Matthew 5:27-37 ~ All you need to say is simply

Matthew 5:27-37

27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.
Divorce

31 “It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32 But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

33 “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ 34 But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37 All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.


Literature, meaning us, mankind, has been talking about this Chapter for millenniums.

It's great to swing the axe at someone, but more complicated when it is your child. Your parent. Your Family. And really this is not about the fun of pointing the finger, but involves straight to your own chest.

When you think about how the books about Harry Potter played out, you realize this is the children's success story of Jesus Christ. Magical Jesus. And this is interesting. Harry celebrates Christmas and Easter. Fighting evil.  Dumbledore could be Joshua. Dumbledore is not Moses, he is not involved enough in the story.

So Dumbledore says what will you say when you are on the mountain bike and you come around that swerve to find the Jump is pretty steep. And Dumbledore picks up on a very, very interesting quote on Evangelism Winston Churchill thought about. (Won't Heaven be interesting when we are sitting with John Adams, gazing at Moses and talking to James B. Irwin, 61, Ex-Astronaut and finding out how all things work for Good?!!!)

Winston Churchill said, "I like a man who grins when he fights!"

And on to Dumbledore:
“There are all kinds of courage," said Dumbledore,
smiling.
"It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends.”

Jesus Christ, of course, comments on these close to the vest and riddled with wrong steps times. "Fight the Good Fight."

Abba, weighs in, "The Prodigal Father saw his son far, far away and ran to him."



If we can't do the faith when life finds the job hard, when.





Not John, nor Luke, nor Mark nor Matthew would be a fan of cheap grace - living the way we want to and depending on the mercy of God at convenient intervals. The men who knew Jesus and those who encountered the Holy Spirit in the early Church really believed the reaction to God's grace is deliberate and changed behavior. We witness in the Scriptures that all have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God, but all did extend themselves to please God.

The Scriptures, being real, give a very real discussion of the disciples learning how seriously their Savior, Jesus Christ, took sin.

Matthew 19:10
The disciples said to him, “If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry.”

As a child I wondered why oaths were so important to be discussed.

2 Chronicles 36
11 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. 12 He did evil in the eyes of the Lord his God and did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke the word of the Lord. 13 He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him take an oath in God’s name. He became stiff-necked and hardened his heart and would not turn to the Lord, the God of Israel.

Bam. End of Zedekiah - he had encountered the living God. No one told him he was part of the Scriptures. Life isn't permanent and God is drawing us to Him.






Mercy. God tells us exactly this. God desires Mercy more. More than sacrifice.


Jesus wants us to act as the Lights of the world. He expects our yes to remain yes and our no to remain no. The Savior of the World, our Hero, said He did not come to abolish the law, but to fulfill the law.

When is the Law fulfilled. When we simply can't. When we can't. That is when Jesus comes to help us. When we are beaten. When there is too much pollution. When the forces of wrong swamp life. And God shows us this through the whole of His Word. Mary was unwed when Jesus was born in the Stable. Elijah felt he must run away after God won an incredible victory and his fear led to hideous depression. Moses was a murderer. David murdered for hire and for adultery. What about when it's your child? Your parent? Your boss?

How do you know the circumstance exactly?

Jesus adopts us and in His name covers us in His Righteousness. We get one choice. Exactly one. We can go with Jesus forward when we have been wrong. We can go with Jesus forward when we have wronged. That is the Good News. God is Willing. Able. Capable. Dependable. Amazing. Wondrous. Strengthening. Honest. He plans your morning noon and night. Yesterday, today and TOMORROW.


John, our eyewitness, says:

1 John 4:16
So we have come to know
 and to believe
 the love that God has for us. 

God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.

We would never ask Jesus to be our waiter. And to ask Him to deliberately clean up our messes. but if we are absolutely in the ditch, God says. "I'm sitting here, too. I've got you, I've got you."

Father God is known in Jesus to repeat twice. In Heaven, Abba is known to repeat 3 times to nod with love to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. It is completely unprecedented God tells us how much He loves and cares and enjoys and delights in the three chapters of John talking about Joy in Life = the 11 times God informs us yesterday, today and tomorrow Creation is God.


And then... there was that time that God felt we needed His Assurance AND...

Psalm 136

136 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
2 Give thanks to the God of gods,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
4 to him who alone does great wonders,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
5 to him who by understanding made the heavens,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
6 to him who spread out the earth above the waters,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
7 to him who made the great lights,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
8 the sun to rule over the day,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
9 the moon and stars to rule over the night,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
10 to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
11 and brought Israel out from among them,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
12 with a strong hand and an outstretched arm,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
13 to him who divided the Red Sea in two,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
14 and made Israel pass through the midst of it,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
15 but overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
16 to him who led his people through the wilderness,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
17 to him who struck down great kings,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
18 and killed mighty kings,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
19 Sihon, king of the Amorites,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
20 and Og, king of Bashan,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
21 and gave their land as a heritage,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
22 a heritage to Israel his servant,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
23 It is he who remembered us in our low estate,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
24 and rescued us from our foes,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
25 he who gives food to all flesh,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
26 Give thanks to the God of heaven,
for his steadfast love endures forever !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Twenty - six times.



Abba, Our Father.

I give You Great thanks for my son Alexander's 26th year. And recognize the blessing of family. Asking as Peter fell into the water, that Your Great Strength continue to lift up the people of Faith.

All we need is Jesus the Lord as we pray. We do little as people who turn to dust. Your faithfulness is a shield and buckler. Your Promises are sure. You are God. You are Father. You give me Jesus. You save the world. Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.

You are the Alpha and Omega and we rest in You. You wrap us in Your Love. Jesus the Lord, Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †