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Cut It Off!
Matthew 5:27-30 | Shaun LePage | June 18, 2006
I.
Introduction
A. The 1990 Kinsey Report states that around 50% of all married people will commit adultery during their lifetime.
The number is usually about 5% higher among men.
Women are less likely to commit adultery but not by much.
Researchers also interviewed nearly 1000 subscribers to /Christianity Today/.
Of those 1000 people, 23 percent had engaged in extramarital sex.
The numbers are good because the level of adultery within the church is half of what the national level is.
But, the numbers are bad news because they are way too high: 1 in every 4 Christians has committed adultery and 1 in every 10 ministers has committed adultery, thus ruining their ministries and tainting the church.
(Contributed to sermoncentral.com by Rob Morton)
B. The year I graduated from Dallas Seminary, Dr. Charles Swindoll was the President of DTS.
It was his practice to sit down with four or five graduating students and just talk for awhile.
Toward the end of that talk, he got real serious.
He warned us about the various troubles we would encounter in the ministry, but he especially warned us about the sexual temptations we would face.
With a great deal of passion, he pleaded with us never to commit adultery.
“If you choose to go down the path of sexual sin,” he said, “please do Dallas Seminary one favor.
Either mail back your diploma or burn it.”
*[Show my diploma] *I still have mine!
C. Review
1.
In the first twelve verses of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus described the heart of a kingdom-minded disciple of Christ.
The beatitudes are all heart issues that seem upside down compared to the world’s way of thinking.
2. In vs. 13-16, He described the kind of influence kingdom-minded disciples of Jesus Christ should have: Salt and Light.
Preserving society by having a higher moral standard than the world around us.
Bringing glory to God by lighting up the world with truth that stands in contrast with a dark world.
3.
Then, in vs. 17-20, Jesus explained that righteousness—a surpassing righteousness—was the aim of a true disciple.
Trusting in the righteousness that Christ provides not only makes it possible for us to be in heaven with a righteous God, but it also makes it possible for us to live a righteous life here and now.
4.
Then, in vs. 21-26, Jesus gave His first example: The spirit of the sixth commandment was to deal with the heart issue of sinful anger—not just refrain from the act of unlawfully ending someone’s life.
The inner man is the key—not just the outer behavior.
We must deal with our sinful anger and seek reconciliation with everyone we butt heads with.
5. In verses 27-30—which we’ll look at today—Jesus gives another example which serves as one of the best examples I can think of for showing how different the disciples of Jesus Christ are supposed to be.
This is a difficult message to deliver, but one which we all need to hear.
II.
Matthew 5:27-30
A. “*You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery’*…”
1.
Here we have the Seventh Commandment.
a) “*Adultery*”—the Greek word moiceuw (moy-*khyoo*-o) means “to have unlawful intercourse with another man’s wife.”
Not just sexual sin in general, but home-wreaking, sexual activity in which at least one person was married.
Adultery is the violation of marriage.
b) In the Old Testament law, those who committed this sin were to be put to death (Leviticus 20:10-12).
Why such a severe penalty—it seems so extreme to our ears?
Why?
Because it destroys the family.
What destroys more lives than adultery?
I can think of very few things.
A study of the life of David shows that even if the adulterer seeks forgiveness and is truly repentant, his life and testimony and family always suffer permanent damage.
c) Here is a short list of several of the reasons why God—in His wisdom—has given this commandment.
And, several of the reasons why it is obviously wise to obey it:
(i) Physical consequences.
Romans 1:25-27 makes it clear that there are sometimes physical consequences to the sin of sexual activity outside marriage—that’s part of it.
In the 1950’s there were only two widespread sexually transmitted diseases.
Both could be cured with antibiotics.
Today, there are more than 25 major diseases.
Most cannot be cured.
Several can cause a woman to become sterile and some even cause cancer and death.
(ii) Financial consequences.
Divorce is expensive.
Alimony.
Child support.
Many men spend small fortunes paying for their secret life.
If a disease is contracted, there will be on-going medical expenses for cure or treatment.
If disease is brought into the marriage bed from an adulterous relationship, there can be on-going medical expenses for the spouse.
(iii) Emotional consequences.
The adulterer is usually full of guilt and self-anger and has constant fear of getting caught.
The injured spouse suffers the emotions of abandonment, rejection, betrayal, anger and hatred.
Imagine the emotional conflict for a couple if one of the spouses brings a sexually transmitted disease into the marriage bed.
(iv) Relational consequences.
The relational devastation caused by adultery is astronomical.
Spouses are betrayed.
Marriages are destroyed—if not, the damage takes years to overcome, if ever.
Children are often confused and blame themselves somehow.
(v) Spiritual consequences.
No Christian who is participating in an adulterous relationship can—at the same time—be walking with the Lord.
Those who reject God’s commands and refuse to obey them will never experience the blessings of fellowship with God and will eventually be disciplined in some way by God.
(vi) Eternal consequences.
Christians who commit adultery will dishonor the name of Christ and rob God of the glory He should have received in their lives.
They will cheat themselves of eternal reward because their sin is a tragic misuse of the time they have been given to live for God.
2. Most of us—if we stopped with v.27—would feel pretty good about ourselves.
We’re doing pretty well.
But hang on.
Jesus takes this commandment to the heart level—God’s true intention behind the seventh commandment.
Listen to vs. 28 again:
B. “…*but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.*”*
*
1. Philip Yancey wrote about professor Virginia Stem Owens in his book, /The Jesus I Never Knew/.
Prof. Owens assigned the Sermon on the Mount to her composition class at Texas A&M University.
She asked her students to write a short essay on this passage of Scripture.
Here is what one student wrote: “The things asked in this sermon are absurd.
To look at a woman is adultery?
That is the most extreme, stupid, unhuman statement that I have ever heard.”(/The
Jesus I Never Knew/, p. 130).
2. That student’s comments reminds us of how radically different the disciples of Jesus Christ will be if we live up to the teachings of Jesus.
This was radical in Jesus’ day and perhaps even more so in our day.
3. Remember the context: Jesus is telling His disciples that their righteousness must surpass the superficial righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees.
Their interpretation of this commandment was shallow—if I don’t do the dirty deed, then I’m in full compliance.
But Jesus’ point is that the heart condition is the true issue.
The external, dirty deed of adultery simply reveals what is already in the heart.
4. Remember also that Jesus came to fulfill the Law.
Why is this important?
Because apart from the supernatural intervention from God, no man alive could fulfill this one.
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