What's Your Words Worth? | Pastor Adrian Vega | Overflow Church

Uh one of the greatest enhancers of joy is Thanksgiving.

Amen.

It says the manufacturer of joy is Thanksgiving.

It means if joy is dried up for any reason and you want joy to be resuscitated as the patient that needs joy, what you have to do is activate Thanksgiving.

Amen.

And really the idea here is that how we give God thanks today.

And it was funny because I heard this and I had just, man, probably a day or two before I was talking to Pastor Michelle and I was talking around this theme of Thanksgiving.

And I said, man, you know, sometimes we come into spaces and we give God this blanket.

Man, thank you, God.

And surely we are thankful for the Lord.

But sometimes I gotta remember why I'm thankful for the Lord.

It's attaching, man, what I'm seeing.

It's attaching those things.

Why?

Because it creates then what?

Man, the platform that I stand my faith on.

So when I say, God, I'm thankful.

I'm thankful for my house that I got today.

God, I'm thankful for the car that I got.

God, I'm thankful today because, and you fill in the blank, and what does that do?

It begins to anchor Thanksgiving.

And what begins to do?

It begins to well up joy in your heart.

Why?

Because you remember, man, you know it didn't have to be this way.

Man, I remember when I was praying for the job and I got the job.

I was praying for the promotion and I got the promotion.

And I was praying for this and I got this.

Because sometimes we get it, and at some point we're like, man, God, but that promotion, man, more work, Lord God.

But man, at one point, that was the miracle we're believing for him.

Come on, amen.

So, guys, uh, the the the song that I want to attach to that thought is in Psalms 104.

And I love this one.

It says, Enter his gates with thanksgiving.

And go into his courts with praise.

Give thanks to him and praise his name.

Amen.

Man, what does that mean for us, man?

It's in these moments that we get together.

Man, I'll tell you what, we may not be a whole lot of people right now, but the word of God says, man, two or three.

All I need is is two in the two in the room.

I get some things going.

All I need is a few to get some things happening.

But when we get in the room, we come with thanksgiving on our lips.

And we enter his courts.

What is entering his courts is is closing our eyes, and in that moment that I close my eyes, man, God, I'm with you today, and I'm gonna give you all my praise.

I'm gonna give you everything I got.

And we praise his name, and and man, in the back of my mind, I begin to attach.

God, I'm thankful for my family.

I'm thankful for the things that you're doing in our midst.

I thank you today, God, that you rescued me.

I'm thank you, thankful today, God, because you saw me in lost places.

Amen.

So I hope you're encouraged by that one because it encouraged me.

So I'm gonna read that one for one more time for you guys.

One of the greatest enhancers of joy is Thanksgiving.

And when I say Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving.

The manufacturer of joy is Thanksgiving.

That means if joy is dried up for any reason, how does joy dry up?

By hard times.

How does joy dry up?

Because, man, sometimes we're going through a lot of storms that you know, like uh they can't back to back to back.

If you ain't got a storm of back to back, like you know what I'm talking about, right?

Uh, where it seems like yo, I'm not catching a break.

It comes to dry up joy.

But how do I resuscitate that joy?

Man, by activating Thanksgiving again.

And remembering why we're doing this, amen.

So good.

Amen.

So uh as we get going, man, we have been in a series called Follow Me the Way.

And again, we've been building precept upon precept, man, going through God's word and and and really looking at the life of Jesus and how do we live a faith-forward and spirit-led life.

And the scripture that we started this was around Psalms 119, 105 that says that the word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

And I believe his word that is lighting the path for us is leading us back to Jesus, is leading us back to the Son, because through the Son is how we get to the Father.

Amen.

So with that in mind, we're gonna close our eyes and pray one last time before we get into the word.

Man, we thank you today, Lord God, because you are in the room today.

I thank you today, Lord God, because your word is here and your word is alive and active, Lord God.

I thank you for your presence, Lord God.

And I pray, Lord God, let the manifest presence of God meet us in your word today, Lord God.

I pray today, let this word convict, challenge, and transform us today.

Lord God, let this word, Lord God, be a seeking word that ministers to us life in every way and in every season.

And I pray today, Lord God, let me simply be a vessel and a vehicle that you would work through today.

In Jesus' name we pray.

Amen and amen.

And really, what is the the maybe like a story that can frame this around in what God is going to be sharing with us today in his word?

And I was remembering a story.

It's actually a uh this fable, uh and it's found at, you know, uh, if you ever heard of Aesop's Fables, right?

Have you ever heard that before?

Aesop's Fables, it's a he was an ancient writer.

I didn't say what's up, I said Aesop, okay?

I'm watching you guys out there.

Uh but Aesop's Fables, yeah, he was a Greek storyteller.

He's famous for a lot of his short stories framing some moral ideas and moral thoughts.

And the one that I gravitated to and when I was working on this passage was around the boy who cried wolf.

You heard that story?

The boy who cried wolf.

I mean, it's one of those uh tales as old as time, as they say, right?

Uh, but it's centered around the idea of this story is a young shepherd boy who's watching the sheep, but he's lonely on the hillside.

And at some point in the midst of his loneliness, he he's like, Man, what do I do?

And he starts to yell, wolf.

