Well, good evening.
One of my favorite things to do when I was a child was to correct people who were in
authority over me.
I was very aware of rules, and I wanted to make sure that those who were in authority
over me followed the rules as I understood them.
So when I went to kindergarten, I memorized the daily schedule.
You know, reading from 9 to 10, math from 10 to 11, whatever it was.
And if the teacher went even one minute past what the schedule said, I would raise my hand
and tell her, it's time for the class to be over, for us to go on to the next activity.
Now eventually the teacher moved my assigned seat so that I was sitting with my back to
the clock.
In first grade, I remember once during recess going over to where the teachers were standing
and trying to join in their conversation.
One of them says, Gregory, this is adult talk.
And at first I couldn't understand it.
I said, what did you say?
Adult?
And I said, no, no, no.
It's pronounced adult.
And she said, go away and play with the kids.
In second grade, I targeted the math teacher.
And once she said, there is only one right answer to any math problem.
And so I immediately started thinking and came up with a math problem that actually had
more than one right answer and made my case in front of the whole class.
Now that time I was technically correct.
The problem in all these situations is that I was constantly forgetting who I was and what
the rules were all about.
I was constantly forgetting that I was a child who was there to learn and not a teacher who
was there to instruct and correct.
I was also forgetting that I wasn't the one who had made any of these rules in the first
place.
And so I was assuming wrongly that I knew exactly how to interpret and apply the rules
in every situation.
Now in tonight's passage and in the rest of chapter 5, Jesus is reminding us of who we are
before God and what God's rules, God's law, is all about.
So turn to Matthew chapter 5.
We're looking at Matthew chapter 5 verses 21 to 30.
It'll be up on the screen, but you can also look in the Bible if you want to look back
and forth in some of the verses, page 810, if you're looking in the Pew Bibles.
Last week we saw in verse 17, Jesus said, I haven't come to abolish the law and the prophets,
I've come to fulfill them.
In other words, I've come to show you the true meaning of God's law.
And so Jesus, in these next three weeks, we're going to look at the rest of chapter 5.
He gives six examples.
He takes six issues, six commandments from the law, and he interprets them for us.
So tonight we're looking at the first two examples.
Let's read together, starting at verse 21.
Jesus said this,
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're 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're going with him to court,
lest your accuser hand you over to the judge and the judge to the guard and you'll be put in prison.
Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you've paid the last penny.
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.
Jesus has some pretty strong words here.
And as we look into this passage, you may feel
either mad or scared
because of what Jesus says.
And that probably means you're beginning to take Jesus seriously.
Which is a good thing.
But there's also good news
here, which we'll see at the end.
Now tonight I want to look at three things.
First, what God requires on the outside,
or sorry, on the inside.
In our heart.
Second, what God requires on the outside.
That is in our actions and words and relationships.
And third, I want to look at what God provides
so that we can actually carry this out.
So first, what God requires on the inside.
This is verse 21 and 22.
And then again, verse 27 and 28.
So each of these sections begins with the phrase,
you have heard that it was said.
And then Jesus refers to two of the Ten Commandments.
You shall not murder.
You shall not commit adultery.
That God had given to Moses on Mount Sinai.
But then Jesus goes on to say,
but I say to you.
And before we go any further,
we need to notice this.
Jesus is authoritatively,
unhesitatingly,
confidently interpreting God's law.
Now in Jesus' time,
it was common for religious teachers,
for rabbis to quote other rabbis from the past
in order to establish their interpretations.
Sort of like scholars do today by using footnotes.
You wouldn't write a scholarly book
without having at least as many footnotes
as you have regular text, right?
If you're a scholar, you know what I'm talking about.
And as a scholar, you're expected to interact with
what other scholars in your field have written before you.
Of course, the problem is,
not many people want to read a book
that has more footnotes than text,
except other scholars.
But Jesus bypasses all of that.
He doesn't approach the law
as one in a long line of many people
seeking to gradually
get an incrementally better understanding of it.
He confidently interprets the law
of God
as if he wrote it himself.
And when he interprets the law,
he begins by pointing to its heart.
Jesus says God's law goes a lot deeper
and it's a lot more serious than you think.
