Whatever Happened to Fidelity and Honesty?, Part 1

Right in the middle of his famous sermon on the Mount, Jesus delivered a shocking lecture on the importance of moral purity, marital fidelity and personal honesty. It was shocking not because of the subject matter because of the consequences that fall on those who fail today on Insight for living Chuck Swindoll guides us through this portion Jesus message helps us understand its relevance to our times. Let's allow the words of Jesus to sink in. As we open our Bibles to Matthew chapter 5 check title today's message. Whatever happened to fidelity and honest kind of person to blaze a new trail.

Anybody can go along with the crowd. Anybody can listen to the drumbeat of the majority fall in line become a part of the status quo existence make no difference now or later, but if your trailblazer that kind of thought turns you all you're interested in making a difference, which begins with thinking differently and leads to decisions and acting differently from those around just finished reading a fascinating book by Martin Gerd, who has written what he calls the explorers. It's a book that long, but pack with stories of adventure, remarkable adventures, the kind of trailblazing adventures. You only imagine people who went deep in the jungles and were there sometime for years. Others who took on the wild season Marin 100, 220 foot waves somewhat to the depth of the sea. Others who went to the heights of the Himalayas summer walked across continents.

Some two-faced savages and on and on. The stories Gordon you find yourself trying to imagine what they thought is the conquered. One of the poles north or south or how they stayed in the canoe for weeks at a time how they faced insuperable without losing heart trailblazers in a particular part of the of the book Gerd stops and says there were seven qualities every Explorer head and it caught my eye on market in the book and immediately memorize the seven undetermined through the balance of this year to work on one month because I want to be like that. Not literally an Explorer but an explorer in heart want to be a person of fast adventures, not fearing the risk thinking outside the box. Determined to make a difference here.

The seven. It all begins with curiosity, no Explorer ever set out without first being curious and then there's hope. Hope Bill saw behind curiosity and and lead you with a fresh momentum into what may be your pursuit at that time, then comes passion always passion, the excitement, the enthusiasm that stays at it as Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote on one occasion is doubtful anything great was ever accomplished without enthusiasm, passion and courage. Of course, passion will run its course. Would you will find yourself up against the odds annually the courage to stand fast or to press on to go on beyond the disease that tries to conquer you or the fever from which you suck that that determination. That is always a part of. And then there's independence you discover with explorers. There is that independent spirit of willingness to think in such a way that no one else thought like that. That mountain may be enormously high above the proper oxygen level but I can scaling I can do that then their self-discipline otherwise is just a nice dream a good idea maybe impressive to others, but you need to self-discipline stay at it longer I live, one of my favorite words continues to be disciplined. I don't know what I respect who isn't disciplined and some of them disciplined in such a way that you feel almost like a sloth around them.

They care little about the time they worry little about what others may say or think that self-discipline and finally perseverance going on going out one of the real tests among explorers is after the exploration is finished you reach your destination and then what will it takes perseverance to hang in there to find a new trail or to seek the benefits of where you have been these last number of months you never studied a better model of a trailblazer that Jesus Christ's think of it in 33 years, he accomplished the mission never lost sight of it really didn't engage in it directly until about the last 33 and have years of his life and then brought along with him those who would carry on once he's out of the picture, hoping to build a do them. This trailblazing mentality, how different he was when he preached what an unusual lifestyle leaving the comforts of Nazareth, where everyone knows mother is still alive. Siblings are around, and he strikes out on his own to hear them. Curiosity. Hope passion and on and on through the process. So when he taught you are not surprised that he broke the mold. Understand this, the people he taught in the sermon on the Mount Matthew 567 people who all their lives had heard the rabbis teach what they had been taught and what those mentors had been taught in years earlier, and that all fall in the same singsong the same easy way through the same self-serving plan same focus on hypocrisy and nothing about self-denial, along comes Jesus who begins his sermon with your blessed if you do this if you do that if you think like this.

If you're willing to go there.

Your blessed, blessed are you blessed are you blessed are you 1234. Time and again he says that so we learned were blessed and less you think is all automatic. When you get to do these 13th and 14th verses of chapter 5 is the sermon is just gotten underway. Is your salt in your light don't shake the salt you are the sole and when you're involved in the world around you. You are the salt shaker you give chase to the bland you give preservation to that which is compromise by wrong and your light surrounded by darkness you the you the torch there when I was a kid we were in Carlsbad caverns for the center been away from home and in Britain there my mom and dad or their sister think our older brothers there and we go down deep into this chasm and and then they turn out all the light and my first thought is hope.