And everybody in the town, uh man, stops what they're doing, and they start scrambling to help the young boy in the hillside.

And he's on the top of the hill, he's laughing at everyone that's moving hysterically to come and help him.

And of course, there's no wolf.

Right, right.

And the people go back, and then another time he comes and he's lonely and he's bored, and he yells again, wolf, wolf! And he sees everybody scrambling, he's laughing, and it's a big joke.

And of course, what does this do?

The people in the in the they're like, Man, this we just can't play games.

Right.

Let me try that thing one more time, right?

And what happens?

It comes a time when there's an actual wolf on the hillside, and when he cries, wolf, nobody comes.

Because they said, Man, this this kid is lying again, right?

And the wolf comes and and and takes the sheep.

And the moral of the story is, hey man, uh, don't be telling lies, right?

Uh, I mean, they don't get more real than that, right?

Uh, the moral of the story is, man, that liars are not believed, even when they tell the truth.

Trust is hard to build and easy to lose.

Right?

Trust is hard to build but easy to lose.

And we've been going through a series, and I want you to keep that idea in mind.

We've been going through a series, and we've just entered in uh to the Sermon on the Mount, and we talked through the Beatitudes, and and now we're we're deep into the Sermon on the Mount.

And the idea here is Jesus has come to do this inner transformation.

And on the Sermon on the Mount, he's here to inject not only the disciples, but the listeners with his DNA.

And he's he's teaching them these things that are so challenging in the moment that they're in.

Because these things are like out of the box, right?

It's out of the box thinking.

And for us, it is not different, uh, is the same.

It challenges how we preview life.

A transformed heart is the core entry point and the working mechanism of God's kingdom.

Rather than external rule, God changes us from the inside out.

The inner life shifts, allowing believers to experience heaven's power here on earth.

Why?

Because we change the way that we live and that activates how we see the Lord in our life.

Amen.

So we we're gonna pick it up and we're in Matthew chapter 5, verse 33 through 37, and we're gonna go through this.

Matthew 5:33–37

I'm actually gonna read this from the New King James Version, and I'm gonna pick it up in 33, and it says, again, everybody say again.

You have heard that it is said to those of old, you shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.

So we're gonna break that down a little bit, right?

So again, you hear the same phrase, again you have heard, and again, what Jesus is is letting people know, hey, don't you remember?

Recall what you have heard from the synagogue leader, recall what you've heard from your mom, your dad, your uncle, whoever it is.

At some point you have heard this, and I want you to remember what this initial thought was in your mind.

Why?

Because this is something that had already been taught.

And it goes, You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.

This is a direct reference to the third commandment and the law of Moses.

In the third commandment in Leviticus chapter 9, verse 12, it says, And you shall not swear by my name falsely, nor shall you profane the name of the Lord.

Leviticus 9:12

I am the Lord.

And in context or another, it says, Don't take the Lord's name in vain.

How many heard that?

Don't take the Lord's name in vain.

I mean, everybody heard that one.

You say something, oh, why are you taking in the Lord's name in vain?

Don't do that, right?

Like, I mean, I've been caught up on that one so many times.

Uh, but why?

Because uh, yeah, there's a truth behind it, but what Jesus is trying to bring us is, hey man, let's get you the understanding behind that truth.

So it goes on and says, What does this mean?

This commands people not to use God's name to back up a lie or a broken promise.

Doing this treats God's holy character as cheap and untrustworthy.

God enforces this command by his authority.

I am of the Lord.

That's why at the end of that scripture, he's saying this, and he's like, hey man, the gravity of this is, man, I am the Lord that was saying this to you.

Demanding complete, true honesty in all of us, in all our agreements.

Right?

Because we want to use words like, and and you've heard this, maybe, maybe this one is one of you guys, right?

I don't know.

I'm not here to cast aspersions on anybody here, but but have you ever heard like I I swear to God?

Have you ever used that one?

Oh, I swear to God, it wasn't on me.

On God, on God, like, yo, this is God told me.

Have you heard that one?

God told that's a come on now.

That's man, don't go down that road, guys.

God told me.

Oh, God told me to do this.

Oh, really?

Did he now?

Uh but what is he saying?

He's saying, hey man, we're using these phrases, we're using these words, and and it's really trying to double down on the on probably something that is not true.

And he's saying, hey man, every time you do that, what you do is diminish the value of my name.

And when you say, hey, man, uh-huh on Jesus, or man, uh on God, or man, I swear to God, it has no weight.

And what God, what Jesus is saying is that, hey man, you you're throwing around my name, my father's name, and you're cheapening the power or the impact behind what that really means.

Right?

And that's where the commandment goes, don't use my name in vain.

It's trying to give gravity to something.

We we use these phrases to give gravity to something, but it's a misuse of something that is holy.

And then we look at the law of Moses, because these two thoughts are coming together.

And in Numbers 30, verse 2, again in the New King James Version, you hear a part of the law of Moses, and it says, if a man makes a vow to the Lord or swears an oath to bind himself by some agreement, he shall not break his word.

Numbers 30:2

He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.

So, what does this mean?

Let me break down, like, what is an oath?

What is that, what is the biblical oath?

What does that mean?

