The Sermon Continues - Pt 5

 

[Jesus said] “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?” (Matthew 5:43–47 ESV).

 

Our reading today contains a verse where Jesus addresses the traditional cultural and religious teachings of his time regarding relationships with others. In the first part of the verse, Jesus references a common interpretation of the law at the time. While the Hebrew Scriptures commanded to "love your neighbor" (cf. Leviticus 19:18), the addition of "hate your enemy" was a cultural and religious tradition that the religious leaders (ie.: the Pharisees) had adopted to justify drawing lines between insiders (their people) and outsiders (foreigners or those who opposed them). Sound familiar?

 

Jesus recalls the true intent of the command of God. Jesus completely flips this concept by instructing his followers: "But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." He explains that showing love only to those who love you back is easy, but loving your enemies reflects the character of God, who generously provides sunlight and rain to both the righteous and the unrighteous alike.

 

Jesus certainly lived this principle in His life. There are countless examples of Him loving those who clearly hated Him. He prayed for them as well. You remember as they nailed Him to the cross, Luke recalls this for us:

 

“And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments. (Luke 23:33–34 ESV).

 

We cannot, we must not, make those who are vehemently opposed to us our hated enemies. We should treat them with the love and wisdom of God.

 

The Sermon Continues - Pt 4

 

[Jesus said] “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.” (Matthew 5:33–37 ESV).

 

Have you ever made a “pinky swear”? It may be that you are not aware of the origins of this innocent promise. It traces back to Japan during the Edo Period (1600–1803), the act translates to "finger cut-off". When a serious vow was made—famously linked to courtesans, geishas, and the yakuza mafia—breaking the promise required the offender to physically amputate their own pinky finger as the ultimate penalty for betrayal. Over time, the physical self-mutilation became entirely symbolic. The linked fingers were accompanied by a binding Japanese chant, yubikiri genman, uso tsuitara hari senbon nomasu, which translates to: "Pinky swear, whoever lies will be made to swallow a thousand needles". It later was popularized in America during the 19^th century and approximates “cross my heart and hope to die.”

 

In our reading today, Jesus challenges us to abandon deceptive language and manipulative oaths. He calls His followers to such profound integrity that a simple "Yes" or "No" is enough. Absolute honesty should be the unmistakable hallmark of every believer.

 

The context is important to understand. In the ancient world—and within Jewish tradition—people would swear oaths by heaven, earth, Jerusalem, or even their own heads to make their promises sound more credible. Often, they used these varying degrees of oaths to create loopholes. The underlying logic was that an oath sworn by God was strictly binding, while an oath sworn by the earth or the temple was less serious and could be broken with less guilt.

 

Jesus completely dismantles these religious loopholes. He points out that all creation belongs to God—heaven is His throne, and the earth is His footstool. Even your own head is under God's control, as you cannot change a single hair to white or black. Therefore, there is no such thing as an "unbound" promise. Every commitment you make is made in the presence of God. Therefore there is simply a single standard of truth. And Jesus summarizes this with a command: "Let what you say be simply 'Yes' or 'No'; anything more than this comes from evil".

 

The "Yes" and "No": Your personal integrity should be so reliable that you never need to swear on anything to prove you are telling the truth. When you give your word, you follow through. Jesus warns that adding elaborate oaths to convince people actually reveals a hidden motive or a history of dishonesty. Exaggerations, half-truths, and over-promising ultimately stem from the "Evil One," who is known as the father of lies.

 

The Sermon Continues - Pt 3

 

[Jesus said] “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.” (Matthew 5:27–30 ESV).

 

Our reading today continues Jesus’ sermon which He delivered on the hillside above the Sea of Galilee.  It is a passage where Jesus elevates the traditional commandment against adultery (cf. Exodus 20:14). The word He uses here is only found in two other passages of the New Testament. It is μοιχεύσεις (moicheuseis). In the Greco-Roman world, extramarital relations were common and often tolerated for men, yet the Old Testament consistently condemned them (cf. Proverbs 6:32). By employing the same verb in the Septuagint, the New Testament writers tied first-century believers back to Israel’s covenant ethic, distinguishing the church from surrounding cultures. By redefining adultery as a matter of the heart, Jesus raises the bar of righteousness, driving His hearers toward dependence on God’s grace and the regenerating work of the Spirit.

 

Jesus accomplishes this by shifting the focus from purely physical actions to the condition of the heart. He emphasizes that harboring lustful thoughts is just as spiritually corrupting as the physical act of adultery. The instructions to gouge out an eye or cut off a hand are hyperbole. Rather than advocating for self-mutilation, Jesus uses vivid language to illustrate the absolute necessity of taking drastic, uncompromising measures to avoid temptations and remove anything that leads you into sin.

