Bro. Freddie
4 Pointer
Missionary Baptist Minister
Posts: 184
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Post by Bro. Freddie on May 11, 2008 3:37:53 GMT -5
Matthew 5:27-32 (King James Version)
27. Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: 28. But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. 29. And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish; and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. 30. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. 31. It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement. 32. But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.
We have been looking at the Sermon on the Mount. In a short review, we have seen Jesus' relationship to the Law and His interpretation of the Law. We have seen His interpretation of the law of murder and how we can cause someone to hate us which is murder in the eyes of the Lord. Today, we are going to look at a subject that the world doesn't understand, or if they do they just ignore it. This topic is adultery and it's affects. Are you ready? Then let's get started.
In verse 27 Jesus switches from one law to another. He has been talking about murder, hate and the affects of that sin, but now He has switched to adultery. He is still discussing the Law and going into more detail about how it should be looked at by mankind, so while He is switching laws, He is still on the same subject which is the Law. The law that He is speaking of now is one of adultery, which is found in Exodus 20:14. This is one of the 10 Commandments given unto the nation of Israel as they prepared to take over Canaan as their homeland. Let's look at this commandment a little closer. Adultery is defined as one who has unlawful intercourse with the spouse of another. It does NOT define if that spouse is a man or woman! Anyone who has unlawful intercourse (or sex without marriage) with the spouse of another is committing adultery. Folks, that is not me saying this. It is Thus sayeth the Lord! People in today's society think that adultery is alright because it isn't hurting anyone. That is a philosophy straight from Satan himself. Adultery hurts everyone in both families. I know. I have been through that situation in which a spouse committed adultery. And I'm here to tell you, it hurts more than you can believe. And I'm not talking just physical heartbreak. I'm also talking spiritual hurt. When I went through it, I found myself questioning why God would allow this to happen to me. I questioned God! And that was wrong! Adultery hurts not just the parties involved, but others on down the line also. My parents, who are both God-fearing Christians, are still hurt over this matter. They try to forgive, but it is hard. And even though I have forgiven her, I still have doubts in my mind. And this happened over 10 years ago! Satan uses these doubts to try to keep me from having a closer walk with the Lord, and sometimes he succeeds. Brethren, adultery hurts everyone and that is why it is against God's Laws.
In verse 28 though Jesus gives us the complete meaning behind this law. To paraphrase, If you look upon a woman in lust, you have already committed adultery in your heart. The word translated "lust" is a verb here, so it indicates action. It is defined as a strong desire of any kind. It is used of both good and evil desires. So we see that if you look upon a woman with a strong desire, then you have committed adultery in your heart. I'll admit, I have problems with this in my life. If we look upon another and desire to have sexual relations with them, then we have committed adultery in our hearts, no matter if we actually commit the sin or not. That is the simple truth. But why? It seems to me that God would want us to gaze upon the beauty He has created. He does, but not in lust. The simple fact of the matter is that adultery is a sin, and if you lust after another, you have sinned. Can anyone tell me they have never lusted? Then you have sinned. Can you see what Jesus is doing? He is pointing out to those that thought that they kept the Law that they hadn't. They just thought they had. Folks, remember, the Law is designed to show each of us that we are sinners and need a Saviour. If you have ever thought about having sexual relations with someone else, even if it was just for a second, then you have sinned and need a Saviour. Jesus was the ONLY person who has ever kept this Law! We all have at one time in our life or another thought about things we shouldn't have. Can you see what I'm getting at? Through our own actions we are sinners. And because we are sinners, we need a Saviour. Have you trusted in Jesus, the only one to have lived a perfect life, as your Saviour?
In verse 29 and verse 30 we see the same thought, just in a different form. In verse 29, Jesus said that if thy right eye offend thee, then pluck it out and cast it away, while in verse 30 He uses the analogy of an arm. Same thought, just a different body part. So with that in mind, we will look at these 2 verses together. While some might think that Jesus changes subjects here, He is actually still preaching about adultery. What is the first thing to happen when a person commits adultery? They look! And what do we look with? Our eyes! So what Jesus said was that if your eye is causing you to commit this violation of God's holy law, then get rid of that eye. Let's think about this a moment. What did Jesus mean? I believe that Jesus meant to show those who were listening to His sermon how ridiculous it would be to believe that they could keep the Law in it's entirety. I don't believe that Jesus meant for us to maim ourselves to keep from committing adultery. If you stop and think, a person would have to blind his or her self before they ever reached the age of puberty to keep this Law in it's entirety. And Jesus don't want us to do that! He is teaching how stupid it is to believe that you can keep the Law. And the same thing goes for your hand. The second thing that happens in adultery, after a person looks, is they touch. If your hand causes you to commit sin, cut it off. Thats what Jesus said. But again, would He want us to maim ourselves? I believe He is saying that there is no way a person can keep from sinning, no matter what they do, thus they need a Saviour. There is no way you, or I, can live a perfect life. We need a Saviour. I have trusted Jesus as mine. Have you?
As we look now at verse 31 we see Jesus quoting from the Old Testament again. Jesus is quoting from Deuteronomy 24:1. If you will recall, the book of Deuteronomy was the last book written by Moses before his death. In this book, he goes over the Law with the children of Israel before they take possession of Canaan or what we call the Holy Land today. In Deuteronomy 24:1 we see the law of divorcement given to the children of Israel. But when God instituted marriage did He want people to get divorced? NO! God desired that a man and woman would live together and raise children together in a household that put Him first. But, because of our rebellion against God, He gave the Law of divorcement. He never intended for man and woman to get divorced! Look at the marriage vows for a second. When you stood before God and said that you would forsake all others until death do you part, that was a vow, or a promise to God. God takes vows very seriously. If you divorce someone, you are in fact breaking a promise, or vow, to God. God has never broken a promise, and He never will. So why should we?
In verse 32, we see a continuation of Jesus' thoughts on this matter. If you divorce your spouse for anything other than fornication (or sexual impurity) you are causing that spouse to commit adultery. Does it say anywhere that it is alright for the either to re-marry? NO! It says that if the spouse you divorce remarries, they are committing adultery and whoever marries that spouse is also. But the Scriptures never teach that it is o.k. to remarry. If you do, you are committing adultery. I know mankind wants to think that it is o.k. to remarry, but I can find no place in the Scriptures that teach is it so. As I sat and studied this, I kept coming back to the old saying that the grass is greener on the other side of the fence. Folks, you just think it is! Satan always makes something that is forbidden look better than it actually is. The plain and simple truth is that if you divorce someone and either one remarries, that party is committing adultery. Mankind has made it so easy to get a divorce, and I maintain that it is because of our willful disobedience to God.
Today we have seen that Jesus has gone into depth about more of the Law. We have seen how it is not God's will that we should have any sexual impurity in our life. We have seen the definition of adultery, its results, and the harm it can cause. We have also seen how it has never been God's will for a couple to divorce. We have seen that no man can keep God's Law in the way they were intended. Jesus was the ONLY one who ever did or who ever will. Thats why He is the Saviour of mankind! Have you trusted in Jesus today? Have you given your life totally and completely to Him?
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Bro. Freddie
4 Pointer
Missionary Baptist Minister
Posts: 184
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Post by Bro. Freddie on May 14, 2008 3:34:07 GMT -5
Matthew 5:33-37 (King James Version)
33. Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shall preform unto the Lord thine oaths. 34. But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: 35. Nor by the earth; for it is His footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. 36. Nether shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. 37. Let you communication be, Yea, yea; or Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.
By way of introduction, as normal, we need a short review. We have been studying the Sermon on the Mount. Over the last several weeks we have seen Jesus' relationship to the Law and what the Law really means. The people had been taught by those who wanted to pervert the Law, that way it was easy to keep, when in fact, no one can keep the Law. We have seen how hatred is in fact murder. We have seen how lust is in fact adultery. As we continue, please keep in mind that I am as guilty of breaking these laws as the next person. I am no better than anyone else, in fact, I may be worse. But this is thus sayeth the Lord. It is God's Holy Word and we should abide by it.
