Perspective

No man can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.
Last week, we talked about perspective. Jesus said, “if your eye is healthy” – viz. if you have the right perspective, if you are seeing the world through heaven’s eyes, if you see what Jesus sees, then your body will be full of light. In other words, walking in the light is not dependent on your circumstances, it is dependent on your perspective. We’ve known people who’ve been dealt tremendous blows in life, and yet because they keep the faith, because they keep their testimony, their lives don’t look like dark lives – they look like difficult lives where light is shining very brightly!

Jesus places this statement right smack dab in the middle of two statements about money. Why? He knows that so much of our perspective deficiency is in the area of finances. We need the wisdom to see that heaven treasure lasts longer than earth treasure. We need the wisdom to see that Master Jesus is infinitely more valuable than master money, and we can’t follow both so we should follow Him. Even when the earth is shaking…we can trust Him.

Treasures in Heaven

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Spend spiritually.
Notice, these verses do not address spending (though other texts do) – but rather hoarding, “laying up.” There is a way to spend your money and still be investing in eternity. What about a family vacation? Do you take advantage of the change of scenery to get your children’s attention for devotions? What about a meal out? Sometimes our homes seem more like battlefields and we need to be together in a new context, even just for an hour. Even a date night – as it strengthens your marriage – should get you to the point that you see your marriage as a picture of the gospel and becomes an investment in eternity.


Give Liberally.God loves a cheerful giver. The New Testament criterion for faithfulness in giving is that it be both sacrificial and cheerful.

We should give liberally and sacrificially, but when we do spend, doing so with the goal of investing that money and time for eternity.

The Hardest King of Forgiveness

Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you,
but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Matthew 6:14-15

The most difficult kind of forgiveness. The hardest person to forgive is the person who admits no fault, refuses to apologize. Forgiveness is clearly commanded by our Lord, regardless of the circumstances. But how do I forgive someone who is not sorry?

Four Considerations:
#1 – Consider if they’ve really sinned. Just because you’re hurt doesn’t mean they have sinned. Psalm 141:5 says “let a righteous man strike me, it is a kindness. Let him rebuke me, it is oil for my head.”

#2 – Consider God’s forgiveness in your life. I talked earlier about perspective. Think about how many times God has forgiven you just today. There’s a line from one of our Resonate songs that says “If grace is an ocean, we’re all sinking.” Here I am sinking in an ocean of God’s grace – shall I offer a cup of that water to another? God has forgiven me more than I could ever forgive other people – He is infinitely forgiving.

#3 – Consider whether to tell them. Sometimes, saying, “I forgive you” simply inflames the situation. Often, it’s best to forgive them from your heart and just return to loving them. Cancel the debt. If down the road the person comes to you with an apology, instead of a debt paid, it’s a bonus you didn’t expect.

#4 – Consider the Examples in Scripture. Jesus, Stephen, David, Joseph, Moses… the list goes on.

William Arthur Ward said, “We are most like beasts when we kill, we are most like men when we judge, we are most like God when we forgive.”

Beware of Practicing Your Righteousness Before Others

Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people, in order to be seen by them. For then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and the streets, that they may be praised by others. For truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your giving may be in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret will reward you. Matthew 6:1 - 4

1. What’s your motive?One commentator said it’s, “Not the number of spectators, but the furtive glance of our eyes to see if they are looking at us, makes the sin.” Often our giving, or serving, or singing, or whatever, is going to be seen by others. It’s not wrong to receive affirmation, it’s wrong to seek it. It’s not wrong to hear a compliment, it’s wrong to need to hear a compliment. Proverbs says, “Let another praise you, and not your own mouth.” If someone praises you, let them. Just don’t join them on the chorus! I can remember many times over the course of my ministry, where I felt like a person was fishing for a compliment. The problem here is the compliment is given out of guilt and not love and heartfelt appreciation.

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

2. What’s the better reward?The New Testament talks of 5 different crowns. The Crown of Life, the Crown of Righteousness, The Crown of Rejoicing, The Crown of Glory, The Incorruptible Crown. When we desire the here and now reward, we are turning down the better one. I’ve shared the illustration before about filling up on Big Macs and Pizza when the next line had Filet Mignon and Lobster Tail. Instead of waiting for surf and turf you fill up on junk and stunk.
Friends, let's hold out for the good stuff.

I’d rather have Jesus than men’s applause;
I’d rather be faithful to His dear cause;
I’d rather have Jesus than world-wide fame,
I’d rather be true to His holy name.