 

It should be noted in this use of the hyperbole that the eye and hand symbolize things that are highly valued or ingrained habits (like certain technologies, relationships, or activities) that cause one to stumble. By setting a perfect, demanding standard, Jesus highlights humanity's inability to achieve righteousness on their own, thereby pointing to their need for God's grace. Our dependency on that grace of God must be the overcoming factor in the daily onslaught of sexual temptation. Again, Jesus is giving us the simple answer, not the easy one. Be careful with your eyes!

 

The Sermon Continues - Pt 2

 

[Jesus said] “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.” (Matthew 5:21–26 ESV).

 

Our reading today takes us to a common need among all of us. Jesus teaches about anger and reconciliation. While the law condemns those who murder, Jesus says in a kingdom community such a low bar inadequate. The kingdom can only take root in communities where people practice reconciliation. Hate and anger are like a virus that grows and poisons a community. If we are going to experience God’s kingdom we must not allow it to take root. God’s desire is for us to experience joy, peace, love and belonging. But unresolved conflict makes that impossible in a community. Instead, God desires that his people live in harmony with each other. To safeguard the community, believers need to practice reconciliation as a way of life. As we learn to deal with small conflicts immediately, larger conflicts can be avoided. While conflicts are unavoidable, anger and reconciliation must go together.

 

There are some practical principles in this part of His sermon. Jesus redefines God's law to show that sin begins in the heart, not just in physical actions. He equates unrighteous anger and insults to murder, emphasizing that God values human dignity and requires believers to aggressively pursue reconciliation.

 

People were taught "do not murder" and that physical violence is what makes someone guilty before God. However, Jesus explains that harboring malicious anger or using demeaning language toward someone is a violation of this command. Using insults (like calling someone a "fool") devalues them as an image-bearer of God, making your heart guilty of the same root attitude that leads to murder.

 

Jesus also teaches that unresolved conflict is a barrier to fellowship with God. If you are about to offer a gift to God and remember that someone has an issue with you, you must stop, leave your offering, and make peace first. Of course, He is not saying that reconciliation is an easy matter. I often remind people that much of the teachings of Jesus are simple, but they are often not easy. He is emphasizing that loving God and loving people are inseparable. We cannot have a right relationship with God while harboring resentment or ignoring a fracture in human relationships.

 

Notice how Jesus uses this as a warning. We should give priority to dealing with our relational debts and hostilities. Waiting or allowing bitterness to build only leads to a worse outcome, ultimately standing before God's ultimate judgment.

 

 

The Sermon Continues - Pt 1

[Jesus said] “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. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:17–20 ESV).

 

While we have finished the section called “the Beatitudes,” the “sermon” of Jesus continues. We often refer to these three chapters in Matthew’s Gospel as the “Sermon on the Mount.” For the next few days I hope to do a deeper dive into the entirety of this pivotal message Jesus has for all believers. It is a very strong statement about the continuing validity of the Old Testament law.

 

Even with a brief look at this teaching we cannot escape the great difficulty they have presented to many Christian interpreters. Some have felt that they are in contradiction to Jesus’ more liberal attitude to the law attested in Mark’s Gospel (and elsewhere); others have wondered how they can possibly be reconciled with the teaching of Paul, the writer to the Hebrews and others, who suggest that the Christian is at least in some senses freed from the law. However, what is nearly universally accepted is the fact that Jesus rejects the charge that he is a law-breaker who is lowering standards by asserting his endorsement of the Old Testament and by claiming that his standards are actually higher, not lower, than those of the supposedly pious defenders of the law, the scribes and Pharisees.

 

And, that become an introduction to the remainder of His “sermon.” In fact, Jesus will go on to teach that the Scriptures remain eternally valid, and it should challenge us to pursue a deeper, internal righteousness that goes far beyond just outward rule-keeping. This was at the heart of His conflict with the religious leaders of His day. It remains the same with the modern pharisee.

 

The key for us today is to recognize that our outward practice means little if it is not a result of the inward spiritual change brought to us by the work of the Holy Spirit.

  

The Beatitudes - Pt 9

 

[Jesus said] “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:10-12 ESV).

 

To understand this beatitude we must look at two words. The first is δεδιωγμένοι (dediōgmenoi) translated “persecuted,” which gathers two complementary actions—energetic pursuit and hostile persecution. Whether describing the Pharisee hunting disciples or the believer chasing holiness, the term consistently depicts intense, single-minded movement. The context alone clarifies whether the motion is benevolent or malicious. In this case it is most definitely malicious. The second is δικαιοσύνης (dikaiosynēs) translated righteousness. This word appears ninety-two times in the Greek New Testament. It gathers the rich Old Testament background of “rightness” before God (Hebrew ṣĕdāqâ) and carries it forward into the gospel era where it denotes both the flawless moral integrity of God, and the saving status granted to believers in Christ. It is the Spirit-wrought life that conforms to God’s standards.

