Matthew Chapter 5 Part 3 5:27-48 “But It Really Tells Me To Cut My Hand Off!!!

Matthew Chapter 5 Part 3 Matthew 5:27-48

“But It Really Tells Me To Cut My Hand Off!!!

May The Peace Of Christ Be With You

Response By All: And Also With You

 

We will be looking at

But That’s What It Says

Divided We Have Denominations

and our constant theme

Read In Context To See What It Really Means

 

But That’s What It Says

 

As with all of the lessons now I have place the Scriptures at the bottom of the post but please read them and may the HOLY SPIRIT cause use to bath in the WORD of the LORD.

Let’s first ask a question in the style of the late Dr. R.C. Sproul, it is not a style I am given too so I wanted you not to be surprised but the wording.

Do you take the Bible Literally, and that it should be followed word for word?

The question is an honest one, and its answer not as simple as yes, nor is it as simple as sometimes.

It is why I started this lesson on purpose at verse 27, you see the last time I taught (preached) in Churches across the Country I did NOT see eyes poked out nor hands cut off, as it seems we are smart enough to understand Jesus and the HOLY SPIRIT inspired writers of Scripture are prone to using shock language to get the point a crossed.

In other words the answer of course is Yes we take it literally and at the same time understand shock language when we see it.

Face it we use the same shock language don’t we, in fact I use it each week I my messages, while sitting on town council, and teaching public safety.

We try to get the attention of the audience and sometimes a blunt assessment is what we need, like when we say “the Next time He or She tells the truth will be their first!” or “I fear Hell will freeze over before they get this lesson” as neither of these statements can be proven to be true, but are used to get our point a crossed quickly.

I also wanted you to review a homework assignment I asked you to consider from last week and this week I am going to put two tweet from “famous” Theologians of our day, and allow you to see why they are Religious and not Christian Tweets

Tweet #1 “We must be so immersed in God's written Word & truth that we are trained to choose rightly in cases which the Bible doesn't speak directly.” Tim Keller

Tweet #2 Racism is nothing but collective narcissism. God’s grace is still the answer. @MichaelHorton_. https://bit.ly/2vcdTT3 

Hint (where is the reliance on Jesus Christ alone for the ability to comply or strength to do it?)

 

This does seamlessly get us into our lesson as I am going to ask you to read both passages and we will discuss what is happening;

Let’s Look at Matthew 5:27 ? "You have heard that it was said, 'YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY';

 28 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.

 29 "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.

 30 "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.

 

 

Le 21:16 ? Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

 17 "Speak to Aaron, saying, 'No man of your offspring throughout their generations who has a defect shall approach to offer the food of his God.

 18 'For no one who has a defect shall approach: a blind man, or a lame man, or he who has a disfigured face, or any deformed limb,

 19 or a man who has a broken foot or broken hand,

 20 or a hunchback or a dwarf, or one who has a defect in his eye or eczema or scabs or crushed testicles.

 21 'No man among the descendants of Aaron the priest who has a defect is to come near to offer the LORD'S offerings by fire; since he has a defect, he shall not come near to offer the food of his God.

 22 'He may eat the food of his God, both of the most holy and of the holy,

 23 only he shall not go in to the veil or come near the altar because he has a defect, so that he will not profane My sanctuaries. For I am the LORD who sanctifies them.'"

Now what is so shocking in what Jesus Has advised those whose eye or hand causes them to stumble?

HE tells us plainly that it is better for a person to enter Heaven having plucked their sinning member out, then to be cast into Hell with all our sinning parts intact, and yet Leviticus tells us should we do such it would cut us off from the assembly, so is Jesus confused?

Absolutely NOT, in fact the WORD of GOD know full well what HE is saying and we need to keep in mind this is being spoken in the context of the Beatitudes just being presented to the audience.

So what is Jesus pointing to?

Again I really want you to answer this and remember context of the whole of the Bible.

Yes Jesus is pointing us toward if you want to rely on the Law alone to get you into Heaven, then it is better that would poke your eye our, or cut your hand off, but by doing so you are cut off, in other words, YOU ARE DOOMED on your own either way.

I also want to take a second to ask are you stunned by the Leviticus passage, and a little annoyed at GOD that HE would reject the Blind, Lame and Maimed from HIS presence?

