Since Jesus Was Serious…We Must Take Sin in Our Lives Seriously!

nd and it hits sometimes pretty real and Behold the Lamb of God said John the Baptist and people I love have been able to say that with their own words as they fall at here his feet what a beautiful time and we get to do it too I I want to invite you who are joining us from other places today and I’m going to make an assumption about a few not all of you but the assumption is that it’s it’s good to get a great worship

experience some wonderful music it’s also good to hear God’s word and both of those will be a part of this morning for you but there might be a few of you maybe more than a few of you that stay away because you’re you’re not sure this room you you hear me say it but you’re not convinced that there’s room in here for someone like you and I’m not going to scold you I’m not gonna I’m not gonna you know yell at you or something I’m just

going to tell you that after today’s message I hope you change your opinion and you’ll you’ll say wow my sin is real my sin is real our sin is real but that’s the that’s the starting point to a breakthrough for you is to see your sin as a serious matter so I hope that’s the case but not in a condemning way but in a in a way that points you to the one that can fix any and all sin that you show up with and so

welcome in welcome everybody Welcome church I like to tell you that here too I’m pretty sure most of us are familiar with stories of famous people who have fallen I want you to think about that think about it broadly at first okay so you you get in your mind what happens when a maybe call it a rising star falls you know is it is it the end for them is there a future for them is there any place of you know Redemption thank John and and

some cases maybe your thoughts are I don’t really care about them maybe you think a little bit Galatians 6 sish you reap what you seow you got you had it coming dude you know that kind of thinking I don’t know but the broader question is how do people who who were rising stars or maybe like at the top of their game how how do they turn out when they fall where where do they land how do they go forward we’d probably say that the postf prognosis

let’s use the word mixed it’s mixed in some cases they recover fully and you’re kind of shocked you’re thinking is everybody forgetful here maybe in another case you know they they’re partially back but they never really get their game again you know what I’m talking about I’m not I’m not going to name a single person so you you know I would never do that about you but it’s fun to pick on people that you’ve never met I’m not going there but you know you know what

I mean that’s why I mean mix some people just rise up again and they you know get some good counseling and whatever they move forward another person doesn’t do it so well and then you and I would have to admit that there are some people that they disappear they their star fell from the sky and it never went back up right fair enough seems to be a a picture so that’s my observation about and I just listed some categories sports stars okay again no names political

figure or figures man I’m so tempted but movie stars movie stars all right famous musicians singers or musicians whatever let me just be honest popular pastors it’s kind of an uncomfortable one to admit but they’re there and even how’s this wives and husbands and some cas’s children let’s get a little more uncomfortable the likes of you and me people of every stripe and it it’s had me wondering and it’s really the sort of the Launchpad of this message today since Jesus was serious seems like we

should look at our sin differently Maybe take it a little more or a lot more seriously made me wonder a lot about different people and then as the holy spirit always does he says and he says Steve quit thinking about sports stars or politicians think about Steve McCracken and that’s that’s where I think we all need to be not I don’t want you to think about me but you get what I’m saying okay but then then I brought out my Bible and I started thinking about

famous people in the Bible which seems fair enough who fell yet recovered and there seems to be again some don’t recover ask Judas he’s gone though but you ask his story and you see that didn’t turn he didn’t turn the corner he fell hard ask Peter different outcome even a casual reading you can find their names in the New Testament if you’re new to the Bible and ask yourself questions like how come one got back up and how come the other vanished into anig there’s another

word anyway it’s too fancy for me this morning and anyway they just faded from memory no one no one names their son Judas that’s wrong I mean my apologies if you’re named Judas but it’s it’s a rough one okay there does seem to be however if I take the same metrics and apply it to the Bible there’s a there’s something common in postf Fallen futures of people in the Bible not all but most and that’s what my message is about today okay so and like most

Sundays there’s going to be a powerful principle that you and I get to go and talk about in our life groups or in our friendships or in our relationships with other people hey what do you think about and how do you think this works in our lives that kind of thing so to get started let’s open our Bibles to the Gospel Matthew Chapter 5 I want us to go to where Jesus is just beginning his most famous message his Sermon on the Mount it covers Matthews

