Good morning, everyone.
Our Bible reading this morning is from Matthew 5, verses 33 to 48.
We're going to be picking up Jesus' Sermon on the Mount partway through, starting from
verse 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.
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.
You have heard that it was said, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.
But I say to you, do not resist the one who is evil.
But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.
And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.
And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.
Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.
You have heard that it was said, you shall love your neighbour 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 son 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?
You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly father is perfect.
Heavenly father, you have given us so many good examples through your son of what it is to live as people of your kingdom,
as imitators of who you are and what you want for us.
I pray that as I go through the word today, that you will open our hearts and guide my words,
that my words can be your words and speak into our hearts for what you want for us.
In Jesus' name, amen.
Well, why is it that we are constantly measuring ourselves against the people around us?
How we define ourselves creates a lens that we use to define our worth.
If I define myself by my work, I constantly have to check how good I am at my job by measuring against other people doing the same thing.
If I define myself by my sporting ability, I need to know who I am beating to know just how good I am.
Now, we're in the midst of the Olympic Games.
Athletes have been training for years, decades even, to get to this point.
And for some of them, all that hard work, all those dreams are smashed in an instant.
Imagine you're an Australian swimmer on the Olympic team.
You've worked your butt off for most of your life.
4am starts, six days a week, from your early teenage years.
Perhaps moving your family halfway across the country to have a better coach.
You have made it to the Olympics.
You have qualified.
Now, by this definition, you're one of the top two athletes in this country for your event.
Top two.
It's a pretty high standard.
Now, you get to the Olympics and you swim in your heat.
But you don't qualify for the semifinal.
That's it.
All that time and effort you have invested, done.
In only a matter of seconds, your dream is finished.
But it doesn't just end there.
As an Australian swimmer, the standard of qualifying has been upgraded to winning.
You know that you've not met the standard that you set for yourself.
No matter what standard you achieve, the world will always have a higher standard.
You are one of the top two athletes in your country for your event.
You're an Olympian.
But that is no longer enough.
So if we need to constantly meet a standard in order for our sense of who we are and our worth to be recognised,
then failing would be personally devastating.
But as people, we're not that bad, are we?
I mean, we're not able to compete in an Olympic event.
That's a very small portion of the population.
But that doesn't mean that the world has not set a standard for us.
Now, the world is divided into two general categories.
Good and bad.
Now, while these seem like absolute terms, we can find that they're actually a sliding scale.
When we try to understand what the right thing to be doing in any situation is,
where do we look for reference?
We gauge what the accepted behaviour is by seeing what the majority of the people around us are doing.
Do we speed down the highway?
Do we use our phones while driving?
We look to the world to define what acceptable behaviour is
and what level of performance defines a good person.
Now, to the world, the laws that Jesus talks about here in verses 33 to 48
are not usually considered bad.
Lying? Who doesn't lie?
Justice? Justice should be done.
Make them pay for what they've done.
And no one will think less of you for wishing ill on your enemy.
We're not murderers. We're not thieves.
We're not bad by the world's standards.
In fact, we're quite good.
We give to charity.
We look after people who need help.
We only slightly resent those who need something from us
when we're just not quite ready to give.
We pay our taxes.
We obey the road rules, mostly,
except there's no one around and no one's going to get hurt.
We work hard all week
and then give up the rest that we deserve to come to church
because we are good people.
As Jerry Bridges states in his book, Respectable Sins,
we who are believers tend to evaluate our character
and conduct relative to the moral culture in which we live.
Since we usually live at a higher moral standard than society at large,
it is easy for us to feel good about ourselves
and to assume that God feels that way also.
Now, to Jesus' audience here in Matthew,
the Pharisees and scribes were the good standard of their time.
No one was closer to God than them.
They were the best of the best
when it came to being good people.
They were known for their obedience to the law.
They gave to the need.
And they usually made sure that everyone knew
just how godly they were.
Jesus gives us some examples in Matthew chapter 6.
They were such a high standard
that in verse 20,
Jesus uses them as the example
that must be surpassed to enter heaven.
Now, to compare that to the analogy of swimming,
Jesus has just said the equivalent of
you must be a better swimmer than Ian Thorpe
or Ariana Titmuss
or Susie O'Neill
or Dawn Fraser
or Kieran Perkins
or Murray Rose.
Now, I'm pretty sure that I've given a good swimmer
from every generation we've got here at church.
To beat these people
who are defined as the best swimmers of their time
would make us good at swimming.
But we don't sit here
and think that being a better swimmer than these people
is an easy task.
Now, can anyone honestly say
that we can be more righteous
than the scribes and Pharisees?
Can we meet that standard?
