9-4-22 - The Value of Truth

Your Bible if you look with me to the gospel of Matthew chapter number five. Matthew chapter 5.

When you find a place we will honor God's word. As we read and stand in reverse.

33 done verse number 37 crochet brain doing such a great job preaching in my stead and love to listen and preaches I was way was I to make sure he didn't tell any jokes or stories only Terry and others couple reasons you need to listen and Matthew 533.

The Bible says again you have heard that it would have been said by them of old time, thou shall not forswear thyself shall perform unto the Lord thy notes but I say and you swear not at all, either by heaven is God's throne by the earth, for it is his footstool.

Another by Jerusalem, for is the city of the great King shall delve swear by thy head because Elkins not make one hair white or black later communication BAA Nay Nay whatsoever is more than these, of evil father.

Pray your word would be revealed to our hearts give us the humility to receive the engrafted word, which is not only able to save but to sanctify, we ask it in Jesus name God's people said then you may be seated this morning we returned to the greatest of all sermons that has ever been phrased, which is the sermon on the Mount, which expands from Matthew chapter 5 to the end of chapter 7 regarding looked at 19 sermons in chapter 5 alone is we've examined the glory of our Lord's words here we have the very one who is the word of God preaching God's word to us. The wealth of Scripture is that God has given us his truth God has brought heavens, truth to earth and he's revealed to us ultimate reality he's revealing to us what really is. The Bible tells us that God is a God of truth. The Bible says in Psalm 31 verse five, into thy hands I commend my spirit. Thou hast redeemed me oh Lord, God of truth. I would ask you who could you entrust your soul to the end of your life when you're breathing your last breath. Is there anyone other than God, that you could entrust your soul to the one who is given eternal life. God of truth alone is able to be entrusted with that time in our soul. Deuteronomy 32 verse four says he is the rock's work is perfect for all his ways are judgment, a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he your Moses declares that God is a Rocky is stable, steadfast in a world of fickleness in a world of men who build sand castles with their truths God is stable is also perfect God alone declares the word of God is perfect in comparison to a world where man is universally corrupt and no one is perfect God's ways are judgment. The Bible says in his perfection he produces judgment that is perfectly just and here we see rooted in the God of truth, instability is perfection is judgment. They all proceed out of the reality of God, who is truth and God doesn't simply speak truth. Rather, God is truth. Truth is not simply information.

Truth is a person Jesus declared, I am the way the truth and the life. God emanates truth. Moses declared that God was is also without iniquity. Here in Deuteronomy 32 verse number four that in God there is no sin, incredibly wonderful.

In a world rounding and soon there is one who stands to alone is without sin and he is the one who is the loan God, one who has eternally been has eternally been without any sin.

How long can you go without sinning a long does it take before you and I commit some kind of a sin, how long does it take before we allow something to take God's place in our heart and our mind and our life. How long does it take before we love ourselves more than we love others long does it take before a wrong thought Aurora wrong action wrong word for it comes out of our mouth and we think that think of God, whose eternally been has eternally been without sin. How wonderful it is only in God we find untainted perfection, sinless righteousness.

In chapter 4 Matthews gospel we find that Jesus was tempted for 40 days by Satan and Satan could not cause him to commit even one sin how quickly Satan could cause Adam and Eve to sin, who were our representatives in the garden to commit sin and cause us to be internally infected with the sin nature with Jesus Christ to representatives in the wilderness never committed any sin. Adam fell one out yet.

Everything in the garden, Jesus stood even when he had nothing in the wilderness today does not need the grace of God who would not need God's mercy applied to their life. You could stand before the eternal God of truth and say I don't need your forgiveness than all of us today would need to humble ourselves before the eternal God of truth and callout for divine mercy.

What you find friends and this great sermon on the Mount is the God of truth, the word made flesh coming and bringing heavens truth to a world groping in darkness.

Jesus brought right side up truth to an upside down world, he came to seek and to save the loss. The problem is the loss never seek to be saved until they realize their lost.

The great tragedy of our Lord's day the great barrier that the Lord had to cross in dealing with people is twofold. One is this man was inherently and is inherently prideful. We universally think that we are better than we are. Naturally we think we are okay with God. Proverbs 16 Zeus is all the ways of man are clean in his own eyes. The Lord weighs the spirits. Proverbs 21 verse two says every man, every way of man is right in his own eyes, the Lord ponder the heart. That's why we defend ourselves. That's why we justify our sins.

We say things aren't as bad as they really are.

We like it sanctify if you would our sinfulness today in our world instead of people repenting of their sin. They call people who hold to God's truth. The ones who need to repent you will and I would be the ones the world says need to repent and get our hearts right with the cultural standards but Isaiah 520 says well under them. The call good evil and evil good that put darkness for light and light for darkness to put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.

