The Village Church
Mutually Broken, Pt. 1 - Audio
Matthew chapter five a few years ago ABC had a show called flash forward I don't know if you ever watched that show when it came out and the whole premise of the show was based upon the whole world having a blackout for two minutes and 17 seconds the whole world everyone in the whole world blacked out for two minutes and 17 seconds and doing this blackout everyone got a snapshot or flash forward into their lives six months later they saw glimpses of what their life was gonna be like that marriage or their career what it was gonna look like six months later for some it was good for others it was not flash forward now I want us this morning to have a flash forward now we're not gonna blackout not gonna woo you so you can blackout but it's not gonna be a flash forward about life but I want us to flash forward to the end of the sermon on the Mount to the end of it if you were jailed with Jesus listen to him preach 2,000 years ago flash forward to the end of it you see because at the end of that sermon there was a response I believe there was a response that Jesus wanted his disciples to have the crowd to have and us here to have at the village church there is a response that the someone in the Mount was supposed to produce in those here is it to produce in us I want us to see the sermon on the mountain in the context of how Jesus began his ministry and what happened when Jesus came down from the mountain after he proved to sermon because something happened when it came out the mountain you see he began his ministry in Matthew chapter 4 with these words repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand that's how he began his ministry then you get to Matthew chapter 5 he goes up to the mountain he preaches one of the greatest sermons he ever preached a sermon on the Mount and when you flash forward to the end of chapter 7 you go into chapter 8 you read these words when Jesus came down the mountain great crowds followed him and behold a leper came to him knelt before him saying Lord if you will you can make me clean think about that a leper came to him and said Lord if you will you can make me clean and later in the same chapter Jesus come he comes to contact with a Roman centurion who says to Jesus Lord I'm not worded to have you come under my roof but only say the word my servant we be healed and Jesus said to the centurion truly truly I tell you with no one an Israel have I found such faith I hope you are beginning to connect the dots to see the response that Jesus wants us to have once we get done with this sermon do you see it do you see it the flash forward to the end of the sermon it shows us we should have the response of repentance and the response of faith that's what we should have you see in this whole sermon Jesus does lay out for us kingdom principles that we all should live by a sermon on the Mount he does do that but he also preaches it to undo us to show us how far short we follow those principles it's not by accident that Matthew praised this thing about the leper after Jesus preached the sermon because if you hear this sermon and you don't see how dirty you are at the end of it you like you don't get it you should say Jesus made me clean because I I'm not living up to those things I don't do any things you just said and then that's faith to say the word Jesus and I'll be here I'm trusting you to doing me what I can't do in myself as I've been preaching to do this sermon series so far are you being undone or you write not things you need to do more well I need to perform better here your first response to be repentance not up to do this he presents us all as mutually broken in this sermon whose only acceptable response is repentance and faith which is opposite to that of the Pharisees as we saw last week they didn't respond this way they did not see the leper see they did not see they need for faith because they had a false sense of righteousness but this morning this app this morning Jesus is going to undo them and he's going to undo us and he does that first by what he talks about next and Matthew chapter 5 beginning in verse 21 Jesus says you have heard it's you have heard said you you have heard that it was said to those of old you shall you shall not murder and whoever murders will be liable to judgment but I say to you anyone who is angry with his brother would be liable to judgment whoever insults his brother would be liable to counsel whoever says you fool would be liable to the hell of fire so if you are offering your gift at the altar and then remember that your brother has something against you leave your gift there before the altar and go first be reconciled to your brother and then come and then come and offer your gift come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going to him to court leave your accuser hand you over to the judge and the judge to the guard and you will be put in prison truly I say to you you will never get out until you have paid the last this is your word father this is your truth this is where you have to say to your people it's not something that that your ministers have made up that is your word to your beloved and Lord I pray your spirit will speak through me he would speak to me as well but I need Jesus and the Savior to I'm broken as well so Father I pray that Christ be glorified during our time today Jesus and my prayer amen in these verses here Jesus begins to present everyone that he's speaking to as mutually broken everyone has guilty of breaking the law and he does this by correcting the misunderstanding and misinterpretation of the Old Testament during this time in the church through the church the Old Testament was being misapplied by the religious leaders they had a misinterpretation of what the intent of the law meant and he begins by correcting that misunderstanding of the sixth commandment and given its true meaning you see the sixth commandment states what you shall not murder and that is premeditated murder and in the Old Testament goals found get to this crime they face the death penalty you see the sixth commandment protected the sanctity of life you see the Christians believe there's a sanctity of life every human life has value in the sixth commandment protected that value why you think there's a sanctity of life why because every human being is creating an image of God that's why and every human being has value every human life unborn life has value every human being has value but here according to Jesus there's there has something wrong with how this law has been historically interpreted and applied he says you have heard that it was said to those of old you should not murder and whoever murders should be liable to