Southern Christian University

A Class Session #5

Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John

James A. Turner

Hello, students. I believe we were in Matthew chapter five last week when our time was up. I believe we begin tonight with verse twenty‑one, where Jesus begins and makes some comparisons between his law, his teaching, and the Old Testament law. He said, Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time, Thou shalt not kill. Of course, that is referring to one of the Ten Commandments as given in Exodus chapter twenty, and then in the second giving of the law, Deuteronomy chapter five. I believe this was the fourth commandment of the ten. Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you that every one who is angry with his brother, shall be in danger of the judgment: And whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the counsel, and whosoever shall say, Thou fool shall be in danger of the hell of fire.

So notice that Jesus changes the law from the outward standpoint to the inward standpoint. Man does not have to kill another person to be guilty of being a murderer, anyone who is angry with his brother is in danger, and anyone who hates his brother is a murderer (I John 1:9-11, 3: 15, 4:20). Some of the versions say without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And I wonder if that without a cause should not be in there. Remember in Ephesians 4:26, the writer said, be angry and sin not, let not the sun go down upon your wrath. So a person can be angry, but he is to control his anger. And, of course, the other two, Raca and thou fool, meaning having contempt for a person. The lesson is that we are not to have any kind of real contempt for another person. Expressing it is wrong, but behind that wrong contempt is a man's heart. So Jesus changes it from the outward to the inward control. If therefore thou art offering thy gift at the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come offer thy gift. Of course, people were still under the Old Testament law, and when a man had learned that he had sinned, he was to carry the animal that the law had specified to the place where the ‑‑ first where the tabernacle was and later to the temple and lay his hand on the head of the animal and kill the animal, and then the priest took over and performed his duties in respect to the sacrifice. So he is talking about a person being ready to offer up a sacrifice(Leviticus chapter one to four). And there remembers that said his brother hath ought against thee. He said first go and be reconciled to thy brother. Surely it was important for man to offer sacrifice to make atonement for sin, but the first thing he needed to do was to go and be reconciled to his brother. Of course, this stands today that making things right with a brother comes before worship today. If we have done a person wrong, and we remember that we have done him wrong, then according to this teaching, we are to go and make things right with that person that we have wronged first, and then worship should come after we have made things right with the person that we have offended.

So as stated in verse twenty‑four, Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. Agree with thine adversary quickly, whilest thou art in the way; lest the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing. We are living in a time when so many really want to go to the courts to settle a matter. Jesus is saying, be a peace‑loving individual and agree with your adversary quickly. An adversary would be one who has a rightful claim in a court that you have done him wrong. And so Jesus is saying, agree with him quickly, and that is very sensible in so many cases today. Most of the insurance companies try to settle things out of court. Sometimes they may have started the case in a court, but if possible, they will reach an agreement and settle that matter before the trial date. And surely that is the wise thing to do. It is usually to the advantage of both parties if they agree on a fair settlement, then they would not have to hire attorneys, and spend a lot of time in court. In most cases, from the standpoint of time and dollars and cents, a person would come out better by going ahead and agreeing with his adversary quickly. The law of Christ forbids that a Christian couple should sue one and in a civil court, in respect to property(I Corinthians 6:1-9), and if this was not the case they would be much wiser to learn what the laws of the state are and divide their properties accordingly. We are to be a peace‑loving people. Christ is the Prince of Peace, and if we follow him, then we will be ready to agree with an adversary quickly. And he says, in substance, if you do not do that, he will carry you to the judge, and the judge will deliver thee to the officer, and the officer will put you in prison. And it says, Thou by no means will come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing. And this was in the days when they put people in prison for debts.

Again, emphasis on the heart in regard to adultery. Ye have heard that it was said, Thou shalt not commit adultery. Again, one of the Ten Commandments. But I say unto you, That every one that looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. And so emphasis on the heart of man. If a man does not first lust after a woman, he surely is not going to commit adultery with her. Now, this does not mean that a man cannot look on a woman and appreciate her beauty without lusting after her. But there are those that if they see a beautiful woman, it stirs their lust, and that lust is coming from the heart. So Jesus said, if you lust after her you have already committed adultery with her in your heart. Some say, well, if I have already lusted after her, I might as well go ahead and commit adultery with her! That of course would be going further into sin in regard to the man and the woman.

Matthew 6:29, And if thy right eye causeth thee to stumble, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: For it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body be cast into hell. And if thy right hand causeth thee to stumble, cut it off, and cast it from thee: For it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not thy whole body go into hell. I wonder if Jesus is not making these statements in a figurative sense. Of course, we know in respect to the human body, there are circumstances when the best surgeons of the land will say that this part of the body must be amputated to save the rest of the body, and that principle is set forth here, but the fact that man had one hand cut off, unless he controls his heart, then he will still do wrong with the other hand. And the same thing would be true of his eyes. In fact, if a man has both eyes plucked out he can still lust after a woman. Jesus is emphasizing controlling the heart!

Verse 31, It was said also, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement. But I say unto you, That every one that putteth away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, maketh her an adulteress; and whosoever shall marry her when she is put away committeth adultery. Now, of course, in the beginning God created male and female and joined them together in marriage. In process of time man became so corrupt, that evidently it would have been harder on the women if the law had not permitted them to put them away by writing them a divorcement.. So under the Old Testament law, it provided that a man could put away his wife, but Jesus here is going back to how marriage was given in the very beginning. We need to turn and read from Matthew the nineteenth chapter. And here it reads, And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these words, he departed from Galilee, and came into the borders of Judaea beyond the Jordan; great multitudes followed him; and he healed them there. And there came unto him Pharisees trying him, and saying, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? Maybe we need to read the Old Testament reference now. Hold your place here in Matthew, and let us turn to Deuteronomy chapter twenty‑four, I believe is the reference we want. The provision of the law that said that a man could put away his wife. Reading from Deuteronomy chapter twenty‑four beginning with verse one, When a man taketh a wife, and married her, then it shall be if he finds no favor in his eyes, because he hath found some unseemly thing in her: Then he shall write her a bill of divorcement, and give it into her hand, and send her out of his house. And when she has departed out of his house, she may go and be another man's wife. And if the latter husband hate her, and write her a bill of divorcement, give into her hand, and send her out of his house; or if the latter husband dies, who took her to be his wife; her former husband, who sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after that she is defiled; for that is an abomination before Jehovah. And thou shalt not cause the land to sin, which Jehovah thy God giveth thee for an inheritance. So the Pharisees are trying to ensnare Jesus, and they want to know if it is lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause, or just any reason they wanted to! That is probably the way it turned out, that any reason a man wanted to put away his wife under the law that he did. And he answered and said, Have you not read that he who made them from the beginning made them male and female and said for this cause shall man leave his father and his mother and shall cleave unto his wife and the two shall become one flesh, so that there are no more two but one flesh.