Love Your Enemies

You have heard that it was said, you shall love your neighbors and hate your enemies, but I say to you love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For He makes His sun rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your Heavenly Father is perfect.

How do I love my enemies?
#1 – Find good examples of sons and be like them. I asked a seminary professor about another former student and about his character and my professor said, “he’s a prince.” Find a prince. Find that person who exemplifies son-ship. Romans says, "For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." Find someone like Stephen who said lay not this sin to their account. Find someone like David, standing over slumbering Saul saying how could I harm God’s anointed? Find someone like Joseph, looking at his brothers and saying, you meant it for evil, but God meant it for good.


#2 - Think with heavenly perspective. David understood this when he wrote in the Psalms, “From Your presence let my vindication come! Let Your eyes behold the right!” God sees everything. He understands it perfectly. Let Him deal with it. You don’t have to figure out who to love and who to hate, you love everybody and let Him handle the justice part.
Proverbs says, Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.

Romans 8:15, Acts 7:60, 1 Samuel 24:6, Genesis 50:20, Psalms 17:2, Proverbs 19:11

Divorce

Divorce
You have heard that it was said, if anyone divorces his wife; let him give her a certificate of divorce. But I say to you, that everybody who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery. And whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. Matthew 5:31-32

It was just yesterday that I heard the first stirrings of a possible divorce that is brewing in our church. One of the things that bother me most about divorce is our absolute unwillingness to fear God about it. Our feelings are more important than His holiness. Our happiness is more important than the beauty and glory and integrity of the gospel. And what about faith? We have faith that God will deliver us from devastating cancer. We’ve got faith that God will bring our loved ones to Himself for salvation. We have faith that God will reconcile any prodigal, but when it comes to our spouse, there’s just no hope. We believe the lie that “God won’t,” or even worse, “God can’t.”

In rare cases, divorce is allowed, but it is never commanded. In fact, Jesus Himself corrects the Pharisees (Matt. 19 – they say, why did Moses command, Jesus says Moses allowed). Consider Hosea, even in the case of an allowance, the Biblical standard is forgiveness and restoration.

For those who are remarried, please hear me say this: there is no condemnation for you. And regardless of what’s happened in your past, God can use your current marriage and that’s exactly what He wants to do.

For those contemplating divorce, decide first is it even warranted, biblically? Then, I think you must decide what you believe about God’s ability and willingness to change people. Not what you believe about that person, but what you believe about God.

For a case of abuse, while I would never recommend a wife keeping herself or her children in that situation, divorce is not biblically allowed. Don’t hesitate to call the police. If the man is a Christian, turn him over to the Church for discipline. Removing yourself and your children from the home is not the same as dissolving the marriage and in so doing giving up hope.

Awareness of Sin, Astonished by Grace

27“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. 30And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell. – Matthew 5:27-30

If a person must be aware of their spiritual bankruptcy as the first step into the Kingdom of Heaven, then Jesus’ teaching here should point any person to that. He says, ok, so you’re not murdering. Ever hate someone? Ever insult someone? Survey says, “XXXXX!” Oh, so you don’t commit adultery? Ever look at a woman with lustful intent? You’re guilty. Any time you try to commend your righteousness to Jesus, He looks at your heart and sees exactly who you are.

I had a somewhat embarrassing episode which culminated this week. I appeared at the Fincastle Courthouse regarding a speeding ticket. I was not paying close enough attention to my speedometer, and got nailed. This is not my habit, but make no mistake, I was absolutely guilty. The officer who wrote my ticket, (interestingly a former Rainbow member), suggested I appear in court and with a clear driving record in Virginia, I would might get some leniency. I watched several other drivers try to defend themselves, and the judge was courteous and merciful, yet at the same time wise and unimpressed. When my turn came, the judge asked me about my driving record in Georgia. (I’d gotten a ticket, but it had been dismissed.) I fumbled for an answer. As I tried to sound like a perfect driver caught red handed in his first ever mistake behind the wheel, the judge assumed correctly that the defendant was less than perfect. He was kind enough to reduce my ticket and the sting of writing the check should keep me at a safer speed from now on. I learned my lesson, and was reminded of a spiritual one.

And a ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’” And he said, “All these I have kept from my youth.” When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack…”

You see, just like the kind judge in Fincastle knew that there were no perfect drivers in his courtroom on Monday, Jesus looks right through the façades we put up and makes us aware of our spiritual poverty, and then to be astonished by His grace.

God, who is more holy than we can imagine, with love more extravagant than we can measure, redeemed people like you and me, who are more sinful than we will ever admit. - Ed Stetzer