So it's not just prohibiting
actually murdering someone physically,
the physical act of murder.
It's also ruling out angry hearts
and insulting words.
And it's not just prohibiting the physical act
of having sex
with somebody who's already married.
It's also ruling out lustful looks
and unfaithful hearts.
And then the penalty
isn't just being brought before a local court.
If you actually murdered someone back then,
they'd bring you before a court,
a local court,
who would try the case
and make a judgment.
And Jesus says,
it's not just that.
It's not even just being brought
before the council.
That was sort of the supreme court of the land,
the Sanhedrin.
It's facing the court of God himself,
God's judgment,
the hell of fire,
exclusion from God's glorious kingdom forever.
Now you might say,
well, isn't that going a little overboard?
Right?
Maybe you would say,
well, I haven't murdered anyone.
I haven't slept with anyone
who's already married to someone else.
I'm not such a bad person.
But Jesus completely rejects that line of reasoning.
He says,
do you really think that you're good with God
just because you haven't actually murdered someone?
Just because you actually haven't,
haven't actually had sex with a married person?
Jesus says,
if that's your standard,
that is a very shallow, hollow standard.
And it won't stand up on judgment day.
Jesus says,
look deeper.
Look deeper into your heart
because God's kingdom
is not just characterized
by good appearances,
but by renewed hearts
that are right with God.
So he says,
the heart of murder
is anger.
Now, sometimes anger
is expressed in verbal insults.
Jesus gives a couple examples.
Or slander.
Right?
Gossip and backbiting.
Sometimes it's expressed
in silence
and passive aggressive behavior.
Now, even if you never harm
the person physically,
when you're angry
with another person,
however you express it
along that spectrum,
what you're basically saying is,
I value my life
more than yours.
I wish,
or even,
I wish I could write you off.
I wish I could cut you out of my life
and not have to deal with you any longer.
I want to live unhindered by you
and unconnected.
to you.
And Jesus says,
that's the root
of murder.
And he says,
murder
in the heart,
in words,
or in deeds,
has no place
in the kingdom of God.
Because God's kingdom
is a place
of life
and joy
and peace.
The apostle John
would say later on,
anyone who hates
his brother
or sister
is a murderer
and no murderer
has eternal life
in him.
Now it's true,
there is such a thing
as righteous indignation.
The Bible says that
God
is
righteously indignant
when he sees
our sin
and the way that our sin
has ravaged
our world.
God's kingdom
is a part.
And sometimes
it is wise
and even loving
to draw boundaries
in relationships
that have become
unhealthy.
Sometimes you must
distance yourself
from someone
who is leading you
into sin
or persisting
in destructive
patterns of behavior.
anger.
But Jesus says
if you must
do that,
you must only
do that
with the hope
and prayer
that one day
they would change
so that your
relationship
could be restored.
He says the heart
of murder
is anger.
And similarly
he goes on
in verse 27
and 28
to say that
the heart
of adultery
is lust.
Whether it's
expressed again
in thoughts
and looks
or in deeds
Jesus says
lust
has no place
in God's kingdom
because God's kingdom
is characterized
not by selfish
lust
but by loving
loyalty.
Now let me explain.
Jesus is not saying
that sex
is a bad thing.
God invented
sex.
He could have
not invented it
but he invented
sex to be
a glorious
physical expression
of his
unbreakable
bond
with his
people.
And in the
context of
marriage
sex is meant
to be
a regular
reaffirmation
of the
marriage promises.
It's saying
I would marry
you all over
again
tonight.
I'm giving
you everything
I have
without holding
back
and I'm loving
it.
That's what
marriage
means
and that's
what sex
means
in the
kingdom
of God.
And that's
how God
made it
to be
and that's
why marriage
and sex
are always
meant to be
together
and never
apart
in the
kingdom
of God.
Now the
problem
with lust
is that it
separates
what God
has meant
to be
joined
together.
It's a
distortion
of God's
good
creation.
Now it's
not simply
having a
strong
sexual
desire
or a
feeling
of
attraction
to
a
beautiful
woman
or
handsome
man.
