The Standard (Part 12) - For God or For Show?

Pastor Rocklyn Clarke - Sunday April 6, 2008

© 2008 Life Church Ministries, Inc.

http://www.LifeChurchMinistries.org/

Introduction

Bible Reading 3/30 - 4/5: Deut 13 - 28; Luke 8:40 - 11:36; Psalm 71 - 77; Prov 12:5-18

Review

The Standard - Mat 5 - 7 (continued)

Divorce and the Exploitation of Women - Mat 5:31-32

Jesus' position more fully illustrated in Mat 19:1-12; Mark 10:1-12

Related Scriptures: 1Cor 7

Exegetical Idea

What are the consequences when a man divorces his wife? If the divorce was for anything other than sexual sin, he causes her and anyone she marries to commit adultery!

Developmental Questions

Explain It: What does this mean?

God's original intention should be our guide - Mat 19:4-6

Context - the "certificate of divorce" is a reference to Deut 24:1-4

This passage regulates a practice that it does not approve (e.g. Deut 22:28-29; Deut 23:18)

Prove It: Is it True? Do I believe it?

God expresses a similar sentiment in Mal 2:13-16

Apply It: What difference does it make? So What?

Husbands must take the lead in protecting their marriages.

Men must protect women rather than exploit them.

Homiletical Idea

Take your marriage covenant seriously - God does!

Purpose

Husbands must take the lead in protecting their marriages.

Men must protect women rather than exploit them.

Protecting Your Marriage

What is marriage anyway?

A covenant of companionship. - Gen 2:18-25

Cleaving - the husband's job

A picture of Christ and the Church - Eph 5:22-33

Men and Women In The Church - Sarah Sumner, Ph.D.

Head / Body - 1Cor 11:2-3; Eph 5:22-33;

Sacrifice / Submit

Love / Respect

Till death - Mat 19:1-6

Your marriage doesn't belong to you only!

Is it better not to marry? - Mat 19:10-12

Don't violate God's picture!

Divorce = decapitation!!!

Whose paradigm - God's or the world's?

Who is greatest? - Mat 18:1-5; Mark 9:33-37; Luke 9:46-48; Luke 22:24-27

Mutual Submission - Eph 5:15-21

Unforced "other" orientation:

Wives submit yourselves to your own husbands

Husbands love your own wives

How should heads behave towards their bodies?

God exalts Christ - John 5:22-23; Philip 2:9-11

Christ exalts us - Rev 22:3-5

Husbands should promote their wives!

Husbands - take the lead in getting help for your marriage.

If either spouse is unhappy, your marriage needs work.

You don't have to talk about your feelings the way women do!

Women sometimes want men to be like them.

In Scripture Jesus reveals his emotions but doesn't talk about them.

Anger - Mat 23:136

Sorrow - Mat 23:37-39; Mat 26:36-46

Feel free to express your feelings through action.

Explain your feelings as they become clear to you.

Learn everything you can about building a successful marriage.

Personality differences affect communication, how we receive love, etc.

Identify and connect with successfully married couples.

Rearrange your life to promote the success of your marriage.

Protecting Women

A man exploits a woman by relating to her in a way that meets his needs without meeting her needs.

Meeting his needs

Sex - using her to gratify your sexual desires

Lauryn Hill - "That Thing"

Friendship - using her to listen to your problems

Rescuing - using her to boost your own ego

My relationship with S. R.

Resources - using her to supply your material needs

"Woman To Woman" - Shirley Brown

"From His Woman To You" - Barbara Mason

Meeting her needs

Affection

Conversation

Honesty, Trustworthiness, Commitment

If you don't have solid relationships with people of your own gender it is extremely risky for you to engage in deep friendships with someone of the opposite gender.

Women are often at risk in their friendships with men.

Be very careful in your relationships with the opposite sex.

Women:

If you want a man to be concerned about how he can please you then he needs to be your husband. - 1Cor 7:32-35

Men:

If you want a woman to be concerned about how she can please you then she needs to be your wife. - 1Cor 7:32-35

Be self-controlled - Tit 2:1-8

If you don't have solid relationships with people of your own gender it is extremely risky for you to engage in deep friendships with someone of the opposite gender.

Women are often at risk in their friendships with men.

Be very careful in your relationships with the opposite sex.

Get married

Marriage is a safeguard against sexual immorality - 1Cor 7:1-7

Prepare yourself to support a wife.

Look for an appropriate woman

Spiritually mature

A faithful friend

A vision that matches / complements yours

Personally appealing to you

Pray!!!

Submit your self to a happily married couple for guidance.