Today we live in a world that has caved into the desires of men. And as we have become more sinful. We have now justified our sins today. Sin is being promoted and legally protected and righteousness is fast becoming illegal in our country regional certain sins is becoming both a violation of cultural standards and soon to be a violation of legal standards. Proverbs 30 verse 12 says there is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, yet are not washed from their filthiness was no different than in our Lord's day the Jewish people believe they are okay with God. They believe that because of their nationality because they were Jewish people. They were descendents of Abraham.

They believe that that's what made them children of God, they believe their nationality save them. Then one called the voice in the wilderness that Isaiah 40 prophesied of Micah chapter 4 also declared came in proclaim to them repentance. In Matthew three to said repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. He said in verse eight and nine of Matthews gospel chapter 3 he says bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance and think, not to say within yourselves, we have Abraham to our father freeze.

As I said you that God could raise up the stones to be children of Abraham forerunner of our Lord who prepared the way for the Lord prepared the way and pave that path through preaching repentance to understand what prepares people to meet God is preaching that calls people to repentance. They must recognize her sin. Bob Kane was right when he says I read the word of God, and I saw that I was a sinner and God is not okay with sin.

We must know that when I came to senior 13 years ago and this month were celebrating 13 years, literally to lighten this day 13 years ago today was the first Sunday sermon that we have assembled a hand for his mercy in God, God called us to come here you are.

The message was tell people that they are not right with God that they are sinners in need of a Savior and without Christ, they would be separate from God forever in hell that sounded like a very powerful message that a good sales message. There's a lot of things that the customer would not approve of and that message right were not here to please men were here to please God and God's one who builds his church. We just proclaim the message he brings in the harvest.

Repentance is what always allows us to be prepared to meet the Lord. Repentance friends is turning turning away from our sin and turning to the Lord. It's it's seeing seen as God sees it is like God gives us the clarity of what our sin is its grossest detestable and that's the sin that we once love. We now hate because we see how God feels about our sin and return from our sin and turn to God.

It's an inward change. It always produces an outward change. Sometimes you will say I've been saber. There's been no change in their life and there's been no salvation in their life.

People struggle to see their sin and days of our Lord Jesus said in Luke 1615. He told the people here are they which justify yourself before men, but God knows your hearts. Jesus had to preach repentance to them. He started his message that way. In Matthew 417 it says Jesus began to preach in a state repent for the kingdom of heaven is that it the only way to enter into heaven is through the door of repentance, you must repent to be saved. The first obstacle the Lord had to deal with with was man's inherent self-righteousness. He viewed himself as being okay with God. The second obstacle that Jesus Christ had to deal with in this day in Matthew five in this in the purpose behind this sermon is is was religion. Religion was the greatest obstacle the Lord Jesus Christ had to overcome you sick.

I thought religion was a good thing. Religion is great. If not corrupted by man's pride.

Religion is pure if it's only through what the word of God teaches, but there are two realities to religion. There is the religion of divine accomplishment, which is the true and pure gospel that salvation is only by the grace of God, who reaches down and saves the sinner and God is all glorified from that and then there's the religion of man's accomplishment were man seeks to produce righteousness through his own actions or observance of ordinances or hurt her going to taking the Eucharist and being baptized in and holding to sacraments in such things such things.

Damn people souls they don't save them. Those who should have been in Jesus day the representatives that should've preached like to the people that the call them to repentance, to call them to be made right with God were the very one standing in the way and keeping people from heaven. Jesus said of the Pharisees in his day.

He said they proselyte people and make them a twofold child of hell than themselves. Don't be deceived, the greatest of all assaults against God and his truth is religion.

Nothing has sent more people to hell than religion.

Religion is man's attempt again to make himself right with God. It is man making standards that he can live up to its bringing God's holiness down to where man can live up to its religion, to thrones, God's holiness. Religion is not man racing toward God and some admirer of a way of saying all lookout but how devout they are, look how sincere they are. It's not man running toward God.

Religion is man running away from God in creating a satanic counterfeit religion at its core a satanic.

That's why Jesus said to the people of his day religious leaders of his date of Judaism. He said you are of your father the devil, and in John 844. How offensive was that you know Jesus would walk into some churches, even in our cities and say you are of your father the devil you realize that you know when Jesus came.

In Revelation 2 and three.

He did march on the government in March on the city official situations.

He marched on the churches.

The problem in America is not in the White House it's in the pulpits of America and until God's preacher start preaching the word of God.

There will never be a revival in a transformation were not looking to the White House to save us and God's people said I can tell you that's not going to happen to thankful. Our hope is not in the White House anybody thankful for that. Whether this president, the next president the previous president.

Our hope is not there. Our hope is in the Lord Jesus Christ and he's going to set a pure and righteous kingdom up that will never be tainted by any Republican or any Democrat all God's people said you want to write me a letter keep it to yourself. You need understand religion was what chance would crucify him, crucify him. It was religion that killed the early Christians and persecuted the church.