Lust
we might
define it
as pursuing
the pleasure
apart from
the promise.
It's saying
I want you
to give me
pleasure
but I'm
not ready
to promise
myself
to you.
And Jesus
says
that is
adultery
in your
heart.
It is
a self
centered
way of
approaching
relationships.
It's
adultery
in your
heart
whether
you're
looking
at an
image
on a
computer
screen
of a
person
that you
may never
meet
in this
life
or gazing
and imagining
at someone
walking down
the street
or through
an open
window
or fantasizing
about someone
who works
in your
office
or sleeping
with your
boyfriend
or girlfriend
that you
have dated
even for
many years.
Jesus
says
if you
are pursuing
someone else's
body
what they
can offer
you
apart from
promising
yourself to
them without
reservation
body and
soul
you are
lusting.
See
according to
Jesus
God's law
goes deep
and it's
serious
and it
calls for
a renewed
heart
on the
inside
and Jesus
doesn't stop
there
he goes
even
further
he also
says
it calls
for
outward
manifestations
outward
actions
that reflect
such a
renewed
heart
this is
what God
requires
on the
outside
in verses
23 to
26
and 29
to 30
verse
29 to
30
Jesus
gives
two
examples
tearing
out
your
eye
and
cutting
off
your
hand
it's
pretty
dramatic
if they
cause
you
to
sin
but the
message
he says
is the
same
it's
better
that you
lose
one of
your
members
of your
body
than that
your whole
body
go into
hell
eternity
apart
from
God
he says
it
twice
long ago
John
Owen
said
be
killing
sin
or
sin
will
be
killing
you
now
sin
simply
means
rebellion
against
God
whether
in words
or thoughts
or deeds
and
Jesus
says
that
sin
has
no
place
in
the
kingdom
of
God
sin
is
destined
for
eternity
apart
from
God
and
so
Jesus
says
it's
worth
paying
whatever
price
we
need
to
pay
to
cut
sin
out
of
our
lives
even
if
it
means
that
we
miss
out
on
some
cultural
experiences
or
some
physical
pleasures
or
some
career
opportunities
or
some
social
affirmation
in
this
life
now
Jesus
is not
speaking
literally
here
about
mutilating
yourself
but
he is
speaking
very
seriously
he
says
if
your
eye
is
the
doorway
to
sin
live
as
if
you
were
blind
if
you're
watching
a
movie
and
a
scene
appears
that
is
feeding
lust
in
your
heart
close
your
eyes
if
you
know
that
the
movie
just
won't
be
good
for
you
even
if
another
Christian
believer
could
watch
it
with
a
good
conscience
don't
watch
it
if
you're
tempted
by
pornography
on the
internet
install
a
filter
an
accountability
software
if
you're
always
looking
at
yourself
in
the
mirror
or
weighing
yourself
on
the
scale
to
determine
your
self
worth
give
the
scale
away
cover
the
mirror
with
bible
verses
that
remind
you
of
your
true
identity
in
Jesus
Christ
now
while we
live in
this
world
it's
impossible
to escape
from all
temptations
to sin
but Jesus
says sometimes
the wisest
course of
action
is run
away
flee from
temptation
now that
will look
different
for every
Christian
now because
the things
that cause
you to
sin might
be slightly
different
than the
things
that cause
me
to
sin
we can
talk about
that more
later if
you want
in the
q a time
but Jesus
is saying
if you
have a
renewed
heart
you will
make costly
sacrifices
to pursue
holiness
and purity
and not
only that
he says
if you
have a
renewed
heart
you will
pursue
reconciliation
and right
relationships
without delay
this is
verse 23
23-26
again he
gives two
concrete
examples
one with
a brother
or sister
someone who
is close
to us
and one
with an
accuser
or an
enemy
someone who
is against
us
but the
message in
both cases
is the
same
pursue
reconciled
relationships
without
delay
don't
wait
verse 23
and 24
he says
if you're
offering your
gift at
the altar
and 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
now back
then most
people would
only go to
the temple
once or twice
a year
because the
temple was
in jerusalem
and jesus
was teaching
in galilee
and it was
about 80
miles to
