1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:00,840 Good morning. 2 00:00:01,680 --> 00:00:06,280 Today's scripture reading is from Matthew 5, 33 through 37, 3 00:00:06,280 --> 00:00:09,680 page 836 in the Bible from the back of the pews. 4 00:00:12,040 --> 00:00:15,440 Again, you have heard that it was said to our ancestors, 5 00:00:15,440 --> 00:00:17,400 you must not break your oath, 6 00:00:17,400 --> 00:00:20,200 but you must keep your oaths to the Lord. 7 00:00:20,200 --> 00:00:22,880 But I tell you, don't take an oath at all, 8 00:00:22,880 --> 00:00:26,000 either by heaven because it is God's throne, 9 00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:28,880 or by the earth because it is his footstool, 10 00:00:28,880 --> 00:00:32,320 or by Jerusalem because it is the city of the great king. 11 00:00:34,440 --> 00:00:36,320 Do not swear by your head 12 00:00:36,320 --> 00:00:39,560 because you cannot make a single hair white or black, 13 00:00:39,560 --> 00:00:43,600 but let your eyes, but let your yes be yes, 14 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:45,000 and your no mean no. 15 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:48,400 Anything more than this is from the evil one. 16 00:00:49,240 --> 00:00:50,200 This is God's word. 17 00:00:51,400 --> 00:00:53,440 Okay, here's my introduction. 18 00:00:53,440 --> 00:00:55,960 Don't lie, don't make an oath. 19 00:00:55,960 --> 00:01:02,960 Let's wrap it up. 20 00:01:02,960 --> 00:01:04,080 I do acknowledge the time. 21 00:01:04,080 --> 00:01:06,440 I have about 3,300 words to go through here, 22 00:01:06,440 --> 00:01:10,560 so we'll see how quick I can talk and how well you can listen. 23 00:01:10,560 --> 00:01:12,520 But we are in the middle of a series, 24 00:01:12,520 --> 00:01:14,400 you have heard it said. 25 00:01:14,400 --> 00:01:15,960 In this section of Matthew, 26 00:01:15,960 --> 00:01:18,720 Jesus is taking Old Testament commands 27 00:01:18,720 --> 00:01:21,200 and showing the true heart of the command. 28 00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:24,000 A couple weeks ago, John discussed murder and rage, 29 00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:26,280 and showed that having contempt in your heart 30 00:01:26,280 --> 00:01:29,920 towards someone is equal to cold-blooded murder. 31 00:01:29,920 --> 00:01:31,480 Last week, John discussed divorce. 32 00:01:31,480 --> 00:01:33,200 I'm glad that wasn't for me. 33 00:01:34,120 --> 00:01:37,720 Due to how God set up marriage from the beginning, 34 00:01:37,720 --> 00:01:39,840 marriage should be held sacred, 35 00:01:39,840 --> 00:01:43,080 and divorce is always against God's desired plan. 36 00:01:44,120 --> 00:01:46,880 And today's topic is oaths, 37 00:01:46,880 --> 00:01:49,760 which I'm gonna say I don't normally consider 38 00:01:49,760 --> 00:01:53,440 on the same level as murder, adultery, and divorce, 39 00:01:53,440 --> 00:01:54,920 but apparently Jesus did. 40 00:01:56,440 --> 00:01:59,480 So my goal today is to try to explain 41 00:01:59,480 --> 00:02:01,080 why Jesus included oaths 42 00:02:01,080 --> 00:02:03,640 right alongside these other weightier topics. 43 00:02:04,680 --> 00:02:06,080 And I don't want you to think that Jesus 44 00:02:06,080 --> 00:02:09,080 is just taking random commands in the Old Testament 45 00:02:09,080 --> 00:02:11,880 and just riffing on them to make a sermon. 46 00:02:11,880 --> 00:02:15,520 No, no, Jesus is intentional. 47 00:02:15,520 --> 00:02:17,600 He's calculating in this sermon. 48 00:02:17,600 --> 00:02:19,800 He is a master communicator, 49 00:02:19,800 --> 00:02:23,000 and he's calling us to think carefully, 50 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:24,240 to meditate on, 51 00:02:24,240 --> 00:02:27,720 so we can see the whole meaning of these commands. 52 00:02:27,720 --> 00:02:28,960 And throughout this series, 53 00:02:28,960 --> 00:02:31,120 we've seen Jesus do two things consistently. 54 00:02:31,120 --> 00:02:34,040 One, he's combating the wrong teaching 55 00:02:34,040 --> 00:02:37,320 that is being pervasive in the synagogues. 56 00:02:37,320 --> 00:02:39,160 And then two, he's also describing 57 00:02:39,160 --> 00:02:41,080 what he expects of his followers. 58 00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:43,840 What does he expect of his kingdom citizens? 59 00:02:45,120 --> 00:02:47,440 So I'm gonna start with the first one 60 00:02:47,440 --> 00:02:50,960 that I mentioned there, combating wrong teaching. 61 00:02:50,960 --> 00:02:54,040 Jesus is walking straight into a cultural debate 62 00:02:54,040 --> 00:02:55,440 that's happening at his time. 63 00:02:55,440 --> 00:02:57,480 It's key to be aware of this 64 00:02:57,480 --> 00:02:58,800 because there's a lot of background 65 00:02:58,800 --> 00:03:01,480 that his audience didn't need explaining. 66 00:03:01,480 --> 00:03:03,320 It's like if I said, 67 00:03:03,320 --> 00:03:05,520 let's talk about the situation at the border. 68 00:03:06,880 --> 00:03:07,760 You hear those words, 69 00:03:07,760 --> 00:03:09,080 you know exactly what I'm talking about. 70 00:03:09,080 --> 00:03:10,560 You're primed. 71 00:03:10,560 --> 00:03:13,160 You know what border, I didn't have to say. 72 00:03:13,160 --> 00:03:16,720 You know what situation, I didn't have to describe it. 73 00:03:16,720 --> 00:03:19,200 And then when I start talking in 30 seconds, 74 00:03:19,200 --> 00:03:21,560 you're just gonna look for those key words. 75 00:03:21,560 --> 00:03:26,360 Did I say illegal or did I say undocumented? 76 00:03:26,360 --> 00:03:30,000 Did I talk about security or did I talk about compassion? 77 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:32,280 And whatever words I start to use, 78 00:03:32,280 --> 00:03:33,640 you're gonna categorize me. 79 00:03:34,920 --> 00:03:37,240 And just like we can do that, 80 00:03:37,240 --> 00:03:40,760 Jesus' listeners could do the same with what Jesus said. 81 00:03:40,760 --> 00:03:43,360 And when they hear Jesus say these words, 82 00:03:43,360 --> 00:03:47,600 it's not the status quo, but it's upending for them. 83 00:03:47,600 --> 00:03:50,000 It rattles their expectations. 