Those most influential leaders of religion among the Jews and that they were the scribes and Pharisees are also group called the Essenes were more esoteric. They were out in the wilderness and then there were group called the Sadducees who were more political in the use religion as a way to have power politically the main influential group among the people of Jesus. They were the scribes and Pharisees, scribes were the copyists of the law they they they copied the law down on papyrus and and they also wrote commentaries on the word of God, then you had the Pharisees.

They were strong believers in the word of God, as were the scribes. These work devout readers of the Bible. Many of them would have memorized much of the Old Testament. Some of them even all of it. They were very devout and reading. They would have put most of us to shame and how they study the Bible, if not all of us, though both groups were serious about the word of God. They had some major flaws that kept them in the dark and in their zeal for God's word. The mixed one poison that destroyed the whole system. You know the one poison that will ruin you. If you read the word of God.

It's insatiably this if you mix in pride with it.

When you read the word of God. If if if you become inflated about yourself thinking you can actually fulfill this and that you are somehow feeling better about yourself.

As you read the Bible along a pretty good person. I think I can do this. I really think I can love others as myself. I really think I can forgive as God. For I really think I can do this.

I don't even really I don't have any sin. We had some guys preached a couple years ago on the corner of our church who said lighthouses a heritage as a church of heresy because we don't believe that those who God saves God keeps we believe it when your Savior always say the God God saves. He keeps and they said no you lose your salvation if you don't maintain good works in your good works are what keep you sated and so he stood there and said he is without any sin. So your without any sin. I didn't say this but I got you what you have this you know gluttony is a sin, you have no evil thoughts ever you share the gospel with every single person you come in contact to your sin is not simply good things were not supposed to do. It's also when we know what were supposed to do and we don't do those are sins as well. But such a mindset has to create some kind of false dichotomy that they can be sinless, yet be saved instead of being humbled by God's law of the people in Jesus, they were being swelled up with pride. God gave the 10 Commandments he gave the Old Testament he gave the sacrificial system to show men their need for divine mercy and grace. But in this day, the scribes and Pharisees. They codified the laws of God and on the Old Testament, the 613 commands that were to be followed 248 positive commands and 365 prohibitions they believe they can keep them all the God's word is clear of the law of God was never designed to save anyone was divine, designed to show men their need of a Savior. That's why Galatians 324 says the law is our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. When you come to the law of God. It is to point you to Jesus.

That's why when people came to Jesus that could master, what good thing. Could I do that I may have eternal life. He always pointed them to the law because the law is designed to show you your sin. So then you would see your need of a Savior. And until you recognize how sinful you are, you'll never realize how much you need the Savior. And there's people throughout our country throughout, even churches today.

If you asked them if used before God and he said why should I let you into heaven, what would you say nice that we have a pretty good person. You must never gone to the wall. You must be blinded by your pride. You must not understand reality, you must be groping in the dark still, because when you understand God's standard. You realize how, for we have all fallen short of such a standard for nothing will blind you more than pride.

Secondly, the people that they, their pride calls them to add to God's work. They added their own man-made traditions.

They thought they were so good they begin to add things to the Bible, you know, people still do that today. Well if your pastor, you don't have a tie on the news is not really a good pastor with your pastor and you don't have a certain this are certain that if you're a church member and you knew there was a day for woman wear jeans and she's not really Christian. The guys heritage the end of his head back of his shirt and he must not really be say and they begin, people begin to add stuff to the Bible and that corrupted the church is kind of things corrupt the church. A man you really think this handkerchief makes a pastor of more faithful pastor, you understand.

Hypocrites can dress and look good.

Anybody can dress and look good on the outside. God searches the heart, and he rebuke them severely for such things Mark seven verse 19 he says full well you reject the commandment of God. You may keep your own tradition. He said in verse 13, making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, scribes and Pharisees externalized everything and that's what false religion does makes it all external and makes it all. How is it looking on the outside with hypocrites and atheists can look good on the outside but only true believers can have a humble spirit before God broken repentance of true love for God and a true love for others is God's call to stoop.

That's what God is looking for you get right on the inside. It flows to the outside. That's why when you come to the Beatitudes in Matthew five, notice where Jesus starts. Matthew five verse three.

The first thing he says is blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

You will get to heaven by by some external thing you get to heaven by being poor in spirit he say what is that mean or poor in spirit means that you recognize your spiritually bankrupt on the inside.

If if righteousness is the currency that brings salvation. You recognize you have nothing in your accounts.

You have no righteous currency have nothing to pay God with all my the Bible says there is none righteous, no not on Romans 310 none with good. Romans 312 Jesus that the only one is good is God for somebody say they think they do that to get to heaven there equaling themselves to God what a delusion so Christ has to undermine the whole system. If you want to know what the purpose of Matthew five through seven. The sermon on the Mount is is to show man, their sinfulness, so they would see their need to repent and come to the Savior and until enlisted. Nobody will ever repent, you doesn't believe you're a sinner and the only way they see there a sinner is you have to preach the holiness and righteous standards of God. So Jesus does that he brings to them the righteous standards of God as opposed to what they were seeing and hearing so so Jesus hits himself against the false teachers of the date. Look what he says in verse number 20, he said, for I say unto you, that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall in no case enter the kingdom of heaven. All the people of the day would've cast there like the scribes and Pharisees with to be better than them.