But that's what Jesus is asking us to do
so that we can enter the kingdom of heaven.
So to the world,
we're not bad people.
But how good are we?
Well, that depends on whether we're defined by God,
not others and ourselves.
So measuring ourselves
against the example of the laws
that Jesus leads us through in Matthew 5
shows us how good we really are.
Look with me at verses 33 to 37 on oaths.
Now, we can summarize these verses by
do not take an oath and all.
Let what you say simply yes or no.
Now, have you ever made a promise backed up with,
you better believe I will,
or even cross my heart and hope to die?
Now, to Jesus' listeners,
the only time they had to be believed
was when they were making such a promise.
When our truthfulness is questioned,
we fall short of God's standard.
Do we speak truthfully?
Do we live with integrity?
If we live our lives
so that our yes and no are believed,
what fine examples we would be
of the kingdom of heaven?
If we are to proclaim the gospel
to the people we meet,
do we steal something from the words
if we have a reputation for lying?
If we are known for honesty and truthfulness,
there can be no doubt
that the gospel is truth
when we speak it.
Moving on to verses 38 to 42,
these confront us with a different perspective
on our sense of justice, of fairness.
Now, we extend through to chapter 7, verse 12,
the command of do to others
as you would have them do to you.
Do we take that command
as the opportunity to treat other people
the way they treated us
instead of turning the other cheek
and ending the issue?
Instead of treating the people,
instead of treating people
the way we want to be treated,
we demand something back.
Now, this makes me think about my driving.
I consider myself to be a good driver
for the most part.
I bring my focus and my attention to the road
and the other people
who share the road with us.
Now, I have had accidents,
but I can justify riding off two cars
because they weren't my fault.
There was a mechanical failure on one
and the road was wet
and I was not even in second gear in another.
But there are times,
and here I take a page
from Rob Patterson's sermons,
where my driving stresses out
my beautiful wife.
There are times
when another road user
does not treat me
the way that I wish to be treated on the road
and the way that I feel
that I am treating them.
Instead of continuing on,
I find myself thinking,
if that's how you want it to be,
so be it.
I no longer treat them
the way I wish to be treated,
but treat them the way
they've just treated me.
Someone swings into my lane
and a little bit
and I drive right to the edge
to make sure that they know
that this is my space.
Someone doesn't indicate
that they're turning in front of me
and I just keep going
as if they're not,
getting closer and closer.
All the while,
Jess is sitting next to me
wondering if this is the moment we crash.
You see,
when we demand justice
or fairness,
what is it that we really want?
Is it according to the law
that someone is punished
to the exact measure
of their hurt that they've caused?
Literally,
an eye for an eye?
Or is it that we want the world
to recognise
and acknowledge that
I was somehow wrong?
Our retaliation,
our demand for justice
appears to be a righteous act.
The wrongdoer should be made
to pay for what they've done.
But the root of that demand
is our own recognition,
elevation,
being the focus of events.
We crave the glory for ourselves.
We want to be in the place
that God has set aside for himself.
We want to be in the place
of God.
We want to be in the place
of God.
We want to be in the place
of God.
Moving on,
verse 44 calls us
to pray for those
who persecute you.
Now,
can we honestly say
that we pray for our enemies?
Even preparing this sermon,
I'm typing out automatically
P-R-E-Y,
not P-R-A-Y.
Now,
praying on our enemies
seems like a natural thing to do.
We don't know
what they're up to.
They'll get the jump on us
and they'll hurt us
and defeat us.
We end up
with the inevitable
pre-emptive strike.
So we retaliate so well
that we get in there
before they can do us harm.
But praying for our enemies,
not for their destruction,
but for their good,
can we take this huge leap forward?
It is easy to let our friends
get away with an injustice,
maybe even a family member,
although it seems that
friends can get away
with a lot more than family,
doesn't it?
But someone who's actively
seeking my pain,
my downfall,
Jesus wants me to do what?
Jesus shows us
that the world's definition of good
is vastly different to God's
and that our hearts
are not in line
with God's heart.
We cannot live up
to his standard.
We need
a totally new heart.
Adam and Israel
were unfaithful sons of God.
They were not able
to be obedient,
not achieving the example
God has made them to be.
Now, Adam had one simple rule.
Don't eat from that tree
and he couldn't obey it.
When Israel had
all the rules,
the physical signs,
the explicit instructions
on how to live
as obedient sons of God,
they had the living God
bringing them up
out of slavery in Egypt,
going before them
in a pillar of smoke and fire.
Exodus 19
gives us the scene
at Mount Sinai
where God
is sitting on the top
of the mountain
in a cloud of fire
in front of them.
Israel's response?
Build us a statue
of our God
so that we know
who our God is.