judgment notice what he doesn't say he doesn't say the word of God said you see he's not correcting the Old Testament he's getting he's correcting the misinterpretation of the Old Testament this is what he's doing here and based on what he says in verse 20 about the about having a ratchet into that seized that of the shrubs and Pharisees you get an idea of what the issue is here the issue is that the law was only being applied to the physical act of murder the only the the external act of murder was a sin in a person who committed murder they feel the weight of that they feel it but those of us who have never committed murder physical murder you feel no way you feel no guilt you think about it think about your life when you line your life side by side of someone who's sitting on death row for first to be murder what do you think do you see yourself if that says that person no you don't you don't see yourself that you say mentally I'm better we all are guilty of that honestly you feel self-justified when you read a newspaper article you see another story about someone been found guilty of murder you feel self-justified you you mentally pat yourself on the back and say man I never murder anyone so I'm good I'm safe I don't get free and I'm better if anyone is a sinner if anyone is a guilty sinner and that deserves hell is the person that took another person's life right that killer not me I pay my ties every week I go to church I'm a good citizen I'm good I'm safe I'm righteous more righteous than that person already really in Luke 18 Jesus told a parable he told this parable to those who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and treated others with contempt he tells them two men went to the temple to pray want a Pharisee want a tax collector the Pharisee standing by himself pray to God God I thank you that I'm not like other men I'm not I'm pretty sure you had on his nice suit and it's not for the tie and I thank you Lord I'm not like other men like conning men or unjust or adulterers or even like this little tax let me over here Lord Jesus I thank you then I'm not a sinner it's basically what he's praying Lord not only then I'm not like them I'm better than them Lord I fast twice a week twice a week I give a tenth of all I get not just my paycheck if I get extra if I get a bonus I pay ties on that even my income tax oh Jesus look how good I am not like this tax collector but the tax collector standing for all will not even look up to heaven but beat his chest say God be merciful to me God be merciful to me a sinner and Jesus tells them I tell you this man went home justified rather than the other for everyone who exalts himself would be humble but the one who humbles himself would be exalted you see if your view of sin is just external behavior then you have a small view of it very small view if it's just the bad things I do you have a small view sin is a heart problem condition of our soul and this is what Jesus is getting ready to show us it's not just the extra things we do with something else going on inside of us so the person who feels self-justified because they haven't taken another person's life Jesus says slow you roll slow you roll slow down come back take another look at your life take another look at this verse and that's why Jesus says but I say not what those of old say but I say he's speaking with authority here but I say what does he say but I say to you everyone who is angry with his brother would be liable to judgment ouch really whoever insults his brother would be liable to counsel ouch again everyone who says food would be liable to the hell of fire ouch Jesus really really again this is not Jesus correcting the Old Testament he's correcting the misunderstanding of the Old Testament by the religious leaders their understanding that interpretation their application of the law was based upon a tradition of men and Jesus said there's something wrong what you've been doing what does he mean by these words he means a person who commits murder was already in sin along before they did it that's what he's saying along before that took that person's life they were insane long ago long ago I was already here in their heart there are other ways to murder someone than just our physical killing everyone who is angry with his brother would be liable to judgment and anger here it is referring to the internal rage and hate you have for another person you're so furious you wish harm to come to that person now they'd be good they're getting the courage yeah that'd be pretty nice thing I like that that's what that means that you take pleasure if something bad happened to them inside your soul you're like man like that that's good they got what they deserve it's unrighteous anger pry vanity hatred malice and revenge revenge evil thoughts toward another person and in your heart you murder them and that makes you liable to judgment who still get free now you still think you better than the person on the death row for first to be murder now Jesus says you're not Nancy says if you don't feel guilty yet Nancy says whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council whoever says you fool would be liable to the hell to fire here Jesus is talking about verbal insults for another person a fellow believer or anyone and when you verbally insult another person you verbally murder them you do the first insult he is referring to contempt towards a person's intelligence and the word that is used here is empty-headed it's like if you call in the class make a co-worker relative stupid dumb and idiot that's what the word is implying you insult the intelligence you're idiot you're dummy you're worthless you're good for nothing you can't do anything right my mother was right about you to the marriage so-and-so this is what it's applying the second insult is referring to contempt towards a person's character you insult the character who dishonest so-and-so you're a loser you always gonna be a loser you be little of them by calling them food and then tent here is not to build a other person up but you use your tongue to him to cut man and Jesus is showing us and them that there are more ways to destroy a person than by taking that person's life you do realize that right you can destroy a person in other ways other than taking that person's life you can use your tongue to do it or you can even do it in your heart and when you engage in verbal insults like this you break the sixth commandment you're not upholding the sanctity of life why is that Alex because verbal insults like this kills a person's dignity and it kills itself for think about it if you verbally insult someone like this you kill their dignity and the self it shows them that you you don't