It is a solemn binding promise or declaration that invokes God as a witness and judge to guarantee the truth of a statement or fulfill a commitment.

If the oath taker breaks the promise, they invite divine accountability.

This is the crux of it.

They invite divine accountability or judgment upon themselves.

So essentially, like, hey man, I'm saying this.

God is the granter of this promise.

Meaning, hey man, if I'm wrong, you know, you ever heard this one?

The Lord strike me down.

Let me tell you.

Luckily, God is not in the lightning business like that.

Because it means that it'd be a lot of burn-up people, okay?

But oh, let the Lord could strike me down.

This is why how I know he's merciful.

Because he's like, man, I'm about to catch you.

Uh, but he let some people go on that one, okay?

Um, in the Hebrew, oath means Shava.

It's a solemn oath or sworn statement, often invoking God as a witness.

You see the gravity of what he's saying.

He said, Hey, man, when you invoke my name, it's essentially saying, like, hey, I'm co-signing what you said.

So when I said, hey, on God, it's saying, hey, I'm saying this, but man, God is my witness to that statement.

And you know you're lying.

You know it ain't even the truth.

Oh, I'm God.

I swear to the Lord.

Well, see that sometimes we say with passion, we're chess, you know?

And and but God is, hey, Jesus in his kindness, like, hey, hey, hey, like we need to watch this, right?

Uh in Old Testament context, this was forbidding swearing falsely by God's name so as to not profane or cheapen the holiness of God.

Swearing an oath meant invoking God's name as a witness again, binding one's own character or soul to the fulfillment of that promise.

So, this is where Jesus is bringing the statement.

That's what that statement is coming from.

So we go a little bit further down, and it says in verse 34, but I say, I love because he always got something to say.

Yeah, but I say to you, do not swear at all.

Neither by heaven, for uh for it is God's throne, nor by the earth, for it is his footstool, nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great king.

36, nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black.

So again, starting from the beginning in 34, it says, but I say, again, Jesus asserting authority here over the scripture, authority over the word.

He's expounding a greater insight in this teaching.

Why?

Because at this point, what's happening is the Pharisees and the religious leaders of that day kind of found started finding like loopholes around this, right?

Because, yes, they wanted to honor God and they knew his name was holy.

So they're like, well, we can't use his name in vain, okay?

However, what then they were doing was not using his name, but saying, Hey, I swear on heaven.

No, no, but man, I swear on Jerusalem.

Man, I I swear on God's throne.

Right?

And they're and what they're trying to do is find the loophole around, hey, I want to bring gravity to this, but I know I I can't use his name in vain.

And then what Jesus is saying is, hey, it's all mine.

It's all mine, anyways.

Right?

So even though you're not saying my name, he's saying here, uh heaven, that that's my throne.

Uh you want to talk about uh Jerusalem, but that's my city.

Right.

Uh you you want to talk about uh earth, oh, that's my footstool.

So he's essentially saying, hey man, you're trying to use all of these other ways to bring like uh something concrete to your story or your lie, but it's the same thing.

Why?

Because man, his name is sacred.

And they understand, hey man, it's sacred.

I don't want to use his name.

But man, if we do it this way, then we're, you know, we ain't gonna be too mad.

Why?

Because they're also looking at his, hey man, uh there's not that divine judgment that's coming because I'm not using his name.

So what is it saying?

It's implying less serious consequences when I break my oath.

It was wrong.

Why?

Because I was reading in in one commentary, and they were saying, man, uh at some at some points people were saying, hey, well, uh, man, I guarantee this, uh, you know, I'll repay you uh in in in you know, and using God's name attached to that.

As Jesus, or God is the grantor or the guaranteer of that promise.

And then they were going back and said, Well, well, clearly God didn't want me to repay this because if you would have wanted me to repay this, he would have blessed me to give you the money.

Wow.

I was like, yo, people are savage out there.

Okay.

I mean, that's in the old testament.

I'm not saying that happened today.

I mean, you know, I'm not trying to judge somebody's life out here, but uh, but but what happens?

That's why God's like, hey man, you cannot just be throwing stuff out there.

Because it's it's still me that is at the center of all of these things.

And now today, instead of, you know, oh yeah, we don't say like God's throne, or we don't say uh on earth, but we will you hear things like I'm my mom.

You heard that one?

Oh, I'm my dead grandma.

That poor lady.

I don't even know who she is.

Oh, I'm my name, right?

Like you hear all of these random, and what are we trying to do?

We're trying to anchor a story, but we're trying to find something that's got gravity to it.

And we're trying to attach something that's got a gravity to it.

Because we've heard these things, and again, don't take God's name in vain.

Where Jesus is trying to bring us an understanding.

God owns everything, it is all his.

To the point where he says, hey man, uh, you can't even swear on your head, and and really it's just you know, Jesus got jokes because that's Jesus got that's his little like, okay, you can't even say this on your head.

Why?

Because it's ain't like you can't, you have no control.

I mean, clearly, look at I had no control.

If I would have I I think that's maybe I swear on my hair, I don't know.

It is gone now.

But but he's saying, hey, I got no control, you got no control over any of these things, not even your head.

But you're trying to swear oaths to these things in verse 37.