travel to
jerusalem
so that means
if you were
walking it
would be
four days
each way
even if you
had a horse
or an ox
or a donkey
or whatever
it'd at least
be a day
or two
trip
and once
you got to
the temple
you'd have
to wait
in long
lines
for the
priest
who would
assist you
so jesus
was basically
saying this
he's saying
if you're
waiting in
line at
the temple
and you've
been waiting
in line
for hours
and it's
hot
and the sun's
beating down
on you
and you're
about to go
and make
your once
a year
sacrifice
to god
that you've
traveled all
the way
to jerusalem
to do
and you
remember
that your
cousin back
home
has something
against you
there was
some argument
that didn't
get resolved
he says
leave the
sacrifice
travel four
days to get
back home
talk to your
cousin
work it out
and then come
back to the
temple
and offer
your sacrifice
to god
do you
realize
what an
inconvenient
time consuming
detour
jesus is
recommending
and jesus
says if
your brother
has something
against you
he doesn't
just say
if it is
100% clear
that you
are the
one in
the wrong
and you
owe your
brother
an apology
he says
if your
brother
or sister
has something
against you
even if it
was just
a
misunderstanding
even if
you meant
no harm
even if
they contributed
to the wrong
jesus is saying
make every effort
to be reconciled
without delaying
so if you're
sitting here
listening to the
word of jesus
and you realize
that your brother
or sister
in christ
or someone
close to you
has something
against you
and you
know
that you
haven't done
all that
you can
do
to restore
that relationship
as much
as it depends
on you
you can get
up and leave
i'm giving
you permission
you can get
up right now
and go out
the door
and call
them
or start
writing them
a letter
or go to
their house
and knock
on their
door
and do
whatever
you need
to do
to pursue
reconciliation
and write
that relationship
apologize if
you were wrong
ask to meet
with them
to hear them
out
if you need
to hear them
out
if you need
to talk
things through
don't put
it off
but maybe
it's not
your brother
or sister
that has
something against
you
maybe you
have an
enemy
an accuser
somebody who's
out to get
you
who doesn't
like you
and jesus
talks about
that in
25 and
26
the example
is somebody's
taking you
to court
and in this
example
they have
you have
wronged
them
it actually
is clear
in this
example
because
he's saying
he's taking
you to
court
and the
judge is
not going
to rule
in your
favor
jesus
says
come to
terms
quickly
settle
out of
court
before you
see the
judge
if you
owe them
money
pay them
back
or make
a payment
plan
if you
destroyed
their
property
fix it
if you
disrespected
them
or talked
behind their
back
confess what
you did
and do
whatever you
need to
do
to make
it right
make it
right
right away
don't let
bitterness
build up
don't let
the sun
go down
on your
anger
as much
as it
depends
on you
live at
peace
with
everyone
jesus
says
this is
what life
looks like
in the
kingdom of
god
peace
truth
reconciliation
brotherly
sisterly
love
now all
of this
is very
hard to
do
and I
hope
that by
this time
you're
seeing
that you
can't do
this
on your
own
all of
us
have
sinned
we've
fallen
short
we don't
measure up
to this
standard
and it's
not enough
just to
say
I'm going
to try
a little
harder
to do
a little
better
next
time
we don't
measure up
to god's
kingdom
standards
our
hearts
are impure
and our
actions
or lack
of action
shows it
here's
the good
news
the message
of the bible
and the reason
that jesus
came to
earth
is to
make a
way
for us
who deserve
to be
excluded
from god's
kingdom
to come
in
and be
blessed
and included
in god's
kingdom
in god's
kingdom
of life
and peace
of undefiled
loyalty
and unselfish
love
jesus said
i haven't
come to
abolish the
law
i've come
to fulfill
it
you see
unlike
anyone else
jesus
carried out
god's
law
fully
on the
inside
and on