In verse 33 Jesus again explains some things to those who are in attendance at this great sermon. The first thing I noticed was the phrase that Jesus used. He said that they had heard if from those of old, or in other words, from ancient times. A lot of times the Scriptures were passed down from father to son by word of mouth. We don't know how many copies of the Scriptures there were but it stands to reason there weren't many because of the intensive labor that it took to copy them. There were no printing presses available at this time, so each copy had to be written by hand. So the Scriptures were passed down by word of mouth. If you stop and think about it for a moment you will see that this was a great miracle. The Word of God was passed down generation to generation by word of mouth and was still perfect. One time at a church fellowship us kids played a game. We lined up in a line, and the first one was told a phrase. They passed it down the line but when it got to the end the phrase was totally different than when it started. Folks, God's Word was passed down and it was still perfect! Glory Hallelujah, what a miracle! In the latter part of verse 33 Jesus quotes from Leviticus 19:12. Now the word "forswear" carries the meaning of swearing falsely or making a false statement under oath. It is not the use of foul language. It is more along the lines of making a false statement. The word "oath" is like a promise. So we see that the Scriptures teach that we are not to make false statements but instead we are to keep our promises.
I want us to look now at verses 34 through 36. This is all one sentence, one thought, and we need to keep it in context. Jesus said to not swear at all. In other words we are not to promise to do anything. Folks, our word is our bond. If we promise to do anything, we are to do it, no exceptions. If we promise to do something, and then break that promise, we are in fact hurting the testimony of Christ. Let me try and explain. As Christians, or pictures of Christ, we are to be just like Him. If we make a promise to someone who is not a Christian, and break that promise, how does that reflect on our Saviour? It reflects badly! The one we break a promise to will think that a child of God is no better than they are, and thus they don't need a Saviour when in fact they do. Folks, we are to keep our promises, but it would be best not to make any, therefore we wouldn't break them. We are not to swear by anything. We are not to swear on heaven (where God lives), on earth (God's creation) or even Jerusalem (God's holy city) or even the hair on our own heads. This carries the idea more along the lines of swearing to tell the truth or swearing to make something happen. It would be like someone saying "I swear to be at such and such place". Folks, we don't know what tomorrow holds in store for us. When I went to work on the 6th of September of last year, I didn't know that the next morning I would be in surgery getting my arm sewn back together. I had no idea that I would be off work about 3 months. If I had made a promise to someone to do something on the 7th, I would have been wrong. I would have had to break that promise, which I had no control over. We have no control over anything. God knows what is best for us, so when he says not to swear, we should not swear.
In verse 37 Jesus tells us what our answers are to be. It is either to be yes, yes, or no, no. Anything else is of evil, which Satan is the father of. What Jesus is telling us is to keep our answers simple, and concise. There should be no room for misinterpation of our answers. If we answer questions people put to us with either yes, yes, or no, no, they can not say we have promised them something. Like I stated earlier we should not promise anything because we have no control over the future. Only God does!
Today we have seen the reasons that we should not swear, or promise anyone anything. Our word is our bond! We call ourselves Christians so we should be like Christ who never broke a promise. Are you like Jesus in this aspect? Are you His child? If not, it is very simple. Realize that you are a sinner and doomed to spend eternity in hell. Believe that Jesus lived the perfect life and died for your sins. Ask Him for forgiveness and trust in Him to save you. And you know what? He will! I urge you to give your life to Him today. You will never regret it.
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Bro. Freddie
4 Pointer
Missionary Baptist Minister
Posts: 184
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Post by Bro. Freddie on May 18, 2008 4:17:19 GMT -5
Matthew 5:38-42 (King James Version)
38. Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. 39. But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. 41. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. 42. Give to him that asketh thee; and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.
We have been studying the Sermon on the Mount for the last several weeks and it looks like we will be be on this great sermon of the Lord's for several more weeks. Just looking ahead, we might be about halfway through. Anyway, we have seen the relationship between Jesus and the Law and we have seen several instances where Jesus has expounded upon the Law. We have seen what the Law really means, and today will be no exception. Today we will look at the Law of retribution or as I like to put it, the Law of getting even. We will also see what the Lord has to say about this. So, let's get started.
In verse 38 Jesus again quotes from the Old Testament. This time it if from Exodus 21:24, Leviticus 24:20, and Deuteronomy 19:21. In each of these passages, it says an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. This law was given unto the Hebrew children during their wilderness journey and was designed so that they would think twice about their actions. Let me try to explain. If you knew that through your actions you would cause an accident that would cause someone to lose their eye, and as the result you would lose yours in retaliation, would you think twice about your actions? I know I would. I would be very careful not to cause someone to lose an eye or a tooth or any other body part. Folks, the Law was a harsh taskmaster. There were very harsh penalties for hurting someone or their property. I believe that God designed the Law in such a way so that the people would know that they needed a Saviour.
Jesus again tells us what the Law means in verse 39, not what the Pharisees and Sadducee's thought it meant. I want us to look at something a little closer though. The King James translators wrote that Jesus said " That ye not resist evil", but another translation I have quotes Jesus as saying "That ye resist not THE evil".Folks, this verse is not talking about resisting Satan! This verse is talking about fighting back with another person! If someone does something evil to you, don't try to get even. Pray about it! Brethren, it is not our place to take revenge upon someone that does evil to us. It is the Lords! I know that is hard for us to swallow, being that we are in a society that wants to sue someone for the slightest infraction or slight. But we are to do it! Paul says in Romans 12:21 that we should overcome evil with good. Now how would we overcome evil if we fight back? Folks, there is never a winner in a fight. It might seems like someone wins and someone loses, but in reality all lose. The one who seems to win has lost a friend, brother, or a chance to lead someone to Christ. The one who seems to lose has hatred now and is looking for a way to get even. That is human nature. Brethren, we should not resist the evil that someone does to us, but instead we should pray for them, for in doing so, you will heap coals of fire upon their head. Let the Lord handle the revenge. He can do a lot better of a job at it than we can.
In verse 40 we see a continuation of the same thought but with an eye on the civil court system. The civil court system was essentially the Sanhedrin. It was a system that was put in place during Israel's wanderings in the wilderness. Remember how some came to Moses and told him that he needed some help, that it was too much for one man to judge over all the people? Well, 70 men were appointed to help judge civil matters and scholars have said that this was the beginnings of the Sanhedrin. In Jesus' time, the Sanhedrin had changed so that former high priests were on this council, along with men from well-to-do families, scribes, and others. I get the feeling that it was a matter of great pride to be on this council. Anyway, if someone had something against you, say an imagined debt, and you refused to pay, they were allowed to take you before the Sanhedrin. The word "coat" is better defined as tunic. The tunic was really the clothes that they wore. It was like a sack, with a v-opening where the head would go through and slits cut for the arm holes. It could be made of cotton, linen, or even wool. The tunics made of goat's hair (sackcloth) were worn in times of mourning because they caused skin irritations and were very uncomfortable. The cloak was like the tunic but was more of what we would think of as a cold weather item, but not like a coat. The cloak was worn by the wealthy, or when it was cold. There were 2 forms of cloaks. One was made by wrapping thick woolen material around the body, with seams at the shoulders, and slits cut for the arms. The other was like a loose dressing gown with wide sleeves. These types were usually made of silk and were the signs of luxury. A lot of times the only protection the people had was the cloak, because they might not be able to afford a tunic. If the cloak was taken as a pledge for a loan, it had to be returned to the owner by nightfall for sleeping purposes. Thus the courts would never award a cloak. So since Jesus knew all this, why did he say that if the courts awarded someone your tunic, to give him your cloak also? Brethren, I believe that the reason Jesus said this was to show others that we had the love of God in our lives. If someone sued you, and won a judgment against you, go the extra mile and show the love of God in your life by giving more than is required. It is all God's anyways! When we have the attitude that what we have is not ours but is God's and is to be used for His honor and glory, then we are ready to be used of God. Show the love of God in your life, go the extra mile, and you will be blessed. And you will also show others that you love God, and maybe become a witness unto them.
In verse 41 we see that Jesus said if a man required you to go a mile, go twain (or 2). In those days, remember that the Jews were under Roman oppression. A Roman soldier could compel a Jewish citizen to carry his pack for a Roman mile which was 4,850 feet. The penalty for refusal was instant death. So instead of just doing what was required, Jesus said to go the extra mile and carry the pack 2 miles. Folks, we are to go above and beyond what is required of us. Wouldn't that be a good way to show the love of Jesus in your life? Think about this for a moment. Jesus gave all when He gave His life on the cross for our sins. Shouldn't we be willing to go beyond what is required of us to show others His love for them?