But let your yes be yes, and your no be no.

For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.

So, what is this?

The but is the spiritual interruption.

Why?

Because Jesus is understanding, hey man, like I want you to understand, like, hey, you're doing all these things, you're misusing my name, you're misrepresenting me, you're misrepresenting what yourself.

But in the kingdom, and what I want, I'm what I'm teaching you in the DNA he's trying to inject into us is hey man, um let your yes simply be yes, and your no simply be no.

What does that mean?

Say what you mean and mean what you say.

You heard that say, man?

And and and this is the challenge where Jesus is telling us as the listener, hey man, like uh we we gotta get some things correct.

Like you you are using all of these different things.

Why?

Because there's no weight to what you say, so you're trying to anchor it on something.

Why?

Because you you you know, hey man, at some point there's been the loss of what I call that credibility.

Because today, maybe your yes is not yes, maybe today your no is not no.

We live in the maybe.

You know how I feel that day, right?

And and that's how we base decisions.

Oh, you know, and and this impacts the credibility, and this impacts how people preview us or see us.

You know, like it goes on to little things, you know.

I I I don't know, I don't think my brother will ever listen to this message.

If you do, I love you.

Um, but man, you know, it is it's like if if we have uh, you know, and this every year, I mean, we get together for every holiday, you know, we do Thanksgiving, we do Christmas, we do all these different gatherings, and we'll be like, hey, uh we need you to be here at you know 11 o'clock.

And I know when he says, I'm gonna be, you lying.

Then you already started lying.

You're not gonna be there at 11 o'clock.

It's it's very subjective.

So when he tells me 11, do I believe 11?

No, I don't believe 11.

I said, Man, you'll get there eventually.

Just say I'll be there eventually.

Man, I remember one time we was like, hey, we need you to break, so we thought like it.

We gave them a responsibility.

Hey, we need you to bring, and I forgot what it was like something crucial to the meal.

And uh we were like, hey, I I need you to show up uh and we need you to bring this, okay?

But you gotta make sure, hey, like this is part of the dinner.

You gotta be, no, no, I got you, I got you, I got you.

Okay, cool, cool.

Guys, can I tell you we ate dinner?

Man, we was knee deep in dessert.

And my boy rolls up with some side items.

I'm like, bro, we done.

We done can't take them out of the car, I guess.

I don't know what to tell you.

I guess you can enjoy it with your meal.

But what happens?

Hey man, our yes is is not really yes then, right?

And the no isn't really no then.

But how many know we live our lives in these ways?

It was like the other day we uh we I was setting something up, and and uh it was funny because um, you know, somebody that they hit me back up and it said, hey, um, like are we getting together, but this, and this is such a terrible statement.

Um, but it said, are we getting together?

But this is like Puerto Rican time or like real time, right?

And you know, it's a terrible, I'm Puerto Rican, so I can make that expression.

Uh, but what happened?

It is simply saying that we have garnered a reputation for not being very punctual.

What does that mean, man?

Our credibility is a little bit shot, right?

So, uh, you know, to that I attested, hey, I can't account for everybody.

I'll be on time.

Okay?

Why?

Because at the end of the day, man, these are this is a virtue that Jesus is trying to teach us.

What is the credibility behind the things that we say or what we mean?

And this is impacting.

Why?

Because at some point, because we know, hey man, I've already like got the trend.

I already know myself, so that's how we attach.

No, no, but this on God.

You see how how that happens?

Then we begin to attach.

No, no, no.

I swear to God, I'm gonna be there.

Trust me.

And and just like my brother, brother, like we have to do the like we're we say, hey, be here at this time.

We know that's like at least an hour, two hours before the actual time.

So there's a like a sometimes a separate message that I send, like, hold up, are we meeting at this time?

No, no, no, that was just for for him, but we're meeting at this time, right?

It's it's terrible, terrible, terrible.

God, forgive us, Lord, forgive us.

But what happens?

This is about credibility, right?

But we do these little things in little areas.

And what Jesus is saying, hey man, whether it's here or whether it's there, it's about credibility.

And again, even though you may not see it just like the boy that cried wolf, man, we're we're causing people to know, like, is this guy for real?

Or is this she is she real?

Is this is this legit or is it not legit?

And this is the you know, the the tension that Jesus is talking about in this passage.

It's hey man, uh, but this is what I'm telling you.

Like, man, stop doing it this way.

Like, I get that, hey man, at a baseline, oh I'm not, I'm not, you know, trying to use God's name in vain.

But yeah, you're you're still misrepresenting your own self.

Because whether it's, you know, that's where he breaks down.

Whether the earth or it's you know the throne or heaven or this or that, hey man, it's the same thing because what you're doing is wrong.

Or you're approaching it in the wrong way.

Your word must be so honest and clear that you do not need to add anything to prove you're telling the truth.

In James chapter 5, verse 12.

James 5:12

I'm gonna read this from the Passion Translation.

I love the language here.

It says, Above all, we must be uh we must be those who never need to verify our speech as truthful by swearing by the heavens or by the earth or any other oath.

But instead, we must be so full of integrity, read that again, but instead we must be so full of integrity that our yes or our no is convincing enough, and we do not need to stumble into hypocrisy.

