Keep your Promise… vs. 33-37

• 1^st – Do not Lie… vs. 33
  • Again you have heard that it was said to those of old.
  • You shall not swear falsely – but shall perform your oaths to the Lord!
  • THIRD – The LAW of Moses was very clear on PROMISES [swearing] made to God…
  • Any PROMISE that was made – had to be KEPT – or it was SIN!
  • Deuteronomy 23:21 – “When you make a vow to the LORD your God – be prompt in doing whatever you promised him. For the LORD your God demands that you promptly fulfill all your vows. If you don not – you will be guilty of sin.” [NLT]
  • David made a PROMISE to Jonathan – the son of King Saul…
  • David was hiding – certain that Saul wanted him dead – but waited to get word from his friend…
  • As he hid in the trees and waited – Jonathan shot THREE arrows past David…
  • The code that warned David – indeed Saul intended to kill him…
  • Jonathan told David to go in PEACE – and they made a PROMISE to each other…
  • The Lord would watch over them – and their children – forever – I Samuel 20:42
  • A PROMISE David kept FORTY years later – when he took in Mephibosheth – II Samuel 9
  • It is easy to say we will keep our word – when we PROMISE something today…
  • But we are to keep our word – even FORTY years after we have made a PROMISE …
  • God does not treat what we say lightly – He expects us to KEEP our word!
  • Numbers 30:2 – “A man who makes a vow to the LORD or makes a pledge under oath must never break it. He must do exactly what he said he would do.”
• 2^nd – No Oaths… vs. 34-36
  • Do no swear… vs. 34
    • But I say to you – do not swear at all!
    • The LAW said to keep our PROMISES – but Jesus goes one step farther…
    • He says [ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω] – we should not make PROMISES [ὀμνύω] at all!
    • It is worth mentioning the words: PROMISE – OATH – VOW – SWEAR – carry the same idea…
    • They are what someone gives to CONVINCE others they are telling the TRUTH…
    • When a WITNESS stands in a court to give their TESTIMONY…
    • They must first place their hand upon a Bible and take an OATH [tell the truth]!
    • The only reason we have to PROMISE – is because we are untrustworthy…
    • Instead of trying to convince others – it is better to be TRUE to our WORD…
    • If we are faithful to what we SAY – no one will need an OATH to convince them!
  • By Heaven… vs. 34
    • Neither by heaven – for it is Gods throne!
    • In an effort to give further weight to a PROMISE…
    • Men SWEAR by something great than they are – [I swear to God I am telling the truth]
    • Jesus gives FOUR examples of things men commonly SWORE by…
    • FIRST – HEAVEN [οὐρανός] – where the THRONE of God is…
    • But we should NOT swear by Heaven – because that assumes God will do what we SAY!
    • We are NOT the AUTHORITY – God is the one who sits on His THRONE in heaven…
    • And just because we say something should happen – does NOT mean God agrees!
  • By Earth… vs. 35
    • Nor by the earth – for it is His footstool!
    • SECOND – the EARTH [γῆ] – which is UNDER His foot [footstool]
    • But we should NOT swear by the Earth – because that assumes we are in control!
    • We do NOT see tomorrow – we have NO idea what will happen next week…
    • To assume we have some POWER over the FUTURE is naïve at best…
    • Only God is SOVEREIGN – the earth is UNDER His control [foot]!
    • Ephesians 1:11 – “[Jesus] works all things according to the counsel of His will.”
  • By Jerusalem… vs. 35
    • Nor by Jerusalem – for it is the city of the great King!
    • THIRD – JERUSALEM – which is the CITY of the great [μέγας] King…
    • But we should NOT swear by Jerusalem – because we are NOT the KING!
  • By our head… vs. 36
    • Nor shall you swear by your head – because you cannot make one hair white or black!
    • FOURTH – our HEAD – which turns from BLACK to WHITE…
    • But should NOT swear by our HEAD – because we do NOT have power [δύναμαι]!
    • Although we can DYE our hair color these days – it is temporary [comes back white]
    • We are all getting OLD [turning grey] – and we cannot turn back the TIME [get younger]
    • And if we do not have the POWER to do the least [permanently change hair color]
    • Why would we think SWEARING by any of these things gives POWER to our WORDS!
• 3^rd – Yes and No… vs. 37
  • [Instead] let your Yes be Yes – and your No – No. 
  • For whatever is more than these is from the evil one!
