Day 13

Chase: Hello and welcome to the Point Church Podcast. We're really glad you're here. Before we jump in, if you'd like to stay connected, you can download the Point Church app. It's a simple way to find messages, resource, and what's happening. And if this podcast is helpful, take a moment to like, subscribe, and share. You can find us on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music. Let's get into today's episode. Hello everyone and welcome back to the Point Church Podcast. I'm here with Pastor Sam as we are working through the Gospel of Matthew for our season one kickoff of forty days, forty podcast, and ⁓ we're working through the book of Matthew and today we're in chapter five ⁓ starting in verse seventeen. It reads Don't think that I came to abolish the law or the prophets. I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or one stroke of a letter will pass away from the law until all things are accomplished. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commands and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever does and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven. Yep. So like in that time, like that's sitting a pretty high bar 'cause like scribes and Pharisees are Yeah top top. It's it's their job basically to not only memorize the scriptures and the law and but also to live it out like th that was their Job, that was their life, that was everything. And what Jesus is originally saying up top is like, don't think just because I'm here that any of this is getting easier. In fact, it's gonna get harder. Yeah. Like the righteousness. So like there was some thought that when the Messiah comes up, maybe part of the law would be done away with, and he's like, No, no, no. Everything in the old testament stands. Everything stands. And you could translate it to the idiom of smallest. Like the smallest letter of the law is in like no dot of an I, no cross of a T will be eliminated from the law. Yeah. Like that's all standing. Okay, so if you can do that, if you can hold every single law all the time, forever, and you're more righteous than the Pharisees, then you can enter into the kingdom of heaven. But if you break even the smallest law, you are guilty. And if you go on to teach others to do the same, like, ⁓ that part of scripture doesn't really matter, which people are sometimes fans of doing. Like, ⁓ you don't need to worry about that. Jesus like, if you do that, you're considered least in the kingdom of heaven because you taught others to break the law as well. So he's saying the bar is so high that the only way there it's impossible for you to do this. And he's setting up for This is the only way for you to enter into the kingdom is to enter through me. And therefore, like we need Jesus' righteousness to come into our hearts in order to enter into the kingdom of heaven. In verse twenty one it says, You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, do not murder, and whoever murders will be subject to judgment. But I tell you, everyone who is angry with his brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Whoever insults his brother or sister will be subject to court. Whoever says you fool will be subject to hellfire. Yep. So again in the original language, you fool translates to if you call someone Raka I think is how you pronounce it, Raka, which can also be translated to idiot. Yeah. So has anyone have you ever called someone an idiot? I know I have. Probably just about every one of our listeners over the age of one and a half years old has called someone else an idiot, even yourself an idiot. Jesus is saying, like, you know, the standard isn't just that you take out a gun or a knife and shoot somebody. The standard is murdering them in their he in your heart. Like because again you're desecrating someone made in the image of God. You're murdering them in your heart by what you say about them, like your your loose words. So again, like that is enough to condemn you, according to Jesus. And you're like, What? Like that's a crazy I stand there. But that's the point, is that your heart is broken by sin, so you need a new heart. Again, you need Jesus. Verse twenty three, it says, So if you are offering Your gift on the altar, and there you remember that your brother or sister has something against you. Leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled with your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift. Reach a settlement quickly with your adversary while you're on the way with him to the court, or your adversary will hand you over to the judge and the judge to the officers, and you will be thrown into prison. Truly I tell you. You will never get out of there until you have paid the last penny. Yeah. So Jesus is saying like forgiveness is so crucial that if you're about to make your offering in those days, it would have been like an animal. Maybe for us we think about like a financial offering or you know, something like that, that you're going to the altar and you're like, ⁓ I'm upset with my boss or my spouse or a child, something like that. He's like, Leave everything. Mm-hmm. Go address that now, which in those days would have been leaving it at the temple, going back down the mountain, going probably leaving Jerusalem, going back home, reconciling with that person, then go all the way back, which was probably a multiple days journey. When I first read this, I thought, you know, ⁓ I'm making my sacrifice at the altar, you know, maybe a financial gift, but the person maybe I'm mad at is in the room. That's awkward enough. Jesus like don't worry about the awkwardness. Worry about what happens if that bitterness is allowed to fester and grow in your heart. Yeah. Go and reconcile to that person. And then he doubles down. So that's like a like a brother or sister. But then he goes again and says your adversary. So if there's someone who's taking you to court or you're taking them to court, he's like, work it out with your enemy. Because if you don't, not only it's gonna cost you your heart, like the bitterness and the anger that's gonna fester, but it's also gonna cost you financially. Like the courts aren't gonna let you off just because you forgive them two weeks into your sentence, or vice versa. They're gonna be like, No, not till every penny is paid. So Jesus is saying this way that I'm teaching you of forgiveness not only spares your heart, but it also leads to your life running smoother as well. So again, Jesus is teaching like Lay yourself aside. Become humble of heart. Gentle and lowly is other language he uses like him. Become gentle and lowly of heart. Not saying let people walk all over you. Yep. That's the difference. You're not a peacekeeper. You're a peacemaker. You make peace between those that you have problems with. Brothers and sisters, maybe in Christ or the adversary. Mm-hmm. Go out of your way to be at peace with everyone. Amen. And with that, we're gonna Stop today's episode and we'll be back tomorrow. So thanks for tuning in wherever you are and ⁓ we'll see you tomorrow.