The Sermon on the Mount: Checking Our Emotions

This week’s passage: Matthew 5:21-48

Our Wonderful Counselor

The emotional state of our collective beings appears to be weaker than at any point in my lifetime, and the demand for motivational speakers and counselors is skyrocketing. The thing is, while turning to others is at times helpful, the only way to pursue true emotional fitness with any success is to follow the Word of God and to lean on His understanding instead of our own. As we dig into the Sermon on the Mount it may seem like bad news because it is clear that God wants us to perfectly follow His law, yet as we continue to read what Christ told the disciples about the entire counsel of God we see that He certainly knows we are not perfect. Nearly 800 years before the birth of Christ the prophet Isaiah told Israel of their coming Messiah.

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6 ESV)

The word wonderful here literally means “incomprehensible”. Christ is a counselor beyond our understanding who can advise us because He knows us like no person can and is qualified in ways that no human counselor is.

Murder Begins in the Heart

I’m sure we all agree, “thou shall not murder”. Jesus explains that it is not enough to not kill one another, but that anger and hatred must be avoided if we are to escape the fires of hell.

“But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.” (Matthew 5:22 ESV)

Whoa! I don’t know about you, but I guess that’s it for me! Have I ever been irritated by a brother (or sister) in Christ? Check. Have I ever said to someone, “what is wrong with you, don’t you know better?” Check. Have I ever even thought it? Check. Then according to this scripture alone, I am doomed and “liable to the hell of fire”.

THANK THE LORD, for our Wonderful Counselor who tells us that we can escape condemnation by reconciling with the person who is angry with us. We cannot allow the issue to fester and grow until it ends up needing to be judged (settled) by someone else. We may be righteous in our own minds over the situation, but a judge will see both sides clearly and we could end up with an indictment. Once we have reconciled the issue with our brother or sister then we can bring our praises to the Lord in prayer, and ask His forgiveness for our weakness. (see Matthew 5:23-26)

Lustful Thoughts

Again, Jesus reminds of an Old Testament law and adds a new level of understanding.

“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 lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matthew 5:27-28 ESV)

This passage, coupled with the first about murder is used by Jesus to show us that thinking about sin, allowing it to fester in our hearts and minds, is just as bad as physically committing that sin. If we are occupied with thoughts of anger, hate, and/or sexual improprieties, then our minds are not on the things of God. In fact, there is no room left for the things of God. Self-control is good but thought control and early intervention is needed when we find ourselves in these situations, casting those thoughts from our minds is the first step to reconciliation with God. (see Matthew 5:27-30)

Marriage is Sacred and Binding

The idea that marriage should last “till death do us part” may seem harsh or dated when applied to our current society. Again, Jesus sets us straight when He explains that God takes marriage very seriously and that marriage is a covenant that is forever.

“It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”(Matthew 5:31-32 ESV)

Marriage is sacred to God, after all He considers the church his “bride” and is 100% faithful to us. We jump into marriage with a shrug “if it doesn’t work out, we’ll just get a divorce”. This attitude is horribly disrespectful to God and puts us in direct opposition to Him. Marriage is one of the amazing gifts we receive from a loving God and our faithfulness to our spouse should mirror Christ’s faithfulness to us. I am one of the many who had a failed marriage, and this Word was hard to accept. My divorce made me an adulterer, but because of Christ I do not live in adultery. I have been forgiven for this and many other sins and God has blessed me with a strong marriage, anchored in Him. When we allow Christ to define us, our sins don’t stand a chance!

The Truth is All You Need

In Matthew 5:33-37 Christ explains that we should not make promises we cannot keep. Adding emphasis to our word can imply that when the emphasis is not added we don’t really mean what we say. For example, if I say to you that I will help you move to a new home but then I don’t show up, next time I commit myself to helping you it would make sense that you would be reluctant to believe me. If I have to say “I promise” or “I swear” then I have failed to faithfully follow up on my word. “Yes, I will do it” or “No, I will not” should be enough if I am living as expected. We shame ourselves before the Lord by swearing on His name or breaking our promises.

“Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.“(Matthew 5:37 ESV)

Respond in Love

We have all heard the saying “An eye for an eye”, this comes out of the Old Testament (Exodus 21:23-25) and is taken out of context by people because it gives us justification (in our own minds) to react to being mistreated with our first instinct, revenge. In Matthew 5:38-48, however, Christ explains that revenge is not ours to pursue, and we should show mercy and love to others in every situation. He says we should not only love our brothers and sisters in Christ, but we should also love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. If God allows the sun to shine and the rain to fall on both the good and the evil, then who are we to choose who we will love and who we will hate?

“For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”(Matthew 5:46-48 ESV)

I believe that in our culture today many are allowing the media to tell them who their enemies are. God tells us that our enemies are those who are against Him and that we do not struggle against people but against the evil that possesses them. It is not our place to decide who deserves God’s mercy and who doesn’t. We are to pray for the salvation of others, even if they hate us, act out against God, or commit the unthinkable crime. There it is again, He says we “must be perfect”, and again, I am doomed because there is no way I can be!

It's All Good!

The best news? It WILL be forgiven if we ask humbly. We will be stronger for the struggle, and as we mature in Christ, allowing the Holy Spirt to do a work in our hearts, we will have less of these difficult and awkward moments where our emotions take over. This is what it means to “enter the rest” of Christ. Remember, He is doing a perfect work in us, one that we cannot do for ourselves.

Have you ever heard Ray Comfort approach someone on the street and ask them if they have broken any of the Ten Commandments? If not, or if it has been a while, do a quick search on YouTube and find one of his videos. I believe you will be convicted and blessed by it.

How can we apply this passage to the growth of our “salt and light”?

• We can remember that God’s love for us does not give us a free pass to live as we desire.
• When arguments or issues arise, we can address it quickly and humbly to avoid having it grow into something that is more difficult to resolve.
• We can be careful to never promise something we cannot deliver.
• We can treat all people with respect and pray that they receive salvation.

If you see other ways to apply this Word in your life, feel free to share in the comments.