Resurrection Day

Jesus' Resurrection - John 20:1-18

Jesus appeared to selected witnesses - Acts 10:34-43

Word Is Bond - Mat 5:33-37

Preparation

Misc

This is an area of our Christian life best addressed by life groups.

"what is warranted by what I do or say" - 2Cor 12:6

Exegetical Idea

Subject: Is it appropriate to swear and take oaths to convince people of our intentions?

Complement: No - don't swear at all, just say what you mean.

Analysis

What does this mean?

We want people to believe us.

Why do we take an oath in the first place? Because we lack credibility!

Why do we lack credibility? Our track record isn't strong enough to back up our words!

We think we're OK because we use language that honors God.

Do I believe it?

What difference does it make?

When our words are not believable we are poor representatives of God's Kingdom.

We need to have a lifestyle oriented around the truth.

Homiletical Idea - Let your word be your bond (i.e. word is bond)!

Purpose

Saints will understand the importance of a credible lifestyle.

Saints will understand how to achieve a credible lifestyle.

Passage - Mat 5:33-37; James 5:12

What does this mean?

Examples

Jesus' rebuke to the Pharisees - Mat 23:16-22

"I swear to God"

Don't swear falsely - Lev 19:12

Why do we swear and take oaths?

We want people to believe us but we lack credibility.

Our track record isn't strong enough to back up our words.

We use God to bolster our image.

"Yes" and "No" is the space we should live in.

Bottom Line - Seeking credibility beyond our track record is demonic.

Do I believe it?

I've been there!

Examples of credibility issues: lateness

What difference does it make?

How does this look to other people?

When I'm not credible, what impression do I give of God's Kingdom?

Faithfulness is one of the fruit of the Spirit - Gal 5:22-23

There are 9 distinct fruit - they are not interchangeable.

Some things are distinct

Milk and cookies are distinct, but go well together.

Democracy and freedom are distinct, but go well together.

Love is distinct from faithfulness

Kindness is distinct from faithfulness

Goodness is distinct from faithfulness

When we try to enhance our credibility beyond our track record we are letting the enemy use us. When we let the enemy use us in one area, we endanger other areas of our lives - Rom 6:15-18

We must cultivate a lifestyle of credibility!

Our lifestyle should be oriented around the truth.

Own your track record - be honest about it.

Don't think about yourself more highly than you ought to - Rom 12:3

Don't use "God" language to distract others from your track record.

Planning, honesty, "good luck", and "bad luck"

"The more I practice, the luckier I get" - Gary Player, etc.

"No" is a success word, but you can't say no to everything.

What are your chances - 90%, 99%, 99.9%, 99.99% ?

What's your track record on Jesus?

Yes, yes, or no, no?

Victory, or "I swear to God I won't do that again"?

You need to hang out with believers who are also trying follow Jesus.

Revenge and Enemies

Misc

This is an area of our Christian life best addressed by life groups.

"what is warranted by what I do or say" - 2Cor 12:6

Jesus on Retaliation - Mat 5:38-42

Exegetical Idea

Subject: How should I respond to mistreatment from others?

Complement: With grace rather than retaliation.

Analysis

What does this mean?

Context

Disciples in their personal interactions

Not police officers, soldiers, etc.

Jesus often uses pointed visual imagery:

Mat 5:13 - "You are the salt of the earth . . ."

Mat 5:14 - "You are the light of the world . . ."

Mat 5:29 - " . . . gouge it (your right eye) out . . ."

Mat 5:30 - " . . . cut it (your right arm) off . . ."

Mat 6:3 - " . . . do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing."

Old Testament References

Judicial Action - Ex 21:18-25; Lev 24:17-22; Dt 19:15-21

Is "eye for eye" a recommendation or a limit?

Interpretation depends on your initial assumptions

Consider Dinah and the Shechemites - Gen 34; Gen 49:1-7

Revenge forbidden - Lev 19:17-18; Prov 20:22; Prov 24:29

Right Cheek - insulting assault

backhand slap worth twice as much in damages in court

Tunic (undergarment) ---> Cloak (outer garment)

Pledged garment - Ex 22:25-27

Preserving borrower's dignity - Ex 24:10-13

Forces - pressing into military service (ex. Mat 27:32)

Give, lend - ref. Deut 15:7-10

Do I believe it?

What Happens If I Do This?

Am I at the mercy of evildoers?

What if people see me as weak?

Jesus and the swords

" . . . buy one (a sword) . . ." - Luke 22:35-38

" . . . shall we strike with our swords?" - Luke 22:49-54

" . . . put your sword in its scabbard" - Mat 26:48-56

Jesus and the slap - Mat 26:68; John 18:22-23; Isa 50:6

Jesus defends

the temple - John 2:12-17; Mat 21:12-13

the apostles during his arrest - John 18:1-9

Jesus avoids death

His enemies are held back - Lk 4:23-30; John 7:28-30

He hides - John 8:48-58

Jesus embraces death

What difference does it make?

