Man on a Mission: My Word is My Bond (God's Promises)
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus resolves to make clear what He's after in His teaching. Life is ultimately about relationships - relationship with God and with one another. Therefore, there is no serving God without coming to a submitted understanding of how we will relate with those with whom we interact on a daily basis.
“We value virtue but do not discuss it. The honest bookkeeper, the faithful wife, the earnest scholar get little of our attention compared to the embezzler, the tramp, the cheat.” ― John Steinbeck, Travels with Charley
*** Matthew 5:33-37 ***
To understand the value that God places on our words, we will talk about God's character, the detriment of empty words and the results of being trustworthy.
God's Character
*** Our entire relationship with God is predicated on the fact that He is faithful to His Word. It is the foundation of His holiness
God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? (Numbers 23:19 NIV84)
Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please. From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that will I bring about; what I have planned, that will I do. (Isaiah 46:9-11 NIV84)
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. (James 1:17 NIV84)
The Zondervan commentary makes note that in the Old Testament, God guaranteed his promises with an oath. The Old Testament also permitted people to swear by the name of God to substantiate important affirmations or promises. The Pharisees developed a complicated series of rules regarding oaths. Some interpreters began to say that only oaths made by invoking the name of the Lord would be binding, while they could swear "by heaven" when they weren't taking their oath as seriously. This search for loopholes in oaths had them include less potent associations with their oaths including things like swearing by "the earth" or "Jerusalem" and led to the devaluation of people's words.
The Detriment of Empty Words
“Emma has been meaning to read more ever since she was twelve years old. I have seen a great many lists of her drawing up at various times of books that she meant to read regularly through—and very good lists they were—very well chosen, and very neatly arranged—sometimes alphabetically, and sometimes by some other rule. The list she drew up when only fourteen—I remember thinking it did her judgment so much credit, that I preserved it some time; and I dare say she may have made out a very good list now. But I have done with expecting any course of steady reading from Emma. She will never submit to any thing requiring industry and patience, and a subjection of the fancy to the understanding.” ― Jane Austen, Emma
How many of us have this type of reputation - a lack of commitment and follow through with our family members, our peers and our co-workers? My mom and my soccer. It is time to break that pattern!
Here are some of the common mentalities that show us that we've become too comfortable with breaking our word:
1) I meant to do it, so it shouldn't matter that I didn't come through.
Like clouds and wind without rain is a man who boasts of gifts he does not give. (Proverbs 25:14 NIV84)
It is not enough to live in good intentions. The weakness of a man or woman's character lies in the fact that they are comfortable talking about what they would have, could have or should have done, rather than acting in even a small measure to make something happen.
2) I'm not up for it anymore/right now. Can't we just do it later? There are certain circumstances that are out of our control. Many times, however, dropping the ball has more to do with what we do or do not want to do than we'll admit. At the end of the day, we find a way to do what we want. It is pride that allows us to think that people having to reshape their lives and schedules around our offhand change of plans, is of no consequence. It is a lack of consideration for someone else, valuing your time above theirs. How many times has this happened to you and cost you at work or with a friend?
*** Our generation's fear of commitment has its root in insecurity and selfishness. We live in such a way as not to inconvenience ourselves. We are in a perpetual high school mentality always looking for the cooler party or better opportunity while all the while missing the ability to have any significant impact on the world because we give ourselves to nothing. Humble and consistent contributions are the measure of a man or woman's greatness. Half of the battle is won by just faithfully showing up in the right places. The other half is won in the attitude with which you show up (i.e. - parenting).
Why would Jesus speak with such strong language that anything else comes from the evil one?
The erosion of confidence in people's word often begins with parents and their children. Whether it be parents' abdicating their pledge to come to a game, or their marriage vows to one another, broken promises remove a sense of relationships being reliable, safe or secure. We become damaged and hardened by it, then perpetuate the cycle outside of the home.
An obvious example of this morally unbridled politics. Another is poor business practices. Christians should be those with the most excellence in the work force, full of the most integrity and the be the most dependable in their field of industry. However, the misnomer of grace is thrust upon clients and co-workers to many times give Christian businesses the reputation of being slack or irresponsible.
“I'm not upset that you lied to me, I'm upset that from now on I can't believe you.” ― Friedrich Nietzsche
When a word is broken, someone always suffers. That is why it is called evil, Biblically defined as what is harmful or detrimental. This is why no liar will enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
Whether we like it or not, breaking our word is lying. When we lie enough, we get used to it and develop an immunity to it. It becomes our common vernacular. When our words become empty, we are untrustworthy to our families, our co-workers, our clients, our constituents, our friends and even ourselves. What develops is a culture of skepticism where people are suspicious about everyone and everything. The first assault that the devil made was on the trustworthiness of God's Word, with devastating results. We are emulating the devil, not God, when we promote a pattern of weightless words and cavalier assertions.
How does this directly relate to our walk with God?
“Christians don't tell lies they just go to church and sing them.” ― A.W. Tozer
When we become followers of Jesus, we are making a pledge to love Him and obey His Word. This is what our baptism symbolizes. Whether we acknowledge it or not, the measure of our adherence to God's Word in its fullness is a measure of our love for Him. When we pick and choose that to which we will be faithful, we are showing the holes in our understanding and devotion.
Be careful to obey all these regulations I am giving you, so that it may always go well with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what is good and right in the eyes of the Lord your God. (Deuteronomy 12:28 NIV84)
How often have we said "God, forgive me" with the implication that we're turning away from our sin, only to go right back to it the next day. We remain in our sin because we don't take our vows seriously. When we lack follow through, we not only break fellowship with others, but with God. We don't believe that we can change because we've broken so many promises to ourselves. The good news is that through the gospel, we can, and protect the strength of our words!
The Results of Being Trustworthy:
We begin to look at God and life differently. Because we acknowledge God's reliable character, we depend on His word to shape our days and his promises to give us perseverance as we chase his unchanging plan. As we emulate God's consistency with our words, steadfast relationships can form because you have given yourself to the ingredients that make them work.
The church is to be a community of faithfulness, trust and commitment. As we look to see God do something great in this city as a church, it takes everyone finding and repeatedly playing their role in word and in deed. As we are all in, we can build a culture of consistency and dedication to the unchanging plan of God though which we grow individually and as a church.
2nd City Church – Man On A Mission Sermon Series 2013