SECRET #21 OF FOLLOWING JESUS

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In the first two teaching illustrations of Jesus here He taught that whether it's murder or adultery, it's a heart issue. Now He deals with two more illustrations-divorce and vows. These illustrate SECRET #21: The follower of Jesus does not take his vows lightly; he is a man of his word.

Here's what Jesus taught: "It was said, 'WHOEVER SENDS HIS WIFE AWAY, LET HIM GIVE HER A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE'; but I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the reason of unchastity, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, 'YOU SHALL NOT MAKE FALSE VOWS, BUT SHALL FULFILL YOUR VOWS TO THE LORD.' But I say to you, make no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, or by Jerusalem, for it is THE CITY OF THE GREAT KING. Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. But let your statement be, 'Yes, yes' or 'No, no'; anything beyond these is of evil." (Matthew 5:31-37)

With respect to divorce Jesus' listeners were used to "Whoever sends his wife away, let him give her a certificate of divorce." Divorce was allowed by Moses in the Law as an accommodation to the failure of a marriage. The reasons were as loose as they are today-even for being obnoxious! The religious of the day were basically concerned about doing their paperwork and then they could move ahead with divorce.

Your marriage is a serious commitment and therefore divorce is a serious offence. God hates divorce. He hates it, because it brings destruction and distortion to the individuals and to His image.

With respect to vows we find another misapplication of their religious teachings and practices-making oaths or vows they did not intend to keep. They made many vows (promises), but found ways to get around them. This was not in legal situations, but in ordinary conversation.

Jesus is referring to: 1-Swearing that something is true when one knows it is false. 2-Failing to do what one has promised under oath. In the Old Testament, if you would swear something and bring God's name into it, it better be the truth and you better do what you said-fulfill your vow. The Pharisaical practice was to trick people (usually the outsiders) by swearing to do something or that something was true "by heaven" or "by God's creation (earth)" or "by Jerusalem." The trick might be to swear "by the Holy Temple" that you will do this or that. But, among the Pharisees they knew that you had to swear "by the gold in the Holy Temple", then it was binding. They were caught up in getting around doing what they said they would do by the technical use of terms. They also felt that God, Himself, was not involved in these transactions and therefore they were not binding. Jesus had 4 things to counter this action: FIRST-God cannot be separated from life's transactions. Heaven is God's throne, earth is God's footstool and Jerusalem is the Messiah's Capitol.

SECOND-Don't make vows you don't intend to keep.

THIRD-Don't make vows that depend upon your control as if you are in control. God is still in ultimate control-"if God wills".

FOURTH-Fulfill your vows to the Lord by being clear with your words-yes means yes and no means no. Here are some practical applications: 1. Always speak the truth and you won't need to hedge with some sort of oath. I think it's funny when a person prefaces a statement with "I'm going to tell you the truth!" What was he saying prior to this? Lies? 2. When you make an oath, keep it. 3. Do not make someone else responsible for your statements or your actions.

Your vows of marriage are far more important than getting your paperwork done and giving your word on something is a sacred trust.

God is still on His throne-still very much in charge-talk like it, act like it!

SECRET #20 OF FOLLOWING JESUS

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In the same way that an angry heart is murdering someone, so is lusting after someone in your heart adultery. So, SECRET #20 is: The follower of Jesus knows his heart of lust is equal to adultery.

Here's how Jesus articulates this teaching: "You have heard that it was said, 'YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY'; but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. If your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to go into hell." (Matthew 5:27-30)

Jesus' revolutionary teaching continues to turn the Pharisaical teachings inside out and upside down. Although the teachings they had heard were strong, they pertained to the external aspect a relationship only. As He did with respect to the issue of murder and took it straight to the heart of a person, Jesus does the same thing with the external act of adultery.

Jesus makes it clear that lust in your heart for another is committing adultery. According to Jesus, if you have ever lusted after another, then you are an adulterer. Note that this has nothing to do with a physical or emotional affair. This is a matter of the heart! We tend to draw the line as good Pharisaical believers at "having sex" with another. But Jesus erases all lines and calls the lust in your heart adultery. So, are you an adulterer? Sadly, I am. I don't know of anyone with a pulse who isn't!

NOTE Jesus repeats again the end result. If you are a person filled with anger in your heart, you are as guilty as a murderer. The end result is that you are worthy of being thrown into "hell". I think it's important to understand the use of the term "hell" here. The word here is "gehenna" and refers to the cursed garbage pit just outside the walls of Jerusalem. It was cursed because babies were sacrificed to the god of Mollech. Gehenna or the Valley of Hinnom was thought of as the worst place to be. Jesus uses the same warning with respect to adultery. You who have a lustful heart are worthy of being thrown into gehenna.

This is the first time Jesus ever uses the term and unfortunately it has been translated "hell" right from the beginning. The Jews hearing Jesus refer to gehenna in this way were not thinking of a future place of torment and torture; they were thinking in terms of their local, horrendous, cursed, fiery garbage pit. He was saying that a person who is filled with lust in his heart is worthless enough to be thrown into this pit.