My mother gets lost down in here somewhere, but I was young and stupid. Thankfully she didn't get lost. She probably is thinking the same thing about me. Come to think of but anyway in the darkness. The Rangers is not what all of you to see the power of light and he lit a match suddenly one match in the K you could see the corners like tight stalagmites on which one is which. They were both there and you can hear the rippling water you see chasms down below one match that you miss me when were among the world system for trailblazers. If we follow his instructions. We learned that salt and light his way to be will carry that out. Not afraid of all others.

Market others think that's stupid silly was wrong with you par for the course.

Would you care trailblazers listen to the majority that never get in the boat then never get up on the mountain and then Jesus says something in chapter 6, verse eight what you look at it I think is the key to understanding the sermon will not be like them, whose then Pharisees and scribes, the officials who promoted the singsong religion and do what we say.

Follow us is the way you live your life, which led to a bland and deceitful lifestyle full of hypocrisy.

Do not be like them. So he takes on them without hesitation. This is where I think their hatred for him began as the fringes were surrounded with no doubt, Pharisees and scribes listening to this young attended preacher from Nazareth. Teaching these people is set among them. Jesus talked about murder, scribes and Pharisees said don't murder may stop there. They left it at that. You could hate somebody all you wanted every problem, at least according to them, you can refuse to forgive and carry revenge and grudges.

The rest of your life.

In fact, many of them encourage that not Jesus. So we talked about murder is a little further because I want you to be like them. Watch out for what grows in your heart, so forgive people get rid of the garage. Some of you would discover that your life is transformed, virtually overnight if you just got rid of it. Thoughts of revenge. Some of you live your life during the garage and I'm sorry you're missing so much. Jesus never carried a grudge to the last days, said father forgive them for what they're doing is Neil is a hand theater nailed to the cross murder starts in the heart.

She got a watch that and when it does begin to emerge. This hatred you gotta forget he carries that through now you get down to verse 27. You get the nuts and bolts of life. That's where we are today where he talks about marital fidelity and then when you get over to verse 33 verbal integrity. Those two subjects he took on full force without hesitation. This pattern want you to market. If you haven't already.

Verse 27 you have heard that's what the Pharisees taught him all their lives.

That's with the rabbis and said they learn from the Pharisees verse 28 but I say so now is a trailblazer now is breaking the mold. What you have heard did not go far enough so I would tell you more about this matter of adultery and he sure does verse 31 it was said in the address of the subject of divorce verse 32 but I say so. He talks about the way they've been taught which didn't go far enough, and now he says there's more you need to know and so he goes there.

Verse 32, 33, again you have heard it, and 33, but I 33 says that in and 34 but I say to you get the pattern you have heard but I say you have heard. I say it is been said but I say so when he as the but I say part. He is now breaking the mold.

Many women listen to me this morning. You must pay close attention to what Jesus taught, or you'll fall in line with the general population will start thinking like they think you're start allowing yourself certain liberties like they do you. You'll start fearing what they may say if you're not like them you get past all of that. I think one of the reasons Jesus waited till he was 30s on God's perfect will for that he was now mature enough to take whatever was thrown.

It but timing at age 30 and beyond your to be able to live your life where you're like flint. It just flashes off beware when all people say good things about you know Jesus takes it on in verse 27 let's do our best with the time we have with marital fidelity and along with that the subject of divorce and then verbal integrity. The whole issue of honesty and oats. You've heard that it was said, you shall not commit adultery. Every adult in this room knows what that means. Jesus goes further but I say to you, long before something happens in the bed. Something is begun to happen in your head in the next verse describes that I say to you everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her is already committed adultery with her adultery with her in his heart so you gotta come to terms with your eyes, your eyes fee. Your mind which builds imagination, especially in sexual sensual areas and you're off and running as loss runs its course and you're only a matter of time before you're in bed with another partner. The next verse, you're right. I make shoes stumble, tear it out and throw it from you that if you to lose one of the parts of your body then your whole body be thrown into hellish existence.

Verse 30 your right hand makes you stumble, cut it all thrown away now hold some read this and and and they took it literally so cemented themselves castrated. One minaret castrated himself. That must've been full afternoon, I mean that is not what Jesus is saying when you read see he's being ruthless with lust and the only way to be ruthless is to use language that is extremely that gets your attention the plucking out of the I is his way of saying start staring at another woman. You will not lust. If you do not steer.

It's like Job says, and 31 one I made a covenant with my eyes. I will not stare at a virgin like the old King James.

I will not ogle made every man in this room knows exactly what that means everyone of us. You look in the process of staring you undress her in the process of undressing here you imagine yourself with her this. What is getting at here is not kid ourselves and we all know that the man's source of temptation.

At least the initial source is the eye for the woman. It's touch.

By the way, what said about the man is equally true. The woman women can lust just like men and they do not keep your hands where they belong. Keep them off of the other person. What's out about putting your hands all over someone else.