Verse five there is a quotation of Genesis 2:24. When God took the rib from Adam and made woman, the man said, this is now bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh, she shall be called woman. Some think that Adam should have named her Woe-man! God joined them together in marriage, and said, for this cause shall a man leave his father and his mother and shall cleave unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. So Jesus is saying that I am giving the law like it was given in the beginning, that it is wrong for a man to put away his wife except for ‑‑ as stated later, for the cause of fornication. But their question, is it lawful for man to put away his wife for every cause? And Jesus called their attention to how God gave it in the beginning. In marriage the two become one flesh, and surely every man and every woman in a married relationship need to recognize that they definitely belong to one another, that the two become one flesh in marriage. When the marriage is consummated by sexual relations, then they become one flesh, and they belong to one another (I Corinthians 7:1-6). And Jesus said, What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. And they say unto him, why then did Moses command to give a bill of divorcement? So they are asking about what we read about there in Deuteronomy twenty‑four. It allowed them to give a bill of divorcement. So if a man married a wife and found some thing that he did not like about her, he could just write her a bill of divorcement and put it in her hand, and she could go and marry another man. And he saith unto them, "Moses." Now, notice this as to why it had been changed. He saith unto them, Moses, for your hardness of heart suffered ye to put away your wives, but from the beginning it hath not been so. And I guess a lot of them would have ended up murdering their wives had that provision not been given that they could put away their wives. Some men today murder their wives because of hatred. I say unto you, whosoever shall put away his wife, except for fornication. Fornication includes a great number of sexual impurities, but it surely would mean that a wife is not faithful in marriage. Except for fornication, and shall marry another committeth adultery: And he that marrieth her when she is put away committeth adultery.

Now put away because she has been unfaithful to her husband, I think that is the meaning in chapter five that we are reading. And notice that the disciples were even astonished at the teachings of Jesus. The disciples say unto him, if the case of a man is so with his wife, it is not expedient to marry. But he said unto them, not all men can receive the saying, but they to whom it is given. Sex drives are among those strong drives of the body, and Jesus recognized that the average person needs to be married. And so when the disciples said that if this is the case, it is not expedient to marry, Jesus said not all men can receive this, saying, but they to whom it is given. For there are eunuchs, that were so born from their mother's womb. I think surely that would mean that they were not born with natural sex drives. They were deformed in that respect from birth. And there are eunuchs that were made eunuchs by men. That would be surgery. And there are eunuchs that made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. And there are a few men like that who can control themselves so well ‑‑ even though they have sex drives, that they can control themselves so well that it is not necessary for them to marry. And he said, He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.

So back now to Matthew chapter five. And do you see how we needed to combine those two together? A man who puts away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, maketh her an adulteress. And whosoever shall marry her when she is put away ‑‑ the putting away would be as given there in Matthew nineteen ‑‑ put away because she is not been faithful in marriage. Again ye have heard that it was said of them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is the throne of God: Nor by the earth; for it is the footstool of his feet: Nor by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, for thy canst not make one hair white or black. But let your speech be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: For whatsoever is more than these is of the evil one. The people under the law had come with a lot of traditions, changing the law of God. I think what he is talking about here from the law is that a person was not to testify against a person in the courts wrongfully.

Turn with me to Matthew chapter twenty‑three, and we will notice how that they had just changed the law of God by their traditions. Matthew twenty‑three beginning with verse fifteen, Jesus is pronouncing woes upon the scribes and the Pharisees. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he hath become so, ye make him twofold more a son of hell than yourselves. Woe unto you, ye blind guides, that say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor! So it is all right to swear by the temple but not swear of any gold of the temple. Ye fools and blind: For which is greater, the gold, or the temple that have sanctified the gold? The temple is supposed to be God's house. The gold of the temple was not very important. And, whosoever shall swear by the altar it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gift. And that would be talking about, the altar of burnt offering, where they made sacrifices for sin. But whosoever shall swear by the gift that is upon it, he is a debtor. Ye blind: For which is greater, the gift. The gift would be the animal that they were offering as a sacrifice for sin. The gift or the altar that sanctifieth the gift? He therefore that sweareth by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon. He would be swearing by the animal on the altar as well. And he that sweareth by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein. And God promised that he would put his name in that temple that Solomon built. And he that sweareth by the heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon. Do you remember how Solomon in that dedication prayer prayed that if people sinned in any way, if they looked toward Jerusalem and prayed for God to forgive them, and God answered his prayer and said that he would.

Let us turn to I Kings the eighth chapter. In chapter eight is Solomon's prayer of dedication. Reading from 8:35, When heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; if they pray toward this place, and acknowledge thy name, and turn from their sins, when thou dost afflict them: Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, thy people Israel, when thou dost teach them the good way in which they should walk, and grant rain upon thy land, which thou hast given to thy people as an inheritance. Anyway, Solomon, in his prayer, mentions a great number of things, and God promised that he would. But we will pick up with that when it is time for us to begin with our next period. (A brief recess was taken.)

We are ready to begin. We had turned to I Kings chapter eight, and we are reading about Solomon's prayer of dedication. It mentioned a number of different wrong things that the people might do, and such wrong that they would be carried away into captivity. Verse forty‑eight, If they repent with all their mind, and with all their heart, and in the land of their enemies, and they prayed toward the temple, for God to hear in heaven and to maintain the cause for his people and forgive his people. Do you remember how Daniel continued to pray three times a day with his window open toward Jerusalem? And, you see, that was keeping with the prayer that Solomon prayed, if the people repented in the foreign land that God would hear and answer their prayer. Now, I think I made the statement that God said he would dwell in the temple, but God does not dwell in temples made with hand, but he said he would put his name there. I Kings chapter nine in verse three, The Lord said to him, I have heard your prayer and your supplication, which you have made before me: I have consecrated this house, which you have built, and put my name there. And he went ahead to tell him that if he was faithful like his Father was, he would establish his royal throne over Israel forever, but if they turned away then it would be different.