84 00:03:51,040 --> 00:03:53,120 So let me do a little bit more background 85 00:03:53,120 --> 00:03:54,040 and give you a little primer 86 00:03:54,040 --> 00:03:56,720 on first century Jewish teaching on oaths. 87 00:03:56,720 --> 00:03:59,520 I know this is really what everybody wanted this morning. 88 00:04:00,880 --> 00:04:02,320 Let me start by defining it else 89 00:04:02,320 --> 00:04:04,160 because I'm new to sermon preaching 90 00:04:04,160 --> 00:04:06,520 and everybody has to start with a definition. 91 00:04:06,520 --> 00:04:09,320 A definition of oath for a first century Jew 92 00:04:09,320 --> 00:04:11,960 would be something like a promise or a commitment 93 00:04:11,960 --> 00:04:15,280 made to another human in the Lord's name. 94 00:04:15,280 --> 00:04:17,480 Today we may say vow in place of oath, 95 00:04:17,480 --> 00:04:20,680 but for Jews at the time, vows were something different. 96 00:04:21,400 --> 00:04:25,560 A vow was a promise or commitment made to God, not a human. 97 00:04:25,560 --> 00:04:27,440 So here's two examples, a vow. 98 00:04:27,440 --> 00:04:29,720 Lord, if you save me from this tornado, 99 00:04:29,720 --> 00:04:31,280 I will become a missionary. 100 00:04:32,080 --> 00:04:33,320 A promise made to God. 101 00:04:34,080 --> 00:04:35,320 An oath. 102 00:04:35,320 --> 00:04:40,320 I pledge to give $500 to the Village Renew plan. 103 00:04:41,040 --> 00:04:42,280 God is my witness. 104 00:04:42,280 --> 00:04:45,880 It's a promise made to humans in the name of God. 105 00:04:47,080 --> 00:04:48,440 And in preparing for this sermon, 106 00:04:48,440 --> 00:04:51,400 I took time to read some of the Jewish teachings 107 00:04:51,400 --> 00:04:53,560 that date back to the time of Jesus. 108 00:04:53,560 --> 00:04:57,320 And I was blown away by how the Pharisees and the leaders 109 00:04:57,320 --> 00:05:01,520 parsed and scrutinized words and phrases in the Old Testament 110 00:05:01,520 --> 00:05:04,400 to find the law's real application for their time. 111 00:05:05,760 --> 00:05:08,160 They seemed to find a rule for every scenario 112 00:05:09,560 --> 00:05:11,000 and then they had to find a way 113 00:05:11,000 --> 00:05:12,800 to make the promise come true. 114 00:05:12,800 --> 00:05:15,200 And then they had so many rules. 115 00:05:15,200 --> 00:05:17,440 They calculated how much of a sacrifice would be needed 116 00:05:17,440 --> 00:05:19,440 for any type of broken promise. 117 00:05:20,320 --> 00:05:21,840 On analogy, it's really easy to say 118 00:05:21,840 --> 00:05:24,040 it's just like our American legal code. 119 00:05:24,920 --> 00:05:26,160 There's so many rules and regulations. 120 00:05:26,160 --> 00:05:27,920 You gotta study for years. 121 00:05:27,920 --> 00:05:31,120 There's that saying, you commit three felonies a day, 122 00:05:31,120 --> 00:05:32,920 and that doesn't even include the misdemeanors 123 00:05:32,920 --> 00:05:35,680 you get caught up on before you even get to your car. 124 00:05:35,680 --> 00:05:38,480 So for the day-to-day Jew, 125 00:05:38,480 --> 00:05:41,040 there were so many rules and corresponding loopholes 126 00:05:41,040 --> 00:05:43,840 that only the experts knew, the scribes and Pharisees, 127 00:05:43,840 --> 00:05:45,280 those special people. 128 00:05:45,280 --> 00:05:48,680 And only they could accurately decipher what to do, 129 00:05:48,680 --> 00:05:50,520 and then in knowing the rules, 130 00:05:51,720 --> 00:05:53,840 those religious leaders would abuse their power 131 00:05:53,840 --> 00:05:54,680 on the ignorant. 132 00:05:55,640 --> 00:05:56,840 So here's some examples. 133 00:05:58,960 --> 00:06:00,960 When you don't have to pay, 134 00:06:00,960 --> 00:06:03,480 and even when you don't keep your word. 135 00:06:03,480 --> 00:06:06,800 So if two people are asked to give an oath of testimony, 136 00:06:06,800 --> 00:06:08,880 meaning a witness in a court of law, 137 00:06:09,720 --> 00:06:12,120 and the first witness lies about what he knows 138 00:06:12,120 --> 00:06:14,520 and breaks his oath of testimony, 139 00:06:14,520 --> 00:06:18,320 the second witness can also lie and break his oath 140 00:06:18,320 --> 00:06:20,320 and not be liable for sin. 141 00:06:20,320 --> 00:06:22,240 He doesn't have to make a sacrifice. 142 00:06:22,240 --> 00:06:23,880 Laurie's face just. 143 00:06:23,880 --> 00:06:27,120 Because the first one lied, 144 00:06:27,120 --> 00:06:29,480 the second one's oath is inadmissible, 145 00:06:29,480 --> 00:06:31,280 and therefore he can lie too. 146 00:06:31,280 --> 00:06:33,920 No punishment, no remorse needed 147 00:06:33,920 --> 00:06:35,800 for lying to a court official. 148 00:06:36,880 --> 00:06:38,520 Here's one of my favorite ones. 149 00:06:38,520 --> 00:06:40,880 One can only take an oath concerning an item 150 00:06:40,880 --> 00:06:43,320 that is defined by size, weight, or number. 151 00:06:44,720 --> 00:06:47,520 So if you happen to be a first century Jew 152 00:06:47,520 --> 00:06:49,960 and you need to lend somebody some money 153 00:06:49,960 --> 00:06:51,360 maybe because you're going out of town 154 00:06:51,360 --> 00:06:53,320 and you wanna be safe with it, 155 00:06:53,320 --> 00:06:57,240 so I give John a bag of 40 shekels to hold for a few days. 156 00:06:57,240 --> 00:06:59,400 And I make him swear under oath, 157 00:06:59,400 --> 00:07:02,920 you will give back this bag of coins in the name of Adonai. 158 00:07:02,920 --> 00:07:04,720 And John says, yes. 159 00:07:04,720 --> 00:07:08,000 But I forget to say the number of coins. 160 00:07:09,360 --> 00:07:12,000 Well, when I ask for the bag back, 161 00:07:12,000 --> 00:07:14,560 John can just say, well, I don't know how much you gave me, 162 00:07:14,560 --> 00:07:17,200 but whatever is in my possession you may have now. 163 00:07:18,480 --> 00:07:19,680 He could take. 164 00:07:20,920 --> 00:07:23,320 Not lying, because I didn't say the number. 165 00:07:23,320 --> 00:07:25,240 It's not stealing because I didn't say the number, 166 00:07:25,240 --> 00:07:27,920 and I just asked him to return the bag back to me. 167 00:07:27,920 --> 00:07:29,920 This literally sounds like the rules 168 00:07:29,920 --> 00:07:31,920 me and my sisters used to make up 169 00:07:31,920 --> 00:07:34,200 and like saving spots on the couch 170 00:07:34,200 --> 00:07:36,360 when watching a TV show. 171 00:07:36,360 --> 00:07:39,440 Like just loopholes and loopholes and loopholes. 