Kingdom standards are high standards; stop the murder!

Rev Enoch Thompson | FEBRUARY 01, 2023 | MATTHEW 5:21-22

KEY VERSE:

(But) I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Matthew 5:22 (NIV)

MESSAGE:

STOP THE MURDER? Not many of us can be said to be murderous, at least so it seems. But the Lord Jesus Christ is going to show us in this and the next few verses how very much Kingdom discipleship raises the bar of measuring proper moral behaviour and makes all of us guilty of murder, fornication, adultery etc, things we may never be physically likely to be doing. The spiritual essence of what we do or do not do is as important, as what we do or do not do physically, if not more important than that. The demands of the Kingdom's understanding of things take the sixth commandment to the ultimate level.

In Matthew 5:21-26 the Lord defines murder in the context of the Kingdom of God, not only in terms of physically taking the life of another person, but more. When we are angry with people “without a cause” (see the footnote in some versions of the Bible), we commit murder (v. 22). Parents, we murder our children when we allow our personal frustrations to make us angry at them, for their natural childishness. Bosses, we murder our colleagues and subordinates when we are angry with them because we are under pressure, and they are ready punching bags for our anger and stress.

When we use insulting words on people, behind them or to their faces, we murder. When we speak evil of the good name of others to make them look less than human or separate them from what their achievements are, most of the time to put ourselves in a better light, we kill (that is why it is called “character ASSASSINATION.”)

Note that such killing of the higher form described here by the Lord attracts punishment from God, and we cannot hide nor escape how and when He chooses to give that punishment.

FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE:

Let’s search our hearts. Let’s repent of the anger, the insults, the screaming, the gossip and all the murderous killings that we have engaged in. Let’s pray for God’s forgiveness and decide to kill no more!

PRAYER:

Dear Lord, your high standards make me see myself in a new light. I have sinned, for by Kingdom standards I have killed. Please forgive me and give me the power to control the tendency to kill, and to begin to give life to those around me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING.

SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!