the outside
without
holding
anything
back
without
turning
away
without
failing
without
falling
do you
know that
jesus had
a right
to be
angry
with us
because we
had offended
him
god had
made this
beautiful world
for us
and then we
trashed it
and blamed
him
but instead
of
pouring out
his
righteous
anger
on us
and wiping
us out
he pursued
us
to reconcile
us
he did
exactly
what he's
saying in
verse 23
through 26
jesus became
our brother
he shared
he took on
everything
that we
had
all of our
burdens
all of our
pains
all of our
chaos and
mess
and he
paid a
costly price
to reconcile
us to god
when he died
on the cross
he bore
our shame
our
insults
our
anger
and he
didn't throw
it back in
our face
ephesians 2
says jesus
himself is
our peace
jesus has
made us
both one
and broken
down in his
flesh the
dividing wall
of hostility
that he might
reconcile us
both to god
in one body
through the
cross
thereby
killing
the hostility
between us
and god
and the
hostility
between us
and one
another
this is how
we can enter
the kingdom
of god
because jesus
became our
brother
and pursued
us
to reconcile
us and bring
us into his
family and make
things right
and he did
what we needed
he did what
needed to
happen
to make
things right
between us
and god
in his
death and
in his
resurrection
and that's
the good
news
the bible
says god
was in christ
reconciling the
world to himself
and paul goes
on he says we
implore you
we appeal to
you on god's
behalf be
reconciled to
god
receive that
gift
come in
to the family
and
jesus
has made
a way
for you
and it's
also where
we get
the power
more and
more to
live as
people who
reflect god's
kingdom
realities
later on in
that same
book that i
quoted in
ephesians
paul says
let all
bitterness
and wrath
anger
clamor
and slander
be put away
from you
along with
all malice
be kind
to one
another
tenderhearted
forgiving
one another
as god
in christ
forgave
you
that's where
you get the
power to
live this
way
is knowing
that god
and jesus
christ
paid a
great
price
to forgive
you
and that's
how you can
forgive others
and go and
pursue them
even when
it's costly
and then as
you consider
the cost
of
cutting off
a hand
or tearing
out an eye
leaving
behind
some of
the
attractions
of this
world
that might
not even
be bad
in themselves
consider
to the
cost
that jesus
paid
to make
us
pure
and
blameless
before him
jesus
didn't just
tear out
his eye
or get
his hand
cut off
jesus
gave his
whole body
his whole
body
pure
and undefiled
and he
hung on
the cross
and he
stayed there
all the way
to the end
so that we
might be
purified
so that
we might
become
his own
and now
he calls
us
members
of his
body
and he
says
i will
not
lose
even
one
of the
members
of my
body
i won't
lose you
and you
won't be
cut off
because i
went to
the cross
for you
jesus
pursued us
not to
take advantage
of us
but he
gave himself
for us
in self
giving
love
jesus came
to fulfill
god's law
from the
heart
and on
out
he came
to establish
a glorious
kingdom
of life
and peace
of joy
and truth
and we
can enter
into that
kingdom
by his
grace
by his
gift
and as we
read earlier
he's promised
that when we
enter into his
kingdom
by his
grace
by accepting
him
that he's
written his
law on our
hearts
he sent us
his word
and his
holy spirit
so that we
might live
as god's
people in
the world
living out
his law
more and
more
in all its
goodness
let's pray
lord jesus
we thank you
for these
words
we pray
that you
would
enable us
to respond
to them
rightly
we take
a moment
before you
to
respond
to you
in the
quietness
of our
heart
jesus we
thank you
that you
fulfilled this
law
that you
went
all the way
to the
cross
to reconcile
us to
yourself
to include
us
in your
body
in your
kingdom
we pray
that you
would fill
us with
your spirit
and enable
us
to live
as people
who belong
to you
in this
world
we pray
in your
name
amen
and i
will
repeat it