172 00:07:40,640 --> 00:07:42,320 One last example. 173 00:07:42,320 --> 00:07:44,320 Because Jesus alludes to this in Matthew five, 174 00:07:44,320 --> 00:07:45,720 I want you to hear this one. 175 00:07:45,720 --> 00:07:48,040 If someone makes an oath in the name of heaven 176 00:07:48,040 --> 00:07:50,360 or in the name of earth and breaks it, 177 00:07:50,360 --> 00:07:52,320 they are not liable for sin 178 00:07:52,320 --> 00:07:55,160 because it wasn't in the name of the Lord. 179 00:07:55,160 --> 00:07:57,360 But if someone makes an oath in the name of God, 180 00:07:57,360 --> 00:07:59,360 makes an oath in the name of the Lord and breaks it, 181 00:07:59,360 --> 00:08:00,840 he is liable for sin. 182 00:08:02,760 --> 00:08:05,800 So this sounds serious, but with this rule, 183 00:08:05,800 --> 00:08:07,840 it's easy to imagine. 184 00:08:07,840 --> 00:08:09,960 Some foreigner comes into Israel 185 00:08:09,960 --> 00:08:12,440 hanging around the Galilee region, let's say, 186 00:08:12,440 --> 00:08:15,800 and he makes a deal with somebody, a Jew local, 187 00:08:15,800 --> 00:08:17,800 and the Jew just avoids the special word. 188 00:08:17,800 --> 00:08:19,640 He doesn't say Adonai, he doesn't say Yahweh, 189 00:08:19,640 --> 00:08:22,880 he doesn't refer to the Lord in some way. 190 00:08:22,880 --> 00:08:25,400 And because of that, he can break his oath 191 00:08:25,400 --> 00:08:27,600 and not be punished at all. 192 00:08:27,600 --> 00:08:30,920 It's the law, he cannot be held accountable. 193 00:08:32,560 --> 00:08:34,560 This foreigner just gets duped. 194 00:08:34,560 --> 00:08:37,600 It's so unfair, and it's so easy to see it happening. 195 00:08:38,480 --> 00:08:40,560 Here's the point that I want you to get. 196 00:08:40,560 --> 00:08:42,800 These rules were supposed to identify 197 00:08:42,800 --> 00:08:44,480 when people were breaking the law 198 00:08:44,480 --> 00:08:46,280 and they required punishment. 199 00:08:46,280 --> 00:08:49,360 But the real effect, what would happen in day to day? 200 00:08:49,360 --> 00:08:51,280 This is exactly what you would expect. 201 00:08:51,280 --> 00:08:54,200 People made oaths that they never intended to keep. 202 00:08:54,200 --> 00:08:57,040 People jump through the verbal loopholes like a gymnast 203 00:08:57,040 --> 00:08:59,440 to trick and manipulate the unsuspecting. 204 00:09:00,880 --> 00:09:04,080 And this is what everyone listening to Jesus was used to. 205 00:09:04,080 --> 00:09:05,760 They grew up with it. 206 00:09:05,760 --> 00:09:07,120 These were the laws. 207 00:09:08,600 --> 00:09:10,600 Then they hear these words from Jesus. 208 00:09:11,720 --> 00:09:13,840 I'm gonna read Matthew five again. 209 00:09:13,840 --> 00:09:16,600 Again, you have heard that it was said to our ancestors, 210 00:09:16,600 --> 00:09:18,840 you must not break your oath, 211 00:09:18,840 --> 00:09:21,280 but you must keep your oath to the Lord. 212 00:09:21,280 --> 00:09:24,160 But I tell you, don't take an oath at all. 213 00:09:24,160 --> 00:09:26,840 Either by heaven, because it is God's throne, 214 00:09:26,840 --> 00:09:29,800 or by the earth, because it is his footstool, 215 00:09:29,800 --> 00:09:33,760 or by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King. 216 00:09:33,760 --> 00:09:35,600 Do not swear by your head, 217 00:09:35,600 --> 00:09:39,800 because you cannot keep a single hair white or black. 218 00:09:39,800 --> 00:09:44,080 But let your yes mean yes, and your no mean no. 219 00:09:45,040 --> 00:09:48,640 Anything more than this is from the evil one. 220 00:09:51,280 --> 00:09:53,400 Jesus' quote in verse 33 221 00:09:53,400 --> 00:09:56,240 is from a few different places in the Torah. 222 00:09:56,240 --> 00:09:57,520 And John has said it every week, 223 00:09:57,520 --> 00:10:00,200 and I just want it to be reminded for everybody. 224 00:10:00,200 --> 00:10:02,240 Jesus isn't trying to diminish the law. 225 00:10:02,240 --> 00:10:04,600 He's not trying to put the law aside. 226 00:10:04,600 --> 00:10:08,320 But he is showing how we need to live it out fully. 227 00:10:08,320 --> 00:10:10,400 Or in John's verbiage a couple weeks ago, 228 00:10:10,400 --> 00:10:13,480 it was to fill full the law. 229 00:10:13,480 --> 00:10:16,520 So let's break down what Jesus is trying to communicate here. 230 00:10:17,520 --> 00:10:21,160 Verse 34, don't take an oath at all. 231 00:10:21,160 --> 00:10:23,440 And we should ask why, Jesus? 232 00:10:23,440 --> 00:10:26,240 Sounds like a pretty big expectation. 233 00:10:26,240 --> 00:10:30,960 Answer, because everything outside of you is the Lord's, 234 00:10:30,960 --> 00:10:32,440 and he controls it. 235 00:10:32,440 --> 00:10:34,360 And that's our first point today. 236 00:10:34,360 --> 00:10:37,400 Don't swear an oath on what is God's. 237 00:10:37,400 --> 00:10:39,360 And Jesus gives us three examples 238 00:10:39,360 --> 00:10:42,080 of where God extends his rule as King. 239 00:10:42,080 --> 00:10:44,600 So it's not ours to use in an oath 240 00:10:44,600 --> 00:10:47,240 which is heaven, earth, and Jerusalem. 241 00:10:47,240 --> 00:10:50,080 Verse 34 says, and this is the full thing, 242 00:10:50,080 --> 00:10:54,120 heaven is off limits because it is God's throne, 243 00:10:54,120 --> 00:10:56,120 and he is not going to share it with you. 244 00:10:57,080 --> 00:11:00,240 Verse 35 says, you don't get to use the earth either 245 00:11:00,240 --> 00:11:04,440 in your oath because God claims it as his. 246 00:11:04,440 --> 00:11:07,960 No matter how much authority you think you may have here, 247 00:11:07,960 --> 00:11:09,640 the Lord reigns. 248 00:11:09,640 --> 00:11:11,640 What about Jerusalem? 249 00:11:11,640 --> 00:11:13,360 Well, Jerusalem will be the Lord's, 250 00:11:13,360 --> 00:11:15,280 so don't try to use anything that's going to be dead 251 00:11:15,280 --> 00:11:17,600 so don't try to use anything that's going to be dedicated 252 00:11:17,600 --> 00:11:18,440 to him. 253 00:11:19,640 --> 00:11:21,280 And here's Jesus' point. 