56 and 7 and it’s most complete form while you’re turning there let me say a couple of things right out of the gate six times 1 2 3 4 56 in Matthew Chapter 5 Jesus repeats a saying you have heard it said I’m quoting now you have heard it said that’s a past tense statement so he’s pointing back before him which would naturally mean the Old Testament you have heard it said Old Testament but I say to you and he says this six different times like

one after the other each time he’s referring to an Old Testament law okay let me just mention them you can read them in more detail we’re only going to look at two of them this morning that’s all we’ve got time for but in Jesus you’ve heard it said murder comes up first the next one is adultery and sometimes related not by any means always there’s a from from adultery divorce is the third one that comes up this says you’ve heard it said and he talks about

the Old Testament law then vows come up and and then Revenge comes up you’ve heard it said an eye for an eye and tooth for tooth but I say to you and then love you’ve heard it said love your friends but hate your enemies look long and hard in the Old Testament and if you are successful in finding where that verse is in the law I’m going to give you my old truck because I’m about to buy a new one okay how’s that okay no I’m

not going to do that but anyway so some have suggested in this back and forth you’ve heard it said but I say to you that Jesus somehow was expressing disagreement with the Old Testament he had a problem with the Old Testament but in actual fact a plain reading and can I use a second to tell you there’s a hermeneutic that’s fancy for Bible study techniques so you get it right not wrong and one of the Bible study techniques is that you need and I need to

read the Bible First off in its most plain and obvious reading or understanding there’s context involved there’s a variety of other techniques that are involved and you get into those as you get more acquainted with the Bible but the plain and obvious reading before he hits the list of you have heard it said and I say to you starts in verse 17 and and it it’s that Jesus did not come to abolish the law or kick the prophets to the curb that’s not what he came

for but to fulfill them fully in fact in his own words do not think I’ve come to abolish the law or the prophets almost assuming they’re going to think that as soon as he starts saying you’ve heard it said now I say to you don’t think that way I’ve not come to abolish them but to what fulfill them for I for truly I tell you unless until Heaven and Earth disappear not the smallest letter nor the least stroke of the pin will by any means disappear

from the law here’s the deal unfortunately there were teachers in those days who not only preached but practice a lifestyle that was contrary to the law that was that was common place then and some of you are going wow that’s still Liv on it’s true and just because the internet quotes a famous preacher doesn’t make it right get into this book and and read read it for yourself and in response so back to it back to what Jesus is saying here Jesus didn’t hide how he

felt about such people who not only their message but their lifestyle were contrary to teaching he calls them out on calls them out not by name actually verse 19 therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands sets aside our key words totally disregards blows past we would say anyone who blows past the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the Kingdom

of Heaven for right tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the and you could almost imagine them starting to cringe the ones he’s about to name unless your righteousness is better than the Pharisees and teachers h of the law you will certainly not enter the Kingdom of Heaven here’s what’s happening in each example Jesus is addressing an action you shall not murder we’ll see that right now but he doesn’t stop there he goes for the broader belief behind that action okay now now we’re

getting close so let me illustrate I said to you there’s two of them they’re they’re first up in the list and I thought well that’s about all we’re going to have time for today so the first two murder and adultery verse 21 begins murder verse 27 adultery so the law was very clear you’ve heard it said let me quote it for you all of these references are at the bottom of the page the sermon note page so don’t miss that but in Exodus 20 you find

the list of what’s known as the Mosaic law or the 10 suggestions right no The Ten Commandments right and so Thou shalt not Thou shalt not and so on so forth okay these two make the list verse 22 regarding murder you shall not murder okay that’s verse Exodus 20 verse 13 there’s barely a comma to verse 14 that says and thou shalt not commit adultery so you got them both they’re right there side by side in almost one verse but they’re divided by U editors okay