  • Rather than make PROMISES – or SWEAR by something greater…
  • We should just DO what we SAY – either YES or NO…
  • Anything more than that – is from the EVIL [πονηρός] one…
  • Because we are being DECEPTIVE – and satan is the father or LIES – John 8:44
  • This is a challenging truth – because YES – does NOT mean YES in our culture…
  • If someone asks us to come over and eat – we will always say YES…
  • But that does not mean we are coming over – it is just a polite response!
  • We need to be careful and KEEP our WORD – be true to our YES and NO…
  • Because too often we speak – then we stop to think about what we said…
  • It is easy to say the WORDS – but the KEY is to follow up with ACTIONS…
  • If we are not sure if we can keep our PROMISE – better to say NOTHING!
  • Ecclesiastes 5:5 – “It is better to say nothing than to promise something that you do not follow through on.” [NLT]

• 4^th – True Justice… vs. 38-42
  • 1^st – Eye for an Eye… vs. 38
    • You have heard that it was said – An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth!
    • FOURTH – the LAW of Moses – taught EQUAL justice – Exodus 21:24
    • An eye for an eye – a tooth for a tooth – a hand for a hand – a wound for a wound…
    • The idea being equal reprisal – you could only do to others what they did to you
    • It was NOT meant to be vindictive – it was meant to be LIMITING!
    • There was a lawsuit a number of years back regarding a cup of HOT coffee…
    • A person was driving through McDonalds – and they spilled the cup on their lap [their fault]
    • But the coffee was so hot it burnt them – they sued and won MILLIONS!
    • When we are HARMED – we do NOT want JUSTICE – we want REVENGE…
    • If you take my eye – I want to take both of yours [and ears and nose]
    • If you start the fight – I am going to be the one to FINISH it…
    • Therefore – the LAW was given to LIMIT how much we could DEMAND from others!
  • 2^nd – Turn the cheek… vs. 39
    • But I tell you not to resist an evil person. 
    • But whoever slaps you on your right cheek – turn the other to him also!
    • The LAW called for EQUAL justice – but Jesus again goes one step farther…
    • He says [ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω] – if someone SLAPS us – we do NOT SLAP back…
    • Instead we TURN [imperative] and let them SLAP the other side!
    • This is NOT a MORATORIUM on self-defense – God is not saying we should let people beat us up…
    • But it is NOT normal to get HIT – and then offer the other CHEEK…
    • Paul – one of the greatest men in all of the Bible – got SLAPPED – and lashed out in ANGER!
    • Acts 23:3 – “God will strike you – you whitewashed wall!”
    • Turning the other CHEEK – is the OPPOSITE of our nature – the world EXPECTS us to FIGHT…
    • But why not be willing to be WRONGED – why not take the HIT…
    • Let unbelievers see a response that they would NEVER give…
    • Rather than reacting with JUSTICE – let them see GRACE – let them see Jesus!
    • John 19:3 – “Hail King of the Jews! And they struck [imperfect] Jesus with their hands.”
  • 3^rd – Extra mile… vs. 40-42
    • Your Coat… vs. 40
      • If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic – let him have your cloak also!
      • To emphasize how we should RESPOND – Jesus gave THREE more examples…
      • FIRST – If a person SUES [κρίνω] us in COURT – and takes the SHIRT off our back…
      • Go ahead and GIVE [imperative] him our COAT also…
      • GIVE [ἀφίημι] – a word that is often translated at FORGIVE!
      • Matthew 6:12 – “Forgive [ἀφίημι] us our sins – as we have forgiven those who sin against us.”
      • If someone TAKES something from us – that does not belong to them [theft]
      • Our INSTINCT is NOT to give them MORE – we want to get back what they TOOK [justice]
      • But why not FORGIVE – and show we are FORGIVING – by giving them GRACE!
    • Second Mile… vs. 41
      • And whoever compels you to go one mile – go with him two!
      • SECOND – in the days of the ROMAN Empire – soldiers had to carry about TEN kilos of armor…
      • And they were allowed to COMPEL anyone to carry it for them for ONE mile [1.5 kilometers]
      • Keep in mind – ROMANS were a conquering force – JEWS did NOT like them…
      • But Jesus said – do NOT just go ONE mile – we are to go [imperative] TWO!
      • No one likes to be inconvenienced – let people make DEMANDS of us…
      • But why not go the EXTRA mile – that is something the WORLD would NEVER do!
    • Borrowing… vs. 42
      • Give to him who asks you – and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away!