254 00:11:21,280 --> 00:11:22,880 Let's narrow it down. 255 00:11:22,880 --> 00:11:26,360 You don't get to borrow what is God's as a bargaining chip 256 00:11:26,360 --> 00:11:28,800 to convince someone of your sincerity. 257 00:11:32,200 --> 00:11:36,200 You don't get to use what is God's as a bargaining chip 258 00:11:36,200 --> 00:11:38,200 to convince somebody of your sincerity. 259 00:11:38,200 --> 00:11:39,480 How much you mean it. 260 00:11:39,480 --> 00:11:43,320 That's worth meditating on if you want to this afternoon. 261 00:11:43,320 --> 00:11:48,320 In verse 36, this is where Jesus gets real creative on us. 262 00:11:48,320 --> 00:11:50,760 The last item Jesus uses as an illustration 263 00:11:50,760 --> 00:11:52,320 is our own heads. 264 00:11:53,240 --> 00:11:56,760 We shouldn't use our own head to communicate our seriousness 265 00:11:56,760 --> 00:11:57,960 about our promise either. 266 00:11:59,000 --> 00:12:00,800 The reasoning is pretty humbling. 267 00:12:01,800 --> 00:12:05,120 You have no control over even the hairs of your head, 268 00:12:05,120 --> 00:12:07,600 so how can you offer up the rest of your head? 269 00:12:07,600 --> 00:12:09,800 How can you offer up the rest of your head? 270 00:12:10,920 --> 00:12:12,320 And that's our second point. 271 00:12:15,000 --> 00:12:18,040 And you might notice I have quite a bit of gray coming in. 272 00:12:18,040 --> 00:12:20,520 And if I tried to get rid of this gray, 273 00:12:22,120 --> 00:12:23,600 it wouldn't be gone for long 274 00:12:23,600 --> 00:12:28,320 because neither by willpower or belief can I change it. 275 00:12:29,640 --> 00:12:32,320 Either how much it grows, because I would like that, 276 00:12:32,320 --> 00:12:34,000 or what color it comes in as. 277 00:12:34,000 --> 00:12:36,800 This is humbling, because I would change it. 278 00:12:36,800 --> 00:12:39,080 I would want to do something different, 279 00:12:39,080 --> 00:12:42,360 but I can't even control the hairs of my head. 280 00:12:42,360 --> 00:12:46,760 God made me, and he has a claim on my life, 281 00:12:46,760 --> 00:12:48,280 and I have to submit to that. 282 00:12:50,400 --> 00:12:52,920 So my head and my hair are his. 283 00:12:54,240 --> 00:12:56,120 And this is gonna come up later. 284 00:12:56,120 --> 00:12:57,720 I just wanna highlight it now. 285 00:12:59,320 --> 00:13:02,400 I really think Jesus wants us to be humble 286 00:13:02,400 --> 00:13:04,880 and to force us to reconsider everything. 287 00:13:06,120 --> 00:13:09,360 Because if I can't claim what is part of me 288 00:13:09,360 --> 00:13:12,080 in an oath, in a promise, in a commitment, 289 00:13:12,080 --> 00:13:15,280 I need to really be treading lightly 290 00:13:15,280 --> 00:13:16,600 in everything that I say. 291 00:13:20,040 --> 00:13:21,800 I'm gonna take a quick detour here 292 00:13:21,800 --> 00:13:25,360 to address a question that probably several of you have. 293 00:13:26,600 --> 00:13:30,320 And Jesus' exact words are don't take an oath at all. 294 00:13:30,320 --> 00:13:32,040 There's nothing hidden in the Greek there. 295 00:13:32,040 --> 00:13:34,520 There's not like some special wording that Jesus uses 296 00:13:34,520 --> 00:13:36,120 to really mean something different. 297 00:13:37,000 --> 00:13:40,040 But a reasonable question, should we take that at face value? 298 00:13:40,040 --> 00:13:42,280 Those are the words, is that what he meant? 299 00:13:43,560 --> 00:13:47,040 Meaning, never under any circumstance, 300 00:13:47,040 --> 00:13:48,520 make an oath or a promise. 301 00:13:49,880 --> 00:13:53,120 Is there any legitimate reason ever to make an oath? 302 00:13:51,640 --> 00:13:53,520 very important point of view. 303 00:13:53,120 --> 00:13:54,480 Or is everyone from sin? 304 00:13:53,520 --> 00:13:56,520 And I think that's a very important point of view. 305 00:13:55,840 --> 00:13:58,240 Some people in Christian history have taken that view. 306 00:13:56,520 --> 00:14:00,440 Some people in Christian history have taken that view. 307 00:14:00,440 --> 00:14:02,000 They have said you can never take an oath 308 00:14:02,000 --> 00:14:03,400 and they have lived by that. 309 00:14:05,640 --> 00:14:08,440 But here's one, was it truly wrong 310 00:14:08,440 --> 00:14:10,400 for me to take marriage vows? 311 00:14:12,080 --> 00:14:14,480 We call them vows, but they are promises made 312 00:14:14,480 --> 00:14:17,320 to another human in the name of the Lord, that's an oath. 313 00:14:19,680 --> 00:14:21,480 What about the people who made money pledges 314 00:14:21,480 --> 00:14:23,480 to donate to Village Renew? 315 00:14:23,480 --> 00:14:25,600 Are you guys in sin? 316 00:14:25,600 --> 00:14:28,000 Or was it okay because we didn't tell you to write 317 00:14:28,000 --> 00:14:31,240 in the Lord's name after your donation? 318 00:14:31,240 --> 00:14:32,440 Are you clear there now? 319 00:14:35,960 --> 00:14:38,200 What if you were asked to testify under oath 320 00:14:38,200 --> 00:14:39,960 to save somebody's life? 321 00:14:39,960 --> 00:14:42,000 Would that be a reason to do it? 322 00:14:43,760 --> 00:14:45,880 So to the core question, 323 00:14:45,880 --> 00:14:48,400 should we take Jesus's words at face value? 324 00:14:48,400 --> 00:14:51,080 My answer is no, I don't think so. 325 00:14:51,080 --> 00:14:52,560 And I'm not trying to contradict Jesus. 326 00:14:52,560 --> 00:14:54,960 I do not want to do that. 327 00:14:54,960 --> 00:14:56,600 And a lot of people agree with me here 328 00:14:56,600 --> 00:14:58,920 and I'm mostly gonna quote them. 329 00:14:58,920 --> 00:15:02,240 But I think Jesus is speaking against the abusive usage 330 00:15:02,240 --> 00:15:05,600 of oaths in his day and their manipulation of others. 331 00:15:06,560 --> 00:15:10,080 He is using hyperbole to drive home this point. 332 00:15:10,080 --> 00:15:12,080 He is exaggerating his statement 333 00:15:12,080 --> 00:15:15,240 to grab attention, not set limits. 334 00:15:16,520 --> 00:15:17,920 So another reasonable question, 335 00:15:17,920 --> 00:15:20,200 hey Nick, how do you know it's hyperbole? 336 00:15:20,200 --> 00:15:23,280 A simple rule for identifying hyperbole in the Bible 337 00:15:23,280 --> 00:15:26,280 is to let the Bible interpret the Bible. 