think that dignity and self-help has any value at all at all it's little value so who's guilty of verbal murder I am I am I'm guilty a common way this is seen in our culture just through the use of social media like Facebook and this is particularly high in teens in high school they use Facebook to bully other teens of the classmates and and hear this if you are a cyber-bullying you are a murderer know that about yourself if you cyber-bullying other teens other people you will give to your murder because you destroy that person dignity and self-worth you've heard stories in the newspaper about other teens committing suicide because of bullying on Facebook posting things on the Facebook page that's hurtful or am I the only one who knows this if you are cyber-bullying you're not a bully you are murder one that's what you need to know about yourself a murder you but you use things like Facebook as your weapon one Christian says Jesus whole purpose he has to show us everything that's included in this commandment that should not kill killing does not mean destroying the physical life it means still trying to destroy the spirit and the soul as well destroying the person in any shape or form is guilty of breaking the sixth commandment not just murder but when you try to destroy the soul and spirit by any shape so the point is we're all get and Jesus stands us take a second look at your life have you ever been angry and insulted a person like this if so then my hands my hands are not clean I'm guilty I'm not innocent I'm broken just like the person on death row that's Alex I'm broken and Jesus is turning up the heat with these words here because God's standard it's much higher than we realize and what you got to see is that he doesn't lower his standard through Christ he brings us up to the standard realize that that's the gospel the gospel doesn't mean he lowers his standard the gospel means he brings you up to the standard in Christ that's what the blood is for anger and insults makes us just as liable to judgment and so if you're in this crowd right now do you feel like Jesus beating you up with these words do you feel like I'm beating you up this morning this is applies to me as well because I'm I need Jesus - I'm broken as well and he we got to realize that the sense commandment does not apply to our self righteousness it has to die the sixth commandment does not apply to our self righteousness it has to die it has to die and with these words that's what Jesus is doing showing us why the rationalist of like the Pharisees does not work because they're not right and so with these words Jesus is pulling a knife in the back of our self righteousness and it hurts it hurts put a knife in the back of our sense of superiority and it hurts put a knife in the back of our sense have been better than other people and it hurts every time he does it why does he do it to show us that we're all are broken before the throne of God who's broken I'm broken who has issues we all have issues and when you forget it it's issue you got it guys people are broken people and people who know their brokenness we see our sin differently we see it differently we see it as a heart problem non-behavior problem and you will begin to run away from your attempts to use obedience alone to loosen sin's grip on your life obedience alone doesn't do it you're run away from trying to have a righteousness like the Pharisees that Jesus talks about in verse 20 instead broken people would be like the lever sprinting to Jesus when he comes down the mountain say Jesus if you will make me clean and like the centurion guard Jesus say the word you even got to come to my house just say the word and I know to be out here be healed that's faith trusting and depending upon Jesus as well broken people live by repentance broken people live by faith broken people live by practice and reconciliation that is what he says in the next couple verses here verse 23 if you are offering your gift at the altar and they remember your brother has something against you leave your gift there before the altar and go first be reconciled to your brother and then come to terms quickly then come and offer your gift come to terms quickly with your accuser while you're going with him to court leave your accuser hand you over to the judge and the judge to guard and you will be put in prison truly I say to you you will never get out until you have paid the last penny these two illustrations that Jesus gives us worst upon of him he's he points to us that those who are right with God in Christ it shows itself and how it relates to other people it shows itself and now relationships with other people if I've been reconciled to God then that should work itself out in my relationships with my wife with my kids with you guys and my neighbors there's a connection to go to reality is that well all we all are guilty of sinning it's one another right you sin against people and people sin against you you do realize that right every day and so Jesus shown us reconciliation is necessary in our personal relationships then we have to practice it you're either going to engage in verbal insults or you're going to engage in reconciliation which one is going to be which one is it going to be he's saying you must deal with the animosity in your relationships there's reconciliation is necessary first be reconciled to your brother and then come and then come off for your gift to God there is an importance that Jesus place upon this think about this if all of us are mutually broken and we are what does that reveal about everything in your life what does it feel like your marriage what does it feel about your family your career everything if you were broken what else is broken in your life everything every relationship you got every relation is going to have this all broken and so Jesus said knowing that means you should engage in reconciliation because you're going to have broken relationship in this life everything is broken and he wants us to engage in the reconciliation and not broken relationships but there's a danger for us in this and one pastor says the danger is us trying to atone for more from for moral failures by balancing good and evil doing good Christian things to try to outweigh the bad things that we do we came to tone for more failures by trying to outweigh good and bad it does not erase your responsibility to go and be reconciled if a husband verbally insults his wife murders her with sending her flowers getting him back into her good races think about it if he does to her the things we've been talking about saying her for things to her with sending her flowers get her get him back into her good races what about doing the laundry or doing the dishes