Even with God
right in front of them,
they are unable
to be the obedient
sons they are called to be.
And like Adam and Israel,
we are unable
to be the obedient children
that we are called to be.
but we have an example
of someone who is.
We don't need to look
any further than Jesus
for the example
of living
as a kingdom son.
Jesus did not need
oaths to back up
his statements of truth.
In Matthew chapter 27,
when Jesus is questioned
by Pilate,
he did not respond
with many words
and grand statements
to convince people
of his answers.
He speaks a simple sentence.
You have said
that it is so.
Even at the point
where he is about to die,
when we would think
that there is nothing
left to lose,
Jesus' simple statement
of the truth
greatly amazed Pilate.
Earlier in that night,
Jesus shows his disciples
that retaliation
is not the answer.
In chapter 26,
when Judas betrays Jesus
in the Garden of Gethsemane,
one of the disciples
defends Jesus
with the sword,
cutting off the ear
of the temple servant.
Jesus rebukes his disciples,
tells him to put away
his weapon,
heals the temple servant
and provides calm
in the midst
of two groups
of armed men
ready to go to war.
Jesus leaves calm
and turns the other chair.
And who can provide us
with a better example
of loving and praying
for our enemies?
The obvious act
of a sinless man
dying for sinful creation.
While hanging on the cross,
listening to the criminals
in the crowds,
mocking and demanding
that he proved his power,
Jesus prays,
Father,
forgive them.
In the midst
of his greatest suffering,
Christ prays not
for his own relief,
but for forgiveness
for those
who are caught up
in this act.
Now,
to me,
the clearest example
of Jesus' obedience
is in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Matthew 26,
verse 39,
Jesus prays,
My Father,
if it be possible,
let this cup pass from me,
but nevertheless,
not as I will,
but as you will.
in full knowledge
of what was about
to occur
and all the pain
that was associated
with what was coming,
Jesus begs
for there to be
another way,
yet concludes
God's way is best.
You see,
Jesus is the only
faithful son,
the only one
who can live up
to the command
of verse 48,
you therefore
must be perfect
as your heavenly
Father is perfect.
In this command,
Jesus commands
his followers,
us,
to be perfect,
to reorient
our hearts
from the world's
standards,
to be in line
with God's standards.
But how do we
take part in that?
How does Christ's
perfection
become ours?
Because our Father
calls us
to share
in his Son's heart.
God loves
all of his
creation
and that love
is concentrated
in his Son.
And through
his Son,
we too
can call God
our Heavenly
Father.
Romans chapter 8
verses 14 to 17
tells us that
we are given
the spirit
of adoption
by whom
we cry
Father.
Now,
as Beth alluded to,
consider the enormity
of having a direct
personal
family relationship
relationship with God,
the creator
of everything.
The relationship
between a parent
and a child
is particularly
intimate.
The parent
loves and cares
for the child,
providing all
that they need
and more,
regardless of
the child's
behavior.
No matter how
much a child
rebels against
the parent,
the parent will
always have a place
ready for them.
Think of the story
of the prodigal
son.
A man tells
his father
that he can't
wait for him
to be dead,
so the father
gives him his
inheritance
and his blessing.
The son
squanders
everything
and at the
lowest point
of his life
remembers the
love his father
shows for his
servants.
The son
does not expect
anything more
than that
of the hired
hands,
but a father's
love overcomes
all the rebellion
that has been
thrown his way
by the son
to run,
embrace,
and welcome
home his
child.
Children are
completely
dependent on
their parents,
but only for
so long.
As a child
grows,
they become
less physically
dependent.
They can feed
themselves,
dress themselves,
and eventually
even get
themselves where
they need to
and want to
go.
But as this
physical dependency
wanes,
they grow in
emotional
dependency.
Even when we
become parents,
we seek the
affirmation of
our parents
that we're
doing a good
job.
As children,
we imitate
our parents
to learn about
the world
from their
eyes.
And so
that's what
God wants.
He wants us
to imitate
him.
He wants us
to turn to
him for
affirmation of
what we're
doing is
right.
He wants
to provide
for us,
to look
after us,
Mark chapter
10 tells
us that
he wants
us to
be fully
dependent
on him.
Doesn't
that give
us hope?
That the
unchanging
standard of
perfection is
measured against
our creator
who wants
to care for
us,
who calls
us to an
intimate
personal family
relationship with
him,
and who lifts
us up to
that standard
with his
call.
God.
1 Peter
chapter 1
reminds us
that we
are called
to be
holy because
God is
holy.
We are
reminded that
as children
of the
kingdom of
heaven,
we are
showing the
world what
it means to
be part of
that kingdom.
Not the
good people,
only the
same.