All these registers they fasted twice a week for two days a week every week they didn't eat food because they they wanted and they would let everybody know it to go God on fasting today and they would. Everybody would see that they were fasting and they did it to please men they they wanted men's favor and date they gave ties nature. Everybody knew it, they, they made sure everybody knew when they had long prayers.

They would stand in public places.

The price everybody could see it. Hypocrites are deficient in the duty of private prayer because of no benefit to them.

They always have to pray publicly. They always have to do. Nothing wrong with praying publicly at the moment. Fasting those things, but to be seen of men is the problem is Matthew six will get into and so the Lord keeps that he says that six times in verse 21 down the verse 48 of Matthew five. He says you have said you have heard that have been set of them of old when I say in the you you heard that it's been said by Venable but I say new says it six times we seen the first three where he dealt with with murder, adultery and divorce, they thought they were good because they didn't murder anybody she said, if you have anger in your heart toward someone that's murder on the inside is a well-written committing adultery were good before God and they say Jesus says if you have lust in your heart toward someone said that you committed adultery with them already in your heart rate that they had an easy divorce system build off the teachings of of rabbis hello in those days that you could easily divorce anybody for anything and he's is your your your creating an entire culture of adulterers we look at that for last few weeks and and so he was showing them their sinfulness, not said simply make them miserable but to allow that misery of sin to point them to their need of repentance and salvation, and so his desire is to see them saved and and and understand this, you'll never come to the joy of salvation, and so you go through the valley of misery of your sin until you are broken over your sin, you morning your grieved by it. I never want lighthouse I would never want the 600 some people here to leave feeling great about himself. I would rather you feeling worse about yourself as if were here to preach the divine standard which is so high we can even reach it.

How can we come in here about God's perfection in the divine standard and how far we fall short of that and leave feeling great about herself.

How can we do that if we could leave feeling great about herself were no different than the scribes and Pharisees and there's churches plastered across this landscape of this nation that only want to make people feel great. Your best life now.

You're so wonderful. You just need to realize your true potential upgrades you are believing yourself really vomit that out. Find the same thing on Oprah Winfrey, Joel Olson and the rest of that what you find in the word of God is God setting a standard so high it leaves men naked and destitute in broken and they come and say, oh God, my desire is not that we leave feeling great about ourselves, but we leave feeling great about the mercy and grace that spanned us from the pits of hell up to the glories of heaven and what we could not reach to grace and mercy brought us to. We should leave your rejoicing in Christ our Savior, overwhelmed by the goodness of God, easily forgiving others because were like what God has given him for giving me so much said how can I not forgive them not be merciful to them hold grudges against this person.

When God's been so gracious to me.

That's what we want to have not were so inflated about her. So how dare you say that about the how dare you do that to make get off your high horse people so I can't believe they said that about me on social media. Praise God that they don't know everything about you. Amen. That's the trick, so with that is the introduction let's jump into this this morning been gone for a week. There's a lot bottled up in here. All right, just if you thoughts your first of all, the misconstrued teachings of the day. Verse 33 it says again you have heard that a been said by them of old, thou shall not forswear thyself without shall perform unto the Lord of thine use Jesus here is referring back to what they've been taught for the last 500 years under the synagogue teaching of the rabbis, the synagogues were birthed out of the Babylonian captivity. When they rebuilt the temple and they built synagogues all over the place was over 400 synagogues in Jerusalem whenever he attend Jewish men.

You have ahead of the dog, and you would have. You have a place where the word of God to be taught in Jesus we teach in synagogues and so would Paul and so forth their regular places to learn the word of God to be taught it, and much of what you see in churches they use is really formulated after that with Jesus was also part of and so they would stay there would read the word of God, then they would teach it and then they would apply it so you have your he says you heard that it was said by them of all types. Jesus is is is referring to the teaching of the rabbis, which some of things they taught were right, but many of the things they taught had misconstrued God's truth and so he says that and end in one of the teachings he's dealing with here the fourth one of these teachings. In verse 21 through 48 is is it teaching on on oath taking in and really being honest. They had devalued truth and so that there are three passages in the Old Testament that they built their oath taking off of Leviticus 19 numbers 30 in Deuteronomy 23 when read these three verses to you because I want you to see what they're there taking this from Vegas 19 it says and you shall not swear by my name falsely, God says, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God, I am the Lord awry of Yahweh. So he saying do not falsely swear by my name. Don't don't swear something and then be dishonest about blaspheming God's name. When you do that numbers 30 verse two if a man valley vowing to the Lord, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond, he shall not break his work, he shall do according to all that proceeded out of his mouth, so if you do make a value due swear into God. Make sure you follow that you found your soul to that Deuteronomy 2321 when thou shalt valley vowing to the Lord thy God. Thou shalt not slack to pay it for the Lord thy God will surely required of the it shall be sin under the this sin is not making the oath, the sin he saying is breaking the oath so these are the three main text they built their teachings off of. And Jesus says here then you've heard of it said by them of all thou shall not forswear thyself without shall perform unto the Lord thy notes were forswear their means to swear falsely, it's this forswear is kind of confusing old English word is just the idea that you're swearing something but you're not going to hold to it. Don't don't swear falsely, don't don't don't make an thing you know you're not going to fulfill that by doing so you're perjuring yourself. Perjury is basically lying intentionally and in the setting of a court when you know that that's that's false. You're intentionally being dishonest and end in the word forswear here in the word oath is is actually from two different Greek words word oats is is because in the Greek it means to encloses with offense to bind together the truth of an oath or vow is enclosed bound and then strengthened by whatever your building the oath upon and in this situation the name of God, you make an oath and you will God's name into it. Hebrews 616 explains oats.