In verse 42 Jesus said to give to him that asketh thee, and turn not away him that would borrow from thee. In simple terms, if someone asks to borrow something from you, let them have it, don't refuse them. Brethren, this is a simple concept to grasp, but a hard one to do. If someone wants to borrow something from you, let them borrow it, and don't worry about it. It could be the last cup of sugar in the house, but let them have it. The Lord will provide more. It could be something that is valuable, but let them have it. Wouldn't that be a sign of Christian love? Folks, God let us "borrow" His Son for 33 years or so! He allowed the most valuable thing in the universe to give His life for us! So why shouldn't we also show this aspect in our life?
Today we have learned about the aspect of getting even, going further than is required of man, and showing the love of God in our lives. Are we doing these things? Do we show others that we love God above all else? Or are we more worried about things of this world than things of the next? There maybe someone who is reading this that has never experienced the love of God in their life. If so, I urge you to trust in Jesus, give your life to Him, then show others the same love He has shown unto you. If you have already trusted Him, live like it. Show others what it means to have a risen Saviour living in your life. Again, are we showing others the love of God in our life?
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Bro. Freddie
4 Pointer
Missionary Baptist Minister
Posts: 184
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Post by Bro. Freddie on May 21, 2008 2:58:22 GMT -5
Matthew 5:43-48 (King James Version)
43. Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. 44. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you, and persecute you. 45. That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven; for He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and unjust. 46. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? 47. And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? Do not even the publicans so? 48. Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
We have been looking at the Sermon on the Mount which I contend is the ordination sermon to the first church. We have seen Jesus relationship to the Law, and the true meaning of the Law, which was to point men to Christ. We have seen how it is not good to seek revenge, meaning an eye for an eye, but to go the extra mile. Today, Jesus continues on this theme, but takes a different approach to it. Let's look at this wonderful passage and see what it hold for us.
In verse 43 Jesus again quotes from the Old Testament. This time it is from Leviticus 19:16. One thing I did find interesting though is that the second part of the quote is not from the Old Testament. Only the first part is. As I sat and thought on this, I realized that God never said to hate thy enemy. That is just a saying that man made up and added to God's word. Let's think on that a moment. Why would man add to God's word? It is because of our sin nature! Man thought that if you are supposed to love your neighbor, then the opposite of that is to hate your enemy, so it would be alright to add this little bit. Folks, it is never alright to add or take away from God's word. His word is perfect in every aspect. Man can not improve upon it, but even to this day they are trying. Why? Because of man's sin nature, they think they can improve on God's word. Mankind has realized that they can not uphold the true teachings of the Word, so they add to it to give themselves a loophole. Brethren, we should never seek a loophole. We should realize that God's word is perfect in it's original form and that it can not be improved upon.
In verse 44 the first thing I noticed is the word "but". It is a logical indicator and denotes that which follows is opposite of that which proceeds. So what is Jesus saying? He said that they had heard that they were to hate their enemies but He said they were to love their enemies. What is the opposite of hate? Isn't it love? We are to love our enemies! It is easy to hate someone, but it is hard to love that same person if they have done something to you that is hurtful. I know I have a problem with this in my life. But I have to learn to love my enemies more. And Jesus goes on to cover every aspect of it too, so that the people could not find a loophole. Some might say, "Well, I'll love my enemy, but I won't bless them!" Jesus said to bless them, or in other words, to wish them the best. They might say "Well, I'll love them and bless them, but I won't do good to them!" Again, Jesus said to do good unto them that hate you. And the hardest part is that Jesus said to pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you. How many of us love our enemies enough to pray for them? If someone is persecuting you, would you love them enough to be like Jesus when He asked the Father to forgive those who crucified Him? This is another area in my life that I need to improve upon. I find it easy to pray for those who are my friends, but I find it hard to pray for those who have been hateful to me. I am wrong! I should pray for all men, not just my friends. Case in point. How many of us have prayed about Osama bin Laden? And I'm not talking about praying for his removal, but praying for his salvation. I know I haven't. And again, I am wrong on this matter. I should pray for his salvation, just like I pray for your health concerns. Do we pray for our enemies? Do we love them?
In verse 45 Jesus tells us why we should love those that hate us. It is so that we may be the children of the Father. This is NOT talking about salvation. Instead this is talking about being like our Father. Answer me this. Does God love everyone? Of course. He provided a way for everyone to receive salvation, thus He loves everyone. Shouldn't we be like our Father? Shouldn't we love everyone like He does? Now we can not provide a way for men to be saved, but we can show them the way. One of the greatest joys a dad can have is to have his children follow in his footsteps. I would love to see both of my sons surrender to the ministry when they are old enough, but that is not my decision. That is God's. But it would be a great blessing to me to see my sons follow in the path that I have laid before them. We are like the Father in this situation. He wants us to follow in His footsteps and be like Him. And to show His love for everyone, God allows the rain to fall on the just and the unjust and the sun to rise on both the evil and the good. Does God just make the rain fall on you while your neighbor doesn't get any? Of course not. Does the sun just rise on you and not the drunkard who lives down the street? NO! The sun rises on both of you, thus God shows His love to every man. And we should too.
As we look now at verse 46 we see that Jesus asks a simple yet complex question. This question is designed to make us think and to drive His point home. If we love those that love us, what reward do we have? It is easy to love those who love us, and to be truthful, it is easy to hate those that hate us. That is only human nature. But we should not be like that! Would that be showing the same love that Jesus showed to us? Jesus loved us so much that He gave His life for us. He died the most painful death ever devised by mankind, just for you and me. He showed love in doing so. We are to show that same love to all mankind, not just those that love us. Think about it this way for a moment. If we show love only to those who love us, how would those who are lost ever come to trust the Lord as their Saviour? They won't! Brethren, we are to show the same love that Jesus showed to us to others.
In verse 47 Jesus asks another question to those who were listening to this wonderful sermon. If you salute (greet) your brethren only, how is that different than others? Now keep in mind that a greeting in those days was a long drawn out affair. Often it would last several hours or more. They would have to ask about the family, and so forth. In other words, a greeting showed that they cared about the other person. If you only showed that you cared about those that you know, how is that different than what others do? It isn't! We are to different! We are to show others that Jesus loves them. And how can we do that unless we meet and talk to them?
As we look now at verse 48, we see that Jesus said to be perfect, even as the Father who is in heaven is perfect. Now the word "perfect" is an adjective and signifies having reached its end or finished, complete. Most of the time it is used in the Scriptures to speak of those who are fully grown or mature. Here it carries the idea of being complete without necessarily being fully mature. In other words we are to be complete just like the Father is complete. But how are we to be complete while here on earth? We are still in a sinful body, and sin daily. Brethren, this is speaking of striving to reach a goal. We are to strive to be just like the Father. and while we will all fall short of that mark, we are still to try. And how better to strive to be like the Father than by showing the same love that He showed to mankind by giving His Son for our sins?
Today we have seen how we should show love to everyone, not just to those that are brethren or that show us love. We have seen how we should show that love to even our enemies. Do we? Do we show the same love that God showed unto us when He gave His only Son for our sins? Only you can answer these questions. But first, you need to ask yourself if you have ever experienced the love of God? Have you ever accepted Jesus as your personal Saviour? If not, then I urge you to accept Him today. If so, then show the love that God has shown unto you by showing that love to others so that they may come to saving knowledge of the Lord. Have you trusted Jesus today?
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Bro. Freddie
4 Pointer
Missionary Baptist Minister
Posts: 184
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Post by Bro. Freddie on May 25, 2008 4:02:51 GMT -5
Matthew 6:1-4 (King James Version)
1. Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. 2. Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 3. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth. 4. That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret Himself shall reward thee openly.
For the last several weeks we have been looking at the Sermon on the Mount. We have seen Jesus' relationship to the Law, and the actual meaning of the Law. We have seen that we should love our neighbor, and our enemies, as we love ourselves. We have seen that we should strive to be perfect just like the Father. We are now going to continue this wonderful sermon and see what the Lord would have us to learn, and change in our life.
