Promise Keeper
Counter-Culture • Sermon • Submitted
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· 14 viewsWhile the world says, it's reasonable to speak deceptively, with words full of empty promises. Jesus teaches the church to talk simply by either proclaiming with a resounding 'yes' or 'no,' for the purpose that all our words are truthful and reliable. As we live in a counter-culture movement, let the church express our words with certainty and integrity, so we will always mean what we say.
Notes
Transcript
Good Morning everyone, we’ve been doing a series called counter-culture in the gospel of Matthew, in which we are combating the the waves our society by embracing the principles of God’s kingdom.
If you’ve been with us, we are been covering the sermon on the Mount. And covering issues such as anger and we control our anger by reconciling quickly with others with a heart of forgiveness and last Sunday, we taught on sexual ethics and how love is not just an emotion but its embodiment by Chris’t fidelity to the church. We are to love the spouses who God has given to us.
To series counter-culture
Counter-Culture
Overcoming anger with
Now continuing Christ’s message we reach middle of chapter 5 where Jesus is teaching his church about oaths.
Problem in the text:
33 “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.’
Why is this being taught in the first place? Two fold purpose:
1. For God’s people to perform to the Lord what they sworn.
2. God was addressing Israel for their false swearing.
Can’t be a holy nation when speaking deceptively and full of empty promises. That’s why God gave the people new commandments on top of Mount Sinai.
.
11 “You shall not steal; you shall not deal falsely; you shall not lie to one another. 12 You shall not swear by my name falsely, and so profane the name of your God: I am the Lord.
2 If a man vows a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word. He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth. .
2 If a man vows a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word. He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.
Not only was it was a problem for God’s people in the past, but the problem of false swearing is only escalating.
Problem in the world:
1. People make promises they don’t plan on keeping i.e. paying back debt, being at event or gathering, doing something you ask.
2. Believe them by their oath.
Truly we live in lying culture.
I imagine you can remember when made you a promise and failed to keep it.
illustration - Grandma’s grave (Got away with lying to my mom)
Which is why Christ came to establish a new standard of life. Which is why he says this on the sermon on the mount.
34 But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 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 take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.
:34-
Command: Do not make an oath at all.
Why people make oaths or swear in the first place?
To make their words more trustworthy by
To make their words more trustworthy by swearing by something that’s constant or something they know is true i.e. I swear to God or on my life. (It remains in their control.)
But should we swear or make oaths? No, because we aren’t in control, Jesus makes it clear. everything belongs to God and we can’t even swear according our bodies because we can’t control how many hairs stay or go.
Grace in the text:
So we find a new avenue on how we commit to thing and Jesus teaches us how we are to respond to other’s request or our own obligations.
37 Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.
Matthew
We shouldn’t have to swear, because as Christians all our words are to be trustworthy and true. It’s like our words could be dip in gold and sold to everyone who heard them because of the deep value they carry.
God wants us to be a promise keeper. Everything we speak, we truly will do our best to uphold our promises.
Illustration - duck-tape (When we speak our promises are stuck to us by God.) What words have you spoke that are stuck to you? i.e. wedding vow, financial commitments, family, church, work. We should be known as the one who honor all our request.
12 But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.
James 5
We can only do this only by the grace of God.
All because Jesus said ‘yes’ to leaving heaven and went to the cross. Opening the way to us to begin the new counter-culture movement of us being a promise keeper.
DT: Jesus said, 'Yes' to the cross, so you and I can simply say 'Yes' or 'No' to the world.
1. Be slow to making commitments to others
James 5L
Grace in the world:
1. Choose wisely and slowly about your commitments (people of integrity)
2. Let your words be solid (people of consistancy)
3. Our words come with a cost (people of suffering)
If we continue to practice the words of Christ, we will improve in our integrity, consistency and suffering and point the world to crucified christ who loves us and wants us to keep our promises.
Let your words be solid gold
Our words come with a cost