithful.

3 things you should know:

1. Marriage is difficult. Marriage is difficult because it challenges us to confront the depth of our selfishness. When we truly have to put someone else’s needs ahead of our own, we discover where our commitments lie.
2. Marriage is supported. We don’t face the challenges of marriage alone. God is with us, and God is for us. He is very pro-marriage. In fact, He’s so much in favor of marriage that He chose the relationship between a husband and a wife to represent His own relationship with His people (see Rev. 19:7-8; 21:2; 22:17).
3. Marriage is an opportunity for growth. God uses difficulties in marriage to make us more like Jesus. Marriage is the most intimate relationship we have, and it is the ideal place to display and practice the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control (see Gal. 5:22-23). 

What Women Really Want for Valentine’s Day

Skip the chocolates and flowers. OK, you should probably still get those. But the flowers might last for a week and the chocolates won’t even stay that long. Even jewelry will one day end up in the back of a drawer.

If you want to give your wife something that will last, start seeing her as God does. This will not just change your Valentine's Day, but your entire relationship.

If you want to give your wife something that will last, start seeing her as God does.

The woman you are with is a daughter of God and she should be treated that way.



3 Ways to Offer What Women Really Want:

 
1. Listen
One word used to describe love in the Bible is “patient” (1 Corinthians 13:4). Patiently listening to the cares and thoughts of your wife will make her feel valued.

1 Peter 3:7 encourages men to be “considerate” and “understanding” towards their wives. If you’re a man, you’ll likely never really understand women, but you can still be understanding.

2. Encourage
After really listening to what your wife says, offer her kind words of encouragement. Colossians 3:19 tells men to “love their wives and not be harsh with them.” Words hold the power of life and healing or of death (Proverbs 12:18, 18:21). Your kind words to your wife will not only impact your marriage, but also her image of herself and her relationship with Jesus.

3. Pursue
We’re not asking you to know every hair on the woman’s head like God does, but pursuit involves paying attention. What does she like or dislike? What does she need? Do those things! It may take some extra time and effort but Ephesians 5:25 calls men to love their wives sacrificially like Christ loved the church. Pursue her because you love her and because you believe she's valuable like God declares her valuable.



Conclusion: In an age in which social and political efforts have been made to redefine marriage and in which marriage is treated lightly and divorces are even celebrated, Jesus’ words challenge us to honor the sanctity of marriage to a degree that greatly exceeds cultural practice or social acceptability. Rather than look for ways to end a marriage, stand by the commitment, and with earnestness abide by the prohibition against divorce.

 

Prayer of Commitment

Father, biblical marriage is under attack in our nation and, no doubt, even some marriages in our church are facing challenges. So help us to reaffirm our commitment to the purity demanded by biblical marriage and to stand strong in the faith. Amen.



Hope to see you on Sunday!


In His Love,

David & Susan