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Christ in Ministry – Jesus’ Teachings II
This article is the fourth in an eight-part series on Jesus Christ. He continues to explain the Law in more detail.
The following links will connect you to each article. Christ In Creation, Christ In Prophecy, Christ In Ministry-I, Christ In Ministry–II, Christ In Ministry–III, Christ In Sacrifice, Christ In History, and Christ In Revelation.
You shall not commit Adultery.
God defines adultery as a sin. Period. That is God’s Law, yet our society and perhaps those Jesus spoke to were often guilty. The actual act of adultery is what we usually consider a sin. However, Jesus broadens the definition to include our looks and thoughts, including single and married individuals.
John Calvin, Martin Luther, John Wesley, Matthew Henry, and many contemporary spiritual leaders agree that Jesus addressed all sexual immorality in the following verse. In Jesus’ statement, “lusting after a woman,” He included both adultery and fornication (sexual relations between persons not married to each other).
Jesus says in Matt 5:27-28 NKJV, 27 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Of course, Ladies, you know that the Scripture speaks to you also. Men are not the only ones guilty of sexual sin in their hearts. In our society with so much nudity, immoral conversation, and lack of training about right and wrong, we see a growing problem.
The teaching of Jesus tells us that to be unfaithful to your husband or wife can be in your mind. It is a sin when you give a part of yourself that belongs to another. Maybe it is time, respect, or just your thoughts that are involved. The Holy Spirit tells you when you are doing wrong. Paul wrote in Hebrews 13:4 NKJV 4 Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.
Sadly, much of our sexual sin is due to a corrupt idea of marriage.
Teaching on Marriage
Marriage is sacred and eternally binding!
Jesus speaks very plainly when He talks about sin and marriage.
Marriage is presently a shameful disgrace in our country and in our churches. Men and women consider marriage only an option in sexual relations, certainly not a requirement. As a result, many people now live together and give little credit to marriage. Some may even consider marriage a trial arrangement to see if they are compatible.
Even within the church, the sanctity of marriage is rarely preached or taught. Likewise, pastors do not preach on sexual immorality because we do not want to point out such a common SIN among us. Individuals who are guilty of adultery or other sexual sins must be told and held accountable.
In Gen 2:24 NKJV, God tells us, 24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
God intended marriage as a sacred union between a man, a woman, and God. It is God that made them into one flesh. God has not changed through the ages. He is still the One that puts a man and woman together and makes them one flesh.
We might also notice that Jesus’ first miracle was at a wedding feast.
When we become one flesh, there is no separating us. In Matt 19:6, Jesus says, “So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.”
In reality, what God has joined, man can not separate. Marriage is binding on both parties.
Jesus said this about divorce. 32 But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery. Matt 5:32 NKJV
GOD DOES NOT CHANGE! 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Heb 13:8 NKJV
We need to avoid the sin of adultery in our lives and teach others not to allow themselves to be drawn into adulterous relationships.
Teaching about Enemies
Jesus took the teaching, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy,’ Matt 5:43, and made it clear that God required more of us. He gave us the idea that we were to love our enemies.
Jesus’ teaching to love our enemies was revolutionary to those listening to Him and is radical thinking in our world today. However, Jesus did not stop there. He made it even more difficult in the following verse 44. Jesus says, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you. Matt 5:44 NKJV
Why do this?
You are to do it for this reason, so that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. Matt 5:45 NKJV
Loving your enemies sets you apart from the world. Most people love those who love them, but do they love the ones who hate them? God did just that for us and sent His Son to die for us while we were still His enemies.
In the following few verses, He points out how the world loves and that we should not be like the world. Everyone loves those who love them, so what is unique about that? Loving someone who cares nothing for you is God-like and makes us more like our Father in Heaven.
48 Therefore, you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. Matt 5:48 NKJV
***NOTE: As you study the ministry of Jesus with me, you should read each chapter several times.
Teaching us how to Do Good
The teachings of Jesus explain how important it is to do good and charitable acts to honor God and not ourselves. But, unfortunately, people of that day (and today) often do good deeds just to be seen by others. Our pride gets in the way of doing what is right.
We are to do good for others to help them see the goodness of God. We should not seek glory for ourselves. Our reward comes from knowing that we are doing God’s will and seeing the changes He makes in other people’s lives.
Jesus instructs us on how we are to do our good deeds. 3 But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly. Matt 6:3-4 NKJV
When possible, you want to help without drawing attention to yourself. At the same time, you want the receiver to know that the help or gift is from God. Crediting God should always be done. Sometimes your giving can help people draw closer to God.
Teaching us how to Fast
Fasting was a common practice in Bible times, but we rarely speak of it in our society. However, it is easy to get a big following by discussing food on the internet.
Today the weight loss industry promotes fasting as a tool for losing weight. There may even be some health benefits in fasting, but that is not the Biblical reason to fast.
When you fast it should be between you and God. You are saying to God and to yourself that you are serious and want to be closer to Him. You are asking Him to listen to your prayer and saying, God, I am serious. I need your help.
When you fast and pray, you have greater clarity and can focus your prayers. This focus will help you into a closer relationship with God.
However, as Jesus points out in the following verses, people sometimes do it to draw attention. We should not try to make people notice us or to have them think how “holy” we are. Instead, we should do all things with our goal to draw closer to God.
16 “Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. Matt 6:16 NKJV
Teaching on Wealth
Men have not changed through the ages. Just as God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, man’s sinfulness is also ongoing. We are still focused on the material things more than the spiritual.
One of the wealthiest men in America was asked by a reporter, “How much money would make you rich enough?” His reply was, “Just a little bit more.”
The teachings of Jesus point out one of the problems with wealth. It will not last into eternity and we spend a lot of time and energy worrying about keeping earthly belongings safe.
Jesus told the crowd, 19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. Matt 6:19-20 NKJV
Why did Jesus say this?
Jesus says, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matt 6:21 NKJV
He also tells us:
24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. Matt 6:24 NIV
The choice is yours.
Money is not evil—the love of money and the things it can buy is evil. When you focus all your efforts on gaining money or possessions, you cannot focus on the more essential things in life. You find that you are always thinking about what you have or what you want and you have little time for serving God.
God made it clear that He would never allow Himself to be in second place. You must put Him first.
Conclusion
This ends our lesson. I hope that you have grown in knowledge and understanding of what Jesus is teaching.
I thank you for being with me today and hope you will join us for our next lesson.
Note: The following articles will tell you more about Jesus Christ. Just click on the title you are interested in, Christ In Creation, Christ In Prophecy, Christ In Ministry-I, Christ In Ministry-II, Christ In Ministry-III, Christ In Sacrifice, Christ In History, and Christ In Revelation.