It says for men verily swear by the greater so when you make an oath. You always go up the ladder.

You don't make an oath based on something less than yourself would only weaken your statement you would go up that you would promise or make an oath on something greater than yourself is says for men verily swear by the greater end and oath for confirmation is to them and end of all strife and the idea there is that when you make an oath, it would it would call God to be a witness when you're when you're like like when somebody says I I swear to God that this is the truth their calling God as being a witness of that and that he would testify that your rights and then he would hold you accountable if you are not right and so he says in Hebrews 6 its use to end all strife meeting. The oath was generally taking at taken as the absolute truth and it would end the argument because of that. So in the Bible you find Old Testament saints.

They made oath before God in this happen regularly throughout the Old Testament because making oats or swearing to God is not wrong according to Scriptures will see. They did this throughout the Bible. Abraham swore to God and made an oath when when he rescued his nephew Lot when shadow layer King of nations took over Sodom and Gomorrah and in and he came and delivered Lawton Abraham had like 300 some armed soldiers in his own house and in the rescue lobby also rescued the people of Sodom and Gomorrah in the in the king of Sodom said they were to repay users and he says I have lifted up my hand to God, the God of heaven, I will not take anything from you but you say I become rich through your own hands.

He also made the steward of his house where in Genesis 24 verse three says I will make the swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of earth. Thou shall not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell exist. Don't you swear Eliezer are that you will not take a shed away wife do for my son Isaac from from the Canaanites were you go to my homeland and bring somebody from my my extended family.

There Joseph made the children of Israel. Swear to God that they would bring his bones out of Egypt into the promised land, and they carry them out.

400 years later, David and Jonathan made a covenant together before God. David swore to the Lord that he would bring the tabernacle into Jerusalem in Psalm 132. Ruth swore to Naomi. She swore to God for God to Naomi that she would stay by Naomi side, Joshua swore an oath before God to the people of W.

Therefore he would not destroy them. Rahab made the two spies that she hid swear to God that they would, not destroy her, but they would be gracious to her and her family so use find many Old Testament saints doing that you also find the Bible to God, swore on his own name. When God tested Abraham's faith offer Isaac, God stopped him and in Genesis 2216 it says and he said, by myself, have I sworn say the Lord, because thou has done this thing and has not withheld by something only son, that in blessing I will bless the multiplying I will multiply the so God says I swear to you on myself that I will bless you because you've been faithful, the author of Hebrews recounts this in Hebrews 613 it says for when God made promises to Abraham. Notice what it says because he could swear by no greater swore by himself you like. Who else is God going to swear by then himself. There's no one else up the ladder.

So when God had to swear to swear by his own self. I swear by myself that this is going to happen is literally what happened there and in that was validating this in God's word to give the promised land to the Jewish people. In Deuteronomy 31 verse 20 says for when I shall have brought them into the land which I swear into their fathers. Now, God did not make an oath and swear upon himself because of the things he said was were not as trustworthy or truthful. Rather, he swore upon himself to bring special attention to what he was saying was no different than when Jesus said, verily I say and you work.

Verily, verily, I say and you and he would say this to bring special attention to what he was saying so that you would realize this is something that you need to hear. You need to know that this is extremely valuable, extremely important notice what God swears to Isaiah 4523 is very fascinating pieces I have sworn by myself. Word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return unto me, every knee shall bow and every tongue shall swear not cursing, swearing when you girl this word swearing today.

That's always what saying is swearing to God and what he saying here is the idea that every tongue shall swear is the idea that the people would swear allegiance to a monarch.

God says I swear that this will happen one day every knee will bow to me and every tongue will swear allegiance and who are they going to swear allegiance to whatever verses quoted in Romans 14 in Philippians chapter 2 Romans 14 it says, for it is written the phrase as I live literally means I swear to God that's that's that's swearing safe. The Lord, every knee shall bow to me and every tongue shall confess to God. In Philippians 2 is as every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God. You know, God swears he says I swear to you.