I am sure if you are honest, you would say, “Some of these were born blind, and it’s NOT fair to kick them out as they did nothing to deserve to be excluded!!”

Well, I am sure in 90% of Churches you have never even hear this passage addressed, and probably NEVER heard what I am about to say;

The reason we have a problem with the passage, is that we really think we are clean and worthy of standing before the LORD, when in truth, the blind and disfigured were never fooled about their condition.

Total Depravity IS Total Depravity, and None Righteous IS NONE Righteous!!!

I know this goes against the teaching of the Church, but it IS the truth, the reading of Leviticus and Jesus Summation of Matthew 5 in verse 48 tells us, YOU ARE Justifiably screwed in yourself, as HE alone Is the Rescuer and the one who IS 48 … perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect!!!

The Whole story really is about Jesus rescue of us and from the estate of doom.

I hope this is clear as it should have been, and yet I do understand if it’s the first you have heard this.

I would belabor this point in the past, but since the launch of the Web Page I simply invite you read the Fractured Fairy Tales section dealing with Context  for more clarification. https://sites.google.com/view/itsallaboutjesus-paulwallace/learning-to-listen-again

This will bring us to the next point

 

Divided We Have Denominations

I have come to the conclusion that the reason we have so many Denominations IS because we are still blinded to what the WHOLE Bible is saying.

That’s a blunt statement, and yet in the last 2 years the LORD has given me the gift of ministering to nearly 200 people, 50 of whom I either met with or still meet with in Nursing Homes.

When Robin and I prayed for the LORD to show us whether we should come back to New Jersey and start a Ministry, as I was encouraged by quite a few people here, I asked the LORD, “If We come back, I would like a Ministry that doesn’t care what denomination or even faith the person is as all I want to do is present the Gospel to the people there.

Well I can tell you these past two years have been very frustrating financially, and yet the LORD has indeed opened numerous opportunities to share the Gospel across these lines.

I need to be honest here, as I am a Presbyterian Church in America Licensed Pastor, and of the over 200 people I have interacted with NONE have Been of my own Denomination, and I give you this list to show, if you ask the LORD don’t be surprised to see HIM do it, as HE was the ONE walking you there.

So here is the list, of the over 200

The most have been OPC (preached in two Churches 1 in New York, 1 in New Jersey)

Next Methodist

Roman Catholics

Baptist

PCUSA

Assembly of God

Greek Orthodox

Jewish

Non Churched

But how has the LORD allowed me to present the Gospel a cross these Denominational and Religious Boundaries?

I believe it’s because HE has given me the Gift to teach HIS whole Council, and show myself truly as the Chief of Sinners and unworthy of Salvation.

I teach what the Whole Bible actually tells us, that it is NOT about us being good, but about Christ choosing us and rescuing us as we are.

In each case I watch the HOLY SPIRIT Open the eyes of the person I am talking to.

I will tell you two quick stories that back this gift up, and then point to the fractures and denominations.

First I was honored to teach the lesson at my Brother David’s Funeral in February 2016, and after the service we were driving to the Cemetery for the Committal Ceremony, when I asked my Brother Tim if he like the service?

He Said “ I listened intently and you did not get to the Gospel for nearly 15 Minutes” well since the whole Service was 23 Minutes it actually showed he never heard a thing in the service as the whole message dripped in the Gospel and the Message was only 10 minutes long as we had to be at the Military Cemetery on time.

I don’t want this to be a criticism of my Brother Tim but he has been an OPC Elder and to be honest I have more of a Challenge with Elders and Pastors as they seem to really NOT get the Law drives us to Jesus and is not about us needing to comply, as Christ alone gives us the Strength alone to love and more comply as a fruit of regeneration.

So I fear Tim’s comments came from the perspective of the Pharisees and the demand that we need to obey the law and not that we start out dead and are unable to obey save the HOLY SPIRIT bringing us to life.

The second story is the reaction I get from all of these precious people that the LORD has opened their Eyes in front of me, and I gave you the list as IT DOES NOT MATTER WHO THEY ARE.

It is why I am so hot on the Church getting back to preaching the Gospel, and getting rid of the garbage that is being spread in so many PCA and OPC Churches today.