338 00:15:26,280 --> 00:15:28,960 So let me give you some other Bible verses 339 00:15:28,960 --> 00:15:30,800 that indicate the Bible thinks about this 340 00:15:30,800 --> 00:15:33,680 a little bit more nuanced than Jesus is saying here. 341 00:15:35,680 --> 00:15:40,680 Jesus spoke under oath to the high priest in Matthew 26. 342 00:15:40,680 --> 00:15:43,080 So Jesus broke his own rule there. 343 00:15:43,080 --> 00:15:45,280 God makes several promises to people 344 00:15:45,280 --> 00:15:47,680 in the Old Testament on his name, 345 00:15:47,680 --> 00:15:50,880 which again, that's Jesus's definition of an oath, 346 00:15:50,880 --> 00:15:54,480 which is you swear something to a person in God's name. 347 00:15:54,480 --> 00:15:58,080 And the Lord doesn't do this, he does it regularly. 348 00:15:58,080 --> 00:16:01,720 He swears to Abraham several times in Genesis 22 is one. 349 00:16:01,720 --> 00:16:04,200 He swears to Noah in Genesis six. 350 00:16:04,200 --> 00:16:07,800 He swears to David in second Samuel seven. 351 00:16:07,800 --> 00:16:10,400 And that one's repeated all over the Psalms. 352 00:16:10,400 --> 00:16:12,200 So it's not like anybody missed it. 353 00:16:13,200 --> 00:16:16,400 So Jesus isn't saying never ever under any circumstances 354 00:16:16,400 --> 00:16:18,200 use an oath or make a promise. 355 00:16:18,200 --> 00:16:20,800 Maybe Jesus's words for our day would be, 356 00:16:20,800 --> 00:16:24,600 you don't need a notary or a legal contract 357 00:16:24,600 --> 00:16:26,400 to make your promise binding. 358 00:16:28,000 --> 00:16:31,400 Our words should carry weight in all of our relationships. 359 00:16:36,400 --> 00:16:41,400 So now, let's jump to the part of this section 360 00:16:41,400 --> 00:16:44,000 that doesn't usually get a lot of airtime in sermons. 361 00:16:44,600 --> 00:16:46,400 Let's look at the last line 362 00:16:46,400 --> 00:16:48,200 of verse 37. 363 00:16:50,600 --> 00:16:54,200 I'm quoting, anything more than this is from the evil one. 364 00:16:56,000 --> 00:16:59,200 This is where I see Jesus elevating oaths 365 00:16:59,200 --> 00:17:01,800 to the level of the other sins we have discussed, 366 00:17:01,800 --> 00:17:03,200 murder and adultery. 367 00:17:04,200 --> 00:17:07,600 Making exaggerated insincere oaths 368 00:17:07,600 --> 00:17:11,600 is akin to acting like Satan, that deceiving serpent. 369 00:17:13,000 --> 00:17:14,600 It's a big, big claim. 370 00:17:14,600 --> 00:17:16,600 So let's try to understand it. 371 00:17:17,800 --> 00:17:20,800 In John six, sorry in John eight, 372 00:17:20,800 --> 00:17:23,000 Jesus calls Satan the father of lies, 373 00:17:23,000 --> 00:17:25,000 saying there is no truth in him. 374 00:17:25,800 --> 00:17:28,800 And this tells us everything we need to know about Satan. 375 00:17:28,800 --> 00:17:32,000 If he speaks, it's a lie and it shouldn't be believed. 376 00:17:33,200 --> 00:17:36,400 Even if he speaks scripture, because in Matthew four, 377 00:17:36,400 --> 00:17:40,000 the Satan comes up to Jesus and quotes scripture to him. 378 00:17:40,000 --> 00:17:43,000 And he quotes it correctly, but he manipulates it. 379 00:17:43,000 --> 00:17:44,600 To be deceptive. 380 00:17:45,600 --> 00:17:49,000 Can anybody think of any other claims that Satan made 381 00:17:49,000 --> 00:17:51,200 that should have been questioned and doubted? 382 00:17:51,200 --> 00:17:53,600 Like on page three of our Bibles? 383 00:17:55,400 --> 00:17:58,200 Back on page three, Satan in the form of a snake 384 00:17:58,200 --> 00:18:01,800 shows up in the garden and offers a well crafted 385 00:18:01,800 --> 00:18:06,800 promise Steve, you can eat of the tree, you can. 386 00:18:07,200 --> 00:18:10,200 And here's his vicious vile lie. 387 00:18:10,200 --> 00:18:12,400 You will certainly not die. 388 00:18:12,400 --> 00:18:14,800 In fact, you will be like God. 389 00:18:16,200 --> 00:18:19,400 Satan lies to Eve from the beginning 390 00:18:19,400 --> 00:18:21,400 in an attempt to manipulate her. 391 00:18:21,400 --> 00:18:24,200 And he is successful, because he is really good at it. 392 00:18:25,200 --> 00:18:27,200 And this is the truth that we all need to know. 393 00:18:27,200 --> 00:18:31,200 People have been following in his steps ever since. 394 00:18:31,200 --> 00:18:33,400 Lying straight through our teeth, 395 00:18:33,400 --> 00:18:36,800 manipulating with half truths, making false promises, 396 00:18:36,800 --> 00:18:39,400 abusing the truth, and then, 397 00:18:39,400 --> 00:18:40,800 abusing trust. 398 00:18:42,200 --> 00:18:44,600 No one needs to teach us these things. 399 00:18:44,600 --> 00:18:47,000 We become experts while we are still kids. 400 00:18:49,000 --> 00:18:49,800 True story. 401 00:18:50,600 --> 00:18:53,400 Aidan, who is two, but this is about when she was one. 402 00:18:54,200 --> 00:18:56,200 If she had a dirty diaper, and we asked, 403 00:18:56,200 --> 00:18:58,400 did you poop in your diaper? 404 00:18:58,400 --> 00:19:00,400 And her response would be, no, no daddy. 405 00:19:00,400 --> 00:19:01,800 Daddy poop in my diaper. 406 00:19:01,800 --> 00:19:06,000 I did not, I swear I did not do that. 407 00:19:08,000 --> 00:19:10,000 Here's the point. 408 00:19:10,000 --> 00:19:14,000 Jesus is tying insincere oaths to acting like a snake, 409 00:19:14,000 --> 00:19:16,200 because through oaths and promises, 410 00:19:16,200 --> 00:19:19,000 we can manipulate people into fulfilling our will 411 00:19:19,000 --> 00:19:22,000 and desires without giving them anything in return. 412 00:19:23,000 --> 00:19:24,200 We make grand oaths. 413 00:19:24,200 --> 00:19:27,000 I swear on my unborn child, 414 00:19:27,000 --> 00:19:29,000 on my mother's grave, 415 00:19:29,000 --> 00:19:32,800 I would, we can use these weighty things 416 00:19:32,800 --> 00:19:34,600 to prove our sincerity. 417 00:19:34,600 --> 00:19:35,600 We can say them. 418 00:19:35,600 --> 00:19:37,600 We can try to convince somebody. 419 00:19:37,600 --> 00:19:39,800 But when it comes time to follow through, 420 00:19:39,800 --> 00:19:41,600 we show that our words meant nothing 421 00:19:41,600 --> 00:19:43,200 if we don't fulfill our promise. 422 00:19:43,200 --> 00:19:45,600 If we don't show up to do the thing, 423 00:19:45,600 --> 00:19:47,600 our words mean nothing. 424 00:19:47,600 --> 00:19:50,000 Once my desire is fulfilled, 425 00:19:50,000 --> 00:19:52,400 it's very easy to ignore your desires. 