I Kings 9:6, But if ye turn aside from following me, ye or your children, and do not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods, and worship them: Then I will cut off Israel from the land which I have given them; and the house, which I have consecrated for my name, I will cast out of my sight; and Israel will become a proverb and a byword among all people: And this house will become a heap of ruins, every one passing by it will be astonished, and will hiss, and they will say, Why hath the Lord done thus unto this land, and to his house? Well, the time finally came when the people turned away from God and served other gods. And remember that Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonians in the days of that last king of the southern kingdom (II Kings 25:1-12), and the rest of the people were carried into Babylonian captivity in 586 B.C.

Going back to Matthew 5:33 that we were reading. Again, ye have heard it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths. Well, I believe it is talking about one of the Ten Commandments. Reading from Exodus 20:16, Ye shall not bear false witness against your neighbor, but they made all kinds of changes. And they swore by this or that according to their traditions. Like they had from the reading there in Matthew twenty‑three, it was all right to swear by the temple, but if you swore by the gold of the temple, that was wrong. They surely had turned things around backwards. I believe we can rightly say that the substance of this not swearing is that our speech is to be yes, or no, and that our speech is to be our bond. We do not need to put any handle on it. Just say yes and no, tell the truth, and we do not need to swear by anything we have or anything the Lord has created. He says, Do not swear by the heavens, for it's the throne of God and not by the earth, for it's the footstool of its feet, nor by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. So Jerusalem is spoken of in that proper context as the city of the great King in that God said that his name would dwell there.

Verse thirty‑eight, Ye have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, Resist not him that is evil: But whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. Again, you may think this is very strange that the Old Testament law says an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, but remember that law was given because of transgression (Galatians 3:19-24).. The people had become so vile and sinful that God gave a law that would restrict the people in such a way to prevent them from becoming more wicked and prepare a way for there to be a remnant through which Christ would come. In the third chapter of the book of Galatians the question is asked, Wherefore then serveth the law? Paul answers his question. It was added because of transgression, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made. And it was ordained by angels in the hand of the mediator. The law required a death penalty for a number of different crimes. I never have gotten around to counting them, and I am not sure that I could. I have looked at several passages. But anyway, it looks like there were at least about fifteen different crimes that carried the death penalty under the law. It was a strict law, and it did require an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. If you think that was hard, well, I would guess the pattern of the day was if you put out my eye, I will kill you. Or if you murder one of the members of my family, I will murder your whole family! And so the law was not as strict in that sense as was the practice of what people would do when somebody had done them wrong. But it did say an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But it stopped at that, they were not to go beyond what had been done to them. But you know the pattern of wrongdoers is to go far beyond what others do to them. Exodus 21:22‑23, If any harm follows, then ye shall give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe. But you see that it did limit to not doing another person more harm than he had done to you. Jesus’ law again is different, But I say unto you, that ye resist not evil: But whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other cheek also. Does he mean to literally turn the other cheek, or is he kind of speaking figuratively that you are not to resist him that is evil? I think if a man in some circumstances if he turned the other cheek, that would just further provoke the man to smite him some more. But to say the least of it, it means that we are not to resist evil with evil. Under the law of Christ we are forbidden to return evil for evil (Romans 12:17-21; I Peter 2:9). We are to leave it to the Lord to recompense and we are not to return evil for evil.

I would like to read from John the eighteenth chapter, which shows what Jesus did when he was smitten, when he was before the Sanhedrin court. When Jesus was arrested and betrayed, Judas Iscariot coming with the chief priests and the Pharisees and the band of soldiers and officers to take Jesus. And he was carried first to Annas, whom the Jewish people recognized as being the high priest. They were under the control of the Roman government, and they had put Annas out as the legal high priest and had put his son in law Caiaphas in as high priest. And so when Jesus was arrested, they carried him first to Annas. And I think it is in this context that he was smitten. Well, let us pick up and read. I may have to read a good while to find the passage I am looking for. I am reading from John 18:12, So the band and the chief captain of the officers of the Jews seized Jesus and bound him, and led him to Annas first; for he was father in law to Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. Now Caiaphas was he, that gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one should die for the people. And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Of course, that other disciple is John the writer of the book. And let us come to verse nineteen, The high priest therefore asked Jesus of. And this is Annas. Of his disciples, and his teaching. Jesus answered him, I have spoken openly to the world; I have ever taught in the synagogues, and in the temple, where all the Jews came together; and in secret spake I nothing. Why askest thou me? Ask them that have heard me, what I spake unto them: Behold, these know the things which I said. And when he had said this, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so? Now, notice what Jesus said. Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil bear witness of the evil: But if well, why smitest thou me? And so I believe we can see from the context of Jesus on this occasion that he is not necessary to literally turn the other cheek, but Jesus did not return evil for evil. And we are not to return evil for evil.

And again Matthew 5:40, But if any man would go to law with thee, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also, and whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him in two. I believe it was regarded that the Roman soldiers had a right to compel a person to go a mile, and carry part of their burden or whatever. Jesus is saying be ready to go beyond what the laws of men compel you to do. If the soldiers compel you to go one mile, you should be ready to go with them two. Go beyond what they would ask you to do! Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. And I think verse forty‑two is speaking especially of being ready to help people in need. When we put this with other references in the New Testament, and remember that the apostles were guided by the Holy Spirit into all truth. Jesus said, he shall not speak of himself, but he shall take of mine and shall declare it unto you (John 16:14). So all truth was given the apostles and inspired men by the Holy Spirit (John 16:7-14). In I John the third chapter, John talks about how the Lord lay down his life for us and we ought to be ready to lay down our lives for the brethren. He said, But whosoever hath this world’s goods and seest his brother in need and shutteth up his compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him. My little children let us not love in word, neither with tongue, but in deed and in truth. That is a plain reference that Christian people are to be ready to give those who are in need. The question is a rhetorical question. If a man has those things to supply a brother in need and shutteth up his compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him. That question answers itself, that the love of God does not dwell in the child of God who sees his brother in need and is not willing to help him in that time of need.