so everyone
can hear
it and
then seek
to answer
it as best
i can
or admit
that i'm
not totally
sure
so if you
have a question
we'll take
maybe five to
seven minutes
to do this
you can raise
your hand
and i'm going
through my
bible
and the
relationship
i have
with my
god
he said
if one
of these
offend you
he said
it's better
for a
millstone
to pile
if you're
next
something like
that
and you
saw it
to the
gutter
and he
said
angry
and sing
not
and there
was a
time in
the bible
when jesus
was angry
when he
went into
the temple
and he
saw them
selling
and gathering
so he
was angry
so we
can't
angry
and sing
not
and again
where i
went to
there was a
church
i went
to take
right-handed
fellowship
and i
did something
with those
people in
the church
and the
holy spirit
condemned
but he
said
the scripture
that came
to me
was
not really
thinking
i could
hear the
voice of
god
said
read
corinthians
2
first
it said
for i
come to
know
nothing
about
except
jesus
christ
and
his
body
so
i think
i am
going
through
a lot
right
now
but
i am
i have
a relationship
with my
god
who teaches
me
and he
directs
me
where i
am
to go
without
his
talk
and
god
so
i
think
it's
a
relationship
with
your
god
yes
so
one of
the things
that
monica
was
saying
was
jesus
in
ephesians
it says
be angry
and sin
not
and jesus
was also
angry
when he
went into
the temple
and drove
out the
money changers
so there
is a place
for righteous
anger
jesus
in the
sermon
on the
mount
doesn't
qualify
every
single
statement
he
makes
he
doesn't
say
well
there's
an
exception
for
this
and
for
this
and
for
this
he
he's
making
general
statements
and
as we
look
in the
whole
of the
bible
you can
see
a broader
picture
than
any
one
passage
but
he's
specifically
talking
here
about
in
this
passage
about
sinful
anger
that
turns
us
away
from
god
and
so
as
you
were
saying
it's
important
to
be
in
close
relationship
with
god
to
be
able
to
discern
how
to
you
know
when
is
it
appropriate
to
feel
angry
and
when
does
anger
cross
the
line
into
sinful
rage
that's
not
righteous
so
there's
a lot
more
that could
be said
but
we'll
leave
at that
let me
see if
anybody
else
has a
question
Tommy
other
than
just
the
extreme
nature
of
what
he's
saying
is
there
a
reason
why
we
take
the
if
you
have
your
altar
or
if
you
have
your
offering
on
the
altar
and
you
remember
there's
a
conflict
with
your
brother
leave
the
altar
and go
literally
but
when
he
says
cut
off
your
hand
gouge
out
your
eye
we
take
that
as
more
metaphorical
I
know
the
second
one
is
pretty
extreme
yeah
so the
question
is
why
do
we
take
verse
23
and
24
about
leave
your
gift
at
the
altar
and
go
why
do
we
take
that
literally
and
why
do
we
take
29
and
30
about
gouging
out
your
eye
and
things
like
that
metaphorically
so
I
know
I
sort
of
rephrased
your
question
just a
little
bit
I
don't
think
it's
quite
as
stark
as
that
so
I
think
with
every
passage
in
the
Bible
we
are
you
know
Jesus
is
speaking
it
in
a
particular
situation
and
so
some
of
the
aspects
so
for
example
there's
no
more
altar
and
there's
no
more
temple
and
a
building
like
this
in
itself
is
not
an
altar
and
a
temple
but
the
New
Testament
talks
about
the
temple
of
God
is
when
believers
gather
together
and
talks
offering
our
lives
as
sacrifices
of
praise
to
God
the
fruit
of
our
lips
giving
thanks
to
his
name
as
a
sacrifice
so
even
with
that
I
think
we're
taking
the
principle
and
applying
it
in
the
age
that
we're
living
now
you
know
when
the
temple
in
Jerusalem
is
no
longer
and
Jesus
has
promised
that
his
Holy
Spirit
dwells
among
God's
people
when
we
gather
together
as
a
church
so
even
with
that
one
I
think
we're
applying
the
principle
to
our
context
and
as
for
was
Jesus
really
teaching
us
to
gouge
out
your
eye
and
cut
off
your
hand
there
have
been
a few
Christians
in
history
who
have
taken
it
literally
and
have
cut
off
parts
of
their
body
I
don't
so
I
don't