Revenge diminishes you personally.

The woman who honked at me when the light turned green.

Revenge is destroying our communities.

Vendetta

Hatfields and McCoys

Revenge is destroying the world.

Sicily

Middle East

Rwanda, Congo

Homiletical Idea: Kiss Revenge Goodbye

Purpose

The saints will choose to handle mistreatment God's way.

The saints will forgo retaliation.

Love Your Enemies - Mat 5:43-48

Exegetical Idea

Subject: How should I treat my enemies?

Complement: I must love them!

Analysis

What does this mean?

Old Testament References

Love your neighbor - Lev 19:17-18

"Hate your enemy" is an extra-biblical 1st century saying.

Loving your own is nothing special.

Be complete like God

Do I believe it?

This is consistent with the way Jesus behaved

What difference does it make?

This is fundamentally Christian!

When we fail to do this we are easily labeled as hypocrites.

God has called us to represent his love to the world.

Homiletical Idea: Love your enemies

Purpose

The saints will learn to recognize their enemies and love them.

The saints will consistently love even the merely annoying.

The saints will apply this truth within marriage and family.

New Material

Preparation

Expository Preaching

Expository preaching is the communication of a biblical concept, derived from and transmitted through a historical, grammatical, and literary study of a passage in its context, which the Holy Spirit first applies to the personality and experience of the preacher, then through the preacher, applies to the hearers.

Select the Passage

Study the Passage

NIV

Hebrew Study Bible

KJV

The Message

NASB

RSV

Discover the Exegetical Idea

Subject

Tools: How, Who, What, When, Where, Why

Complement

Analyze the Exegetical Idea

Explain It: What does this mean?

Prove It: Is it True? Do I believe it?

Apply It: What difference does it make? So What?

Formulate the Homiletical Idea

Determine the Purpose of the Sermon

Make it plain

Use accessible language and modern parables

Make sure people do something with the word God gives you for them.

Decide How to Accomplish This Purpose

Outline the Sermon

The Standard - Mat 5 - 7 (cont.)

For God Or For Show? - Mat 6:1-24

Passage

Alms (Giving) - Mat 6:1-4

Prayer - Mat 6:5-15

Fasting - Mat 6:16-18

Treasures - Mat 6:19-24

Exegetical Idea: Don't perform your good deeds for public approval.

Analyze the Exegetical Idea

Explain It: What does this mean?

We like public approval and we want to "belong".

We like to spend time with people who are impressed by us or who most easily make us feel accepted. These are not necessarily the people who will enable us to experience the greatest growth.

We need to focus on confronting what's really going on "beneath the covers" rather than on putting up a front.

Prove It: Is it True? Do I believe it?

Charity as a form of public relations

Religious praying in church

Religious fasting in church

The Pharisee and the Tax Collector - Luke 18:9-14

Parable of the Rich Fool - Luke 12:13-21

Lazarus and the Rich Man - Luke 16:19-31

Apply It: What difference does it make? So What?

"Be careful not to . . ." - Mat 6:1

If you want it to count with God then do it right!

The world can see our hypocrisy.

Homiletical Idea: Are you doing it for God or for show?

Purpose

Understand the difference between doing things for public approval and doing them for God's approval.

Recognize when you're doing things for public approval.

Stop doing "acts of righteousness" for public approval and instead do them only for God's approval.

Make it plain

Use accessible language and modern parables

Make sure people do something with the word God gives you for them.

Discussion Questions / Topics (based on the indicated scriptures)

Scripture References: Mat 6:1-24

Have you seen anyone give money, pray, fast or do anything else in public in order to be noticed by other people. Have you ever done this?

What are some good strategies for not letting "your left hand know what your right hand is doing" when you give money to others?

How do you do most of your praying - in public, or in a private place?

When you pray do you use simple language or a lot of words?

Do you fast? Can people tell when you're on a fast?

How badly do you want approval from others? How about respect?

Reflect on your lifestyle. Where is your treasure? Where is your heart?

Are people who do illegal or immoral things the only ones who are serving money, or is it possible to serve money legally and morally?

Are you serving God or money?

Witnessing Activities For This Week's Life Group Meetings

Make sure that everyone knows about Life Church 101:

Sunday April 20, 2008 - 2 P.M. - 5:30 P.M.

Saturday April 26, 2008 - 10 A.M. - 1:30 P.M.

Make sure everyone in your life group has a prayer partner.

Pick a base of operations as a focus for your group's outreach ministry.

Plan a social event for your group to which you can invite some of the unbelievers you've been praying for.