      • THIRD – there are TWO kinds of people in life: those who HELP and those who NEED help…
      • The ASKER [participle] – is the person who ALWAYS needs HELP…
      • The BORROWER [participle] – is the person who ALWAYS needs MONEY…
      • We are to GIVE [imperative] to both of them – and NOT [subjunctive] turn away!
      • Those who do NOT know Jesus will LOAN money to others – with interest…
      • They will let people BORROW – but they want their things BACK!
      • We are NOT called to LOAN money – or let others BORROW our things…
      • Jesus says give it away – without any hope of getting it back…
      • Give our things – to ANYONE who asks – because that the world NEVER would never do…
      • Besides – what do we have that God did not FREELY give to us!
      • Matthew 10:8 – “Freely you have received – freely give.”

• 5^th – Love your Enemies… vs. 43-48
  • 1^st – Love your Neighbor… vs. 43
    • Old Testament…
      • You have heard that it was said – You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy!
      • FINALLY – LAW of Moses – taught we are to LOVE [ἀγαπάω] our Neighbor – Leviticus 19:18
      • That did leave an important question – WHO is our NEIGHBOR [רֵעַ]
      • JEWS interpreted NEIGHBOR to mean other JEWS – so they could HATE the GENTILES [גּוֹיִם]
      • But that is NOT what the LAW said – and was NEVER what God intended!
    • Good Samaritan…
      • When a certain LAWYER asked Jesus how to get to heaven…
      • Jesus answered he must LOVE the Lord – and LOVE his neighbor…
      • The Lawyer questioned the LAW – looking for a LOOPHOLE!
      • Luke 10:29 – “Wanting to justify himself – he said to Jesus – And who is my neighbor?”
      • According to Jewish tradition – not everyone was considered your neighbor…
      • Anyone who was not a Jew – was not your neighbor – including Samaritans…
      • To which Jesus replied by giving him the PARABLE of the GOOD SAMARITAN…
      • A man was robbed on the way to Jericho – and left for dead…
      • A PRIEST and a LEVITE came by – by did NOT stop to help him…
      • Finally a SAMARITAN [hated by Jews] saw the man – and took care of him!
      • Luke 10:36 – “Which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who [was robbed]?”
      • We also tend to look for LOOPHOLES in the Bible…
      • But the LAW was NEVER meant to be interpreted to mean we LOVE people we LIKE…
      • We are to LOVE anyone that we see along the ROAD of life…
      • The LAW calls us to be HELPFUL – and COMPASSIONATE to those in NEED!
  • 2^nd – New Testament Love… vs. 44
    • Who to Love…
      • But I say to you – love your enemies! 
      • The LAW called for us to LOVE our NEIGHBOR – but Jesus again goes one step farther…
      • He says [ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω] – we must [imperative] LOVE [ἀγαπάω] our ENEMIES…
      • Adding EVERYONE to the list of those who MUST [imperative] LOVE!
    • What is Love…
      • That being said – we need to DEFINE what LOVE is – it has a LOT of meanings!
      • We might say that we LOVE sushi – we also LOVE our spouse – and we LOVE God…
      • But hopefully our LOVE for food is not the same as our LOVE for the LORD!

• We have ONE word in our language for LOVE – the Greek has FOUR:
• [έρως]- sexual love – the only one of the FOUR kinds of love never mentioned in the Bible…
• [στοργή] – family love – the love of a sibling – parent – or relative – Romans 12:10
• [φιλέω]- brotherly love or friendship – used 25x in NT
• [ἀγάπη] – perfect love – sacrificial love – used 117x in NT!
• AGAPE is often [though not always] used to describe the LOVE of God – I John 4:8 
• There is an ENTIRE chapter of the Bible dedicated to defining it – I Corinthians 13
• Usually people equate LOVE to actions – if we LOVE someone we do things for them…
• But LOVE is not WHAT we do – LOVE is the MOTIVE for our actions…
• We can be KIND to someone – because we WANT something from them – that is not LOVE…
• We can be HARD on someone – because they are making a bad choice – that is LOVE…
• Of all the WORDS in the Bible – there is NONE more important than AGAPE…
• Because it what DEFINES us a believers – we LOVE everyone!

• 3^rd – How to Love… vs. 44
  • Bless…
    • Bless those who curse you!
    • How do we show LOVE to our ENEMIES – Jesus gives us THREE ways:
    • FIRST – CURSE [καταράομαι] – people who want BAD things would happen to us…
    • We must [imperative] respond by asking God to continually [present] BLESS them!
  • Do Good…
    • Do good to those who hate you!