This will happen. I swear to you by myself by my own name that every knee will bow to me and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, they will swear allegiance to him. I swear this will happen.

You think that's gonna come the best. I bow my knees now before the Lord Jesus Christ confess he is Lord.

I swear to you, Jesus is Lord of the that's wet the idea we swear when you get sick or swearing your allegiance to Christ.III swear my soul unto you. You are my God confess you alone is Lord as I swear that's a gap in the New Testament did Jesus use the for verily really so in the Old Testament based on Leviticus 19, Deuteronomy 23 in Numbers 30 as well as Old Testament making valves and God making valves. We learned God gave permission for Val making and oats under two conditions. First of all, they were only to be made under extremely special circumstances and secondly there were only three made in the name of the Lord in the Old Testament. Deuteronomy chapter 6 verse 13 as is.

Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God and serve him, thou shalt swear by his name, he warned against swearing by false gods in Jeremiah 1216 the problem of that day was they twisted the Old Testament Scriptures.

That said, to make sure that you keep your promise if you swore in the name of the Lord. But if you swore and something else that really did need to keep your word. So what the Jews did was they were like they held so that when it says anybody swears by the name Lord, you better keep your oath. They said well if you swear by something that's not the name of the Lord than if you just say I swear you to use God's name are you something else than than than those are optional to keep so they swore by all kinds of things they swear by heaven. They swear by earthly swear by Jerusalem.

They swear by their beard by their hair instead of regulating owes to valves to be very important circumstances that you would make those valves and oats in and very important settings.

They were they were just flippantly and in everyday circumstances just making notes and making valves toward silly that I swear upon my beard that this is a case and they would one rabbi said you can if you looked if you said you swear by Jerusalem. You know that was not a binding oath, but if you look toward Jerusalem. Then it was very binding and you had to fulfill it.

This inside the Jewish Mishnah they had done, which is the oral tradition of the Jews, they they have all large segments about writing about oats and there was oath taking usually don't say this is a big deal and that they were and what it did was to create a culture of lying, deception will bunch of liars and deceivers in and twisting the truth and so here we see the clarity of Christ in verse 34 through 36 or Lord rebukes this and shows them their sinfulness. Verse 34.

He says but I think you swear not at all. Now the right heaven for its God's throne needed by the Earth's riches.

Neither by Jerusalem bridge the city the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head because Elkins not make one hair white or black. William Barclay insightfully rights the principle which Jesus lays down is quite clear in effect, Jesus is saying that so far from having to make God a partner in any transaction. No man can keep God out of the transaction because God is already there.

You say why my mom swearing by heaven, you know I'm not swearing got what evidence is thrown all swear by the that's his footstool all swear by Jerusalem. That's the city. The great King will swear by my hair. You don't know your hair.

God does some you say God sold miters all gone but Jesus is highlighting the fact that God is the creator of all. He owns everything.

So when you ever make a promise you ever make an oath or swear your engaging God into that transaction is already preceded your words in the midst of a world of lying and deceiving broken promises false wearing. The Lord was calling for truthfulness for people to hold to their promises to be sincere and uphold the truth in everyday speech.

I do not believe that Jesus is saying all oath taking is to be stopped for God not only approves of undertaking in the Old Testament.

He does it himself but also you see in the New Testament.

Paul swear by the name of the Lord repeatedly and Romans 19 all rights for God is my witness unit that saying I call God to witness this is literally I'm I'm I'm bringing God into a witness site for God is my witness whom I serve with my spreading the gospel of his son, that I make mention of that without ceasing I make mention of you in my prayers saying I basic I'm swearing the God I call God is my witness that I I'm praying for you and any says in Romans nine, verse one. I say the truth in Christ with you mean by that. I'm saying this truth in Christ. I lied on my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost.

He's calling Christ and the Holy Spirit to be witnesses to what he's about to say this is a state Val making swearing type of of language. So when Jesus were not at all. He's opposing the lying system of oath taking in their day.

Specifically, verse 37 he says let your communication, let your words be yes were gauges means yes or Nay Nay or no worry singers when you speak. Make sure you mean what you say and you say what you mean that your yeses mean yes and you knows me know.

You know the people who constantly have to swear or make posts and promise why promise to God and I ice wherein in date they say that kind of language and of the people have to do that. Are the people who are not trustworthy why promise. No, I promise.

I like my antibiotic for promising what you have to do that.