The PCA is on this social Justice, Racism and being good Neighbor kick, while the OPC is on a Legalism Kick, when NIETHER is the Gospel as they put the emphasis on the Congregant  doing something and NOT what Jesus Christ has done, in fact the gift given a true Gospel teaching Church through the regeneration of the HOLY SPIRIT is a hatred for racism, a love of Social Justice, loving our neighbor as Christ does, and loving and embracing the Law as it pictures Christ.

This now in mind I hope helps us to see that Denominations are a tool of I fear Satan as we spend so much time arguing amongst ourselves over whether in Baptism I should be Dunked, Sprinkled or Dry Cleaned.

Do we Speak in tongues, do we preach the Law, Do we Worship on the right day, Are we becoming like GOD, and I hope you can name each of the Denominations that have these splintered and Fractured understanding of Scripture.

What do you think NEVER comes up when I present the Gospel to my precious friends?

You guessed it I never bring up any of these divisions, but by GOD’S Grace focus on our the very fact that Jesus Rescues us as we are NOT as we need to become, that the FATHER Chooses us we DON’T Choose HIM!

Eyes after eyes are opened to the truth of Jesus Christ, and all by HIS Grace Alone.

Let’s get to the final point, and really walk through the passage and this is our constant theme.

 

Read In Context To See What It Really Means

As we walked through the passage we always need to remind ourselves it must be viewed in context, so when we see our passage we see that Jesus is laying out what a person who follows each of the Beatitudes actually looks like.

HE then sums this portion up in verse 48 that for the record, in my 58 years that the LORD has given me on this earth HAS NEVER BEEN Preached correctly as it is preached as a reachable bar, straight out of the Pharisee’s Satanic Playbook Ge 3:4 The serpent said to the woman, "You surely will not die!

 5 "For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."

If verse 48 was preached correctly having read the to do list Jesus has just given us it would be presented as, if you still think you are or can do all of these things, then remember you must

  48 "Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Talk about a bubble burster, as Jesus just took all of the righteousness out of our sales, as NO WE CAN NEVER BE LIKE GOD, but instead are DEAD in our Trespasses and Sins pre Regeneration (The HOLY SPIRIT Awakening Our Dead Souls and causing us to Live for the LORD) and will struggle in the same throughout our Sanctification (process of the HOLY SPIRIT conforming us more and more to the likeness of Christ).

So if you read the passage as something you have or can accomplish, then you are reading the passage incorrectly, but it you are reading the passage and conclude, LORD Jesus Christ have Mercy on me, as it is impossible for me to 48 "Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect, then praise GOD as HE has opened your eyes to the real and true Gospel!!!

Please reread the passage, and this time instead of having a note pad out measuring how you have complied, as you must be perfect if you are relying on your obedience, but instead, use the same note pad, and now see how the HOLY SPIRIT by the Mercy of the FATHER, as true fruit of your Redemption in Jesus Christ our LORD, now has you living out these fruit markers more and more.

You See for those in Christ it is actually impossible to be a stagnant Christian, as a fruit of our new life is to LIVE!

Our Next Lesson Will start our walk through Matthew Chapter 6.

In Christ alone

Paul

 

 

 

 

Matthew 5:27 ? "You have heard that it was said, 'YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY';

 28 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.

 29 "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.

 30 "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.

31 "It was said, 'WHOEVER SENDS HIS WIFE AWAY, LET HIM GIVE HER A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE';

 32 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.

 33 ? "Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, 'YOU SHALL NOT MAKE FALSE VOWS, BUT SHALL FULFILL YOUR VOWS TO THE LORD.'

 34 "But I say to you, make no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God,

 35 or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, or by Jerusalem, for it is THE CITY OF THE GREAT KING.

 36 "Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.

 37 "But let your statement be, 'Yes, yes' or 'No, no'; anything beyond these is of evil.

 38 ? "You have heard that it was said, 'AN EYE FOR AN EYE, AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH.'

 39 "But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.

 40 "If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also.

 41 "Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two.

 42 "Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.

 43 ? "You have heard that it was said, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.'

 44 "But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

 46 "For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?

 47 "If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?

 48 "Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

(NAS95)