When Jesus mentions that it would be better to remove a body part than to have your whole body thrown into gehenna, Jesus is using hyperbole. He is saying: "Do whatever you have to do to keep from stumbling." This is like a doctor cutting off a limb to save a person's life. This is not to be applied literally. However, it points to the seriousness of violating the principles of God.

Jesus is pushing very hard at this point. There is literally no way out of being convicted of this sin. You see, Jesus is setting it all up. God requires perfection. Plan A says that you must be perfect. But since no one is able to rise to this perfection, you must move toward the perfection of Jesus, the Messiah. That's Plan B!

So Jesus starts by calling you a murderer and now an adulterer. I mean to tell you, there's no way out, EXCEPT through Jesus. SECRET #20 is: The follower of Jesus knows his heart of lust is equal to adultery. You are guilty at the core of your being-your heart-and only Jesus can get you out of this planet alive! Remember His words: "I am the way, the truth, and the life. I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, even though he dies, shall live." You may be worthy of that pit, but Jesus is able to set all things right!

SECRET #19 OF FOLLOWING JESUS

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In this early presentation of Jesus we come now to where Jesus actually moves through 6 specific teachings taught by the scribes and Pharisees and then gives His teaching on each one. Each teaching is from the Law that Jesus says He will not abolish, but will fulfill. Each time he prefaces the teaching with something like "You have heard it said, but I say to you." The difference is very clear and deeply convicting.

Beginning with the 21st verse in chapter 5 is the teaching on murder: "You have heard that the ancients were told, 'YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER' and 'Whoever, commits murder shall be liable to the court.' But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, 'You good-for-nothing,' shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, 'You fool,' shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell. Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering. Make friends quickly with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way, so that your opponent may not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. Truly I say to you, you will not come out of there until you have paid up the last cent."

This refers to a debtor's prison. Handle your conflicts to the best of your ability to avoid hurtful circumstances. I don't think anyone would be against this teaching that a murderer ought to be sent to court for some accountability. Jesus takes the entire matter deeper. He is saying that murder is not committed simply on the social level between people (externally), but murder goes deeper into the heart (internally).

Jesus says: 1st Degree Murder is anyone who is angry at another brother. The root of murder is in the heart-anger! Now, you will have anger, but don't hang on to it and allow it to fester. That will prove to be as destructive as the social act of murder.

2nd Degree Murder is anyone who calls his brother "good-for-nothing". The word, Raca, has to do with attacking one's head, calling him stupid!

3rd Degree Murder is anyone who calls another a "fool", this term has to do with contempt for a person's heart and character. Jesus covers the entire spectrum of anger!

Jesus then drives His point home by using an extreme illustration. Therefore, if you are presenting your offering at the altar and remember that your brother has something against you; in other words, Jesus says that even the high act of worshipping God must not take precedence over your relationships with others. This is a powerful point! He will reiterate this dynamic later in this speech. You must understand that your relationships with one another are at the heart of God! Jesus sets forth the procedure to follow. Leave your offering there-stop your worship or attention toward the Lord.

Go to your brother-seek out this offended one. Be reconciled to him-as far as it depends upon you. You may not accomplish full reconciliation in return. Then come and present your offering-now you are ready to face the God of gods.

Be careful not to act like a Pharisee and wrangle over words, like saying, "Well, I haven't really had 'anger' in my heart, maybe 'dislike' but not anger or called anyone 'stupid' or 'fool', therefore I have not done any of these things that are at the heart of murder.

GET OVER IT! You may not have murdered someone in society (an outward act), but you are guilty of murder through one or more of the degrees of murder (an inward act). NOW ACT UPON IT. THE JESUS WAY! Embrace SECRET #19: The follower of Jesus knows his heart of hate is equal to murder. To Jesus everything originates in the heart, so guard your heart by wrapping it around Jesus and His teachings. You'll never go wrong with that!

SECRET #18 OF FOLLOWING JESUS

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SECRET #18 is The follower of Jesus lives his life inside out. Jesus teaches this principle on many occasions, but the first time is in Matthew 5:20. He says: "For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven."

As I pointed out in the last secret, Jesus is not saying here to be more showy than the scribes and Pharisees were. He is actually saying that He is looking for you to go beyond or deeper than that external religious show and get back to the heart of the matter-internally.

In the Old Testament and quoted again in the New Testament God says: "I want compassion and not sacrifice." God, Himself set up a most extensive and pervasive sacrificial system, yet wants your heart of compassion. There is a natural tendency toward external religious motions. It's to show to others how religious you really are.

What God wants is a heart relationship and not an external religiosity. The external consists of man-made traditions and commandments. These are usually add-ons that either smother or nullify the essence of what God wants.