Back to Matthew 5:42, Give to help that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. I think when we consider again this statement with other references, he is talking about being ready to help the person that needs help. Well, does this mean that we are to just lend money to anybody, to the person, say, who does not have a job and does not intend to get a job and he wants to borrow money from you? Or if a man is asking and you know that he is going to buy drugs with it or he is going to buy strong drink with it, does it mean that we are supposed to give under those circumstances? Is that not an appropriate question? That question is answered in Paul's instruction to the Thessalonians. Contrary to what a lot of the commentaries say that the Thessalonians had gotten so excited about the second advent of Christ that they quit work and were waiting for the coming of Christ. There is nothing in either one of those books, I and II Thessalonians, that says that is the case, and when you put all those references together about the instruction that Paul had given them, and how that he worked night and day while he was there to support himself and those with him (I Thessalonians 2:9-12) and did not call upon them for any support. He also taught them to work to make a living for themselves, and in that first epistle, he charged them again to go to work (I Thessalonians 4:11-12). When he wrote the second epistle to them, there were still those who had not gone to work. I think the evidence, when you put all the references from I and II Thessalonians together, that there were among the Thessalonians, people like we have in our American society today that never had worked for a living. And we still have some in our society today, but can you imagine what must have been the case in that Gentile society. Don't you know that there would have been many people that would have been ready to leach on others or else steal for a living (Ephessians 4:28). They would reason, why work when I can live this way. In that second letter, Paul reminds them how that he had given instruction.

Well, just let me read from II Thessalonians chapter three beginning with verse six, Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that, ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us. Now, that statement would apply to other things, but the particular thing that is under consideration in the context is that there were still those that were not working for a living. For yourselves know how that ye ought to imitate us: For we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; neither did we eat bread for nought at any man's hand; but in labor and travail working night and day, that we might not burden any of you. So Paul had given them an example. He had worked for a living, as he expressed it, night and day, in I Thessalonians chapter two, and here again that he had worked night and day that he might not be a burden to any of them. Not because we have not the right but to make ourselves an ensample unto you that you should imitate us. Paul recognized his need of being an example to them. There were those who never had worked. For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, if any will not work neither let him eat. And so that is also the command of the Lord that we are not give to those who just refuse to work. For we hear some that walk among you disorderly, that work not at all, but are busybodies. And so there were those who had not heeded the commands that Paul had given. He had instructed them while he was with them that they were to be good workers. He had instructed them further in that first letter (I Thessalonians 4:11-12). He commanded them to study to be quiet and do your own business and work with your hands, even as we charged you, that ye may walk becomingly toward them that are without and may have need of nothing. So he gives instruction in that first epistle, again for them to go to work and be a proper example before those outside the church, but there were are still those who have not gone to work. And so he is saying that after the second epistle is read, if they do not go to work, to withdraw from them. II Thessalonians 3:12, Now them that are such we command and exhort in our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread. But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.

When we see there are those who will not work and go around begging, that can easily discourage brethren from helping anybody. In verse thirteen, he warns, do not go to that extreme, but ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing. When people are really in need, we need to help them! And if any man obey not our word by this epistle." In other words if he does not go to work, to make a living for himself. Note that man, that ye have no company with him, to the end that he may be ashamed. Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. So they were to discipline those who did not follow the instruction and go to work, Have no company with him if he does not go to work, but yet be ready to be a brother to him, and encourage him to do the right thing. So considering references like those, don't you think that verse forty‑two is referring to being ready to give to people in need, and for those who need help from the standpoint of loaning them money, we are to loan to them.

Verse forty‑three, Ye have heard that it was said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. The reference here must be Leviticus 19:1, which says that they were to love their brethren, but it does not say that they were to hate their enemies. Now reading from Leviticus chapter nineteen verses seventeen and eighteen, Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: Thou shalt surely rebuke thy neighbor, and not bear sin because of him. In other words, if a brother does you wrong, correct him and not bear sin because of him. Thou shalt not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself: I am Jehovah. So I think that is the command under consideration that Jesus is talking about. But it looks like that they counted that as they were to just love fellow Jews, I guess on the basis that God forbade them to make any kind of agreements with those nations within the land of Canaan, but they were to destroy them. So evidently they counted that as to hate their enemies. So Jesus must be speaking of at least the way that they interpreted (Leviticus 19:17-18.

So back to Matthew 5:43, Ye have heard that it was said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, and pray for them that persecute you, that ye may be the sons of your father who is in heaven: For he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth his rain on the just and the unjust. For if ye love them that love you, what reward have you? Do not even the publicans do the same? Please remember that the Jewish people in general, hated the tax collectors. So if you love them that love you, what reward have you, do not even the publicans the same. And if you salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? Do not even the Gentiles the same. Ye therefore shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. No man has reached that point of perfection other than by the cleansing power of the blood of Christ. When we live as the Lord wants us to live, his blood continues to cleanse us from sin (I John 1:7-9). But as stated in verse eight, but if we say that we have no sins, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, he is just and righteous to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. And so that is the only way that we can be counted as anywhere about perfect is by walking before God in that humble way (Isaiah 66:2), and by continuing to be cleansed by the blood of Christ. But surely, the Lord has the right to set that high standard. Ye therefore shall be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect. The heavenly Father makes his sun to rise on the evil and on the good and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. And so God is ready to help all kinds of people, and we need to be ready to help and encourage people by example and teaching. Love your enemies and pray for them that persecute you.

Chapter six. Much of chapter six has to do with staying away from the outward show of religion. Let your religion be sincere. Let it be of a meek and quiet spirit, and real sincerity of heart. Take heed that ye do not your righteousness before men, to be seen of them: Else ye have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. Now, righteousness comes by keeping the commandments of Christ. So in doing those things which the Lord has instructed us to do, we are not to do them to be seen of men, but do them because God has instructed us to do them, and to help people and to carry on the work that Christ has instructed us to do. When therefore thou doest thine ohms, sound not a trumpet. Now, notice that this strongly indicates that all Christian people are to be ready to give to people who are in need. He does not say if, but when! When therefore thou doest alms, sound not a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have received their reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: And thy Father who seeth in secret shall recompense thee.

