The Heart of the Matter - Matthew 5:21-32 - October 21, 2007

Sunday School Lesson – The Heart of the Matter – October 21, 2007

This is lesson three (3) in our series of study. Our scripture continues in the Book of Matthew 5:21-32. We began with the Beatitudes, which are qualities GOD wants every Christian to have in their lives as HIS servants. Then in last week’s lesson we discovered, as Christians, we are salt and light. GOD wants us to be pure salt and pure unobstructed light. When we have the qualities of the Beatitudes in our lives then we will be the pure salt and unobstructed light that HE wants us to be.

Since we are salt and light, HE wants us to focus on the attitude of our heart, which we will explore today. Do we have false notions or distorted concepts about how a Christian is to live and relate to others? GOD wants our hearts, attitudes and motives to be righteous.

This is all the work of the HOLY SPIRIT within every Christian. It is called sanctification. Sanctification is a process of being set aside for use by GOD and to be made saint like. GOD’S goal for every Christian is for us to be like HIS ONLY SON JESUS.

When we try to do all of these attributes in our own strength, it will not happen; plus we will be very frustrated and discouraged trying to live the Christian life in our strength. It is vital that we have a loving, intimate relationship with CHRIST. It is through this relationship that we get to really know HIM and not to just get to know about HIM. When we have the right relationship with HIM then it easy for us to trust HIM and have confidence in HIM. Then we are more inclined to allow HIM to direct our lives as HE chooses. Then it is up to HIM how we will serve HIM and not up to us. When we have the relationship, we are always in the center of HIS will.

Our part is to be wiling for HIM to direct our lives.

Know your heart.

Let’s read Matthew 5:21-26:

21 “You have heard that it was said to our ancestors,[5] Lit to the ancients Do not murder,[6] Ex 20:13; Dt 5:17 and whoever murders will be subject to judgment. 22 But I tell you, everyone who is angry with his brother[7] Other mss add without a cause will be subject to judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Fool!’[8] Lit Raca, an Aram term of abuse similar to “airhead” will be subject to the • Sanhedrin. But whoever says, ‘You moron!’ will be subject to • hellfire.[9] Lit the gehenna of fire 23 So if you are offering your gift on the altar, and there you remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Reach a settlement quickly with your adversary while you’re on the way with him, or your adversary will hand you over to the judge, the judge to[10] Other mss read judge will hand you over to the officer, and you will be thrown into prison. 26 I assure you: You will never get out of there until you have paid the last penny![11] Lit quadrans, the smallest and least valuable Roman coin, worth 1/64 of a daily wage

JESUS deals with the attitude of the heart. This is an area every Christian must allow the HOLY SPIRIT to examine. JESUS is addressing HIS disciples in light of the teachings they have heard from the religious leaders, both current and past. HE is dispelling false notions and distortions of the truth. HE wants them to see how the FATHER looks upon the heart of mankind, so no one will be surprised on Judgment Day.

- Breaking the law includes breaking the spirit of the law.
- There are human laws to deal with certain issues, such as calling a fellow believer a “fool.” The term “fool” attacks a person’s intelligence. That believer could haul the person calling them a “fool” before the Sanhedrin. But there are areas where there is no written human law to pass judgment such as if you call a person a “moron.” This was an attack on that person’s character. This is where GOD will do the judging by the use of the term “hellfire.”
- Then there are situations involving non-believers where there is human law. When you are in this situation, try to settle the matter before you go before the judge.
- The bottom line, we as humans are accountable before man and before GOD. Man has his form of judgment and GOD has HIS. It is best to settle our accountability issues before we come before the judge, be it man or GOD.
- We are all accountable to GOD. GOD provides the way for all humans to settle accountability issues before we come before HIM. All accountability issues are settled through JESUS CHRIST but they have to be settled before we die. Just as a human judge demands the guilty party to pay the last cent owed, so does GOD.

Do you want to know how you will not be judged after your death? John 5:24 are JESUS words.

John 5:24:
24 “I assure you: Anyone who hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment but has passed from death to life.

JESUS takes the ten (10) commandments to a new level. The religious leaders thought keeping the letter of the law and not the spirit of the law was all they needed to do to be righteous. But JESUS makes it clear. GOD looks upon the heart and HE expects HIS people to keep both the law and the spirit of the law.

If you are a normal, living, breathing person, it is impossible to keep the spirit of the law. JESUS would say, BINGO!!! It is impossible for you to live such a life and that is why you need HIM.

That is why we need JESUS. Whereas we all will fail to fulfill the spirit of the law through our own efforts, HE has already over come the world. HE is sinless, yet tempted in all ways as we are.

When we acknowledge HIM as our SAVIOR and learn of HIM, we see that we cannot live up to GOD’S requirements of perfection. When our sins are cleansed by the redeeming blood of CHRIST, we become GOD’S children through the miracle of rebirth. The righteousness of CHRIST becomes our righteousness when we ask CHRIST to forgive us of our sins and to come into our lives. We are going to heaven based on JESUS and what HE has done for us and not through any merit of ourselves. All Christians will be in heaven because of CHRIST.