There is a theme throughout the teachings of Jesus. It's being before doing. Man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks upon and evaluates the heart. This is what it means to live your life inside out. You are living your life before an audience of one-your Creator. Whatever is on the inside (being) will flow out into your actions (doing).

There is also the theme of salt (inner character) and light (external lifestyle). Your inner character of salt is required before your outer expression of light. This, too, is all about living life inside out. Lived out this way your life will be more credible, attractive and effective.

When you live your inside out-salt before light and being before doing, your life will become more and more like a fountain. People love to be around a fountain and enjoy it. People come to the fountain; the fountain is not taken to the people. This is the way you want to live your life-so attractive that people want to see and know more about where the center of your life really is. What makes you tick? What makes you so attractive?

I have often expressed that believers tend to move into a stance that has very little effect in changing their world. Believers tend to talk to themselves about the world or talk to the world about themselves. The favorite pastime of the church is to confess the sins of those outside the church. My favorite line is, "We are judging the world and talking to ourselves, when we ought to be judging ourselves and talking to the world!"

It's so much easier to busy ourselves with causes, but these 'good' causes get in the way of the 'best'-changing our world for good and forever! Bob Briner's book, SEVEN NOBLE CAUSES THAT KEEP CHRISTIANS FROM CHANGING THE WORLD, is right on target here! Check out the external, noble causes he lists: 1. Squabbling over prayer in public schools! 2. Making Jesus a right winger! 3. Thwarting the homosexual agenda! 4. Fighting other Christians over doctrinal purity! 5. Shutting down the abortion clinics! 6. Cleaning up television! 7. Fighting for family values!

These external causes are nothing more than deadly detours away from matters of the heart. It's all about external demonstrations for Jesus, but has little to do with demonstrating Jesus to the world.

We take deadly detours because they make us feel active and engaged. Why? Because it is so difficult to live your life from the inside out. It's so much easier to do something external and not really own it in your heart. To talk the walk is easy; to walk the walk is living like Jesus and that's tough. This is why I often say: "I'm trying to do the toughest thing I've ever tried to do in my life. I'm trying to following the teachings and principles of Jesus." This is why SECRET #18 is key: The follower of Jesus lives his life inside out.

SECRET #17 OF FOLLOWING JESUS

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After painting a portrait of blessed believers, Jesus begins more specifically answering the question in everyone's mind: "How does your teaching differ from what we've been taught?" He positions His teachings with the Mosaic Law. Jesus makes it clear that He does not nullify the Law in any way, but has come to fulfill it. To fulfill literally means to fill it full. Imagine an empty glass as the Law and filling up the glass with Jesus. The Law was the form and Jesus is the substance! The Law of Moses spoke and illustrated Jesus throughout, then Jesus shows up to fill up the form set forth by that Law.

"Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Whoever, then annuls one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever, keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:17-20)

NOTE that Jesus in no way excludes the Jewish people and their Law of Moses, but only has difficulty with their application of it. In fact, Jesus isn't like the Christian exclusivists. He is always inclusive. Jesus unites. Everything and everyone else tends toward dividing. I don't know many people like this Jesus.

NOTE that Jesus gives the requirement for entering the kingdom of heaven. Your righteousness must surpass that of the scribes and Pharisees. Wow! Is Jesus saying that we are to be more religious than these Jewish leaders? Not at all-just the opposite!

The scribes and Pharisees were some of the most religious people ever. Their religiosity was all about external matters-separation from sin and sinners and cleansing oneself. The Pharisees were known for: 1. Professing righteousness without possession of it! 2. Being hyper-critical-not hypocrites in the normal sense, but hair-splitters, nit-pickers, feather-pluckers! 3. Emphasizing the letter over the spirit of the Law-all truth and little grace! 4. Making absolutes out of non-absolutes-listing as many rules and regulations as possible! 5. Drawing the condemnation of men on righteous acts before God-such as praying, fasting, giving.

Jesus was not saying to outdo these super-religious people. He was saying that your righteousness must surpass their righteousness. I believe He is saying that your righteousness must go deeper-from the externals into the internals. Remember, God looks on the heart (internals) while man looks on the outward appearance (externals). Righteousness as Jesus teaches it is a matter of the heart.

I think the most important aspect of this section of the teachings of Jesus is how Jesus came to fill up the Jewish container shaped by their laws, traditions, dreams and desires. The more I study other religions, their laws, traditions, dreams and desires, the more I understand that Jesus came to fill full all of the religious containers of the world. Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of everyone's heart. No matter the cultural or religious background of those you meet, Jesus will prove to be the ultimate fulfillment for them. All I want to do is introduce Jesus to them so that they recognize Him, whom they have sought after all their lives.

SECRET #17 is: The follower of Jesus respects all laws & religious structures, knowing his Master will fill it full of meaning and fulfillment. In the same way Jesus fills up the Jewish container I understand that this is the same thing Jesus does with every religious and cultural container in the world. Jesus is the only one in the world who can bring the world together in unity. I see it every day: Jesus unites and most everything else divides!