There are some few people that have gone to the extreme in respect to the instruction given here. They reason that we should not let people know how much we give to the church that Jesus said, let not they left hand know what the right hand doeth. Now, I want to know from a literal standpoint, can you do that? Can you do something with your right hand and your left hand does not know anything about it? Do you do anything with that right hand without the mind telling you what to do with that right hand? You want hit me with your fist and bruise my big nose and make it bigger unless you first have it in your mind to hit me in the nose. And so, again, Jesus is emphasizing do not make a show of your doing alms, which means helping people that are in need. Do it because you know you need to do it, and that spirit will also help that person that is in need. They might not want people knowing that you are helping them. In fact some are ashamed to receive help when they need help, and surely the most of them would rather that it be given to them without any publicity. And so that is the correct way.

Verse five, And when you pray, ye shall not be as the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Well, anytime a person is doing something to be seen of men, that is just not the right spirit. The hypocrites and pretenders, would stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the street to be seen of men. Jesus says that when they make a show and are praised by men that is the only reward that they will receive,

God will not reward them for all of their show religion, they had already received their reward when they received the praise of men, for that is all that they would receive for it. God will not reward him for it. Verily I say unto you, They have received their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thine chamber, and hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father who is in secret, and thy Father who seeth in secret shall recompense thee. And in praying, use not vain repetitions, as the Gentiles do: For they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Some of them just say the same thing over and over and over again. But Jesus said, do not use vain repetitions as the Gentiles do in calling upon their idol gods, for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not therefore liken unto them: For your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. Now, the Lord expects us to ask, and he tells us to (Matthew 7:7-11), but we do not have to go into repeating over and over and giving a lot of details in respect to our needs, because the Lord knows our needs. Remember in the seventh chapter of Hebrews, I think it is verse twenty‑five, where it says he is able to save to the uttermost them that draw near to God through him, seeing that he ever liveth to make intercession for them. So Christ is our high priest, and he ever lives and he makes intercessions for us. And when things are not stated just exactly according to what we are trying to say, Jesus knows how to present our case before our heavenly Father. And then beginning with verse nine is usually referred to as the Lord's prayer, but that notice Jesus is just telling them some things about the way to pray. After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. So one thing about prayer is to approach God with that spirit of reverence for God, that he is a holy God, and hallowed be thy name. When we try to do his will, we honor his name, and we are to pray with that good spirit. Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done as in heaven, so on earth. Most of the people today who quote this as a congregation of people, they quote it as given here, but the kingdom of Christ has been with us since that first Pentecost after the resurrection of Christ from the dead. And we surely need to pray that it will be done in his kingdom and that his kingdom will continue to increase on the earth (Revelation 11:15).

One of the many false tenants of Premillennialism is that Christ came to establish his kingdom, but because the Jews rejected him (John 1:10-14) he ushered in the church age and that the kingdom is still in the future. That Christ will return and set up the throne of David in Jerusalem. This tenant is as false as it can be! Christ is God and if he could not do what he came to do in that earthly ministry, then what assurance do we have that he can do it at a later date! In Matthew 16:18-19 the church and the kingdom are used interchangeably. Christ told Peter he would build His church, and give Peter the keys of the kingdom. He surely had not changed subjects. The church is the kingdom of Christ! Grabriel told Mary, He shall be great and God shall give him the throne of his father David, and he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever and of his kingdom there shall be no end. The house of Jacob is the church (I Timothy 3:14-15; Romans 2:28-29; Philippians 3:15) and the church is the kingdom (Matthew 16:18-19, 13:24, 13:31, 13:33, 13:41, 13:44, 13:45, 13:47).

The Colossian brethren had been translated out of the kingdom of darkness (the devil’s kingdom) into the kingdom of God’s dear Son Colossians 1:13). The apostle John, and all of those first century brethren were in the tribulation and kingdom and patience in Jesus (Revelation 1:9).

There is not a single passage that says that Christ will come back to reign on the earth, but to the contrary, that he will reign at the right hand of God until he has conquered all enemies, and then he will deliver up the kingdom to God (Hebrews 1:13; Ephesians 1:20-21; I Corinthians 15:24-26). Please mark it down that all of the other tenants of Premillennialism are as false as this one!

Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done as in heaven, so on earth. Give us this day our daily bread.

In this statement Jesus sets forth the principle that we are to pray daily for our needs, and not a years supply of food! Daniel prayed three times a day (Daniel 6:10). And forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven our debtors. And, of course, to forgive us of our debt means to forgive us of our sins as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us. So in order to be forgiven, we must forgive others, and all of us surely need to be forgiven. All of us need to learn to forgive others and the very moment that they repent (Luke 17:3-4). And bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. That should be the spirit in all our prayers that, Lord help us, and keep us in the right way. For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Sometimes you hear members of church say, why that person has just done me so much wrong I cannot forgive him. I will be glad when we get to that parable that Jesus gave as recorded about the person who was forgiven of that great debt, that debt that he could not begin to pay the interest on, much less to pay back the debt. And he was forgiven of that unpayable debt, and then went out and found a fellow servant that owed him a small amount and would not forgive him. All of us need to learn to forgive with a spirit of gladness when any brother repents (Luke 17:3-4). We cannot be forgiven unless we forgive others! But if you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Turn to Luke, Chapter eleven, and we will read a parallel to what is given here in Matthew. Luke eleven beginning with verse one, And it came to pass, as he was praying in a certain place, that when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, even as John also taught his disciples. So Jesus is giving a model prayer or showing how that his disciples were to pray. And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Father hallowed be thy name, Thy kingdom come. Give us day by day our daily bread. And Matthew says give us this day and Luke says give us day by day our daily bread. Now, this may have been another occasion that Luke has recorded. And forgive us of our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And bring us not into temptation: And he said unto them, Which of you have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say to him, Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine is come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him? And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: The door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. The family slept on the floor, and so the children were all around him, and he could have stepped on one of the children. I cannot rise and give thee. I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his impurtunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth. And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you. So the Lord wants us to ask. Seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. And which of you that is a father, shall his son ask a loaf and he give him a stone? Or a fish, and he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask for an egg, shall give him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: How much more shall your heavenly Father give his Holy Spirit to them that ask him? In this short parable the friend is going to his neighbor at midnight, and tells him I have had company to come and I do not have anything to give them, so rise up and lend me three loaves. The neighbor finally responded to his need, but God graciously responds to our needs when we ask him for our needs. I see that our time is up for this period. (A brief was recess taken.)