As we look at verse 1, the first thing I noticed was the phrase "take heed". This essentially means to watch out or keep an eye on. It is kinda like if someone tells you to watch out for something that is dangerous or harmful. Being a truck driver, and learning where the chicken farms are, I am constantly being told to watch out for certain things, like bad mud holes on different farms. This is the same thing Jesus is telling His church. Watch out and don't fall into this trap. The next thing I noticed was the word "alms". This is defined as mercy or pity, particularly in giving. This is not tithing! There is a difference! Tithing is giving what the Lord has blessed you with, back to the Lord. It is in reality a lesson in putting the Lord first. Giving alms is showing mercy to others who are less fortunate than yourself. If we wanted to translate this into modern day English we could say, "Watch out when you show mercy to others in public." Folks, some people just give to others to get fame and recognition. That is sad but it is reality. They want to give so that others will see how merciful they are. That is not the way we should be! We should give from the heart. If we make a big fanfare about our showing mercy to others, and a big fuss is made over us, we have already received our reward. But why? To mans way of thinking, it would seem like the Father would want us to be publicly recognized to others for showing mercy. Folks, I believe that it is so that we will remain humble. If we remain humble, we will always remember that the Father is the One who blessed us with the means to show others mercy. If we are recognized publicly by others for showing mercy, we will not remain humble, but in fact would exalt ourselves to a position we should not be in. So, we should watch out for this trap, and remain humble so that the Lord will be exalted instead of us.
In verse 2 we see that Jesus uses the word "therefore" which is a logical indicator and begins a conclusion. In fact, He is telling us the proper manner and mode we should have when we show mercy to others by our giving. As we look further, Jesus said to not sound a trumpet when we show mercy to others in our giving. Now, if I understand it correctly, there were different boxes in the Temple for different charities. One was probably for widows, another for orphans, and yet another for lepers, and so forth. I'm not sure how many boxes there were, but I think there were more than 3, possibly as many as 7. But the number doesn't matter. On each of these boxes was a trumpet, and while we are not sure, it is possible that this trumpet was a working instrument. And when a person would place a lot of money in these boxes, a priest would be there to sound, or blow on this trumpet. It was so all would know that a donation was made. It had gotten to the point that unless a person put a certain amount in this box, they would not blow on the trumpet. It had gotten to be a prestige thing. It had also gotten to the point that when a person gave a lot of money, that they would blow this trumpet in the streets even. Folks, this is NOT how the Lord wants us to give. He wants us to show mercy unto others, because we love them, not because we want recognition. We should show love unto others, yes, even with the money the Lord has blessed us with, in every aspect of our life. But we should do it in the manner the Lord would have us to do it. With a humble heart, showing others that He is the One who should receive the glory, not us. Do we?
In verse 3 Jesus says that when you do your alms (mercy giving) do not let your right hand know what the left is doing. I noticed a couple of things here that I believe it would do us well to note. First, does it say IF you do your alms? NO! Jesus says WHEN. Folks, we are expected to show mercy unto others by our giving. We are to give to others so that it will show the love of Jesus in our lives. Others should be able to see Jesus in us even through our giving. Do they? Secondly, Jesus said to not let one hand know what the other is doing. Now this is physically impossible. If I remember correctly, I learned in school that the brain controls all motor functions of the body. It would be impossible for one body part to do something and not another not know what is going on. So, is Jesus telling us to do something that is impossible? NO! I believe that Jesus is telling us that we should give our alms in secret, without fanfare, so that God will receive the glory. I believe that Jesus is saying that we should give in such a manner that we don't think about it, but just give. Think about it for a moment. A lot of times, we do things without actually thinking about it. I know I used to use my right hand for everything, until I broke my arm. Now it requires a little bit of thought to use my right hand. Jesus is saying that we should give without thinking about it. In fact, it should be a natural way of life for us.
In verse 4 we see the reward for giving in secret. The Father, who sees all, will reward us openingly if we give in secret. This is a principal in giving that I have learned over the years. Although I don't like preaching about money, I need to use an example in my life here to make a point. After I returned to the Lord from my going astray, I learned that I should be tithing each week. Now a tithe is 10% minimum, before taxes. It is an exercise in putting God first in my life. At first, it was a struggle, as I needed to pay my bills, but I found that as time went on, the money that the Lord blessed me with seemed to go further even though I was giving my tithes. The Lord has recently laid it upon my heart to give more than I was, which was 10% rounded up to the nearest $20. Example: if my check was $650 before taxes, I gave $80. But I have now increased it a $100 minimum a week. Brethren, the Lord has rewarded me by allowing me to earn more money and to let the money that I have go further. I was rewarded! It is the same principal in giving to the needy. If we give to those who are in need, the Lord will bless us beyond measure. Now, don't get me wrong. I am NOT one of those who preach that if you desire something that all you have to do is pray about it and the Lord will bless you with it. That is not the way it works! But I am saying that if you give your alms in secret the Lord will bless you in ways that you might not understand now, but as you grow spiritually, you will be able to look back and see how He has blessed.
Today, we have learned about giving to those who are in need. We have learned that we should not be like some, who give just so that they an show off, but that we should give out of a pure heart, giving God the glory. Do we have enough faith to put this to the test? Do you trust God enough that you will do what it says in His word?
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Bro. Freddie
4 Pointer
Missionary Baptist Minister
Posts: 184
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Post by Bro. Freddie on May 28, 2008 3:57:26 GMT -5
Matthew 6:5-8 (King James Version)
5. And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corner of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 6. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to the Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. 7. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. 8. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask Him.
Last week we looked at the giving of alms, or as I like to put it, giving to charity. Jesus taught us that we should not be like the hypocrites, and give with a big show, but that we should give from the heart and do it without thinking. This week, we are going to look at prayer and the proper attitude we should have when we pray.
In verse 5 the first thing that I would like us to notice is that Jesus says WHEN you pray. There is no if you pray, or anything like that. It is expected of us to pray to the Father. I like to look at prayer like a dad likes to find out how his children's day is. I like to ask my children how their day was, at school, or other activities. I like to know what is going on in my children's life. Folks, we are modeled after the Father! He likes to know what is going on in our life too. Sure, He knows what happened to us during the day. He knows how we reacted or acted upon each situation that occurred in our life. But He still wants to hear from us! The next thing I noticed is the words "thou shalt not". When I read this it hit me that this is just like the 10 Commandments. It is a direct order from the Lord saying don't do it this way. In other words, we are not to pray in the manner that others do. We are NOT to pray like the hypocrites (those who don't practice what they preach) do. These people love to pray in public, thinking that because of their beautiful prayers they will be granted their desires. Folks, it doesn't work that way! Prayer is NOT a wish list! It is a direct communication between the Father and you. Prayer is not for show. Now, I want to make a point here that is very relevant. Jesus is NOT condemning praying in public. If someone calls upon you to pray in public, do it, but don't make a spectacle of it. What Jesus is condemning is praying for show. It is alright to pray in public if you do it in the right manner. But if you pray just so people can say how godly you are, then that is the wrong reason.
In verse 6 Jesus goes on to say that we should enter into a closet, shut the door, and pray in private. Does this mean that we are to go into a literal closet and pray? NO! What is does mean is that we should go to a place where we can be alone, not disturbed, and pray. We should each have a place where we can go to be alone with the Lord. It could be about anywhere, but it should be a place where we can go, be undisturbed, and be able to talk to the Lord. Folks, the Lord wants our undivided attention! When we pray, we should be able to give the Lord our entire attention, not being interrupted by outside things. Notice also what the Lord said about praying in private. If we pray in private, the Lord will reward us openingly. Folks, I believe that if we pray to the Father in private He will reward us. Now this is NOT to say that He will grant our every desire. I am NOT one of those "name it and claim it" preachers. The Scriptures don't teach that! The Lord knows what is best for us, and He will bless us, if we are obedient to Him. Nowhere in the Scriptures does it teach that if I want a new pick-up or bass boat that all I have to do is ask and it will be given to me. But I believe that the Scriptures teach that if I pray to the Father, and it is His will, He will bless me so that others may see His blessings.
