June 7 “Not Peace, but a Sword” Pastor Chris  

 

June 14 “Spiritual Crime” Pastor Chris Recommended reading . . . The Jesus I Never Knew, Phillip Yancey The Jesus You Can’t Ignore, John MacArthur

June 14 “Spiritual Crime” Pastor Chris CONTEXT. . . Story behind the story Sermon on Mount Beatitudes “Blessed are . . .” (vss. 3-12) Salt & Light (influence/testimony in the world) Vs. 17 “do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.” Vs. 20 “unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.”

June 14 “Spiritual Crime” Pastor Chris TODAY’s HARD SAYING: It’s the thought that counts . . . and that thought can kill you.   “BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY”

MATTHEW 5:21-30 Borrowing one of ours? NASB Pg. 961 Espanol Pg. 1252

June 14 “Spiritual Crime” Pastor Chris Verse 21 “you have heard that the ancients were told” Not many could afford a copy of the ancient writings Forefathers, whom they revered, was their gospel  “you shall not commit murder” 6th Commandment (Ex. 20.13 . . . “kill/murder”) Consequences: “liable/guilty before the court” NASB “subject to judgment” NIV  

June 14 “Spiritual Crime” Pastor Chris Verse 22 “But, I say to you” This is Jesus FULFILLING the law The commandments of the Law and the writings of the Prophets are now being turned INWARD!  

June 14 “Spiritual Crime” Pastor Chris “Righteousness must surpass the Pharisees” in this way: Jesus is revealing that the Law is NOT just a collection of “thou shalt nots” but also a “lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path” toward good behavior and righteous thoughts and actions . . . to God and man.

June 14 “Spiritual Crime” Pastor Chris Man is not just to follow the letter of the law but also the spirit of the Law . . . discovering and obeying its true meaning and purpose. The letter of the Law says “DON’T” . . . spirit of Law says “This is why” Call to purity Call to perfection Call to praise

June 14 “Spiritual Crime” Pastor Chris “A good outward act is validated before God only when it honestly represents what’s on the inside. Right external behavior only pleases HIM when it corresponds to right internal attitudes and motives.” John MacArthur

June 14 “Spiritual Crime” Pastor Chris ANGER! “Anger is a choice, as well as a habit. It is a learned reaction to frustration.” Wayne W. Dyer   The anger in Matt. 5.22 is a “settled anger; malice that is nursed inwardly.” Warren Wiersbe

June 14 “Spiritual Crime” Pastor Chris ANGER! to get angry we make “a willful and deliberate choice” Righteous . . . desire for righteousness or with God’s will, reputation, or honor

June 14 “Spiritual Crime” Pastor Chris ANGER! to get angry we make “a willful and deliberate choice” Unrighteous . . . 1) explosive, reactionary 2) inward slow burn (leads to bitterness/strife)

June 14 “Spiritual Crime” Pastor Chris Raca! offensive name; utter contempt for another person Stupid, empty-headed, good for nothing Abusive speech (Col. 3.8 “PUT OFF”) Result? Guilty/liable before the Supreme Court

June 14 “Spiritual Crime” Pastor Chris Fool! Gk. Word ‘moros’ is used here, “MORON” “You ought to be dead and I wish you were” Result? Guilty enough to go into a fiery hell.

June 14 “Spiritual Crime” Pastor Chris “Jesus insists that we are guilty of murder because we’ve been angry in word, thought, attitude, or action. In other words . . . refraining from homicide does not impress God.” www.bible.org, Keith Krell

June 14 “Spiritual Crime” Pastor Chris JESUS helps us to see the severity of this human emotion that, left unchecked, can have serious results . . . like murder. Authored by the devil (Jn. 8.44) Result of a reprobate/depraved mind (Rom. 1.29) Deed of the flesh (Gal. 5.21)

June 14 “Spiritual Crime” Pastor Chris William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary Anger: contains the seeds of murder Abusive language: contains the spirit of murder Cursing language: contains the desire for murder

June 14 “Spiritual Crime” Pastor Chris CONFLICT is inevitable! “It is better that we interrupt our worship and get right with a brother than to pollute our sacrifice because we have a bad spirit within.” Warren Wiersbe

June 14 “Spiritual Crime” Pastor Chris Reconciliation precedes worship! As long as there is internal sin, outward acts of worship are not acceptable to God. (Romans 12.1)

June 14 “Spiritual Crime” Pastor Chris Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.

June 14 “Spiritual Crime” Pastor Chris God receives NO WORSHIP from a believer who is not on speaking terms with another believer! 1 John 2.9 “Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness.” 1 John 3.15 “Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.”

June 14 “Spiritual Crime” Pastor Chris Adultery! “everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her HAS ALREADY COMMITTED adultery with her IN HIS HEART ” External behavior; letter of the law (7th comm.) Penalty was death

June 14 “Spiritual Crime” Pastor Chris Adultery! “everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her HAS ALREADY COMMITTED adultery with her IN HIS HEART ” Internal thoughts and motives at the heart of the law

June 14 “Spiritual Crime” Pastor Chris Matt. 5.19 “out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies” James 1.14-15 “each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. (Lust -- Sin -- Death)

June 14 “Spiritual Crime” Pastor Chris It’s not the external that separates you from God and sends you to hell. It is the internal heart, mind, attitude, motives. Sow a thought . . . reap an ACT Sow an act . . . reap a HABIT Sow a habit . . . reap a CHARACTER Sow a character . . . reap a DESTINY

June 14 “Spiritual Crime” Pastor Chris “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Cor. 5.21

June 14 “Spiritual Crime” Pastor Chris “As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever.” 1 Chron. 28.9

June 14 “Spiritual Crime” Pastor Chris REPENTANCE RIGHTEOUSNESS RESTORATION REWARD