You are Italian just put your hands in your pocket, don't touch her, don't touch it, so people just crave and there were times I want to say actually really know III don't want to look within their all over you as if that's going to help you. Really that's pretty needy. You'll have to do that.

You know what happens to me when you hug me know you is they will construct ruthless. What else is plucking out your eye or cutting off your hand and a lot of never been with another woman intimately because of never put my hands on another woman were I should. It works it works every time it works. Jesus is so wise now. You don't understand there are people in our day who are of the Victorian mentality that sex is his nasty shameful. This degrading is distasteful, it's all those things outside of marriage. But inside of marriage is none of those things who created it. God himself made the man and made the woman and he gave us a drive for each other and after the marriage vows are taken in marriage is begun.

There is a wonderful outlet for the stimulation of sexual desire and the fulfillment of it, not just for the bearing of children probably have the song of Solomon in the Bible since great story of romance and how about Proverbs 5 listen drink water from your own cistern, fresh water from your own well. What's that mean enjoy your own partner in life.

Your married partner. Should your springs be dispersed abroad, streams of water in the streets, was that mean that means your intimate with someone is not your married partner very clear. Let them be yours alone not for strangers with you. Let your fountain be blessed, rejoice in the wife of your youth as a loving kind and graceful. No, but her breasts satisfy you at all times be exhilarated always with her love and on and on is pretty intimate writing course this is beautiful unless you find your interest on the Internet and that changes everything you not put your hands with a below. Going there. Nothing good happens of the sex site on the Internet. There are more of those websites and any other category on the Internet you will never be in problems with it. If you don't go there you will be as soon as you do, then there's a healer listed mentality which was true, then a true now selects hey it's a free-for-all.

No holds barred were sexual beings don't hold back. Participate enjoy it. Do whatever you wish, whatever you wish, however you wish to do it with whomever really feels good do it and I will add to that, since I deal with those who fall into that trap that it leads to personal pain and boredom and shame and guilt to disease and thoughts of suicide, and sometime act subsumes it isn't fun. It's an addiction. Marital intimacy is not an addiction. It's fine.

It's delightful. It's delectable, filled with curiosity and joy.

Discovery pleasure shared with no one else throughout life.

How good is this what Jesus is talking about because of the subject of divorce and you know I don't have time to track all the possibilities of this happened, or that happened in your life or how did it all I can do is tell you what he said in this passage in their other patches. I'll give you the minute you can study on your own, but look at what he says here, it was said verse 31. Whoever sends his wife away, let him give her a certificate of divorce is what the rabbis taught. So Jesus gets down to brass tacks when he addresses it here.

He deals with one of the reasons there can be a divorce but I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife except for the reason of unchastity makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adult where midway through a message from Chuck Swindoll titled with a question.

Whatever happened to fidelity and honesty and alert you to join us again tomorrow when we have another half hour to pursue this relevant topic you're listening to Insight for living and if you'd like to learn more about this ministry. Are these messages, please visit us online@insightworld.org and then I'll remind you check is written an in-depth book about Jesus sermon on the Mount to learn more about this timeless message from Jesus, we highly recommend that you secure a copy. It's called simple faith.

You know when we sit down to read Matthew chapters 5, six and seven were quick to realize Jesus famous sermon was just 15 minutes or so in length, but his radical word stand is the most influential in history from his opening Beatitudes through his story about building our house on solid rock.

The sermon on the Mount contains a wealth of wisdom for our times, among other issues.

Jesus urged us to replace hypocritical performance-based religion with the joy and faith of kingdom living. These are the topics Chuck explores in his classic book simple faith discovering what really matters to purchase a copy right now. Call us if you're listening in the US dial 1-800-772-8888 or go directly to Insight.org/store. In addition, you might like to add the message called finding healing through forgiveness is available on CD or MP3. This is a complete unabridged recording of the message Chuck delivered including us during personal testimony from his wife Cynthia in this message Chuck… Understand what it means to face our deepest insecurities that are often expressed in fear, anger and resentment. Cynthia describes how she found healing from these damaging emotions through a humbling process of seeking forgiveness so to resources at your disposal today.

First textbook on Jesus sermon of all sermons called simple faith and second message on CD and MP3 called finding healing through forgiveness purchase either resource or both.

Call us listening in the United States dial 1-800-772-8888 or go online to Insight.org/store nine dates. My tomorrow Chuck Swindoll continues to tackle the question. Whatever happened to fidelity and honesty listen Wednesday to Insight for living.

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Whatever happened to fidelity and honesty was copyrighted in 2015 and 2021 and the sound recording was copyrighted in 2021 by Charles Parson Dalton. All rights are reserved worldwide.

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