In verse 7 we see that we are not to use vain repetitions as the heathens do. I have heard this preached that we are not to say the Fathers name after every sentence. But that is wrong! What Jesus is saying here is that we are not to do like some in the mid-east do, which is chanting. I know you have all heard those who place their selves in a trance by saying things like ohm mm. This is NOT prayer! This is a self-induced trance that is ungodly. We are not to chant and place ourselves in a trance. These people think that if they go into a trance, then they will be closer to God. There is nothing further from the truth!
in verse 8 we see a warning and a blessing. The warning is to not be like those who chant over and over. The blessing is that we have a Father who loves us and cares for us. GLORY HALLELUJAH! The Father knows what we need even before we ask. Now how many of us can say that we know exactly what our children need before they even ask? None! Take the example of a parent and a baby. Does the parent know exactly when that baby is hungry? Not really. They can start to tell by the baby's actions, but do they KNOW beforehand exactly what time that baby is going to want their bottle? NO!. But we have a Father who KNOWS what we need even before we ask. Notice also that Jesus said "needs" not "wants". Sure, God knows what we want, but there is a difference between what we want and what we need. I might want a new vehicle, but I need food. So the Father will supply that food where He might not supply that new vehicle when I have one that is suitable for my needs. See the difference?
Today we have seen why we should pray. We have seen the proper manner we should pray. We have also seen that we should not be like some, but we have a Father who cares for us. How is your prayer life? Do you pray? Do you have a relationship with a Father that loves you so much that He gave His Son to die for you? Can you go to the Father in prayer?
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Bro. Freddie
4 Pointer
Missionary Baptist Minister
Posts: 184
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Post by Bro. Freddie on Jun 1, 2008 6:15:09 GMT -5
There will not be a study on Matthew today. I originally post my sermon notes on another website (where I have a private place) but there are 5 servers down so I can not access them. Hopefully the servers will be back up soon and we can get back on our regular schedule. Sorry for the inconvience.
Freddie Hill
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Bro. Freddie
4 Pointer
Missionary Baptist Minister
Posts: 184
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Post by Bro. Freddie on Jun 4, 2008 3:08:37 GMT -5
Matthew 6:9-13 (King James Version)
9. After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 11. Give us this day our daily bread. 12. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
In our studies of Matthew so far, we have learned several things while we have been looking at the Sermon on the Mount. It is my contention that this sermon was one of, if not the greatest sermon ever preached on earth. We have seen Jesus' relation to the Law, what the Law actually meant, and other things. Last week we looked at prayer and today we are going to continue that theme. I hope each one of you who read this get as much out of this study as I have.
Before we get started on our study, there is one thing I need to bring out. This same passage is recorded in Luke 11:1-4 also. It is a little different, but is still almost the same. If you have time, please read both of these passages.
In verse 9 the first thing I want us to look at is the first phrase. Now, this is very important, so please pay close attention. The first phrase says "After this manner therefore pray ye". Folks, this is an example! This is NOT the Lord's Prayer! I know people have been calling this the Lord's prayer for a long time, but it is not! It is the Model Prayer. When Jesus said "after this manner" He meant that this is how we should pray. He gave us an example on how to pray. If you look at the passage in Luke, you will see the disciples asking the Lord to TEACH them to pray. When you teach someone something, you show them how. Just like when I teach my children a certain skill, whether it be hunting, fishing, or whatever, I'm teaching them. This is the exact same thing. The Lord is teaching His children how to pray. The next thing I want us to examine in verse 9 is the phrase "our Father". Jesus used this to show the relationship between each of us and God the Father. Some people don't want to admit it, but God is the Father of us all. He created Adam, thus being the father of Adam, and we are all descended from Adam. So He is our Father. And being our Father, we should respect and honor Him just like we would our earthly father, but even more. Even though I am an adult, and have a family of my own, I still respect my dad. I try to honor him every chance I get. Shouldn't I do the same with my heavenly Father, who has done more for me that my earthly father ever will? As we look further in verse 9 the next thing we need to look at is the word "hallowed". This word signifies to make holy or sanctify. It is exactly the opposite of common. Here and in Luke 11 are the only places in the New Testament that this word is used. Folks, the Lord's name is holy and should never be treated lightly. It should be treated with all the reverence and respect it deserves. I know of several people who use the Lord's name in ways that it should never be used. While these people don't actually curse, they still use His name in such a way that it can not be holy. We should always, and I mean always, treat the name of the Lord with respect and reverence.
In the first part of verse 10 we see the phrase "Thy kingdom come". What does this mean? I believe that this means that we should pray that the mankind would realize that God is the ruler over all and that He is God. Sure, there are a lot of people who believe that God is God, but do all? Look at an earthly kingdom as an example. Don't all the people of the land know that they have a king? Of course they do! They pay taxes to a king, for the upkeep and defense of the kingdom. So these people know that a king rules over them. Do all the people today know that they have a King that rules over them from heaven? NO! A lot of people act and think like there is no one who is ruling over them when in fact the opposite is the case. So we should pray that all will come to realize that God is God and He is ruler over all. The next thing we see in verse 10 is the phrase "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven". Brethren, we should pray that the Father's will will be done here on earth just like in heaven. But what is the Father's will? I believe that the Father's will is that all mankind will come to a true reconciliation with Him. In other words, that all men will be saved. Again, using an example of an earthly father, who should be patterned after God, our heavenly Father. When my boys do something wrong, I want them to come to a realization that they are wrong, and come to me and apologize and make things right between us so that a sweet fellowship will be between us. We are just like God in this aspect, or if we are not, we should be. When we sin, we should realize that we sin, and go to the Father and confess our sins. Then He will forgive us and that sweet fellowship between us and Him can be restored. I believe that this is God's will for each and every person ever born on earth. So, we should pray that the Father's will be done.
In verse 11 we see that Jesus says we should pray for our daily sustenance (bread). Now some say that this verse is not relevant anymore because we now have refrigeration. But I say that it is just as relevant today as it was when Jesus said it. First, lets look at this verse in light of the way it was back then. There was no refrigeration, so therefore food would spoil quickly. Sure, salt was used to preserve food, but not as well as refrigeration. So therefore there was really no need to have any more than would be consumed that day. With this in mind, can you see now why they were instructed to pray just for what was needed that day? Now, let's look at this in light of today's modern conveniences. We have refrigeration today, so we are able to preserve food for quite a while. So what does this verse mean to us today? I believe it means that Jesus wants us to rely upon Him for all our needs. Isn't that faith? Isn't that what we are supposed to have? Now I'm not saying that we should quit our jobs, sit around, and pray that the Lord would open heaven and give us what we need to eat. The Scriptures don't teach that! What I am saying is that we should not worry about where our next meal is coming from. If the Lord wants you to eat, He will provide. Now I know most of us have jobs that pay money. Isn't that a way the Lord provides for you to eat? He allows you to make money to buy groceries, therefore He has provided. Another thing I would like us to notice about verse 11 is that Jesus said bread. He didn't say steak! Folks, we don't need the best there is to survive. The basic things of life are all we need. The Lord never promised that we would have the best while in this life. But He did promise that He would see to our needs. Are you trusting in Him to supply your daily needs?
As we look now at verse 12, I want us to notice something. In Luke's version of the Model prayer, it says "Forgive us of our sins, for we also forgive everyone indebted to us". Here in Matthew it says "Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors". Isn't that the same thing? YES! Let me try and explain. A debt is something that we owe. It may be a mortgage, a loan, whatever, but it is something that we owe to someone else. Sin is the same thing. When we sin, we owe the penalty, which is death, or eternal separation from God. But, Jesus paid that penalty for us on the cross. He paid the debt we owe! See my point? Another thing I want us to think about in this verse is this. Alot of times, the Father treats us like we treat others. You want to be forgiven of your sins? Forgive others of the things they have done to you. Now, I know that is hard, but who ever said that living a Christian life would be easy? I especially have a hard time forgiving others of the wrongs they have done, or I have perceived they have done to me. But I am not to be that way! I am to forgive them. I am to be like the Father! Are we like Him in this aspect?