Richard Simpson is the wife of an honest man is an oath if somebody has integrity who upholds their word. Whatever they say their word is their bond you like. They don't need to say anything else when they say I know that's the truth I can trust them. You know who has to constantly swearing. You know the people who don't have the goslings where the ones you have integrity. Spurgeon says if we cannot be believed on our word. We are surely not to be trusted on our Jesus also taught here that evil will be produced when your conversation has to constantly involve swearing throughout your casual life. People say oh I swear to God I promise to God as God is my witness, I'm telling you mean to me as this often or such conversations in a setting where there is debate filled with pride, trying to argue your point into being were anger and frustration cause you to begin to swear in the promise in you really want to invoke and to call the eternal God of truth is holiness consumed Mount Sinai in a fiery flame to come and sit in on the conversation you want to call him the witness who searches the reins of your heart you really want to do that. Secondly, just to call God's name in such a whimsical manner needs to be understood as sinful.

Listen God's name is holy.

We should never use God's name in a flippant way. The only name only time God's name should come out of our mouth is when we give great weight in value to God's name. People say old-line.

The use God's name, for they see something old and they use the Lord's name.

They burnt the biscuits in the know know that you they just throw God's name out you know it means what it says don't take the name of the Lord in vain. It doesn't mean don't take it without don't cuss and use God's name, which is blasphemy. The word feign is from a Hebrew word that means without any weight is without any weights. This essay God's name.

You don't give any weight to it that somebody said like a man with that with that guy said was really heavy heavy what you're saying as it was theirs.

There is lady was heavy was valuable there your resume so you know, they just are taking me very light. What's that mean they're just not giving you any reverence and end with a idea of taking God's name in vain is the idea of saying that God your name is without any weight and just you don't do that when you burnt the biscuits don't do that when somebody stops in front of your traffic and your irritating use God's name. That's blasphemy God says I will not hold him guiltless who takes my name in vain. Know God said that in the 10 Commandments made his top 10 list and it landed, number three, the serious stuff with God never right OMG what is that saying you're just throwing the name of God was just a letter what's representing. We need to we need to elevate the name of God the such a way swear. Basically, we should feel the weight of his name when it comes out of our mouth.

Even in songs. Sometimes on waste.

I have to gauge my order might think about what we going to sing because I don't want to just rattle off words about God without any thought in them and you need to make sure you're here on time to where you can sing unto the Lord.

I if you can show to work on time and you can show 50 minutes or so ballgame ring to show up early to churches that lets greet one another, let's sing praises to the king who is worthy of my Sunday morning a man plausibly watching the buckeyes when baby as a side note, there gotta get you excited all day. I know what I got.

Is this too late for me this morning is that all come on don't know literatures be filled with groggy people today.

No, no, I do believe there are times the making of those and taking notes are acceptable when I stood on the platform years ago. 20 years ago actually made a covenant before God and before witnesses, that I will be bound in a relationship till death do us part with my wife. I made that vow before God and in as a preacher I call people do that when they're married, you are making a covenant before God and before these witnesses you're making this vow not only to people but before God that you'll be faithful in your marriage. I made a vow to God that I would be faithful to preach his word as a young man I got. I promise to you like I make an oath before God that I will not seek to deceive people through the preaching. I will faithfully preach your word. I will not seek to make people happy with what you what I think they should hear and cut out other parts of Bible I think offensive, but all preach the whole counsel of God and God do so to me, and more.

If I don't preach the word of God faithfully. I still call God to record that witness to what I preach. Most important thing I do every week. It's what I give the most sincere's time to is the study of the word of God because there's nothing heavier than this every every week we close with them some some application thoughts. First of all this in friends you can have the word of God read and studied even memorizing these losses.

Anyone if you can read the word of God, and walk away thinking you are worthy. You can live up to God standard in your heart is been deceived with pride and it will keep you in the dark. But if you are humbled you are inwardly broken even devastated by God's word. If after a sermon. You may even feel worse or your toes stepped on. If you feel you cannot live up to God standard, then you are blessed with humility to receive the engrafted word, which can save your soul, that we are sinners in need of God's grace and mercy that you would agree with God that sin is evil as God says it is that you would be grieved by your sin, turn from your sin turn to God and confess he is Lord you might be saved. Listen. Truth is not always comfortable. But when you come to the truth God will comfort you are not saved today what men and women's center that door and the story become the days that I need to be saved and no or you cite a private room, sit down with you and show you from the word of God just like Bob Kane you could be saved today would be good knowing today when you go home that you would be with the Lord.

No matter what would happen. Secondly to make an oath to God is not wrong if done in a serious manner to recognize your binding your heart and your life in that commitment. Do not make whimsical oaths do not inject God into some whimsical flippant conversation. So think such things are evil also thoroughly be a man or woman of your word. What you say needs to be truthful. Do not be a liar. Make sure you speak the truth and keep your word is a book. It came out called the day America told the truth, surveyed thousands of people in 50 different locations and it showed that 91% of Americans said that they lie regularly 80 per 6% of the people say they lie to their parents. 75% say they lie to their friends. 73% lie to their siblings. 61% lie to their boss. 59% lighter children with stunning ureter that just all the statistics showing how people really get honest when you don't know what sins are attached to them how much sin there is a question I would ask is how does God feel about lying. Proverbs 6 verse 16. This is tremendous as these six things doth the Lord. What's the next word restrung word is in it day, seven are an abomination to him a proud look which we've Artie looked at the devastation of pride. The second thing on the list that God hates is a lying tongue. God hates lying tongues. Any list his hatred for lying tongues before hands that shed innocent blood. Incredible in heart that devises wicked imagination, feet that are swift in running the ship.