That's how powerful.

I I chose that because in the passion it gives you some really good language, right?

It gives you a little bit more depth around what Jesus is saying or what the communicator is giving us as far as, hey man, like you you can try to do these other things.

He already said don't do any of these things.

But man, if your integrity is right, man, your yes holds weight, your no holds weight.

Have you ever met somebody that you know if they said something, that's it.

Like it's it's happening.

Like man, I've met people that I'm like, yo, if they said they're gonna do this thing, close your eyes.

It's gonna happen.

I trust fall with them guys.

Let's go.

Why?

Because I know, hey man, they're gonna be there.

They're gonna catch me, right?

Why?

Because, man, there's such a full level of integrity behind the yes or behind the no.

And this is what Jesus is challenging us with.

Hey, man, are you in that place?

Are you walking in that level of integrity in every area?

Because this is not some areas where, oh, you know, I try to be a little bit more here.

Uh, you know, sometimes over here is in everything, right?

DNA.

Jesus is here to change our DNA.

This is why this whole message exists.

He's saying, Hey man, the kingdom is coming to you.

This is how the kingdom is coming, it's changing your DNA.

The kingdom has come to change our DNA.

We have to become this expression.

In Colossians chapter 4, verse 6.

Colossians 4:6

I read this one in the passion again.

It says, let every word, I already say every word you speak be drenched with grace and tempered with truth and clarity.

For then you will be prepared to give a respectful answer to anyone who asks about your faith.

Isn't that powerful?

I love this idea of drenched with grace.

When I think of something that's drenched, I you know, I think of like, have you ever have you ever gotten like a like a like a thick cotton towel and like dumped it in water and like you lift, and it's like it's heavy.

It's I mean, you can you're like and and it's just like pouring out the the water.

And he's saying, hey man, every word is it drenched in grace.

Is it drenched, what does that mean?

Hey man, is is what I'm saying drenched in a level of integrity?

That when I'm saying something, man, it's again, I love that, tempered with the truth and clarity.

Like I'm not here to mince words.

You know what I'm trying to say, you know what I'm what I'm getting at.

Why?

Because how do we expect people to, man, get value behind what we say?

Man, if all the other parts don't match.

We want we want to share faith, but if there's no credibility in who we are, does faith hold the same weight?

Why?

Because they're like, oh, I mean, I'll take anything they say with a grain of salt.

Have you ever heard of that?

I said I've said that one.

I'll take that one with a grain of salt.

Why?

Because it's almost like that, hey, you don't got a lot of credibility on this thing, but you know, maybe.

And Jesus is saying, hey, we don't want people to reside in that space.

I don't want the people of God to reside in that space where when you say something, it is measured by that, well, you know, I take what they say with a grain of salt.

But man, when you're someone who walks in integrity, someone who who, man, is is I love this, drenched their words and grace.

Man, when you speak, there's a depth, an authenticity that, man, you know what?

I believe that.

Man, I trust that.

It pulls you in.

You know, I remember hearing one story, it was a young man, and I think I shared this one maybe like a month ago or so, but he was saying uh that he was starting a school year, and you know, he was he was saying, hey man, his dad had a talk with him about, hey, you gotta watch out for some different things, you know, like uh, you know, you're gonna you're gonna start, you know, he was going into high school and he's like, hey, you're gonna see some kids doing some things, and he knows he's coming out of middle school, he's like, Dad, that's like that's in the movies, or that's that's like that's not even real, right?

And he was like, Look, I'm just letting you know you may see the you know, the you know, people with drugs, you might see some people drinking, you might experience these things.

You know, I need you to be a little bit mindful of these things and guard your heart, right?

And what happens?

He he gets into high school, and sure enough, he's like, man, you know, like a couple weeks in, some of the kids were like, hey man, they I think they got like a vape pen or something, and like, oh, we're gonna go vape.

And and he immediately he remembers this conversation.

And he was like, Oh my, yo, my dad was for real.

Like, this is crazy out here.

Because for him, it was, it did not seem like, hey, man, like that was like real, right?

Sounds like I feel like some of that stuff is just TV stuff, but it's real out there.

And what happens?

He makes a choice in that moment, he says, you know what?

That's not for me.

He walks away.

And then there's a party, and they're they're they're they were gonna start, you know, drinking and do some other stuff.

And he got invited, but he that's not for me.

But what he started to see is little by little, they just stopped inviting him anywhere.

And and that crowd just kind of pulled away from him.

And he was in that tension of like, man, I don't want to lose friends that I know, but man, I also want to make a stand for what I believe.

But what happens?

Then when stuff starts falling apart, they go to him.

And he begins to speak life over them.

But now what's happened?

Man, it's drenched.

His word is drenched in grace.

Why?

Because they saw every time that he said no, they saw every time that he walked away.

And they said, hey man, it's credibility because this guy's not just you know a hypocrite where he he, you know, he gives away a little bit here or he's given away a little bit here.

But man, he's made a stand on something, and I see it.

This is the credibility of faith, and it goes in not only our actions, but the things that we're saying, the things that we're committing ourselves to.

And Jesus is saying, hey man, is your yes, yes, is the no, no?

Because this is what it needs to be.

You shouldn't have to add anything to it.