In verse 13 we see that Jesus says that we should ask the Father to lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. In James 1:13 it says "Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither temptheth He any man." But Jesus says here in Matthew that we should pray to the Father to not lead us into temptation. Is there a conflict in the Bible? NO! If you will read the next verse in James it says "But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed". So you will see that we are tempted, when we are drawn away, not by the Father, but by our own lusts. But why did Jesus tell us to pray that the Father would not lead us to temptation? I believe that we are to ask the Father to not lead us into situations that would cause us to be tempted and lead astray. Folks, the Father will never tempt you. He might test you, like He did Abraham, but He will never tempt you to cause you to go astray. Satan is the one who tempts, not God. Looking at the next phrase in this verse, we see that it says "but deliver us from evil". Folks, this is NOT speaking of salvation! Remember, we are talking about temptation. This is speaking about keeping us from temptation and the father of all temptation, Satan. What Jesus is saying is that we should pray to the Father to keep us safe from Satan and his temptations. Brethren, Satan has many, many ways to tempt us. It could be material things, to draw us away from God, or any number of things. It could be a host of things. Folks, God knows what is best for us, and we should trust in His guidance. Do we? Or are we hard headed and want things our own way? In the last part of verse 13 we see that Jesus says "For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever". What Jesus is doing here is teaching His disciples that they should give God the glory and praise He so richly deserves. Do we? Do we give God the glory and praise He deserves for everything? Remember, God is the Creator, and without Him, nothing is possible. Do we praise Him for the blessings that come our way? Do we praise Him for the trials that come our way? We should praise the Father for everything! Do we?
Today, we have seen how what mankind calls the Lord's Prayer is in fact the Model Prayer. We have seen the manner we should pray in, the way we should pray, and that we should give God all the glory and honor in everything. Do we pray like we should? Or do you think prayer is just a wish list? What does prayer mean to you?
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Bro. Freddie
4 Pointer
Missionary Baptist Minister
Posts: 184
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Post by Bro. Freddie on Jun 8, 2008 3:31:05 GMT -5
Matthew 6:14, 15 (King James Version)
14. For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15. But if ye forgive men not their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
For the last several weeks we have been looking at the Sermon on the mount. Inside this wonderful sermon, we have seen the Beatitudes, Jesus' relation to the Law, the Model prayer and many other wonderful teachings from our Lord. I pray that you are learning as much from this sermon as I am.
In verse 14 the first thing I noticed is the logical indicator "for". This logical indicator is used to point us to a conclusion, which in this verse is the last phrase of the verse. In other words, what Jesus is saying is that something will happen if you meet certain requirements. I'll use an example here. I told Lucas, my oldest, that if he would bring one report card out of the next 2 home with all A's I would buy him a rifle to deer hunt with. He has to meet this requirement for me to buy him a rifle. This is the same thing Jesus is saying. You meet this requirement and this will happen. The word "forgive" is a verb and is defined as to send away, send forth. It is the action of this verse. In other words, this is something that we all should do. If we were to put this in modern English, we would say that we would send something away from us so that we would not have it in our presence and be constantly reminded of it. The next thing we need to look at is the word "trespasses". This is simply defined as transgressions, or something that someone does to you that is hurtful or mean. We have all had people do things to us that were hurtful or mean. Now if we put this all together we see that we should send away from us the transgressions that others do to us. Now, I know this is hard for us as humans to do, but the Lord says we are to do it. We are to forgive people for their actions against us, but just as importantly, we are to forget them too. I have had trouble with that in this past week. Let me try and explain. When my wife was having her affairs, she told me that she would meet this certain man on a county road, and they would do what they were there to do. Well, I pass this same road every day in the feed truck on the way to and from the feed mill. I have no choice. I have to go down the highway right beside this road. As I pass this road, here lately Satan has been calling to my mind these things and I have been dwelling on them. I am wrong! When Satan does this, I should put these things from my mind and think on things of the Lord. Folks, part of forgiveness is forgetfulness. We should forgive those who transgress against us and never bring them back up again.
In the last part of verse 14 we see a promise. The Father will forgive us, if we meet certain conditions. Now, this is NOT talking about salvation. Remember, Jesus is speaking to His church here. What it is speaking of though is forgiveness of the sins we commit after salvation. Let me try to explain. Everyone who is saved, no matter who, will commit sins after they are saved. This is a fact. I don't care how perfect a life you lead, you will still sin in some form or another. And when we go to the Father in prayer, asking forgiveness of our daily sins, He treats us just like we treat others. He will forgive us of these sins, when we forgive others. An example. Remember when you were raising your children and one would bite the other? You were probably told to make the one that was bitten to bite the one who bit. They were in essence told to treat them just like they were treated. This is the same way the Father treats us. We are treated just like we treat others. Do we want forgiveness of our daily sins? Then forgive others!
Verse 15 is exactly the opposite of verse 14. If you don't forgive others of their trespasses, then the Father won't forgive you. Again, this is NOT talking about salvation. This IS speaking of the sins we commit after salvation. As I sat and thought on this, I got to wondering why Jesus would say one thing, and then in the next verse give the exact opposite. I think I know. It is so that we won't misunderstand Him! Jesus left no room for misinterpretation. Remember, the Scribes and Pharisees were in attendance during this wonderful sermon and they were always looking for loopholes. Thus Jesus repeated Himself, but in the negative so that there would be no loophole. Folks, this is a serious matter. If we fail to forgive others of the trespasses they have committed against us, then the Father won't forgive us of the trespasses we commit against Him.
Today, we have seen another way that we can show the love that Jesus showed to us to others. It is by forgiveness. We can forgive others just like the Father has forgiven us. Do we? Or do we carry a grudge and refuse to forgive? But the most important thing is, have you been forgiven? Have you asked Jesus to forgive you of your sins? Have you realized that without the forgiveness of Jesus you are lost and headed to hell? Realize that you are a sinner, humble yourself before God, and by a simple prayer, ask for His forgiveness. You will be glad you did.
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Bro. Freddie
4 Pointer
Missionary Baptist Minister
Posts: 184
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Post by Bro. Freddie on Jun 11, 2008 2:51:02 GMT -5
Matthew 6:16-18 (King James Version)
16. Moreover, when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance, for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 17. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; 18. That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.
In the last few weeks we have the Lord's views on giving alms, prayer, how to pray, and forgiveness. Today we are going to look at something that not many of us do, which is fasting. I hope you will learn as much from this as I have.
In verse 15 the first thing I noticed was the word "moreover". It is a logical indicator and indicates that what follows is a continuation of the previous thought. While it might seem like Jesus is switching subjects here, He is not. It is just a continuation of His thoughts. The next thing I noticed was the phrase "when ye fast". This does not say if ye fast but when. Now remember who Jesus was speaking to. He was speaking to mainly Jewish people who had observed religious rituals all their life. The Jews were expected to fast on certain days, so Jesus is in fact telling them that when they partook of this ritual what they were to do. Now, are we expected to fast? I don't think so. There is no record that I can find in the Scriptures that say that we have to fast. But it is a good thing. Remember when we discussed Jesus' temptations in the wilderness? Jesus fasted for 40 days during this time. I went back and looked as some of the research I did on fasting. I learned that after 3 days of fasting, the body starts to cleanse itself of toxins that is in the food that was previously consumed. The mind is sharper and thinks clearer. So while a fast might be a good thing, we are not commanded by the Lord to do it. In fact, He rebukes the Sadducee's and Pharisees for making too big a deal of fasting. As we look further, the next thing I noticed was that Jesus said not to be like the hypocrites. Now, the word hypocrite is actually a word denoting an actor. Remember, the Romans had their theaters all over the place, including the lands that they had conquered, which included Israel. I believe that the Jews were influenced by Roman occupation and this is why Jesus used a word that described an actor in a play. So in fact what Jesus is telling those who were listening is to not be like these actors who pretend to play a role. Folks, we are not to be play actors. We are to be the real thing! What do I mean? Think on what an actor does. He plays a role that is made up for him and is fake. We are not to be like that! We are to live our lives in such a way that it brings honor and glory upon our Master, which is Jesus. Do we? Jesus continues and says that those who fast should not be of a sad countenance and disfigure their face. Remember, we are talking about play actors here. If I remember my history correctly, the actors of that time used masks to show the audience their feelings. I'm sure you all seen pictures of these masks. One showed a sad face, another a happy face. The actors would hold these masks up to their face during certain times of the play to show their emotions. The hypocrites who were fasting at this time would make it appear unto others that they were fasting, just like an actor. They would put on sackcloth and ashes so that the world would know that they were fasting. What they were in essence doing was saying "Look at me, I'm fasting. I'm holy." They were in fact trying to draw attention to their actions. Are we to be that way?