Then he says a false witness who speaks lies, he landed liars twice in six things is what I December abomination and those that list of 72 of them have to do with line God hates lying was the result of line will. The Bible tells us liars will be separated from God.

Revelation 21 a listen with the Bible says this is the last book of the Bible. The last judgment says but the fearful, the unbelieving, the abominable, murderers, warmongers, sorcerers, idolaters, and the only one that God puts the word all in front of is what word in our lives. What will be the consequence friends. According to the word of God, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is a second that make us leave here today feeling great about herself and understand what happens when you preach faithfully the word of God should cause us to be humble to examine our soul. In light of the heaviness and weightiness of God's word. Revelation 2115 he says this seven verses later, for without our dogs and sorcerers and warmongers and murderers and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie about who is outside of the kingdom of God in one of those he says are people who make lies Bible tells us Satan is a liar and the father of lies.

You know, in Genesis 3. It was a lie that Satan usually calls Adam and Eve to fall into sin, you shall not surely die if you eat of this fruit of the tree. Today people do the same thing as saying that they downplay sin, they speak of it is not being that battle.

There's nothing wrong with it and use a silly phrase like this you know God understands my sin. God understands it all. That is a deceitful, lying, dishonest rep. Misrepresentation of God, bringing the holiness of God down to the sinfulness of man bringing God's righteousness into the mire of our filth. God is not like us.

The Bible says in him is light and in him there is no darkness at all. There he is untainted with sin.

Praise God for that.

Genesis 27 Rebecca had Jacob lie to Isaac to receive the blessing that lie produced bitter fruit in the family for many decades. In Genesis 14 lied to cover up his murder in Genesis 39 pot of his wife like to make Joseph look bad. She sought to frame him for her own sin ever told a lie about someone that you knew was not true just to get them in trouble.

That is a wicked thing Peter lied in the garden for self-preservation. You appeared in the garden. He swore that he did not know Jesus.

He was saying. Basically, I swear to God that I don't know Jesus.

And when it says that he began to swear and curse doesn't mean he cost means that he was calling down curses from God if he was lying. He was literally saying I swear to God, and may God curse me if I do know Jesus. I don't know the man that's help wicked. That conversation was a wonder he ran out and wept bitterly. You know sometimes we can be dishonest for self-preservation of any Christians in the room. It ultimately is that it worked when he comes lunchtime you ever bow your head unashamedly pray and thank God for the food stand up for righteousness when wickedness abounds in acts five you have analyzes a fire line for the purpose of looking good, they lie to the Holy Spirit and the Bible says God took their life for that today people can intentionally exaggerate things to make himself look good. That is a sinful thing instead of lying. Christians must tell the truth. Ephesians 425 says wherefore put away lying, speak every man the truth with his neighbor. As I close, I ask you do you speak the truth. Are you a truthful person that your yeses mean yes and let your nose mean no and what Jesus said in John 14 six. He said I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the father but by me.

Jesus declared himself to be the truth and before Herod and in John 18. He said everyone who hears the truth hears my voice you know why you're sitting here today are drawn to this this draws you to itself like like water does to our first become thirsty's in your soul for the truth you're sick of the lies and deceit of the world and you want something that is pure.

The unadulterated truth of God's word even if it's things that's what I want God. I want the word of God.

I want the truth of God.

Jesus said everyone it's of the truth follows me. You follow this.

There's people who say I'm saved and they don't want anything to do with the Bible nothing to do with church and of Christianity. They've deceived himself with a friend. If you don't know Jesus Christ as your Savior will have men women stay at these doors, you can just come up with them as they had one in the will. My lifesaver how I can be would be in heaven. I agree with the rest of the people in this room are not perfect sin in my life. I know I've told lies. I don't want to be separate from God only to hell day for you, could be saved would not be great. The greatest thing in the world. Bob Kane is so happy because he saved now. What a joy.

You can lay your head on your pillow at night and one day when you breathe your last, you can say I commit my soul unto you, oh God, who has redeemed me oh God of truth. What a joy. That's all stand this morning has about knives close of God spoken your heart friend. You're welcome to come.

Even at this time, the altars open father.

We do thank you for your mercy.

Thank you for your grace. We thank you that when we could not ascend to where you were that you descended to where we were word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, glory as of the father rings and full of. We have come near injuries today and it has lain us once again showing us on our own. We have no righteousness. So today we leave not downcast. We leave rejoicing in the mercy and grace that you really missed our Lord and Savior. We gladly move our knees and pray today that anyone doesn't know Christ and today they might be saying yours right.

In this we ask in Jesus name