or even cooking the dinner that's night for all those things alone get your husband back into your good graces I don't think so because the husband is only doing those good things to try to outbalance the evil thing you just did to you and Jesus said stop don't do that husband go to your wife and tell your wife when I said that I hurt you I sin against you please forgive that's what he wants you to do not trying to do good things to try to erase the bad that you just done practice reconciliation and you got to communicate to practice that communicate to practice that so relates to relake assimilation is necessary and it's urgent the second illustration here about your accused of taking you to court is either showing that relationship with blood block going too fast reconciliation is urgent that it should not be delayed you should not put it off if you know someone has something to get you deal with don't just say it a pass over don't just say well I just want to keep the peace I don't want to bring it up Jesus says go deal with it another Christian out that says animosity is a time bomb you don't know when it's gonna go off but it will if you know someone has something against you don't sweep it on the road eventually it's gonna go off and deal with it seeking to reconcile another person who sin against you sometimes a conservative relationship you can still be friends and sometimes it won't but the point is you want to get forgiveness you want the person to forgive you and if you're the guilty party go be reconciled you can't make the person forgive you can't do that you during your job when you went to the person try to make it right this other person responsibility to forgive you it may take time but it's their responsibility in time to forgive you and like I said the closer the relationship sometimes the harder it is to forgive just the way it is where if the person loves you they will forgive you and hope for the relationship to come back to where it needs to be the rules for us here at the Village Church about reconciliation you should already should already should be written in your mind by now short accounts short accounts short accounts short accounts always keep the lines of communication open always communication communication communication communication if you forget it communication communication communication communication you have an issue with me tell me don't tell Richard tell Alex and I'll tell you that's how we keep short accounts we deal with the stuff that comes up between us a few weeks ago the Lord convicted me on this verbal insult stuff and particularly stuff inside my heart you know for a while now I've made a misjudgment of two folks that I've met in this community I thought things about them that was not true and this one particular neighbor I thought was me I thought he I thought he was prejudiced I thought he was racist and so in my mind I already had his picture of who he was and so you know I'm gonna stay away from that person but you know what I was wrong that neighbor same neighbor came over to our church a few weeks ago and came and came over to tell us something about a new property that we got that hey I think it's not secure enough there's a gate open people maybe walk through the property maybe even in the house so he came over and got me and took him over to the property and showed me what the problem was and you know what nice this guy I meant in the neighborhood and you know as he was talking I felt this mom and my soul because I know what I have crucified this guy for being something that he's absolutely not so when he left I had to go do business with Jesus Jesus once again I made a huge misjudgment of character I made an assumption about a guy that was totally wrong please forgive me continue to show me my sin show me how much I just make assumptions about people that are not true and so am I guilty of it you have a guilty pastor is the point a guilty of everything that you do I do as well you know the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ I love it you know why I love it because it levels the playing field for everybody it does not discriminate it doesn't show favoritism it says you're messed up it steps on all of our tolls equally if you're told or not stepped on by the gospel then you don't understand the gospel your tolls should hurt right now like mine it presents us both all of us here is mutually broken before a holy awesome God but that same gospel that same gospel it takes us beyond our brokenness as well he realized it right it shows our brokenness and it takes us beyond our brokenness well mutually broken people could find hope freedom restoration forgiveness and peace how to faith in our Lord Jesus the table here this year what we're about to partake of reminds us of that one thing communion it is a visible parking mention of that gospel that shows brokenness and takes us beyond our brokenness Jesus said as often as you eat this bread and drinking this cup you proclaim the Lord's death and so this table was instituted by him it's his it's his table not my table not the village churches table and guess what it's open to all of his sons and daughters all of you if you know Christ and saving faith if you trust them him from his your salvation if you're willing to forsake your sins if you are members of a congregation that proclaim the gospel guess what this table is for you for you but there's a warning give unto us about the Apostle Paul he says whoever therefore eats the bread and our drink of the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ so he says let us examine ourselves and so eat and drink of this cup I want to take a few moments to examine ourselves after Holy Spirit to reveal to us in my receiving the table in a worthy manner so let's have a couple moments to examine ourselves well I thank you for this table for what it represents and it represents your death the cross and I pray spirit that you you are you live in all of us who are believers so reveal to us where we are reveal to us our need and use this time to encourage us in our walks in Christ in my prayer amen here the Lord's institution of the Lord's separate the Lord's is Christ on a night in which he was betrayed took bread and he given thanks to it he broke it and gave it to his disciples and said this is my body which is broken for you do this in remembrance of me in the same manner he also took the cup never given things he gave it to the disciples saying this is my body this is the cup of the new cover my blood which is shared for the many for many sins drink from it all of you it was the Lord's our sin for which the Lord came to die so again let's talk to the Lord now have a time I'm sorry [BLANK_AUDIO]