As we look now at verse 17, I want us to notice the logical indicator "but". Now I have mentioned time and again what this logical indicator means, and I think it would be good to go over it again. The logical indicator "but" means that what follows is exactly opposite of what precedes. So what precedes? The disfigurement of the face and a sad countenance! So what is exactly opposite? The anointing of the head and the washing of the face! Back in Biblical days, the anointing of the head was most often pouring of oil on the head to help control the odor, and various scalp diseases. Remember, they didn't have shampoo back then. We could say that it is a lot like using perfume today. Now, when a woman uses perfume today, she is usually getting dressed up and preparing to go somewhere. If she is just planning to hang around the house, usually she doesn't apply perfume. It was the same way back then! When a person went out in public they washed their face and put oil upon their hair to be presentable. So what is Jesus saying? He is saying to make yourself presentable when you fast, don't put on a show. Another thing I think needs to be brought out here is that Jesus wants His children to have a happy countenance. He doesn't want us to go around with a long sad face appearing down all the time. He wants us to be happy! I'm sure you've seen those who look like they have been eating green persimmons and always look like they have lost their best friend. Folks, the Lord doesn't want us to be that way! He wants us to show the world that we have a hope for the future, which is in Him. Do we?
Verse 18 is in reality a continuation of verse 17. Now remember, when the Scriptures were originally written, there was no verses or chapters and no punctuation. So when they translated the Scriptures so that every person could have it, they put in verses and chapters to make it easier to read. But in fact, verse 18 is the same thought as verse 17, just a continuation. So we see that when we fast we are not to appear unto men to fast but we are to be presentable unto others and the Father who knows we are fasting, will reward us openingly. We have already covered being rewarded openingly in other sermons, but it never hurts to go over it again. I believe that the Father will reward us in ways that we might not understand at the present time, but will one day. Let me try to explain in more detail. If I am a faithful servant unto the Lord, I believe He will bless me. It may be in a way I can not see right now, but I know He will. Take the example of me breaking my arm. When I broke my arm, I thought at first, why me? I was wondering why the Lord allowed this to happen to one of His children. As time went on, and I slowly recovered, I began to realize that this was a blessing also. I was able to work on my studies more, thus becoming a better servant for Him. I am now working different hours, meaning getting to spend more time with my family. And this is just a few of the blessings! Folks, I was blessed (rewarded) but in a way I didn't realize! I am now able to see this. I believe that this is what Jesus was talking about. Do we see the blessing that the Lord has given to us?
Today, we have learned about fasting and how we should appear unto the world. We have learned that we should not be like those who are actors, but in fact we should be like Jesus. Are we? To be like Jesus, first you must accept Him as your personal Saviour. Have you? If the answer is YES, then act like it. Show others that we have a reason to be happy. If the answer is NO then please turn to Him in faith, realize you are a sinner, and ask Him to save you from your sins. So what is your answer today?
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Bro. Freddie
4 Pointer
Missionary Baptist Minister
Posts: 184
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Post by Bro. Freddie on Jun 15, 2008 4:19:04 GMT -5
Matthew 6:19-21 (King James Version)
19. Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal; 20. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through and steal. 21. For where you treasure is there your heart will be also.
By way of introduction we have been studying the Sermon on the Mount. We have learned in what manner to pray, seen an example of prayer, seen how not to be hypocrites, and many more. I have learned a lot during our study of this wonderful sermon, and it has changed my life. I hope and pray that you have learned and changed also.
In verse 19 and 20 the phrase "lay not up" actually means treasure up. It's definition is to keep in store, store up, reserve. If we were to put this in modern day English, we would say "Do not store up treasures upon earth." Now the word "treasure" is simply something valuable that you would store in a treasury. It could be anything from gold to anything valuable including silk clothing. During the time that Jesus was on the Earth, silk was a valuable commodity. People wore silk garments as a sign of wealth. But if a moth got into the silk clothing, and ate a hole in it, it was useless. Now, you all know what rust is. It is actually the enemy of metal and is corrosion. And you also know what a thief is. it is someone who breaks in and takes things that are not theirs.
As I sat and thought on this, I came to the realization that this is NOT talking about saving money in a bank. I have heard many sermons preached that a person should not save money, and these were the verses used as a reference. That is unscriptural! Folks, if the Lord has blessed you with extra money, it is alright to put it in a savings account at your local bank and save it. I have found that in my life, when the Lord blesses me with extra money, He has a purpose for it. There has been several times that I have started saving for a certain item, thinking that the Lord wants me to have this. When in fact, the Lord knew beforehand that I was going to need that money for other things. Case in point. I have wanted to go out west and elk hunt. I have started saving several times and it seems like something has always come up. The car might break down, an appliance tear up, something always happens. Folks, the Lord knew that the car was going to need repairs before I did, so He supplied the money. He knew the appliance was going to quit, so He supplied the money before it happened. It is alright to save money because the Lord knows before we do what we need.
Verse 20 begins with the logical indicator "but". We have discussed this several times, but it never hurts to go over it again. This logical indicator tells us that what follows is exactly opposite of what precedes. What precedes? Storing treasures here on earth! What is opposite? Storing treasures in heaven! In heaven, the treasures that you lay up will never be subject to rust, or thieves or even decay. Brethren, the treasures you lay up in heaven are protected by the Father Himself!
In verse 21 we see a simple but complex statement that Jesus made. "For where your treasure is there your heart will be also." What a profound statement! To better understand this, I want us to first look at the human side of things. A person who stores a treasure, be it gold, or a valuable painting, or whatever, is always worried about that item. Their heart is with that item. But a person who stores up a treasure where there is no danger of it being damaged is not worried about it. Folks, our heart should be in heaven where there is no danger of the treasures we have stored up being lost or stolen or damaged. Where is your heart today? I want us to now look at this is a different light. There are a lot of people who preach these verses are in essence working for salvation. There is nothing further from the truth! Remember, Jesus is preaching to His church here, who are saved. Why would someone who is already saved need to work for salvation? They don't! Folks, when Jesus mentioned treasures here, He was NOT referring to works for salvation! He was referring to works AFTER salvation! Let me use an example here to help us better understand this concept. The example is of a child and a teacher. A child goes to school, turns in their homework, the teacher grades it, and then puts that grade in a book. Now, I am NOT saying that the Father keeps a physical record of all the things we have done for Him. But I believe He knows and remembers them. Brethren, our works for the Lord are remembered and He will reward us when we join Him in heaven. These are the treasures I want. Not ones that will decay, or be stolen. What treasures do you want?
Today we have seen that where our treasures are our heart will be also. Where is your heart? Is it with the Father? Or are you too concerned about treasures while here on earth?
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Bro. Freddie
4 Pointer
Missionary Baptist Minister
Posts: 184
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Post by Bro. Freddie on Jun 18, 2008 3:13:03 GMT -5
Matthew 6:22, 23 (King James Version)
22. The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. 23. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
The last few weeks we have looked at the Model Prayer, forgiveness in our lives, fasting, and laying up of treasures on earth and in heaven. We have learned a lot and I pray that that trend continues. Today, we are going to look at a fact of our lives that I hope will make each one of us be better servants for the Lord.
As I studied these verses at first I thought Jesus was changing subjects but then I realized He was not. Remember, last week we looked at laying up of treasures, and where a person's treasure is, there their heart will be. For a person to store up physical treasures, they have to see them first. Thus, they have to use their eye.
In verse 22 we see that Jesus said "The light of the body is the eye". Before we go too far we need to ask a question, specifically what light is Jesus speaking of? Is it sunlight? What light is this? As I looked at a translation I have (from Greek to English) I came to the conclusion that the word light here refers to a candle. Now remember, they didn't have electricity in those days so it couldn't have been that. Jesus was referring to candle light. The literal translation would read "The candle of the body is the eye." But what does this mean? It is hard to explain, but I will try. Let's look at it this way. Can you see without light? I mean see clearly? NO! For us to see clearly we need light. That is just the way God designed our body. Now, with that thought in mind, can we see without an eye? Again, the answer is no. We have to have an eye to see. So just like we need a candle (or light) to see, we need an eye to see. This is just simple human physiology. As we look further in verse 22 we see that Jesus said " that if thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light". Now the word "single" is actually the word sound and means singleness of purpose. In other words, your eye has one purpose ands one purpose only. That is to see. If your eye is not sound, you can not see. So we see that if our eye is sound, the our whole body will be full of light. In other words, if we are able to see (sound eye) then our whole body can function as it is designed to.
