Red Letters Part 5
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Let your Yes Be Yes
Let your Yes Be Yes
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33 “You have also heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not break your vows; you must carry out the vows you make to the Lord.’ 34 But I say, do not make any vows! Do not say, ‘By heaven!’ because heaven is God’s throne. 35 And do not say, ‘By the earth!’ because the earth is his footstool. And do not say, ‘By Jerusalem!’ for Jerusalem is the city of the great King. 36 Do not even say, ‘By my head!’ for you can’t turn one hair white or black. 37 Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one.
Review how this passage ties into the passages before (Salt and Light, Anger, Adultery and Divorce)
Background on Vows
In Matthew 5:33 (NLT) Jesus quotes Numbers 30:2 when the people of Israel were instructed not to break their vows and they MUST carry out the vows that are made before the Lord.
Vows to the Lord at that time were considered binding and MUST be fulfilled.
Vows that were broken in ancient times called for the destruction of those who broke the vow.
The religious leaders and many Jews would avoid using God’s name so that they were not actually bound by their vow.
So instead of vowing by God they constructed these spiritual sounding substitutions (by Heaven, By Earth, By Jerusalem, etc.
Clever liars would take advantage of these substitutions to manipulate situations with vows and not have the responsibility to actually fulfill the vows that they made.
COUNT THE COST
COUNT THE COST
33 “You have also heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not break your vows; you must carry out the vows you make to the Lord.’
The first time “vows” are mentioned in this verse it is the Greek Word Epiorkeo ep-ee-or-keh-o (which means “to make false vows”)
The Second time the word vows is used in this verse is Horkos (That which has been pledged or promise with an Vows. “To enclose (as with a fence).
So in essence this verse is saying “Don’t make vows that you have no intention of keeping, only vow before the Lord when you ABSOLUTELY KNOW that you will fulfill the vow you make!
It is better for you to NOT make an vow then to make a vow and not keep it.
It’s like of the two sons in Matthew 21. Their father asks each of them to go and work in his vineyard. The first son told his father right up front No I won’t. But later the son regretted his decision and went and work in his father’s vineyard.
Then the second when his father ask him to go work in his vineyard, he said yes. But he never went. He was a no-show!
1 As you enter the house of God, keep your ears open and your mouth shut. It is evil to make mindless offerings to God. 2 Don’t make rash promises, and don’t be hasty in bringing matters before God. After all, God is in heaven, and you are here on earth. So let your words be few. 3 Too much activity gives you restless dreams; too many words make you a fool. 4 When you make a promise to God, don’t delay in following through, for God takes no pleasure in fools. Keep all the promises you make to him. 5 It is better to say nothing than to make a promise and not keep it. 6 Don’t let your mouth make you sin. And don’t defend yourself by telling the Temple messenger that the promise you made was a mistake. That would make God angry, and he might wipe out everything you have achieved. 7 Talk is cheap, like daydreams and other useless activities. Fear God instead.
Jephthah
Judges 11:29 And Jephthah made a vow to the Lord. He said, “If you give me victory over the Ammonites, I will give to the Lord whatever comes out of my house to meet me when I return in triumph. I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering.”
25 Don’t trap yourself by making a rash promise to God and only later counting the cost.
MEAN WHAT YOU SAY
MEAN WHAT YOU SAY
Matthew 5:34-37 “But I say, do not make any vows! Do not say, ‘By heaven!’ because heaven is God’s throne. And do not say, ‘By the earth!’ because the earth is his footstool. And do not say, ‘By Jerusalem!’ for Jerusalem is the city of the great King. Do not even say, ‘By my head!’ for you can’t turn one hair white or black. Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one.”
(Examples of when we say things we don’t actually mean)
(Examples of when we say things we don’t actually mean)
I’ll Pray for you /I will pray about that
Sometimes we can say God if you get me out of this…If you give me this money…If you send me a spouse…I WILL DO THIS OR THAT! But do we actually do it?
1Samuel 20:16-17 David and Jonathan
PEOPLE ARE WATCHING TO SEE IF YOU ARE A PERSON OF YOUR WORD
11 Make vows to the Lord your God, and keep them. Let everyone bring tribute to the Awesome One.
As Leaders
In the Workplace
In your schools
In the church
As Parents
As a Christian
When you say yes to Jesus YOU ARE MAKING A VOW TO GOD. IT’S BINDING!
LET YOUR YES BE YES
LET YOUR YES BE YES
37 Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one.
12 But most of all, my brothers and sisters, never take an oath, by heaven or earth or anything else. Just say a simple yes or no, so that you will not sin and be condemned.
Galatians 2:11-19 Paul oppose Peter
Too much talk leads to sin.
Be sensible and keep your mouth shut.