When I sat down and began to contemplate some of the tough sayings of Jesus, I never imagined the wrestling match that would have ensued in preparing for last week's message on lust and adultery. What is too much to say, what is not enough to say. How do I handle the comments of Christ accurately. Probably no message I have ever preached has taken me so far outside my comfort zone than to speak as honestly and candidly as I did on this passage.
Matthew 5:27-30 (NLT)
27 "You have heard that the law of Moses says, `Do not commit adultery.'
28 But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust in his eye has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
29 So if your eye—even if it is your good eye—causes you to lust, 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.
30 And if your hand—even if it is your stronger 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 be thrown into hell.
Jesus challenged us to live a life of extremem awareness of what is going on around us and our strengths can quickly become our weaknesses if we are not careful. That has played out in so many people's lives when we see them champion causes only to fall into the sin they were combating. We must strive to be careful, to be wise and to honor people we encounter.
My prayer for all who consider this passage is that we learn to see all people through the eyes of Christ and not as mere objects for our satisfaction. Stay strong, and as Paul said: "Run away from sexual sin!" (1 Corinthians 6:18)
This week, we will look at another challenging subject, the one of marriage and divorce. It lends a question; as people of faith, are we too lax concerning marriage or too condemning concerning divorce? It's certainly something to think about as we prepare for Sunday.
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