so you’ve got two verses there and regarding murder both cases I I’ve made this clear he’s quoting the Old Testament Thou shalt not murder but I tell you look at verse two what Jesus tell but I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment again anyone who says to a brother or sister raqqa is worthless is answerable to the court and anyone who says you fool will be in danger of the fire of hell I remember as

a little boy I just didn’t quite understand I thought the FW was different but this says fool I really did and I I was a little guy and I remember saying it in the car and nothing happened but my dad said he I think he quoted this verse and I’ve been nervous about this verse ever since but so you understand so verse 22 don’t miss this anyone but I tell you anyone who’s angry with a brother or sister be subject to judgment let’s just Ah that’s

tough let’s skip over just so you get them both side by side we’ve already quoted Exodus 20:4 and you shall not commit adultery you’ve heard it said verse 27 but I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart we’ll get we’ll get there in detail in a minute it’s it’s not hard to conclude right out of the gate that Jesus is talking about something deeper than just what meets the eye okay if you and I

had been there that day I’m doing my best to help you feel like you’re there but I’m Not Jesus so if Jesus was teaching and we had been there that day we would have experienced the fastest mood shift possible to the human soul I’m convinced now you’re ready had we heard him quote the law you shall not murder I I sat there imagining those words rooll off his lips I would have gone there’s no blood on these hands that’s what I would have thought and before

he moves on I would have been tempted to say hey move on we’ve we’ve covered that I get the law Exodus 20:3 and you just said you’ve heard it said You shall not murder we’re agreed Jesus let’s go for it move forward because my hands are clean check the record never killed anybody however his next word would have indicted many of us for capital murder let me just ask it in plain speak today ever been angry couple Liars but the rest of you and Liars that

there’s another yeah there’s one about that too okay I see that hand okay ever been Ang oh this morning you mean right a little secret about pastors and their kids and wives and all one of the greatest challenges every week is on the way to church that’s why I started coming real early in my own car or truck it’s safer for everybody no you you get little petty silly things it don’t matter but they matter so much sometimes that you get ticked you get angry and

and what comes with anger you puke stuff out that shouldn’t be out and by the way if it came out of here where did it come from here Matthew 12:34 out of the mouth flows that which fills the heart that was too strong I’m too old for that okay folks by Jesus definition may I just say it and pull you right out of your chair there are murderers in our midst lots of us so have we been able to even recover from the first of these

six and heard him say what he says next in verse 27 you shall not commit adultery That’s the Law Exodus 20:4 nothing could have possibly prepared us for the a stabbing conviction that we would have felt when he went on to verse 28 but I say to you that anyone where’s he going with this looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart may you will you permit me to flip this a little too anyone who looks at a man lustfully

in her heart does the same you getting me still clean I’ve never committed adultery seriously I’ve read this for a long time and I’ve imagined the Pharisees because they they come up in this right he already called them out imagine them going hey they didn’t have videotape but check the videotape there NE never once wandered you hearing the pride in that there’s there’s pride in that it’s me and Debbie yeah I’m I know some people that that might not apply to but it doesn’t doesn’t apply

to me who can say Among Us that Jesus sermon isn’t full of stunning implications for all of us and can I give you my take on the most stunning of all sin is serious it’s really it’s like whoa and even if we haven’t murdered and honestly I don’t I had a childhood friend that I he he had a physical deformity that caused brought a just a world of picking against him and he would run from the bus stop when it dropped us off and he I

would run with him because it’s like it’s like what the cruelty that people wanted to subject him to and long after moving to Oregon I got news that he had murdered a family of four and and one of the family was away that weekend so he came home to no one and and so I do know a murderer who actually did it and he he’s never been out of prison in California but but for the most part I don’t know any murders that and I’m not

one I haven’t done that and I only tell you that because that doesn’t give me a moment to look down my nose at anybody I think that’s what Jesus is saying bro are you sure about that you’ve never murdered thing sure about that you never committed adultery thing really so Jesus next word since they’re on the tail end of this adultery comment that just I told you it was be a mood change we’re having a good time and then all of a sudden he’s talking about