And Peter
goes on.
If we
call him
father,
conduct
yourselves
knowing that
you were
ransomed from
the futile
ways of
your forefathers
with the
blood of
Christ.
Jesus'
blood shed
for us
is our
sacrifice.
The price
that is
required for
our sin
before God
has been
paid.
We can
now be
seen as
without sin
and can
enter the
kingdom of
heaven.
In
Jeremiah
chapter
31,
verses
31 to
34,
God
promised
that a
new
covenant
will be
written in
our hearts.
Christ
came to
fulfill the
law that
God might
write him
into our
hearts,
sealing us
to him
and remembering
our iniquity
no more.
God deals
with our
corrupted
heart by
writing
himself in.
God
changes the
story.
In
Ezekiel
36,
God
promises to
give us
a new
heart and
a new
spirit.
With a
new
heart,
we are
children of
the kingdom
of heaven.
We are
now aliens
here on
earth.
And as
Matt
described a
couple of
weeks ago,
we should
now live
as imitators
of our
king,
not conforming
to the
culture of
this world.
God
will
repent.
When we
repent,
and if we
go back
right to the
start of the
sermon on
the mount,
Jesus starts
his call
with repent
for the
kingdom of
heaven is
at hand.
When we
repent,
it is the
changing of
our heart's
orientation.
As Dave
Bott showed
us a couple
of weeks
back,
we need to
empty
ourselves of
the things
of this
world so
that we
can be
filled with
Christ.
We need
to empty
ourselves of
what defines
us by
this world
and be
filled with
the goodness
and identity
that Christ
offers us.
When the
world pushes
back against
us because
we don't
belong here
anymore,
we know
that it is
because we
belong in
our heavenly
father's
kingdom.
We are
made perfect
because Christ
is perfect.
But what
does that
mean for
us?
We know
that the
world's
standards will
always change.
There's
always a
higher
standard.
But God's
standard is
forever the
same.
We are
so willing
to spend
all our
energy chasing
after the
constantly moving
standards of
this world.
So why do
we stumble
when we are
called to
live out
the perfection
that has
already been
given to
us?
Now we
know to
note,
the call
to perfection
is not
saying that
we can
earn our
way into
heaven.
Matthew
chapter 7
tells us
that many
people are
working out
their lives
in Jesus
name,
attempting to
gain entry
to heaven
through their
personal
righteousness,
their attempt
to achieve
perfection
under the
law.
But Christ's
response to
them is,
I never
knew.
We cannot
demand access
to God on
our terms.
this command
to Jesus
followers is
also not
a call to
strive for
perfect
law
keeping.
In the
context of
the verses
we've just
gone through,
it should be
clear that
this is not
possible.
Rather,
Jesus is
setting that
standard for
his people
to pursue
and being
the example
who can
and will
help his
people achieve
it.
in the
examples of
retaliation
and loving
your enemies,
Jesus
exhorts us
as his
people,
not only
to reject
the normal
standards of
this world,
but to
double down,
turn the
other cheek,
give your
cloak also,
love your
enemies,
but go the
extra mile and
pray for their
benefit too.
When anyone
can love their
friends,
that's why
they're friends.
anyone can
give to
someone who
we know
can pay
us back,
but we
are called
to be
different,
so that
instead of
giving in
to our
nature for
revenge and
self-glory,
we end
the violence.
And after
we've ended
the violence,
we pray and
give of
ourselves for
the other
person's
well-being.
If we
allow ourselves
to suffer
without seeking
retribution,
who are we
seeking glory
for?
Aren't we
showing that
we no longer
live by the
standards of
this world
and live for
something greater,
higher?
Following that,
we see that
our language,
our honesty and
integrity,
should likewise
signify us
as different to
this world.
We should be
known for our
honesty, our
truthfulness,
our integrity.
When we answer
a question, we
shouldn't have to
make assurances.
we shouldn't
have to cross
our heart and
hope to die
that we speak
the truth.
The people we
speak to should
know that we
speak truth
because that's
what we're
known for.
Truth and
honesty are
linked with
our character,
the fibre of
who we are
as citizens of
the kingdom
of heaven,
as sons and
daughters of
our heavenly
Father.
God,
live as
children of
the kingdom
of heaven
and be
holy because
your God and
king is
holy.
Pray with me.
gracious
Father,
help us to
put aside
the things
of this
world.
Help us
to stop
seeking
the world
standard and
work towards
your standard.
Help us to
open our hearts
to you and be
filled with who
you are,
that it
overflows in
this world,
that we can
show the world
your love
flowing through
us.
Help us to
live the way
you want us
to live,
imitating you
in all that
we do.
In Jesus'
name,
Amen.