I believe we pick up in Matthew 6:16, Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites. This statement strongly implies that Christian people are to fast from time to time. God does not give a specific time to fast, but like with alms, when therefore thou doest alms, implies that we are to be alms‑givers this reference shows that there are times when we need to fast. Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: For they disfigure their faces, that they may be seen unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have received their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; that thou be not seen of men to fast. In other words, go ahead and do as usual, as well as you can. Go ahead and anoint your head and wash your face and appear as usual. That thou may not be seen of men to fast, but of thy Father who is in secret: And thy Father, who seeth in secret, shall recompense thee.

Matthew 6:19, Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal. There is no real absolute security in regard to material things. Think of all of the destruction that took place when the two airplanes went into the Federal Trade Buildings. Not only the lives of thousands of people, but also of material resources that were destroyed. That should remind all of us that all earthly treasures, are very insecure. In fact many things will quickly deteorate to the point that they are worthless. Jesus says that we are not to be laying up earthy treasures but heavenly treasures that are secure. Have you noticed how much money it is costing in respect to the interstate bridges and the overpasses, and how much time and expense is involved in keeping the steel in good condition on some of those overpasses. Even the best steel, in process of time will deteriorate in a hurry, if it's not kept up properly. Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven. How does a man lay up treasures in heaven? By taking his material things and doing the things that the law of Christ tells us to do (I Timothy 6:17-19). Where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through and steal: For where thy treasure is, there will thy heart be also. Please, highlight verse twenty‑one and let that speak to you. I believe this is the primary reason why God wants us to give and give cheerfully and liberally in order that we may keep our hearts right (II Corinthians 9:6-10). Whatever a man is putting all of his money into, that is where his heart is. For where thy treasure is, there will thy heart be also. Some of our young people, spend about everything they make on an automobile, and their heart is tied up in that automobile. Farmers who put all of their money into cattle, their heart is in that cattle business. Now, there is not anything wrong in investing in a business so that you can have more to do with, but remember that the Lord expects us to be good stewards of everything that he blesses us with. So keep in mind that no person is going to keep his heart in the kingdom of God unless he is invested in doing the will of the King and doing as Christ has instructed us to do, which includes liberal, and cheerful giving. For where thy treasure is, there will thy heart be also. The lamp of the body is the eye: If therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is the darkness. No man can serve two masters: For either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

So another very important statement is that no man can serve two masters, and there are only the two masters. Remember how Paul reasoned, know ye not that whom ye yield yourselves to obey his servants ye are to whom ye will obey, whether it is sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness (Romans 6:16). Every accountable person is serving either Christ or he is serving the devil. Unbelief is disobedience. Remember John 3:18, He that believeth on him is not judged: But he that believeth not on him is judged already, because he hath not believed on the name of the only begotten Son of God. And after one obeys the gospel, he can turn away from serving Christ and serve the devil again. His salvation continues to be ‑‑ every person's salvation continues to be conditional. If man continues to hear and follow Christ, he certainly will be in a saved condition. The devil does not have the power to take him out of Christ’s or God’s hands (John 10:27-29), but if he refuses to hear and follow, then he can get himself out of Christ's hand and out of God's hand. So no man can serve two masters, trying to straddle the fence will not work! Jesus said, he that is not with me is against me, and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad. So every man makes a choice as to whether he is going to serve Christ or whether he is going to serve the devil.

Let us read Matthew 6:24 again, No man can serve two masters: For either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Mammon is money or material things, and so you cannot serve the Lord and be so engaged about storing up treasures in this world. Therefore I say unto you, Be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Now, this does not mean that we are not to do our part, we are to work for a living, as Paul instructed the Thessalonians to do. We are disobeying God if we do not do that, but after we have done our part, we are to leave it to the Lord. We are not to worry about what we are going to eat and what we are going to drink and what we are going to put on. The Lord knows our needs, and he has promised if we do his will, he will supply those necessities of life as taught very plainly in the rest of this chapter. So we are to put our trust in the Lord and do our part and leave the rest to him. Therefore I say unto you, Be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat." In other words, do not worry about it. You do not have to have food stored up in the house for a month or six months. I can remember back on the farm when my mother would try to usually can about five hundred quarts of various fruits and vegetables and meats so she would have plenty for the winter, and that was proper planning. There is the matter of doing your part, but do not worry about it. Therefore I say unto you, Be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than the food, and the body more than the raiment? Behold the birds of the heaven: They sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather in the barns; and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not of much more value than they? So God takes care of the birds of the heaven. They do not have to sow. They do not gather into barns, but our heavenly Father has a different way of feeding them. We are to sow and we are to reap. After we have done our part, leave the rest to the Lord.

A Texas farmer had many acres of cotton which was ruined by a long drought. When a visiting preacher saw his fields he said, “Oh I am so sorry” The farmer smiling said, “Well I reckon the Lord has other plans about how I am going to pay my debts.” That attitude is surely correct. We are of much more value than the birds of the heavens, and God takes care of them. And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit unto the measure of his life. In fact, a person who sits around and worries all the time, he may cut his life short by being anxious, with all of the worry. And why are you anxious concerning raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin. Yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Think how beautiful the fields are in a lot of the places where they are so beautiful in the spring of the year, and there is so much color of all the various wild flowers and flowering plants that you can really relax by looking at the beautiful scenery. Jesus is saying do not worry about raiment. Again, we are to do our part, and in days past this included making a lot of clothes for the family. You remember from the thirty first chapter of Proverbs about a worthy woman, and how she made clothes for the poor and, She is not afraid of the snow for her household; For all her household are clothed with scarlet --- Her clothing is fine linen and purple. But again the bottom line is that we are to do our part and God will see to that we have these necessary things.

Matthew 6:30, But if God doth so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Be not therefore anxious saying, What shall we eat? Or, What shall we drink? Or, wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek.) The Gentiles as a people were unbelievers, nearly all of them, and so they put their trust in those material things and they were very anxious about them. (For after these things do the Gentiles seek:) For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first his kingdom, and his .righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Again, another very important statement, seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. There are a few members of the church that are ready to work on the first day of the week because they receive double pay. Would not such be wrong according to verse thirty‑three? That is not putting the kingdom of God first. And the Lord has promised when we put the kingdom of God first, then we will surely have the necessities of life.