think
I
don't
think
that's
the
right
way
to
go
I
think
I
think
that
would
have
been
pretty
evident
to
Jesus
hearers
that
he
was
using
hyperbolic
language
you could
say
he
was
giving
a
graphic
picture
and
saying
you
know
this
is
what
it
looks
like
to
this
you
know
this
is
what
it
could
look
like
to
be
faithful
you
know
again
he's
not
so
just
so
you
don't
misunderstand
please
don't
go
home
and
take
a
chainsaw
you
know
that's
not
what
I'm
telling
you
to
do
and
I
don't
think
that's
what
Jesus
meant
but
he
is
saying
take
action
that
is
that
radical
in
order
to
root
out
sin
in
your
life
so
one
or
two
more
Nord
yeah
so
Nord
said
if
you
took
the
chainsaw
and
cut
off
your
hand
your
heart
wouldn't
change
and
that's
true
and
that's
why
I
think
it's
very
important
Jesus
is
both
talking
about
the
inward
heart
reality
of
obeying
God's
law
that
what
he
wants
from
us
is
not
merely
a
good
appearance
but
he
wants
change
that
is
from
the
heart
but
he
is
also
saying
I
think
that
we
can't
use
that
as
an
excuse
not
to
actually
do
anything
and
just
say
well
I'm
working
on
my
heart
change
even
if
I'm
not
changing
any
of
my
actions
and
I'm
still
talking
the
way
I
used
to
talk
and
I'm
still
doing
the
exact
same
things
I'm
just
working
on
changing
my
heart
Jesus
saying
you're
probably
kidding
yourself
if
God
if
God's
spirit
is
working
in
your
heart
that's
going
to
manifest
itself
it's
the
tree
and
its
fruit
right
that
Jesus
talks
about
later
on
he
says
make
a
tree
good
and
it'll
bear
good
fruit
if
a
tree
is
bad
it's
going
to
bear
bad
fruit
so
again
the
change
needs
to
begin
in
the
heart
and
so
all
the
outward
things
that
you
do
without
heart
change
aren't
going
to
get
you
anywhere
on
the
other
hand
Jesus
is
saying
he's
being
very
particular
because
I
think
he's
saying
these
are
signs
of a
truly
changed
heart
you can
actually
see
the
results
all
right
one
more
yes
yeah
good
question
so
the
question
is
if
sort of
putting
these
two
examples
together
could
there
be a
situation
where
you
need
to
distance
yourself
from
an
unhealthy
relationship
but
maybe
you're
not
fully
reconciled
in
that
process
that
fair
that
right
about
right
that's
a really
good
question
so
one
thing
I
would
I
would
say
is
there
are
there
are
some
times
when
you
want
to
spend
some
time
praying
and
also
seek
out
counsel
from
a
mature
Christian
who
can
talk
through
your
situation
with
you
and
who's
not
going
to
gossip
about
it
and
who's
not
going
to
tell
other
people
about
it
but
in
some
of
these
in
some
of
those
you know
really
difficult
relational
situations
I think
it's
hard
it's
I
can't
just
give
a
simple
sort
of
one
size
fits
all
answer
I
think
there
is
sometimes
I
think
there's
sometimes
a
process
where
you
have
done
all
that
you
can
do
at
a
certain
point
but
you
also
are
praying
and
hope
and
looking
toward
a
more
long
term
goal
that
it's
simply
not
possible
to
achieve
at
that
point
I
think
probably
in almost
any
dating
relationship
where you
break up
with each
other
it's
hard to
break up
well
and
breaking up
is hard
to do
right
but
sometimes
but I
think
very often
if you
are
deciding
we're
not
going to
keep
dating
and
thinking
we're
just
going to
go our
separate
ways
it
is
wise
it's
not
good
to
keep
calling
each
other
every
day
that's
just
confusing
but
on the
other
hand
you
seek
to
if
you've
wronged
the
other
person
you
admit
it
you
apologize
you
do
the
best
you
can
in
the
midst
of
that
in
maybe
a
messy
situation
but
you
also
sort
of
say
okay
we need
to
be
apart
for
months
we
can
just
sort
of
express
I
still
respect
you
I
still
care
about
you
or
something
like
that
later
on
down
the
road
so
that's
a
good
question
all
right
well
let me
close
with a
couple
announcements
and then
pray for
us
if you
got a
bulletin
if you
didn't get
a bulletin
on your
way in
get one
on your
way out
there's
a bunch
of stuff
going on
in our
church
community