426 00:19:54,000 --> 00:19:56,000 And let's break this down just a little bit. 427 00:19:56,000 --> 00:19:59,000 Because there's two degrees of this that are common. 428 00:19:59,000 --> 00:20:01,600 The first, and this one's the most obvious. 429 00:20:01,600 --> 00:20:03,000 I make a promise to do something, 430 00:20:03,000 --> 00:20:05,600 but in my heart, I don't ever mean to fulfill it. 431 00:20:06,400 --> 00:20:08,600 This is just lying, just a straight line. 432 00:20:08,600 --> 00:20:09,600 We'd all agree on that. 433 00:20:09,600 --> 00:20:10,800 That's a lie. 434 00:20:10,800 --> 00:20:12,600 Not an ounce of truth in my words. 435 00:20:12,600 --> 00:20:14,400 Just like Satan in the garden to Eve, 436 00:20:14,400 --> 00:20:17,000 false promises made with no truth. 437 00:20:18,000 --> 00:20:21,400 The other way that we can act like a snake 438 00:20:23,000 --> 00:20:24,600 is to make promises. 439 00:20:24,600 --> 00:20:27,200 And the other way that we can act like a snake 440 00:20:29,200 --> 00:20:30,800 and be just like Satan 441 00:20:30,800 --> 00:20:33,800 is through a promise without counting the cost, 442 00:20:33,800 --> 00:20:36,600 without being ready to pay what was promised. 443 00:20:37,600 --> 00:20:39,600 And you'll hear, I'm gonna switch between 444 00:20:39,600 --> 00:20:41,400 oaths and promises and commitments, 445 00:20:41,400 --> 00:20:43,400 because to me, they're all the same thing. 446 00:20:44,600 --> 00:20:47,600 So let me give you an example of my failures in this area. 447 00:20:48,600 --> 00:20:50,400 Early in my marriage, 448 00:20:50,400 --> 00:20:54,400 we had lots of fights over me not keeping my word. 449 00:20:54,400 --> 00:20:56,800 I would go out with my friends and tell Bethany, 450 00:20:56,800 --> 00:20:58,600 hey, I'll be back at a certain time. 451 00:20:59,800 --> 00:21:01,000 And then when that time came, 452 00:21:01,000 --> 00:21:02,600 I just wasn't quite ready to leave. 453 00:21:02,600 --> 00:21:04,200 So I would push it back a little bit, 454 00:21:04,200 --> 00:21:05,600 and then I would push it back a little bit more, 455 00:21:05,600 --> 00:21:06,600 and then a little bit more, 456 00:21:06,600 --> 00:21:09,200 and finally I would arrive two to three hours later 457 00:21:09,200 --> 00:21:10,600 than I originally said. 458 00:21:14,400 --> 00:21:17,400 My desire to stay 459 00:21:18,400 --> 00:21:20,400 was more important than Bethany's desire 460 00:21:20,400 --> 00:21:22,200 for me to come home. 461 00:21:22,200 --> 00:21:25,000 I chose myself instead of choosing my wife. 462 00:21:26,200 --> 00:21:28,800 And if that sounds selfish, if that sounds snake-like, 463 00:21:28,800 --> 00:21:30,000 it is. 464 00:21:30,000 --> 00:21:32,400 That's exactly what it is. 465 00:21:32,400 --> 00:21:34,400 And what was the result of me doing this 466 00:21:34,400 --> 00:21:36,200 over and over and over again? 467 00:21:36,200 --> 00:21:39,000 Well, first, my word meant nothing, 468 00:21:39,000 --> 00:21:42,200 but Bethany felt dishonored, she felt unvalued. 469 00:21:43,200 --> 00:21:44,800 She felt like I was never gonna choose her 470 00:21:44,800 --> 00:21:47,000 and I was never gonna sacrifice myself. 471 00:21:47,000 --> 00:21:50,200 I was becoming more snake-like every single time I did this. 472 00:21:50,200 --> 00:21:52,400 And Jesus is calling us to more. 473 00:21:52,400 --> 00:21:54,200 He wants us to do better than that. 474 00:21:57,000 --> 00:21:59,800 So quick recap, just to make sure everybody's following along. 475 00:21:59,800 --> 00:22:03,000 Jesus isn't communicating that oaths and promises 476 00:22:03,000 --> 00:22:05,000 are sinful in themselves, 477 00:22:05,000 --> 00:22:08,400 but using them can easily turn sinful 478 00:22:08,400 --> 00:22:12,000 when they are used wrongly to manipulate others 479 00:22:12,000 --> 00:22:15,600 or when we fail to keep them because of selfishness, 480 00:22:15,600 --> 00:22:18,800 that I'm not ready to pay what I promised. 481 00:22:18,800 --> 00:22:22,800 In every promise, there is the choice to be like Jesus, 482 00:22:22,800 --> 00:22:26,800 faithful and true, self-sacrificing, self-giving, 483 00:22:28,400 --> 00:22:33,000 or be like Satan, deceptive, selfish, a snake. 484 00:22:36,000 --> 00:22:38,200 And Jesus' remedy for this is simple. 485 00:22:38,200 --> 00:22:42,000 Be intentional, be wise, be committed. 486 00:22:42,000 --> 00:22:44,200 Stop making those grand, grand oaths. 487 00:22:44,200 --> 00:22:46,400 Don't call on heaven and earth to testify 488 00:22:46,400 --> 00:22:50,600 for you, as verse 37 puts it. 489 00:22:50,600 --> 00:22:53,200 Let your yes mean yes and your no, no. 490 00:22:54,800 --> 00:22:57,400 But that simplicity is scary, isn't it? 491 00:22:59,000 --> 00:23:04,000 Because we can't hide things in long, drawn-out word formulas. 492 00:23:04,000 --> 00:23:06,800 We just have to say, yes, I will. 493 00:23:07,800 --> 00:23:10,800 And we can't condition our statements to protect ourselves. 494 00:23:10,800 --> 00:23:13,600 Maybe we'll fail, maybe I'm not ready to do that. 495 00:23:13,600 --> 00:23:16,600 I need to say, no, I won't. 496 00:23:18,800 --> 00:23:21,200 Also, we can't speak over-confidently either. 497 00:23:22,200 --> 00:23:24,800 Can I always follow through? 498 00:23:25,800 --> 00:23:28,800 Will I always be able to make it happen? 499 00:23:28,800 --> 00:23:30,800 Am I even prepared to make that self-sacrifice 500 00:23:30,800 --> 00:23:32,600 in the future, I'm not there yet. 501 00:23:34,000 --> 00:23:35,600 We need to be cautious. 502 00:23:37,000 --> 00:23:40,200 And in the book of James, the apostle expands 503 00:23:40,200 --> 00:23:41,600 on Jesus' message. 504 00:23:41,600 --> 00:23:44,400 The apostle expands on Jesus' thought here. 505 00:23:44,400 --> 00:23:47,000 He explains to his readers, and he calls them 506 00:23:47,000 --> 00:23:49,400 to humility when making plans. 507 00:23:49,400 --> 00:23:52,800 James 4 says, you don't know what tomorrow holds, 508 00:23:53,800 --> 00:23:56,200 which means you don't control the future. 509 00:23:56,200 --> 00:23:58,400 You don't even control tomorrow. 510 00:23:58,400 --> 00:24:01,200 So here's the advice, quoting James. 