something that no one gets to see my heart wow it’s a mood change Jesus next words I’m going to call them what they are they’re hyperbole meaning an exaggeration to make a point okay though if you want something to really humor you look at an artist rendering of verses 29 and 30 and it’s kind of it’s basically hey look at the this in fact the book that we’re going to if you don’t have the book yet please sign up for it in the lobby we’re going

to order a bunch more today but we need your name so that’s a little plug on this what if Jesus was serious by Sky jethani it’s a good book and just moments of insight that you’ll you’ll appreciate but anyway it’s he has actually has an artist rendering of a guy that walks into heaven with no arms and no legs because he didn’t get the point that we’re about to read that Jesus was speaking in hyperbole here it is verse 29 so you’ve heard it said I

shall not commit adultery I say to you if you’ve thought it in your heart you’ve done it okay that’s 27 and 28 if your right eye then causes you to stumble gouge it out and throw it away it’s better for you to lose one one part of your body important part I would say the eye then for the whole body to be thrown into hell and he’s not done if you if your right hand causes you to stumble cut it off and throw it away it’s

better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell so if we take his words at face value it’s clear that he is saying something about the seriousness of of sin in other words it’s hyperbole but it’s not to be trifled with it’s meant to go whoa that is so graphic I I get get kind of nauseated at the thought somebody going man I can’t deal with lust anymore by the way there’s guys I I explored it

again I heard it first in seminary then church history that have done such a thing and it relates to unwanted sexual desire and they didn’t get the point this is hyperbole and it was horrible I I can’t verify that it was true so I’m not telling you about it any more than that but the point is there are people along the way that do miss the point so I’m certain that his words are meant to have more impact in our lives than most of us can

even imagine it’s why my title today is uncomfortably in play since Jesus was serious and he was then shouldn’t we be a little bit more serious in most cases about Sin on our in our hearts can I add one more thing that’s just not just kind of in the moment I want you to know my heart on this sin’s more than making a mistake everybody makes mistakes everybody has bad days you know that kind of thing no sin is why there’s a cross that’s how serious

Sin is Sin means that I belonged on that cross and so do you not for anybody else but for yourself for myself that’s how serious sin is so it’s more than a mistake that’s what I’m saying but there’s great news for you and me there’s a God that says I sent my son unbelievable but true I sent my son to take your place and to suffer and die to pay what was owed for your sinful Behavior whether it was ever seen or not there that’s kind

of the frame so to illustrate this point I want to just take a minute and it won’t take very long at all because most of us know a certain person I went back to the Bible and thought who illustrates this well and I thought of I thought of a a king that we know and admire in the Old Testament his name’s David King David and he’s the most famous for sure and Israel’s greatest King and I think you’re about to answer the question why why was

he there’s a lot of Kings 30 or 40 of them a whole bunch of them and all but a handful the Bible says in summary of their lives they stunk they were terrible they did what was evil in the sight of God who cares what other people thought of him God’s assessment not good not good really not good terrible horrible bad and then there’s a few that are an exception Josiah would be one hezekiah’s great-grandfather was another one but anyway a few others I I didn’t

you can explore it yourself so King David he was chosen by God to become Israel’s second king I don’t know if you knew that Israel’s first king then last he lasted a while but he didn’t do so good his name’s Saul and and he failed badly his Disobedience has a direct line to his downfall one time he was to take on the Philistines I’m capturing a bunch of information in 1 Samuel for example but he’s told by God through Samuel the prophet take on the Philistines

wait until the prophet gets there so he can sacrifice to prepare for battle and he blew right past that In fairness to Saul I probably would have too because he was supposed to come in seven days and Samuel was delayed so Saul the king thought ah I better do something here better I want to bring God in on this so I’ll offer a sacrifice and he offered the sacrifice and and God was not at all pleased that’s the first and then the second one he was