Because I'll tell you what, if you need like the sofrito and you need like all the other, then we already lost, right?

That's like the it's a Spanish like uh seasoning, right?

Uh where if you gotta over-season your words, then we might be missing it.

If it's not simple, like what do you need for ice?

Ice simple.

Your word should be just as clear, it should deliver the same.

But man, if you gotta deliver that thing, like, man, I mean, hit this thing with some salt, some pepper.

Let me, man, I gotta get I don't even know.

Get that cum in on there.

Get it, I I don't know.

I mean, you know, you get that parsley.

I I we're trying to over season our words.

Why?

Because there's no credibility.

And what's worse is when you don't even after you season that thing, you still don't do it.

And that's real.

That's real.

Where, man, you know, we we're creating this space where there's no depth, no weight to what we're saying.

And and we wonder why, you know, and and there's so many different challenges where sometimes people have conflicts with men with receiving faith.

Because they see so many people that are like, in one breath, man, yeah, Jesus, yes, God.

But then on the other side, they walk with no credibility, no integrity.

And this is the tension where God is saying, hey man, in what you're saying, in the life that you're trying to live, how are you how are you using your words?

What is the weight behind your words?

Is there is it is it credible?

And I can just imagine the disciples that are sitting there.

And and some of them obviously had a little bit checkered history, okay?

Uh these weren't like the like the the the top candidates out of the synagogue.

Like he was out there like, hey, let me get like the valedictorian of the synagogue.

No, he said, hey, fishermen, come out here.

Hey, you tax collector, come over here.

So he's bringing this ragti group of people, injecting his DNA, and what are they doing in this moment?

They're like, oh man, this is hard.

Come on, this is this is heavy word.

For the listener, this was heavy word.

Why?

Because, man, they have already learned over time, like, oh, make these oaths, and you know, if it doesn't come come, you know, come out right, it's okay.

But Jesus said, no, that's not okay.

Stop, stop adding.

Stop adding to.

Man, but you should be and you should walk in such a way that when you say something, that's it.

You know, we we we look at that in a lot of ways as very old school.

Right?

Like back in the day, you used to have the like man, I I could shake on it, and my word is bond, right?

Have you heard that saying?

Like it was funny, I was in a conversation the other day.

It was this older gentleman.

We're talking about some stuff.

It's like some business stuff.

He looks at me in the eye.

My word is bond.

He did it.

He did the handshake, and I was like, bad, right?

Hey, I mean, I I believe him until I can't believe him.

Right?

You trust until you can't trust.

But the idea behind this is he understood, hey man, there's credibility behind my word, and I want to be a man of my word.

And like anything else, until you prove me different.

And Jesus said, hey, don't get in that spot where you're proved different.

In the last part of this verse, it says, For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.

So he said, Hey man, your yes should be yes.

And your no should be no.

And and actually, before I get into this problem, just cover the the other part, the no.

If you can't do something, I can't do it.

I can't do it.

Let the no be no.

But we get into waffly, maybe I'll see.

I don't know.

No.

I respect the no.

I can move with the no.

So I can I can move on.

So, hey man, just as we say yes, let the yes be yes, follow through.

But it man, if you can't, it's okay to say no.

And for some people, that's it.

You know, you got yes people out there that they want to be no people.

Be a no person.

Well, you need to be a no person, right?

And why?

Because sometimes we overcommit.

And that overcommitment, because we say yes to everything, brings us back here.

Where now we start, we can't fulfill the word.

We can't, we can't fulfill what we said yes to.

Why?

Because we've said yes to everything, and that's why there is there is a a beautiful blend where, hey man, yeah, I can do some things, but man, no, I can't do some things.

Hey, I gotta know what what I'm available to do and what I'm not available to do.

Because if I try to do everything for everybody, something falls through the cracks.

Guaranteed.

Amen.

So we hit this last part again.

It says, for whatever is more than these things, everybody say more.

This is from the evil one.

What does it mean?

Trying to manipulate words or sound extra godly or spiritual to trick people reflects a dishonest and harmful heart rooted in the evil one.

What is the evil one?

Satan.

What is the evil one?

The chief liar.

That's his that's one of his names.

He's a chief liar.

And what do we do?

Yeah, people that come and they manipulate.

And and they use things that sound maybe extra godly, extra spiritual.

And they're trying to, in a dishonest way, kind of shift you.

Or trying to, oh no, yeah, no, you can trust me.

No, you know, I I've been praying.

You know, they they start throwing little things, right?

No, you you know, hey, I I feel of the Lord.

I've heard all kinds of crazy.

But what happened?

They're trying to season these ideas or season these words through manipulation, right?

That's why God said, hey, you ain't got to season anything.

If your word is your word, is your word.

If you say yes, that's it.

I don't gotta say God, I don't gotta say anything else.

I prayed, or I feel the Lord.

No, hey, this is what it is.

Boom, that's it.

But he's saying, hey, watch out for the ones that you see are over-seasoning.

Too much salt, the salty words.

There's something like over-asalted, like and what that's what he's saying.

He's saying, hey man, they're trying to overdo the words, their manipulation of their words.

Why?

But at the end, man, it they're not gonna fulfill it.