Looking now at verse 23 we see that Jesus uses the logical indicator "but" again. This shows that what follows is exactly opposite of what precedes. So what preceded? A sound eye! What is exactly opposite? An evil (or unsound) eye! Folks, this is not rocket science, so don't try to make it something that it is not. This is basic human physiology. The best way that I can think of to explain this is to ask one simple question. Can a person see if their eyes are blinded? I mean actually see. Of course the answer is no to this question. What Jesus is doing here is making a comparison between good and evil using a person's eyes as an example. Looking further in verse 23 we see that Jesus said "How great is the darkness". Try this little experiment and see what Jesus is talking about. Get up when it is dark outside, and I mean really dark, like at 2 in the morning. Turn off all the lights, then shut your eyes. Keep them shut for a few minutes and notice how dark it is. This is the closest I can come to describing how a person who is totally blind lives. If there is no light, then there is total darkness. Folks, Jesus is the Light!
Today we have seen how a persons eyes affect their life. We have seen that without our eyes, there is no light. But like I said earlier, Jesus is the Light of our life. Have you trusted in Him today? Or are you living in darkness?
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Bro. Freddie
4 Pointer
Missionary Baptist Minister
Posts: 184
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Post by Bro. Freddie on Jun 22, 2008 3:50:20 GMT -5
Matthew 6:24 (King James Version)
24. No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
The last few weeks we have looked at several things in this wonderful sermon that Jesus gave. The more and more that I study this, the more and more I am learning. I pray that you are too. As I sat and thought on this during the week, I came to realize what the Lord was doing. Matthew chapter 5 was dealing with Jesus and His relationship to the Law. Chapter 6 is dealing with the religious structure of that day, meaning the Sadducee's and Pharisees. Folks, Jesus had to deal with those who were teaching falsehoods just like we do today! I pray that you are learning as I am about how to be a better servant for the Lord.
The first thing I noticed about this verse was the phrase "no man can serve two masters". When we look at this verse we need to remember the times that the people that Jesus was preaching to lived in. Slavery was a big thing back in those days. A person could go into slavery willingly, say to pay off a debt, or they could go unwillingly, like being captured by an invading army. I get the idea that Jesus was speaking about someone who willingly went into slavery for a certain period to pay off a debt or something. I have no proof to back that up, but that is just my idea. Anyway, getting back to our verse, I want you to think about slavery for a moment. Can a man who is a slave to another, serve more than one master? NO! It would be kinda foolish for me to think that if I was a slave I could serve one master over here and then another over there at the same time. How could I possibly be loyal to two different masters? It would be impossible. Look at it this way. If I was a slave, and tried to serve two different masters, who would I be loyal to if the masters gave me conflicting jobs? I couldn't be loyal to either one! Folks, you can not serve two masters either.
The next thing I want us to look at is the phrase that "he would either hate one and love the other, or hold to the one and despise the other". Folks, Jesus is talking about basic human emotions here. It is impossible for us to love two masters. We will either hate one and love the other or vice versa. But why did Jesus put it this way? It is because we are hard headed! Remember, we are like children, and being like children, we have to be told over and over to do things. I am more like a child than I really want to admit. I have to be told over and over to do things that I know I should be doing in the first place. Folks, we should not be that way! We should listen to the Father's instructions through His Word and through the conviction of the Holy Spirit, then do it. We should not have to be told over and over again by the Father to do things. Are we obeying the Father?
I now want us to look at the phrase "Ye can not serve God and mammon." The word "mammon" is actually a common Aramaic word for riches. Wouldn't that make sense? In previous verses we have seen how we should not lay up treasures while here on earth, but instead lay up treasures in heaven. We have also seen that the light of the body is the eye. When a person has to see a treasure before they lust after it. Folks, I have heard people use this phrase out of context time and again. What Jesus is actually saying is that you can not serve both God and money. You will either hate the one, and love the other or vice versa. You can not love both! God desires your love to Him above anything else. If you put God first in your life, He will bless. Maybe not is this lifetime, but wouldn't you be blessed in the next? But if you put money first in this life, then you will not be blessed in the next. Now I am NOT saying that you shouldn't work and earn a living. That is not what the Scriptures teach! What I am saying is that you should put God first in your life, and blessing will follow. Who is first in your life today?
Today we have seen that you can not love two different masters. You will either hate one and love the other, or love one and hate the other. Who is your Master? Is it Jesus? Or is it money? Who do you serve today?
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Bro. Freddie
4 Pointer
Missionary Baptist Minister
Posts: 184
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Post by Bro. Freddie on Jun 25, 2008 3:15:51 GMT -5
Matthew 6:25, 26 (King James Version)
25. Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body more than raiment? 26. Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
In the last few weeks we have looked at laying up of treasures, how the eye is the light of the body, and how no man can serve two different masters. Today we are going to start to look at Jesus' conclusion of these subjects. He is going to begin to tie them all together. I just hope and pray that you are receiving as much from this as I am.
The first thing I noticed in verse 25 was the word "therefore". It is a logical indicator that starts a conclusion. In other words, this is Jesus' conclusion about the subject He has been preaching about. What is that subject? Laying up of treasures! Remember when we looked at the verses that said we were not to lay up treasures here on earth but in heaven? This is His conclusion from that!
As we look further in verse 25 we need to look at the phrase "Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink, or what ye shall put on". Now some have taught that this means that we can put ourselves in dangerous situations, but I have to disagree. What Jesus is teaching is to not worry about the things of this life. Don't worry about what you are going to have for supper, what you are going to have as liquid refreshment, or what you are going to wear. Don't worry about these things. Does it do any good for us to worry? NO! It does nothing good for the body either spiritually or physically!
Jesus next asks a rhetorical question that each of us need to ask ourselves. "Is not life more than meat, and the body more than raiment?" Folks, is your life more than just what you put in your mouth? Is your body more than just what you put on? YES! Now I know that there are people in this world who love to eat. That is their whole life. But is that the life our Lord would have us to live? NO! We are to live for Him each and every day of our life, to bring Him praise and honor. How can we do that if all we are worried about is what we eat? We can't! The same thing goes for those who worry about nothing more than what they are going to wear that day. Folks, there is more to life than just food and there is more to the body than just what we wear. Our body, which was created by the Lord, is to serve Him in every way that is possible.
As we look now at verse 26 the first thing I would like us to notice is the word "behold". This word actually carries the meaning of looking and observing. Just like you would look at a deer and observe it's habits, so would you behold something. Anyway, Jesus says to look and observe the fowls of the air. He goes on to explain why we should observe them. They neither sow nor reap, nor gather into barns. Now remember, Jesus is speaking to an group of people who knew alot about agriculture. I believe that those who were in attendance each had at least a small garden. Sure, some were fishermen by trade, and probably other trades were there too, but I believe that each person had a garden of some sort. So these people knew about agriculture. They knew that to reap (harvest) you had to sow (plant). They knew that after harvest, the crop had to be stored in a barn of some sort to keep it for the coming winter months. Folks, this was hard work! Especially in those days when they didn't have modern farm implements. Jesus goes on to state "yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?" I have observed many times while sitting on a deer stand the birds rustling in the leaves for either a bug or some sort of berry that is laying on the ground. I have yet to see a bird plowing, or harvesting, or storing these bugs or berries. Do the birds really worry about where their next meal is coming from? NO! They don't have that ability. But the Father blesses them with food. Folks, we should be like the birds in this aspect. We should not worry about things, but we should do what we know to do, and the Father will take care of the rest. Now, I am not saying that we should just sit on our stool of do nothing and expect the Father to feed us. That is not what the Scriptures teach! We are expected to work to feed our family, but at the same time we are not to worry about it. There are more important things to worry about than what we are going to eat or wear! What things? How about where you will spend eternity? What about where your family or neighbors will spend eternity? Folks, these are what we should be worrying about, not some trivial thing like what we are going to eat or wear!
Today we have seen Jesus give us an example of the birds of the air. We have seen that even though they don't plant, harvest, or store in barns that the Father still feeds them. And we have also seen that we are more precious to the Father than they are. So why do we worry about food? Why do we worry about clothing? We should concern ourselves with the important things of this life, not things that are unimportant. What are you concerned about today? Are you concerned about the lost? Have you told someone about Jesus today?
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Bro. Freddie
4 Pointer
Missionary Baptist Minister
Posts: 184
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Post by Bro. Freddie on Jun 25, 2008 20:07:36 GMT -5
Is anyone even reading these?? If not, I will quit posting them.
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