511 00:24:01,200 --> 00:24:04,200 You should say, if the Lord wills, 512 00:24:04,200 --> 00:24:06,600 we will live and do this or that. 513 00:24:06,600 --> 00:24:08,600 If the Lord wills. 514 00:24:08,600 --> 00:24:11,400 And I'm gonna pause, because I've heard this before too, 515 00:24:11,400 --> 00:24:13,000 hey, should I always say the Lord wills 516 00:24:13,000 --> 00:24:14,200 after every statement? 517 00:24:14,200 --> 00:24:16,400 No, I don't think that that's required either. 518 00:24:16,400 --> 00:24:18,200 I think we can communicate to each other 519 00:24:18,200 --> 00:24:22,000 without those special tags on our sentences. 520 00:24:22,000 --> 00:24:23,600 But it's a matter of the heart. 521 00:24:23,600 --> 00:24:25,000 It's a matter of where we're coming from. 522 00:24:25,000 --> 00:24:27,400 How are we entering into the conversation? 523 00:24:27,400 --> 00:24:29,600 You are a person made in the image of God, 524 00:24:29,600 --> 00:24:31,200 and I should be honoring you. 525 00:24:32,800 --> 00:24:35,400 We are not in absolute control of our lives. 526 00:24:35,400 --> 00:24:39,000 So be humble, be prudent, be cautious 527 00:24:39,000 --> 00:24:41,400 to make that promise tomorrow. 528 00:24:41,400 --> 00:24:45,200 But if you say the thing, you better follow through. 529 00:24:46,800 --> 00:24:49,400 You bear the name of Jesus. 530 00:24:49,400 --> 00:24:53,400 You carry him around in all of your interactions. 531 00:24:53,400 --> 00:24:56,400 To honor him, you put your whole will 532 00:24:56,400 --> 00:24:59,000 into completing your commitment. 533 00:25:03,200 --> 00:25:04,600 And I'll interject here. 534 00:25:04,600 --> 00:25:07,200 I'll interject to myself again to interrupt. 535 00:25:07,200 --> 00:25:10,400 Say, there are some promises that can be made in sin. 536 00:25:10,400 --> 00:25:13,400 Not that the promise was sin, but it was made in sin. 537 00:25:13,400 --> 00:25:16,800 The Old Testament is filled with those promises. 538 00:25:16,800 --> 00:25:19,600 Fathers sacrificing their son or daughter. 539 00:25:20,400 --> 00:25:21,800 Kings willing to kill people 540 00:25:21,800 --> 00:25:23,600 because they didn't listen to a command. 541 00:25:23,600 --> 00:25:26,800 Those are sinful, and it can happen today. 542 00:25:26,800 --> 00:25:28,600 So if you're thinking, Nick, you're telling me 543 00:25:28,600 --> 00:25:29,800 I need to fulfill my promise, 544 00:25:29,800 --> 00:25:33,600 but I might have a different situation here. 545 00:25:33,600 --> 00:25:37,000 I might have promised something that is sinful in itself. 546 00:25:37,000 --> 00:25:39,800 And if that's the case, let's talk, let's chat, 547 00:25:39,800 --> 00:25:42,200 let's try to navigate that together. 548 00:25:42,200 --> 00:25:44,800 Maybe we need to lean more into forgiveness 549 00:25:44,800 --> 00:25:45,800 than fulfilling the promise, 550 00:25:45,800 --> 00:25:47,400 because that would be sinful too. 551 00:25:49,000 --> 00:25:52,600 But for the majority of us, we don't get that out. 552 00:25:54,200 --> 00:25:57,400 We need to conform our wills to Jesus' command. 553 00:25:58,800 --> 00:26:00,600 And what will come of this strange 554 00:26:00,600 --> 00:26:02,600 self-giving follow through? 555 00:26:03,600 --> 00:26:05,400 What's the result of it? 556 00:26:05,400 --> 00:26:08,200 You will be fulfilling the law of God. 557 00:26:09,800 --> 00:26:12,800 You will show that Jesus is your highest treasure, 558 00:26:12,800 --> 00:26:15,400 and you will become more like him. 559 00:26:15,400 --> 00:26:17,000 You will follow in his steps 560 00:26:17,000 --> 00:26:20,200 by overcoming the Satan-like actions. 561 00:26:20,200 --> 00:26:23,600 You will become powerful, a better person, 562 00:26:23,600 --> 00:26:25,200 and more God-honoring. 563 00:26:26,000 --> 00:26:26,800 Amen? 564 00:26:30,600 --> 00:26:32,200 And another thing will happen. 565 00:26:32,200 --> 00:26:34,800 You're gonna make a whole lot less promises. 566 00:26:36,800 --> 00:26:38,600 You will be rightfully scared. 567 00:26:39,600 --> 00:26:41,000 It might be weird up front. 568 00:26:41,000 --> 00:26:43,400 Like again, you might try to use certain tag lines 569 00:26:43,400 --> 00:26:44,800 to communicate something to your loved one. 570 00:26:44,800 --> 00:26:47,800 Like, hey, I'm trying to express how I feel about this, 571 00:26:47,800 --> 00:26:49,800 so I'm gonna use a whole lot more words. 572 00:26:49,800 --> 00:26:51,000 Sure, do that. 573 00:26:51,000 --> 00:26:53,000 Try to be intentional in your communication. 574 00:26:55,000 --> 00:26:56,800 But really what's gonna happen 575 00:26:56,800 --> 00:26:59,400 is you will be able to walk in freedom and not fear. 576 00:26:59,400 --> 00:27:01,000 So let me explain what I mean that 577 00:27:01,000 --> 00:27:02,000 through an example in my life. 578 00:27:02,000 --> 00:27:04,200 I apologize if I keep referencing my life, 579 00:27:04,200 --> 00:27:08,000 but I feel like I've got a good grasp on this one. 580 00:27:11,400 --> 00:27:12,400 My diet. 581 00:27:14,000 --> 00:27:15,000 Thank you, H. 582 00:27:15,000 --> 00:27:17,000 As many people here know, 583 00:27:17,000 --> 00:27:19,400 I am very, very allergic to gluten. 584 00:27:19,400 --> 00:27:22,600 I cannot eat anything that has touched wheat or bread. 585 00:27:24,000 --> 00:27:25,400 I am extremely careful, 586 00:27:25,400 --> 00:27:29,200 because I know if I eat something that has touched wheat 587 00:27:29,200 --> 00:27:32,800 if I'm not, I will have migraines and possible paralysis 588 00:27:32,800 --> 00:27:34,000 for several days. 589 00:27:37,200 --> 00:27:40,400 And I figured out last year I can't have corn either. 590 00:27:40,400 --> 00:27:41,800 And the result is the same. 591 00:27:41,800 --> 00:27:43,600 I get migraines. 592 00:27:43,600 --> 00:27:47,600 So any type of corn product, any additive at all, 593 00:27:47,600 --> 00:27:49,400 is affecting me. 594 00:27:49,400 --> 00:27:50,200 And I'll tell you right now, 595 00:27:50,200 --> 00:27:52,000 there is a lot of corn products out there. 