And what he's saying is, hey man, when you when you're seeing that, what is that, hey man, that that is that's not from me.

And what he's trying to distinguish is, hey man, if you're a person of integrity, this is where I'm at.

Man, if you're a manipulator and everything you say is not truthful, you're on this side.

You've you've chosen a side.

And uh don't be on this side.

I mean, I'm I'm gonna invite you.

Let's get on this side.

Clearly, yes.

I mean, you're in the room today, let this word hit you.

But the idea is is man, the kingdom is about living a life of integrity.

And this is what Jesus is trying to teach us in this moment and this passage, you know, in the Sermon on the Mount.

Hey, man, let's be people of integrity.

Man, where there's weight behind what you say, man, you you fulfill what you say, and you don't have to take any unnecessary oaths.

And and there's there's oaths that we do make.

Right?

And he's not saying don't make oaths, but you shouldn't have to come into because an oath is really here, right?

Vows are here.

When I think a vow to the Lord, making a vow to the Lord, making oath with somebody else is a pact with somebody, right?

Different, and I don't want to get into all the details, but different than a covenant.

I can enter into a covenant with somebody, right?

And that's a different weight, right?

Like I'm in covenant with my wife, we're married, we're in a covenant marriage, right?

But in this moment, he's saying an oath that you're making with somebody regarding things.

Man, don't go into those oaths.

Just it should simply be I can or I can't.

I'm with you, I'm not with you.

I'll be there, I won't be there.

Period.

Don't overseason.

And when we make vows, we're making a vow to the Lord.

And that too, he he he he's looking at and he's hearing.

I don't know about you guys, but you know, I I've I've made vows to the Lord.

I remember when I and I've said this one many a time, when I got when I gave my life to the Lord, man, God, I will serve you all the days of my life.

I made a vow to the Lord that day.

Here I am.

I've been on the ground sometimes, but I got up.

Alright, I'm still here, Lord.

All right, storms have come.

Have you seen like a palm tree in a storm?

Yeah, I've been that palm tree, like, yo, Lord, this is real.

I'm kind of going through it.

Like the matrix.

You know what I'm talking about?

You know.

Because that's sometimes what life gives you.

But we still stand and we remain.

We remain because God is with us.

And in this moment, He's simply saying, Hey man, hard things are gonna come.

And hey, there's moments that we're gonna make vows with the Lord, and we want to fulfill the vows that we make with the Lord.

Not that you should be making a thousand vows.

You know, not the God, if you get me out of this one, I you know some of you guys, Lord, if you hit me with that lotto today, there's a lot of broken vows out there with with the lottery the other day.

No, because those are the the vows.

He's like, don't.

What are we talking about?

Lord, if you give me, I I'm gonna get.

Jesus is calling us to a life where our character carries so much weight that our words don't need an oath to make them believable.

Let your yes mean yes.

Let your no mean no.

Let your integrity be enough.

The inside hard work that's happening here starts in these moments where we choose every day.

And every part of this is building, right?

It's building.

Hey man, how do I handle anger?

How do I handle, man, different relationships?

How do I handle myself?

You know, um, and you know, we we talk about adultery and we talk about and all of these concepts that Jesus is coming to challenge us here.

Why?

Because what we what we have here is what's spilling out, what people are experiencing, and that's why he's here to change us from the inside out.

He teaches us how to be kingdom-minded people that don't manipulate truth, exaggerate truth, or impose the credibility of God's name to validate something.

Jesus' people are heart-transform people.

Wherever you go, people should just know, man, something different about that person.

Why?

Because it's spilling up, it's better man.

This person says what they're gonna do and they do it.

This per there's power and integrity, guys.

And not to say that, hey man, hard things happen, but man, you you do everything you can to be in intrable.

Because the Lord sees your intent.

Hey God, I'm trying at every step to be integral in my word, integral in what I do and what I commit to.

Live in such a way that when people or that when we speak, people know that they can trust our word.

I'm gonna give you three things to walk away with this week.

Put it in your notes.

Integrity has no loopholes.

Integrity has no loopholes.

We cannot look for ways around truth while still claiming to honor God.

Kingdom character chooses honesty even when dishonesty would be easier.

Kingdom character chooses honesty even when dishonesty would be easier.

Sometimes it might be, and it may feel easier.

To say yes when it's really no.

Oh, I don't want to offend them, I don't want to hurt their feelings.

You ever heard those things?

Man, but I'll tell you what, a good hey man, no, but maybe I can help you and da da da.

Man, I can do this, but this is maybe something I can do for you.

Wouldn't that be a little bit sweeter than saying yes and you ghost ghost rider, ain't nobody know where you at?

Man, I talked to them a couple days ago, but I can't can't get in touch with them today.

They told me there was it done gotta be all that.

Amen.

Maybe that might have been easier, but a kingdom person, a person of character, amen.

I can't do that, man.

I'm so sorry.

But man, this is what I can do.

And man, you know what?

What I'm gonna do is I'm gonna I'm gonna pray on on maybe something else that I can do, or I got an idea, but let me get back to you.

I can appreciate that.

Because then I know, okay, let me keep moving.

Number two, your words reveal your heart.

This is heavy one.

Your words reveal your heart.