told to eliminate one of Israel’s longtime enemies the amalekites king egag what a name huh hey I don’t think you say it that way or you’re probably not going to live long hey he G but anyway King AAG and the amalekites he was instructed to take them out eliminate them completely they’ve been nothing but more than trouble they’ve been an enemy of mine for a long time and so they prosecuted the war Saul led him into battle and they’re to wipe out everybody and everything and

the conflict was over and they came home and it turns out Saul well Samuel came and said hey how did it go how’d the battle go yeah it went really good you get them all well yeah sure we did you know and he goes then what’s the sound and he starts talking about sheep and the booty the Bounty of War he’s going what happened were you not told to anyway the bottom line is Disobedience 1st Samuel 15:22 comes out of that where he says to obey

is better than sacrifice and Saul failed and failed again so God’s assessment you have done foolish things I’m quoting from 1 Samuel 13 you have done foolish things you have not kept the Commandment of the Lord and if you had he would have established your kingdom over Israel forever but you haven’t as a result God was immediately searching for someone to succeed him and someone with a special quality is who God sought a quality of the heart that God is always looking for a man or

a woman after his own heart is the expression that comes out of 1st Samuel 13:14 by the way can I say this to you if you’re thinking I’m too far off the path I I haven’t it it hasn’t gone well for me or you have a myriad of reasons why that’s a cool story but it’ll never be your story there’s more than a few of us that think that way I want you to I want you to know that God said to another king that was

really good King till just he stumbled at the end of his life his name was King ASA and he was just on a roll Walking with God everything was good then he fumbled at the end and get this this is about King ASA the word came back to him through a prophet that says the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the Earth looking for him or her that he may strongly support whose heart is fully his okay so those words from 2 Chronicles

16:9 I put them to Memory because I thought I want to tell people that there’s good news for you there’s good news for me the eyes of the Lord can continue to look throughout the Earth for those that whose hearts are fully his he wants to support you he wants to lift you up so David was the person that Samuel was led to the prophet went and found him it’s a beautiful beautiful story you need to read it and he he had that heart God says

go find the guy that has a heart after mine Samuel did went to the dad Jesse and met his son David he was the guy and he had that heart listen to me now until one steamy spring day an evening to be specific and he became entangled in lustful sin and it led him to adultery he was with another man’s wife and he knew it something just so you know for which the Bible holds King David solely responsible there’s some nonsense out there that would suggest

be Sheba wanted it and that’s garbage the king gets what he wants that’s the truth okay enough said instead of repenting he he sets in motion a very complex plan to cover his tracks and it involved finding her husband and finishing him off and so of course he was out at Battle doing the king’s battle at that time and joab the commander sent out to get him and put him in Harm’s Way put him as far forward leaning in the battle and sure enough he died

a second sin incalculable in size and for a brief time because he he faked comforting bash Sheba the woman he committed adultery with for a brief time he thought he got away with it in fact probably the length of time she was pregnant but because he had gone to her and married her poor Widow all that stuff he had a he had his back covered no one’s going to know you know the story and second Samuel 11 captures it in one chapter and and then David

is confronted because God saw it all and God expressly says that was deeply disappointing to me and here’s what you’re supposed to say to the king he tells a very nervous Nathan the prophet I’ve always pictured poor Nathan I just related to him I thought man I do not want no pick somebody else I just can’t imagine telling the king of Israel you know God’s not happy with you the impact I’ll save it for you read 2 Samuel 12 the whole chapter and you’ll see the

impact but a bigger question screams at us after all I’ve just captured very quickly it screams at us did David did David King David lose his crown did he lose his kingdom did he lose more most important of all his status as a man after God’s Own Heart those are three rhetorical questions shockingly the answer is no how can that be is probably on your mind it’s been on my mind it’s what the remainder few moments of this message is about my assessment is that King

