the basic message # E39
Matthew 5:29-30
“If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.”
These are pretty strong words from Jesus Christ. Did he intend for them to be taken literally? I don’t think so, or there would be plenty of full-gospel churches inhabited by half-blind, one-handed people. Seriously, I think that Jesus wanted to get our full attention by making the statements above. He is sending out a clear command- sinful behavior isn’t to be taken lightly. Few of us would really consider removing an eye or a hand, but we physically could, and therefore should take some proactive measures to prevent sin in the first place. I incorporated something into my nightly prayers last year that has opened my eyes to some bad habits I continue to have. Each night, I not only ask God for forgiveness for the sins of the day, I try to remember the details of the sins. What have I learned? I have more to confess during the week than on the weekend. Why? During the work week, I have more opportunity to stray from the Word. I find myself gossiping about people, engaging in conversation without merit, and compromising my Christianity. The business world is full of traps. What did Jesus say about this?
Luke 16:15
He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts. What is highly valued among men is detestable in God’s sight.”
School and work are the places we spend most of our time. We have idle time to spend talking about other people and the things they do. I have come to realize that certain people are more likely to bring out the gossip in me than others. I need to stay away from them. I need to spend most of my time with other believers, but since they’re scarce, I can at least spend time with people who discuss ideas and concepts of a positive nature. Talk about hobbies, places, things to see and do, but don’t talk negative about other people- it’s a waste of good time. Think about some of the people you hang-out with. After spending an hour with them, do you feel upbeat or defeated? Do you walk away from the conversation feeling like a Christian, or like you need a shower to get off the dirt? We all have people and places that encourage us to sin, and we simply need to stay away from them.
Luke 17:1
Jesus said to his disciples: “Things that cause people to sin are bound to come, but woe to that person through who they come.”
Are we the “person through who they come”? Even if we aren’t, are we contributing to the demise of another person by allowing them to gossip while we listen? Some things seem fairly innocent, like “Come on and have a beer with us- just one”. I can’t remember one instance that I only had one beer when I was a drinking man. One turned to two, two to three, and so on. And surprise!- where people are drinking, someone is usually smoking. And it seems like where both are happening, a certain amount of flirting or fighting is also present. Why would a Christian voluntarily walk into a bar knowing fully well what is likely to happen? Ever hear “don’t put God to the test”?
My friends, sin will find us whether we want it or not. Why would we want to increase our chances of it coming our way? Please consider when, where, and with whom you’re likely to sin, and make the corrective action. God will be smiling that day.