JESUS is emphasizing matters of the heart and relates them to the final judgment of GOD. HE compares this to someone hauling a person to court that owes him a debt. Is it better to go before the judge or settle the matter between the two of you? A righteous judge will rule in a righteous manner and demand payment in full. GOD demands perfection, therefore settle your relationship with GOD before you stand before HIM. The obvious question is how can you do that while you are still on earth? JESUS is the answer. HE is the way, the truth and the light. HE is the only way to the FATHER.

If you want to take a chance using your own merits, then keep in mind that GOD requires perfection outwardly and inwardly. Can you accomplish this? I can tell you, you cannot and neither can I. But whereas you or I cannot, JESUS did and by accepting HIM as your SAVIOR, you are righteous before GOD. Righteousness means to be in right standing.

2 Corinthians 5:21 captures this perfectly:

21 He (GOD) made the One (JESUS) who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Then JESUS tells us that we must not have any barriers between us and others. The purpose of worship is to worship GOD in spirit and truth. If we know of a problem between us and our fellow Christian (brother or sister), we need to settle it before we can worship GOD in spirit and truth. It is also vital that we settle our differences with GOD. If we know of a problem between us and GOD, we need to confess it and settle it as well.

Guard your heart.

Let’s read Matthew 5:27-30:

27 “You have heard that it was said, Do not commit adultery.[12] Ex 20:14; Dt 5:18 28 But I tell you, everyone who looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye • causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of the parts of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of the parts of your body than for your whole body to go into hell!

Again JESUS goes to matters of the heart. Many try to define lust. Some say it is a passing glance but others say it is a prolonged look at the opposite sex. The bottom line, any amount of time is a warning that our hearts are not focused upon our LORD. We need to confess even a fleeting thought. In this day of the internet, pornography is rampant and addictive. Sex sells all sorts of things in the media. We are inundated with sexy men and women. Lust applies to both women and men. Lust appeals to the flesh. We war against the flesh. The battle ground is the heart or mind. It is the gateway to action either to “say no” or “yield”. The choice is ours.

JESUS then speaks about action one should take if they have a problem controlling their desires. Does JESUS mean to mutilate the flesh? No, but HE is stressing the extent one should go to keep from sinning when a person wants to control their thought life. The gateway to our spiritual health is our heart or the mind. We are in control of our thought life and what we harbor in our hearts.

As we focus on our relationship with JESUS, through the indwelling HOLY SPIRIT, we receive power to live and think as we should. It is a constant cleansing. But even then we will sin. When we sin, we must confess our sin, repent, which means to stop doing it, and GOD will cleanse and restore our righteousness.

Keep in mind Christianity is not doing as we please but it is confession, forgiveness and grace.

Consider your actions.

Let’s read Matthew 5:31-32:

31 “It was also said, Whoever divorces his wife must give her a written notice of divorce.[13] Dt 24:1 32 But I tell you, everyone who divorces his wife, except in a case of sexual immorality,[14] Gk porneia = fornication, or possibly a violation of Jewish marriage laws causes her to commit adultery. And whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

The religious leaders in JESUS day had become flippant regarding divorce. Some taught that if a woman did anything to displease her husband, then the husband could give her a written notice of divorce. JESUS is telling them that GOD’S view of marriage is one man married to one woman for life.

Marriage is 100%/100%. It is both working and pulling together during the difficult times in any marriage. My wife and I are about to celebrate our 49th wedding anniversary. I love her more now than ever before because we have gone through the tough times together. And believe me there have been some tough times. Most couples never try to push through these difficult times and get to see that the grass is not as green on the other side as they think or envision. I quickly add abusive situations are not to be tolerated. If counseling fails then, a very tough decision must be made. There are other situations as well that cannot be tolerated. Seek counseling from a Christian counselor.

Verse 32 is complicated. I think JESUS was trying to get them to focus on the seriousness and far reaching consequences of divorce. Don’t be so hasty to divorce. Try to work it out. It goes to the attitude of the heart. Broken relationships impact our relationship with GOD. Marriage is sacred in the eyes of GOD. GOD’S requirement for man is for him to love and honor his wife. Again, when man or woman abuse their spouse that is another matter and action must be taken.

In today’s society this is tough scripture. Our marriage relationship is just like our relationship with GOD.

GOD expects fidelity with HIM and for us not to worship other gods. GOD is jealous. Just as GOD expects us to be faithful to HIM, HE expects us to be faithful to our spouse. A simple piece of paper does not let one out of their marriage without consequences, except for adultery. If a person’s mate has committed adultery then, they have broken the unity of one flesh. Only GOD can restore that unity once severed.

When a mate has been unfaithful it takes the love of CHRIST for the hurt mate to forgive their unfaithful mate and to be willing to continue in the marriage. This, in my opinion, is true agape or CHRIST like love, when the hurt mate is willing to forgive their unfaithful mate and maintain their marriage. Only CHRIST can heal a very deep wound. It can happen and it will work and make for a stronger marriage. But the infidelity is not to be repeated. If repeated, then that shows the spouse has heart problems and trust is very difficult to be restored.

JESUS makes it clear. GOD’S intent for marriage is until death do we part.

JESUS is dealing with the matters of the heart. If we can control our thought life and not allow issues to find a breeding ground in our minds, then the actions harbored in our minds will not be carried out.

When we control what is in our hearts, then we can control our actions. GOD judges us not only by our actions but also our attitudes.