David and I know this is an extreme Monday morning quarterbacking I was not there I have no videotape to consult and all that I didn’t see anything except I have what you have The Narrative of the king’s adultery and his murder described in chapter 11 of 2 Samuel and then I have it what you have the confession of King David in Psalm 51 so I want you to flip one more time to Psalm 51 and just stay there a minute long enough to take it in

fresh because context is everything this is David talking after all that I captured for you he’s talking looking back at it and the and the terrible sin he committed let’s just you look on I’ll read this is why he didn’t lose his man after my own heart status have mercy on me oh God according to your unfailing love according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions Wash Me from all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin for I know my transgressions and my sin

is always before me it haunts me my addition against you and you only have I sinned and done what is evil in your sights I would add I think you sinned against bash Sheba too so you are right he continues in your verdict and Justified when you judge surely I was sinful at Birth sinful from the time my mother conceived me that means I got good at sinning yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb you taught me wisdom in that secret place cleanse me with

his up and I will be clean wash me and I will be whiter than snow let me hear joy and gladness let let the bones you have crushed Rejoice are you getting the feeling that this is a Beatdown he was living oh sure he got away with it or did he hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities we all these are favorite words for many of us create in me a pure heart oh God and renew a steadfast Spirit within me

do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me R restore to me the joy of your salvation because it’s not there now and grant me a willing Spirit to sustain me and look what he want wants to do if this all comes about then I will teach transgressors your ways I’ll have a story to tell you’ve heard me say this how many times people God wants to leverage your story for his glory don’t hide the dirt deliver me from the guilt

of Bloodshed oh God you who are God my savior my tongue will sing of your righteousness open my lips Lord and and my mouth will declare your praise they’re going to hear it from me you did not Delight in sacrif rice or I would have brought it you did not take pleasure in burnt offerings My Sacrifice oh God is a broken spirit I can’t read this fast a broken and contrite spirit a heart like that you will not despise may it please you to prosper Zion

to build up the walls of Jerusalem then you will Delight in the sacrifices of the righteous in burnt offerings offered whole then bulls will be offered on your altar David sin people in a flagrant way that’s established in the story I told in 2 Samuel 11 he sinned terribly David repented in a completely contrite way there is not not a hint of excuse here yeah God you gave me a big job and sometimes the stress gets to me no no he pours out his sinful heart

and sought God’s help in cleaning up the mess he had made with his sin it’s good stuff in short I think you’re reading about a man that took his in super seriously as we’re wrapping it up do you do that you sin I know you don’t have to answer that part I do too but do you take it as seriously as we’re reading it here if you do God can and God will forgive and restore you do do you hear that he will also use you

to help other law Breakers come back and there’s plenty of them and that’s how fallen stars rise again it is I’d like you to close your Bible quietly and bow your head and let’s prepare ourselves for communion create in me a clean heart oh God and renew a steadfast Spirit Within Me Do not remove me from your presence and do not remove your Holy Spirit from me renew to me the joy of when I first first met you and then I will teach transgressors your ways

Sinners just like me and sinners will come back to you why stay away from a God that will restore the Fallen but if you’re still insistent on hiding your sin maybe Psalm 32 also written by David will change your mind because he wrote it during the months of concealment he had messed up but he covered up for many months before Nathan came to him a lot of us do that many for years that needs to stop you say well no it’s kind of old old news

no it’s not your soul knows it and you’re paying a terrible price for it continually in the words of David in Psalm 32 blessed is the man whose sins are forgiven and in whose Spirit there is no deceit that’s a great place to be but all day long I kept silent about my sin and my B my body withered away it faded away for day and night your hand was Heavy upon me felt God against me David said no one else knew and then he acknowledged

he says I acknowledge my sin to you and my iniquity I no longer hid I just came clean I fested up and the most beautiful words finished Psalm 32 I will confess my wrongdoings to the Lord and he forgave the guilt of my sin and I could live again there will be some gentle music playing while servers are coming now to join me they’re going to bring you communion and when they do I want you to just hold it but I want you to hold it

in a special way today because I think you’ve been anybody reading or hearing this message or these scriptures would have to say I’ve been found out in some fashion the question is have you cleaned it all out have you said holy spirit forgive me clean me make me new create in me a brand new heart and if you need that that last nudge to go there right where you’re at today I wa

Transcript machine-generated from the sermon audio, so it may contain errors. 6,286 words.