Verse 34, Be not therefore anxious for the morrow: For the morrow will be anxious for itself. And remember that model prayer, give us this day our daily bread, or give us day by day our daily bread. We can trust in the Lord that we will have those things. Be not therefore anxious for the morrow, for the morrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. In other words, that spirit having to have everything laid up for the future is wrong. Do you remember the parable of the rich farmer? His fields brought forth plentifully and he got so concerned about storing all of that bountiful harvest for himself and he made a very bad decision. H said, this will I do, I will tear down my old barns and I will build greater barns, and I will say to my soul, soul, thou hast much goods stored up for many years, take thine these, eat, drink, and be merry. The Lord said, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee, and then whose shall these things be (Luke 12:16-21)? So we are warned against trying to make things sufficient for years ahead. Just go ahead and put the Lord first, and he'll bless us and see that we have plenty. Sufficient unto the day. That spirit that you have just got to have everything stored up for many years is the wrong spirit. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Chapter seven,

Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: And with what measure ye meet, it shall be measured unto you. And why beholdest the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? I think I read from one translation, a speck of sawdust in thy brother's eye, and considereth not the log that is in thine own eye. Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me cast out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold the beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then thou shalt see clearly to cast out the mote that is out of thy brother's eye. Now, let me call attention to the fact that many are ready to take a reference like this and remove it from the context that it is in or from the rest of the Bible, and many are ready to say that the Bible says that you are not to judge me, and also Judge not that ye be not judged. And Jesus here is talking about that spirit of fault‑finding judging, where a person just wants to find fault with another person, and that of course is wrong. Back to verse two, For with what measure ye meet, it shall be measured unto you. If you judge others improperly, then others are going to return that to you. “And why beholdest thou the mote, the little things that are wrong with your brother, but you don't consider those big things that are wrong with yourself. The mote that's in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me cast out the mote out of thine eye. If I was an artist, I would like to draw that up. I think that would teach a great lesson by just having a good picture of the brother with a log in his own eye trying to get the little speck out of his brother's eye. Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye; and then thou shalt see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

The latter part of verse five shows that Jesus was not giving an ultimatum that we are not to judge at all. Another passage similar to this is in I Corinthians 4:1-5, where some in the church at Corinth were trying to judge Paul's apostleship. They were in no condition whatever to judge him as an apostle. Christ had made him a steward of the mysteries of God, and Paul was serving as a faithful steward, as best as he could tell; but some of the Corinthians were evidently saying that he was not doing properly as an apostle. The passage reads, Let a man so account of us, as ministers of Christ, and as stewards of the mysteries of God. Meaning, of course, the giving the New Testament law, the gospel of Christ to the people. God had given Paul and the other inspired writers sufficiency in the giving of the New Testament (II Corinthians 3:4-6). Here moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment. Yea, I judge not mine own self. For I know nothing against myself; yet I'm not already hereby justified: But he that judgeth me is the Lord. Wherefore judge nothing before the time come, until the Lord come, who will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and make manifest the counsels of the hearts: And then shall each man have his praise of God. I am calling attention to this to show how that it is so easy to just remove a passage from the rest of the Bible and come to a wrong conclusion. Now in chapter five, Paul very definitely tells the church that they are to judge the fornicator in the church. Chapter five and verse three, I verily, being absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, him that have so wrought this thing, in the name of our Lord Jesus, ye being gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of the Lord Jesus, to deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. So he tells them I have already judged this fornicator that has his father's wife, and when you come together, you withdraw fellowship from him that he may repent and that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. And so you see putting the two together, they were trying to judge Paul in an area where they could not judge him. Their judgment must have been very much like what Jesus is talking about here in the first part of chapter seven that fault‑finding judgment, just wanting to find something against another person.

Now notice that verse six is telling us that we are to judge. Matthew 7:6, Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast your pearls before the swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and rend you." Now, Jesus is not talking about four‑legged dogs and four‑legged swine, but he is talking about two‑legged dogs and two‑legged swine. There are those who have no respect whatever for holy things. They have no respect for the pearl of the great prize, which comes by being a child of God. And Jesus is saying do not take up your time with those kind of people. Some would reason that we are trying to just reach everybody in a very definite way. Well, there are some people who have no respect for things that are holy, two legged dogs and two legged swine as described in verse six. And Jesus said, do not give that which is holy unto the dogs. Do not take up your time and try to teach them, they will not receive it. Neither cast your pearls before the swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you. The swine wants something to eat, they want some corn, they do not want any pearls. And so there are two‑legged swine in every human society, in every land. And we are to do some judging when we find that the person just absolutely has no interest in doing the right thing. If he is choosing to go down the wrong way, and no turning back, then we are not to waste our time with them.

Verse seven, Ask and it shall be given you. There Matthew's gospel is similar to the passage we read from Luke eleven. Ask and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. So we are to be persistent in asking the Lord for those things that we think that we need. Note the words, ask, seek, knock. For every one that asketh receiveth. He that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh, it shall be open. And so the Lord does expect us to be persistent. Like that man who had company to come in the middle of the night, but he did not have anything to feed them with. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son shall ask him for a loaf, will give him a stone? Or if he ask for a fish, will give him a serpent? If ye then being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? Now, the Lord knows the things that we need before we ask him, but he expects us to ask, and that asking for our needs helps to keep us humble and trusting and depending on him realizing that all good things come from him (James 1:17).

Verse 12, All things therefore, whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, even so do ye also unto them: For this is the law and the prophets. So the golden rule is, do unto others as ye would have them to do unto you. Jesus said, this is the fulfillment of the law and the prophets, and, of course, that is true in respect to the New Testament. We have a similar passage in Romans the thirteenth chapter where Paul says, owe no man anything but to love one another. Romans 13:8, Owe no man anything, save to love one another: For he that loveth his neighbor hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is summed up in this word, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbor: Love therefore is the fulfillment of the law. Love is the fulfillment of the Old Testament law and the prophets, and love is the fulfillment of the New Testament law. The love of our brethren is a debt that we cannot pay in full, but we need to meet all of the installments as they come due. The church at Ephesus was threatened with extinction unless they remembered from whence they had fallen, and repented, and did the first works again. Why? They had lost their first love (Revelation 2:4-6).