    • SECOND – HATE [μισέω] – people who DESPISE us – would NEVER help us…
    • We must [imperative] respond by continually [present] doing GOOD to them!
  • Pray…
    • Pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you!
    • THIRD – SPITE [ἐπηρεάζω] – people who are continually INSULTING us…
    • And PERSECUTE [διώκω] – people who ATTACK us and want us to RUN away…
    • We must [imperative] respond – by continually [present] PRAYING for them!
    • In other words – we do the OPPOSITE of everything the world does to us…
    • Because the world does NOT have Jesus – they cannot LOVE others…
    • But because we have Jesus – we are able to even LOVE our ENEMIES!
• 4^th – What Love proves… vs. 45-47
  • Father in Heaven… vs. 45
    • That you may be sons of your Father in heaven.
    • He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good. Sends rain on the just and on the unjust!
    • Why do we LOVE those who HATE us…
    • Because that is HOW [ὅπως] we PROVE we are the SONS of our FATHER in heaven!
    • God is does NOT just LOVE those who LOVE Him – He LOVES everyone…
    • He lets the SUN rise on the EVIL and the GOOD – the RAIN on the JUST and UNJUST…
    • Jesus died on the CROSS for the whole world – ultimate act of LOVE – while we were SINNERS!
    • Romans 5:8 – “God demonstrates His own love toward us – in that while we were still sinners – Christ died for us.”
    • God LOVES us unconditionally – no matter what we do …
    • And only when we LOVE like Him – do we show the EVIDENCE we are a CHILD of God!
  • What Reward… vs. 46
    • If you love those who love you – what reward have you? 
    • Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
    • The CONTRAST to the LOVE [ἀγάπη] of God – is the LOVE [ἀγάπη] of the WORLD…
    • TAX collectors – were the most hated men in Israel…
    • They were JEWS – who worked for the ROMAN empire…
    • They would take TAXES from the people – plus EXTRA for their own gain…
    • Yet even these SELFISH traitors – could LOVE those who LOVED them!
    • People who do NOT know Jesus – might LOVE others – but it is CONDITIONAL…
    • They LOVE those who LOVE them back – but will stop LOVING those who hurt them…
    • Those who LOVE conditionally – show they do NOT belong to God!
    • I John 4:8 – “He who does not love [everyone] does not know God.”
  • What More… vs. 47
    • Or if you greet your brethren only – what do you do more than others? 
    • Do not even the tax collectors do so?
    • If we ONLY greet the people we KNOW [friends]
    • How are we acting any DIFFERENT than people who are NOT saved [tax collectors]!
    • Jesus – not the WORLD – is our EXAMPLE of how to LOVE [ἀγάπη] – I John 4:8
    • As Jesus has LOVED [ἀγαπάω] us – so we are to LOVE [ἀγαπάω] one another…
    • Think of how much Jesus LOVES [ἀγαπάω] us – how much He has done for us…
    • He never gets irritated with us – NEVER holds a grudge against us…
    • Jesus expects NOTHING from us – He simply desires to GIVE everything to us…
    • That is the LOVE [ἀγάπη] we are called to have for everyone else!
    • John 13:34 – “A new commandment I give to you – that you love [ἀγαπάω] one another. As I have loved [ἀγαπάω] you – that you also [ἀγαπάω] love one another.”
• 4^th – Be perfect… vs. 48
  • The Standard…
    • Therefore you shall be perfect – just as your Father in heaven is perfect!
    • If we can do all of these things
    • FIRST – NEVER get upset at ANYONE – not a murderer…
    • SECOND – NEVER look and LUST – not an adulterer…
    • THIRD – NEVER break a PROMISE – just say yes and no…
    • FOURTH – NEVER seek JUSTICE – instead turn the other cheek…
    • FIFTH – ALWAYS have LOVE for everyone – even our enemies…
    • Then we will be PERFECT [future] – just as our Father in heaven is PERFECT [present]!
  • Impossible…
    • The problem is that we CANNOT – Jesus definition of these LAWS make them impossible…
    • And it only took FIVE laws to make the point – there are 608 more to go…
    • All of which is meant to bring us to the resounding conclusion – we are NOT good…
    • Which is His POINT – Jesus wants us to see our NEED for His HELP…
    • Because until we see the PROBLEM – we will never reach out for the SOLUTION…
    • The ONLY way to become a CITIZEN of the KINGDOM…
    • The ONLY way we get to go to HEAVEN – is through Jesus Christ!

John 14:6 – “I am the way – the truth – and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”