What comes out of your mouth reflects what is happening within us.

Jesus calls us to become people whose speech is marked by truth, grace, and clarity.

Now, when we speak it, man, if you never want to be become the liar.

Oh, that the grain of salt.

Oh, I take everything that person says with a grain of salt.

Why it's revealing their heart.

And the the challenges for that person, when they do give their life to Christ, and and there are, you know, you know, I always try to be mindful of even how I preview or how I speak.

You know, I talk about this all the time.

I say, hey, you know, you never want to use words like always.

Well, if they're changing, then I gotta I want to honor the changing.

So I'm not gonna say, oh, you always do this, or oh, I can never.

It's the same with you.

Why?

Because one, you're not honoring, hey man, they're changing.

Does change happen overnight?

Let me know who's at who's had an overnight change because I didn't have an overnight change.

But you know what I can tell you?

Hey man, I'm trying.

Hey man, I I got it wrong this time, but look at the other three times before just before that one.

Right?

So I always season your words in those moments with grace.

That's why I said, hey man, your your words let them be saturated with grace.

Because man, if someone is changing, then I want to give you that benefit of the doubt.

Because you're not the person you were.

Amen.

Let your life give credibility to your words.

You shouldn't have to convince people that you're telling the truth.

Consistency, character, and actions should speak for you.

And let your life give credibility.

Isn't that beautiful?

There's just some people you know.

Oh, they get they're gonna be here.

Oh, they're coming through.

Oh, they might be running a few minutes, but they they're gonna be here.

They said they was gonna be here, they'll be here.

I got people I know like that.

If they say they coming through, they coming through.

One way or another, they're coming through.

And I praise God for those people, right?

We're gonna stand to our feet, we're gonna close this out.

Man, today, as we close our eyes in this moment, I just want to invite a moment of prayer.

Man, Lord God, we thank you today, Lord God, and we we thank you for your words today, Lord God.

We invite surrender, Lord God, to meet us today, God.

Let your words, Lord God, invite us to surrender our character.

Let your words invite us, Lord God, to align into who you're calling us to be today, God.

Today, ask Him to make you a person whose life is so full of truth that your word can be trusted without explanation.

Maybe that's something that you've struggled with, and maybe that's something that, man, you've been trying to get better at.

Man, with our eyes closed, man, begin to maybe just whisper that prayer to yourself.

Man, God, cause me to be a person whose life is so full of your truth, who's so full of truth that your word can be trusted, that my word can be trusted without explanation.

God, maybe I was this way, but I'm not trying to be that person today.

And I pray, Lord God, that you would begin to deliver me today, God.

That my yeses would be yes and my no's be no's, God, that I could be a person of integrity, be the person you're calling me to be, Lord God.

Let me be a reflection of your kingdom today, God.

Maybe there's places where your words and your life haven't completely lined up.

Maybe there are promises you've made or words that you've spoken or relationships where God is asking you to make right today.

Maybe there's somebody that, you know what?

Hey man, you you you you've maybe you've done it wrong over a period of time, or maybe you've lost some credibility with some people.

And God's asking you right now, man, hey, surrender that to me.

Surrender that relationship, surrender that thing to me today.

And let God begin to work in your heart this morning.

With if I'm gonna invite you guys, let's lift up our hands this morning, Lord God.

I pray today, Lord God, in this room.

Let your word meet us today, God.

Let your word transform us today.

Lord God, I pray today, Lord God, that we become the people of integrity that you're calling us to be.

That we become the people of God that reflect who you are today, God.

That has become people, Lord God, that our yeses, our yeses, our nose, our nose, Lord God.

We don't need to add any additions to this word, Lord God, that we live and speak.

And I pray today, Lord God, for relationships to be healed, relationships to be mended.

I pray right now in the name of Jesus, Lord God, that when we begin to do a heart work in us, Lord God, and we begin to pray a hard work on those people today, Lord God, that maybe have been hurt by our words, maybe have been hurt by our failures today, Lord God.

But I pray right now in the name of Jesus, you're still the God that redeems all things.

You are faithful, God.

This morning, I with our eyes closed.

Maybe you don't know the Lord, maybe you're in this place and you say, Man, it's been a minute, I've been away from God, or or man, God, I want to get my life right today.

Or I don't know the Jesus that this pastor is even talking about.

I don't know him this way.

Man, I want to invite you in this opportunity to say yes to Jesus and invite him into your heart or recommit to Jesus this morning.

It says in his word in Luke 9, 23, if anyone wants to follow me, let him deny himself.

Following Jesus begins with surrender, it begins with a decision.

The Bible says in Romans 10 13, whoever calls upon his name will be saved.

It always starts with this moment of surrender.

Where we turn from our past.

Even today, even that idea of what we're talking about today, maybe that was who you were.

Maybe you're someone that was, the word could not be trusted, but today I believe that that past is gone in Jesus' name.

Today we invite salvation that is a free gift today.

So I want to invite us all this morning.

We're gonna pray this together.

Father God, I come to you in Jesus' name.

I confess my sin.

I need your grace.

I believe Jesus died for me and rose again.

Forgive me, make me new, be Lord of my life.

In Jesus' name I pray.

Amen and amen.