596 00:27:52,000 --> 00:27:54,000 Anything that's pretty much wrapped in plastic 597 00:27:54,000 --> 00:27:56,000 has some kind of corn in it. 598 00:27:56,000 --> 00:27:58,800 And so what happens is if I go to a restaurant 599 00:27:58,800 --> 00:28:01,600 to eat, it takes me about 10 minutes to order my food. 600 00:28:01,600 --> 00:28:04,200 And several trips to the kitchen, I'm that guy. 601 00:28:04,200 --> 00:28:07,400 I just apologize upfront to the waitstaff. 602 00:28:08,400 --> 00:28:10,800 But I also sometimes just go to grocery stores 603 00:28:10,800 --> 00:28:12,600 just to read ingredients labels, 604 00:28:12,600 --> 00:28:14,400 just to see if I could eat anything new. 605 00:28:14,400 --> 00:28:16,200 Just hopefully I can find something. 606 00:28:17,600 --> 00:28:18,600 And most of the time I can't, 607 00:28:18,600 --> 00:28:20,400 but I just walk around reading ingredients labels, 608 00:28:20,400 --> 00:28:23,800 like reading all of them, and then back up. 609 00:28:25,200 --> 00:28:28,600 And so in reading all of these ingredients labels, 610 00:28:28,600 --> 00:28:32,800 my diet just becomes more and more restrictive. 611 00:28:32,800 --> 00:28:34,400 It makes most of my interactions 612 00:28:34,400 --> 00:28:36,200 with food really difficult. 613 00:28:36,200 --> 00:28:39,000 But when I follow my diet correctly, 614 00:28:39,000 --> 00:28:41,200 and I intend to, I always try to, 615 00:28:41,200 --> 00:28:43,000 like I never try to mess up. 616 00:28:43,000 --> 00:28:45,200 There is no cheat days for me. 617 00:28:46,000 --> 00:28:48,200 When I do it though, I live free from migraines. 618 00:28:48,200 --> 00:28:50,200 I don't have to worry about them. 619 00:28:50,200 --> 00:28:53,200 Those restrictions that I've kind of introduced on my diet 620 00:28:53,200 --> 00:28:54,600 allow me to live in freedom, 621 00:28:54,600 --> 00:28:56,800 and comfortable the rest of my life. 622 00:28:56,800 --> 00:28:59,080 the rest of my life. 623 00:28:59,080 --> 00:29:01,160 When I'm careful and intentional about my diet, 624 00:29:01,160 --> 00:29:02,760 I don't have to worry about when the next migraine 625 00:29:02,760 --> 00:29:03,600 is gonna show up. 626 00:29:04,960 --> 00:29:08,320 So let me take that same principle to promise keeping. 627 00:29:10,000 --> 00:29:13,840 If you carefully evaluate your speech in your heart, 628 00:29:13,840 --> 00:29:18,440 if you read the ingredients labels of your promises first, 629 00:29:18,440 --> 00:29:20,600 really look at what you're saying. 630 00:29:20,600 --> 00:29:24,200 Do you find that your guess really means yes? 631 00:29:24,200 --> 00:29:28,360 Or do you find broken promises and unfulfilled commitments 632 00:29:28,360 --> 00:29:31,800 to your friends, coworkers, 633 00:29:31,800 --> 00:29:34,200 very likely your kids or your spouse? 634 00:29:37,760 --> 00:29:42,200 This is sin, and it devalues those made in God's image. 635 00:29:43,000 --> 00:29:45,160 Stop doing it. 636 00:29:45,160 --> 00:29:46,160 Just stop. 637 00:29:47,240 --> 00:29:48,440 Like, just don't make the promise 638 00:29:48,440 --> 00:29:49,520 if you don't feel like you can keep it. 639 00:29:49,520 --> 00:29:50,760 If you've failed enough times in the past, 640 00:29:50,760 --> 00:29:52,360 just stop making the promise. 641 00:29:52,360 --> 00:29:54,000 And I'm preaching to myself here, like, 642 00:29:54,000 --> 00:29:56,200 I'm sitting up here and my wife is right there. 643 00:29:56,200 --> 00:29:58,200 She is hearing me say, 644 00:29:58,200 --> 00:30:00,160 Nick, stop making those promises. 645 00:30:04,160 --> 00:30:07,400 But I need to read the ingredients labels of my promises. 646 00:30:07,400 --> 00:30:09,640 I need to read them really carefully. 647 00:30:09,640 --> 00:30:12,400 What will it take to fulfill that promise? 648 00:30:12,400 --> 00:30:14,200 Or that oath or that commitment? 649 00:30:14,200 --> 00:30:16,920 What sacrifices involved? 650 00:30:16,920 --> 00:30:18,040 Am I ready to pay the cost? 651 00:30:18,040 --> 00:30:19,440 Are you ready to pay the cost? 652 00:30:19,440 --> 00:30:23,600 Satan is waiting for us to make promises we can't keep 653 00:30:23,600 --> 00:30:26,040 because then he can keep us in failure 654 00:30:26,920 --> 00:30:28,720 and humiliating those around us. 655 00:30:29,520 --> 00:30:32,720 But Jesus is calling us to fulfill the law 656 00:30:32,720 --> 00:30:35,400 by being truthful and honest in our speech. 657 00:30:35,400 --> 00:30:37,040 And this isn't just a kindergarten rule. 658 00:30:37,040 --> 00:30:39,320 Like, hey, you always need to be truthful 659 00:30:39,320 --> 00:30:41,360 because it hurts those around you. 660 00:30:41,360 --> 00:30:44,480 This isn't even about adding a new rule to follow, 661 00:30:44,480 --> 00:30:47,240 but it's about bringing life to everyone around you. 662 00:30:47,240 --> 00:30:50,400 But it's about bringing life to everyone around us 663 00:30:50,400 --> 00:30:52,720 and glorifying our Father in heaven. 664 00:30:52,720 --> 00:30:56,440 It's so much more because it delivers the other person 665 00:30:56,440 --> 00:30:57,960 the worth that is due them. 666 00:30:59,760 --> 00:31:03,360 And at the same time, we get to value our Father in heaven 667 00:31:03,360 --> 00:31:06,040 because he is truth and light 668 00:31:06,040 --> 00:31:08,000 and we should be living in him. 669 00:31:09,400 --> 00:31:11,680 So I just want to make sure you hear me 670 00:31:11,680 --> 00:31:15,040 that I am not trying to say don't make promises. 671 00:31:15,040 --> 00:31:17,160 Don't say those things in that way. 672 00:31:17,160 --> 00:31:19,680 Because that's just what the Pharisees did. 673 00:31:19,680 --> 00:31:21,000 Because we all have to do it. 674 00:31:21,000 --> 00:31:24,520 We all live in community with each other. 675 00:31:24,520 --> 00:31:27,840 We have to make commitments, we have to rely on each other. 676 00:31:27,840 --> 00:31:31,360 And so just as Jesus, just when you say yes, 677 00:31:31,360 --> 00:31:33,720 when you say yes, mean yes. 678 00:31:33,720 --> 00:31:36,560 And when you say no, I'm not gonna do that again, 679 00:31:36,560 --> 00:31:38,880 mean no, you're not gonna do it again. 680 00:31:40,320 --> 00:31:43,840 And in that, we get to make Jesus look so beautiful 681 00:31:43,840 --> 00:31:45,360 and so wonderful. 682 00:31:45,360 --> 00:31:47,560 And that's the point. 683 00:31:47,560 --> 00:32:14,160 Let's pray.