 

To understand what it means to be persecuted for righteousness' sake, we turn to Philippians 3:7-11:

 

But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:7–11 ESV).

 

In this passage, the apostle Paul provides insights into two key points regarding righteousness. First, Jesus is not talking about having our own righteousness. The Apostle Paul emphasizes that true righteousness has nothing to do with our personal achievements or moral goodness. Despite Paul's impressive religious resume, he considers it all as loss and rubbish compared to the righteousness found in Christ. This challenges us to recognize that our own “righteousness” actually hinders us from attaining true righteousness. And second, highlights that genuine righteousness comes from God through faith in Christ. It's not about our efforts but about receiving what God has promised us. Faith is not a personal act of righteousness but a gift from God, emphasizing our reliance on Him rather than ourselves.

 

There are several practical ways we may express and live out righteousness in our daily lives. Our commitment to God begins with knowing Him and His Word. We see this exemplified in the life of David, who prioritized his relationship with God over religious obligations. Similarly, we should focus on the essence of God's commands rather than rigidly adhering to legalistic interpretations.

 

We also must avoid legalism. We must be wary of falling into the trap of our enemy, where we substitute human traditions for God's commands. Legalism can lead us to judge others based on outward appearances rather than focusing on the heart, as seen in the Pharisees' attitude towards Jesus. Our commitment to righteousness should not be overshadowed by man-made rules and traditions. We must prioritize God's commands and priorities, which center on justice, mercy, and humility, rather than becoming harsh and judgmental.

 

And, of course, true righteousness is accompanied by humility. Instead of elevating ourselves as defenders of God's truth, we should humbly acknowledge our dependence on Him and treat others with love and compassion.

 

Jesus has saved the best for last in His list. The blessing of this attitude in life is that we will “have the kingdom of God.” What a glorious thought. This is more than mere eternal life in heaven, as wonderful as that is. This is standing with the Lord in all of His glorious creation knowing we are given the right to roam it freely in perfection.

The Beatitudes - Pt 8

[Jesus said] “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” (Matthew 5:9 ESV).

 

Today we take up the seventh beatitude in the Sermon on the Mount, and it highlights that those who actively seek to reconcile others and establish holy peace reflect the character of God. Unlike "peacekeepers" who might avoid conflict simply to keep things calm, "peacemakers" actively step into the fray to resolve hostility. It starts with a relationship with God and extends to resolving conflicts between humans. It involves building bridges, praying for enemies, and making sacrifices to replace animosity with authentic, godly peace.

 

The Greek word translated here as “peacemakers” is εἰρηνοποιός (eirénopoios). It is relatively straight forward in that it means “one who makes peace.” It is interesting where Jesus places this term in the Sermon on the Mount, the manifesto of kingdom ethics. The position of this beatitude—after purity of heart (Matthew 5:8) and before persecution (Matthew 5:10-11)—underscores that genuine peace-making flows from inner holiness and may provoke opposition from a world at odds with divine righteousness. It is only found in this verse in the entire New Testament.

 

In the Old Testament, though the noun εἰρηνοποιός is absent from the Septuagint, the concept saturates the Hebrew Scriptures. Aaron’s benediction invokes shalom upon Israel (cf. Numbers 6:24-26). The wise are exhorted: “Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, but counselors of peace have joy” (cf. Proverbs 12:20). Messianic prophecy anticipates the ultimate Peacemaker: “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, proclaiming peace” (Isaiah 52:7), a text later applied to gospel heralds by the Apostle Paul (cf. Romans 10:15).

 

Remember the context. First-century Palestine languished under Roman occupation, with the Pax Romana enforced by military might. Against that backdrop, Jesus offered a radically different peace rooted in reconciliation with God and neighbor (cf. John 14:27). Early Christians adopted this identity; Tertullian noted, “We are a society of peace.” This is what identifies us as “sons of God.”

 

I must say that I have been dismayed as I scroll through so many social media threads and see the petty name-calling, vulgar bullying, and outright destructive nature of so many people toward those they disagree with. All the while reading such posts I see very little mention of the Gospel. If you want a man’s heart to be changed it will only happen as we lead them to the One who can change their heart. That power is only found in the work of the Holy Spirit through the work of Jesus! How have we gone so far away from this in our disagreements with others. Be a real peace-maker!