Matthew 7:13, Enter ye in by the narrow gate. For wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many are they that enter therein. In these two verses Jesus tells us that there are two ways a narrow way and a broad way, and every accountable person is traveling down the highway of one of these ways. The broad way has a wide gate. People can get in that way without any effort, but the narrow way is different. Let me try to emphasize again that every accountable person is either going the straight and narrow way or going the broad way as set forth here in Matthew 7:13‑14, Enter ye in by the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many are they that enter in there by So many are going down the broad way. Has this has been true in every generation of time? We surely know it is true in this generation of time. For narrow is the gate and straight is the way, that leadeth unto life, and few are they that find it. Jesus is saying that there are not many who are ready to enter in by the narrow gate and walk in that straight and narrow way that the Lord has given us to walk in. I have heard of a few brethren reason that if we do all that we need to do that we wll be able to almost convert the whole world. Now we can do more, and the more we extinctiondo the more we will turn from the broad way, but this is one of several passages which shows that when there is real dedication on the part of the universal church that the world as a whole will not be converted.

Matthew 7:15, All right. Again the Lord says to judge. Beginning with verse fifteen, Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves. They appear to be the Lord's sheep, but they are the devil's servants out to destroy the souls of men, like hungry, devouring wolves. By their fruits ye shall know them. And so we at least are to be fruit inspectors. We can tell what kind of person a preacher is by the fruit that he bears. By their fruits ye shall know them. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit. Just as surely as a man is a servant of the Lord, his manner of life, and his teaching will show that he is a servant of the Lord. Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but the corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. And so Jesus is saying, beware of the false prophets. This is the way that you can determine whether they are false prophets or true prophets is by the fruit that they bear. And every tree that doesn't bring forth good fruit ‑‑ Of course, those are things that the Lord has instructed us to bear, like the fruit of righteousness as given in Galatians 5:22-23. Every tree that bringeth forth not good fruit; is hewn down and cast into the fire. Therefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Matthew 7:21, Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven. So it is one thing for a person just to say, Lord, Lord, and it is something else for him to do as the Lord has commanded. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord did we not prophesy in thy name? And in thy name cast out demons? And by thy name do many, mighty works? And then I will profess unto them, I never knew you: Depart from me, ye that work iniquity. So in the day of judgment, many will think that they are supposed to be among the saved, when the Lord will say I never knew you. Why? Because they did not do according to his will. They may have done some great things as far as helping others, but unless they do it according to the Lord's instruction, then Jesus said, I will profess unto them I never knew you. Depart from me, ye that work iniquity. And those who do things contrary to what the Lord has commanded are going the wrong way ‑‑ their works being iniquity before the Lord. Every one therefore that heareth these words of mine and doeth them as liken to a wise man, who built his house upon the rock. I like to hear the little children sing the song, The Wise Man Built His House Upon The Rock. And we need to encourage our children in singing good songs like the little song that they sing based on this. Every wise person builds his or her house on the Lord Jesus Christ. And the rains descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: For it was founded upon the rock. The person who hears the words of Christ and doeth them is a wise and blessed person. D you remember the words of Paul in Romans 2:13, for not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. James says, he that looketh into the perfect law of liberty and continueth therein, he being not forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his dealings (James 1:25). There is no blessing pronounced upon a person for just hearing the word of the Lord, but the hearing in order to receive a blessing must be coupled with doing. So every one who does as the Lord has instructed is building his or her house upon the Lord Jesus Christ. And the rain descending, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: For it was founded upon the rock. And every one that heareth these words of mine and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand. A man may hear and talk about how great the Lord's instruction is, but unless he does according to the instruction, he is building his house upon the sand. And the rains descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and smote upon that house; and it fell: And great was the fall thereof. It came to pass when Jesus had finished these words, the multitude were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as their scribes.

Do you not guess that those scribes would say that this great doctor of the law says this and the other great scribe of the law says this and it may mean this and it may mean that. So the people noticed a distinction in the teaching of Christ, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes. And I am ready to say that every gospel preacher should speak with authority. He should learn what the Bible teaches on any subject that he speaks on and then present that subject very plainly with real scriptural authority. The “I think and I think preaching” is not the right kind of preaching and teaching! When a person has studied well enough that he can go with a straight course to show just exactly what the Bible teaches on the subject, he is speaking with real authority! And every lesson given should have that ring of authority, and we need to learn and speak as the Bible speaks and speak it with authority. There is a danger of a preacher trying to teach on a subject that he has not studied well enough and that he does not have a clear understanding of. Sometimes there is a temptation to get a hold of a subject because it is counted as a hard subject. Unless that preacher or teacher has studied adequately, he needs to be careful. He needs to wait until he knows more about that subject and then be able to speak with that straight course. Do you remember how Paul told Timothy, to study to show thyself approved unto God a workman that needeth not be ashamed, handling a right the word of truth II Timothy 2:15), or going with a straight course to teach on any subject that he is teaching on. So Jesus spoke with that ring of authority, and the multitudes noticed the difference between his teaching and that of the scribes! When gospel preachers preach with such authority people will notice the difference between their preaching and denominational preaching. And when he was come down from the mountains, great multitude followed him.

And, behold, there came to him a leper worshiping him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And he stretched forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou made clean, and straightway his leprosy was cleansed. And Jesus saith unto him, See that thou tell no man; but go show thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them. And I believe Mark and Luke also record this account, the healing of the leper. So turn quickly to Mark 1:40, And there come unto him a leper, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And being moved with compassion, he stretched forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou made clean. And straightway the leprosy departed from him, and he was made clean. And he strictly charged him, and straightway sent him out; and saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man: but go show thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing the things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them. But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to spread abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into a city, but was without in the desert places: and they came to him from every quarter. Turn to Luke chapter five beginning with verse twelve. We will not have time to review back to the Old Testament. But we will pick up next time, hopefully and do that. Reading from Luke 5:12, And it came to pass, while he was in a certain city, behold a man full of leprosy. Now, remember Paul speaks of Luke as the beloved physician. And you can notice in several cases where health matters are involved, that he will give a little detail that the others do not give. And so Luke said a man full of leprosy. And when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And he stretched forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will: Be thou made clean. And straightway the leprosy departed from him. And he charged him to tell no man: but go thy way, and show thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing according as Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them. I see that our time is up, and we will read from the law in our next lesson. Thank you.