Trust Me!

Matthew ch 5

• 33 “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfil to the Lord the vows you have made.’

• 34 But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King.

Matthew ch 5

• 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black.

• 37 All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

Matthew ch 5

• 33 “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfil to the Lord the vows you have made.’

• Murder

• 21 “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder

• Adultery

• 27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery

• Divorce

• 31 “It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce

• With more to come in following weeks!

Matthew ch 5

• Pattern• Jesus says • “….You have heard that it was said…..• ”..But I tell you…..”

Matthew ch 5

• Key verse• v20• “For I tell you that unless your righteousness

surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.”

Who were the Pharisees?

• Religious scholars• Political interests• Opponents of Jesus, • Because he exposed

their shallowness

Matthew ch 5

• 33 “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfil to the Lord the vows you have made.’

• 34 But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King.

Teaching of Pharisees

• To prove you can be trusted• You must swear an oath

Teaching of Pharisees

• To prove you can be trusted• You must swear an oath• But you can’t swear by God’s name as that

would be taking His name in vain

Leviticus 19 v12

• “‘Do not deceive one another.• 12 “‘Do not swear falsely by my name and so

profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.”

Grades of Oaths

• “Nearer to God the better”• Swear by heaven = very binding• Swear by temple = quite binding• Swear by earth = less binding• Swear by your body = not very binding at all

Grades of Oaths

• The Pharisee had committees to decide in the event of a dispute how binding the oath was!

Today

• We have written contacts• And courts to decide what a written contract

may or may not mean

Today

• We have written contacts• And courts to decide what a written contract

may or may not mean

• As Bill Clinton said “ It depends on what the meaning of “is” is

What does Jesus say?

• 34 But I tell you, • do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven,

for it is God’s throne; • 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by

Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King.

What does Jesus say?

• 34 But I tell you,

• 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black.

• 37 All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

Early Church

• James ch 5

• 12 Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No.”

So for a Christian today..

• “My word is my bond”

• “I have said it, I will honour it”

So for a Christian today..

• “My word is my bond”

• “I have said it, I will honour it”

• Practicalities• Memories!!

Should a Christian swear on the Bible?

• Actually “NO”• But if you say “I am a Christian, I will affirm to

tell the truth”• I think• You will be viewed as weird and unreliable

Trust is vitally important

• Job ch 8

• 14 What they trust in is fragile; what they rely on is a spider’s web.15 They lean on the web, but it gives way; they cling to it, but it does not hold

Why should I trust God?

• NIV • Trust is mentioned 170 times• Exodus 14:31• 31 And when the Israelites saw the mighty

hand of the LORD displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant.

Why should I trust God?

• NIV • Trust is mentioned 170 times• Exodus 14:31• 31 And when the Israelites saw the mighty 

hand of the LORD displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant.

Christian Faith

• Is not a blind trust• In the OT, • God often says • “I am the Lord your God who…..”• “Brought you out of Egypt…”• “Made the heavens and earth…” • Did this or that

Christian Faith

• Is not a blind trust• In the OT, • There are many prophecies fulfilled in history• And many fulfilled by Lord Jesus

Trust in Jesus

• New Testament• Jesus’ words• Jesus’ miracles• Jesus’ life• Jesus’ death

Trust in Jesus

• New Testament• Jesus’ words• Jesus’ miracles• Jesus’ life• Jesus’ death and resurrection

Trust Jesus

• 38 Two rebels were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. 39 Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads

• 40 and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!”

Trust Jesus

• 41 In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him.

• 42 “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him.

Trust Jesus

• 43 He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”

• 44 In the same way the rebels who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.

Was the Crucifixion a failure?

Was the Crucifixion a failure?

•NO!• It was the biggest proof of all

• as to why we can trust in Jesus

• Coming down from the cross • was relatively easy• It had been done before • ( which is why there were guards present)

• Being dead and coming back to life is a much harder thing to do

First Christian Message

• Acts ch 2 

• Peter speaking

• 32 God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it….

• 36 “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”

I Corinthians ch 15

• 14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God….

• 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins...

• 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.

1 Peter 1 v21

• 21 ”… you believe in God, who raised him (Jesus) from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.

Trust?

Trust in God’s promises in Jesus

• 2 Corinthians 1:20• 20 For no matter how many promises God has

made, they are “Yes” in Christ. • And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by

us to the glory of God.

Trust in God’s promises in Jesus

• John 6:37• 37 All those the Father gives me will come to

me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.

John 6:37      The Message

• 35-38 Jesus said, “I am the Bread of Life. The person who aligns with me hungers no more and thirsts no more, ever.

• I have told you this explicitly because even though you have seen me in action, you don’t really believe me.

• Every person the Father gives me eventually comes running to me. And once that person is with me, I hold on and don’t let go.

John 3:16

• 16 For God so loved the world • that he gave his one and only Son, that

whoever believes in him • shall not perish but have eternal life.

Finally

• Can YOU be trusted?

Finally

• Can YOU be trusted?• Are you trusting in Jesus?