Sermon Cloud

Intro:  Kids used formulas to “prove” we told the truth.  Lies were rampant in a fallen world.

Big Idea:  Jesus is building a community of honest people- the Kingdom.

Context: Jesus is revealing to His disciples the ways in which the Scribes & Pharisees have misrepresented the Law to the people, and teaching them about life in His kingdom.

I. Upside-down people use words to hide the truth.

-         Jesus summarizes their understanding of the Old Testament on oaths & vows (Numbers).

-         Oaths were appeals to support a promise.  Ill.  If I don’t do this, may God strike me dead.

-         Oaths emphasized the obligation to speak truthfully.  Ill. I swear on my mother’s grave.

-         To break the vow would be to forfeit that which you appealed to.

-         It sounds accurate, but Jesus exposes how they have corrupted something simple.

-         They avoided using God’s name in their oaths.  They appealed by a variety of things.

-         Jesus rebukes this.  Everything belongs to God, you can’t avoid Him in oaths (vs. 33-5).

-         They used formulas.  Slight changes allowed you to lie.  Ill. Crossed fingers

-         The truth often becomes lost in word games & misdirection.  Ill. Missing cookie

Transition: Upside-down people are not committed to the truth, but something else: themselves.

II. People hide the truth because it is costly.

-         We live a dishonest culture.  Polls show the vast majority of people lie often.  Why?

-         People lie to save face.  Ill. Haggard/Lying about falling in the pool

-         The truth may cause us to look bad in other’s eyes.  We want to avoid shame.

-         People lie to get ahead.  Ill. 40% of people lie on resumes/Forbes/Politicians

-         The truth may mean we don’t get the job we want, or any job.

-         People lie to look good.  Ill. 20/20- people on dates.  Cults using Christian terms.

-         The truth may mean we are normal, boring or dangerous.

-         People lie to avoid consequences.  Ill. Playing w/matches

-         The truth may put us in prison, fired or disciplined by authority figures.

-         Lies destroy trust, killing relationships (marriage, work, church).  Jesus died for our lies.

Transition: People lie to make life easier for themselves; avoiding suffering & gain prosperity.

III. Jesus changes us into honest people.  His intention is greater than forgiving us.  That & more.

-         Honest people stick out in a dishonest culture; don’t rely on gimmicks to sell lies.

-         Anabaptists: use this to justify not taking oaths in court.  Jesus did!

-         This verse would not rule out signing contracts, which are a type of oath.

-         Faith speaks the truth & lets the chips fall where they may.  I don’t mean venting.

-         Put aside your half-truths and little white lies.  IOW repent!  Put deceit to death!

-         Ask people you trust to honestly gauge your commitment to the truth.

-         Pray to be made like Jesus; who is the truth & spoke nothing but the truth in love.

-         Truth is essential to living together as families & a church.

-         Truth is essential to knowing one another as we truly are: good & bad.

Conclusion: Salt & Light.  A City on a Hill.  Honesty really does matter.  Sin in you and people around you will tell you to protect yourself by obscuring some of the truth.  But it will lead to death.  Honesty is the best policy, but it can only happen when we trust God more than we fear man.  It only happens when we put deceit to death.  Cross my heart and hope to die… not really.