Matthew chapter five, verses 33 through 37. And once again, if you would like to keep notes, either for your own benefit here this morning and or for ongoing reference and study, feel free to use the sermon notes page in your bulletin to make some notes. But here now, the very word of God that is written for you and for me today. Again, you have heard that it was said to those of old, you shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord. But I say to you, do not swear at all, neither by heaven, for it is God's throne, nor by the earth, for it is his footstool, nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great king. Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. But let your yes be yes and your no, no, for whatever is more than these is from the evil one. Amen. Thus far, the reading of God's holy word. Let us ask his blessing upon the preaching of it. Our gracious God and heavenly Father, this is your most holy word to us today. Father, may we not be misguided or misinformed in our minds that this is not your intentional word that we need to hear and apply in our lives today. We pray for your Spirit's work in that. We pray, O Holy Spirit, that you would open our eyes to see, our ears to hear, our understanding that we would receive it as the Word of God and seek to be faithful to your commands. We pray this in Christ's name, amen. Amen, well, people of God, the condition of one's heart and what is in the hearts of men and women and boys and girls matters to God. And this has been crystal clear in Jesus's exposition of the law thus far, hasn't it? He hasn't been mincing words. He hasn't been vague. He's been very specific that the sins of men and women are not just external, but they are in the heart. Indeed, the law of God exposes sin for what it is. It exposes where it is. It exposes where it begins. In many ways, this was undoubtedly eye-opening and convicting for Christ's mountainside disciples. In every way, I pray that it has been the same for you today as the word is at work in your heart and mind. And how must kingdom citizens live in the light of God's law? Well, if you recall, Jesus has addressed anger, he has called out and addressed lust in the heart, and he has also most recently dealt with divorce. And though this subject is challenging and sensitive, Christ helps guide us through it and teaches how we must look at divorce and what needs to be true about our lens. We need to see it how God sees it. rather than how our flesh wants it to be. Our flesh would like it to be a viable option at our disposal for any reason. If we could, we'd like to set our own parameters to be able to pull the ripcord at any time, and God be fine with that. However, as God instituted marriage and brings a man and a woman together to become one flesh, and that covenant bond is sacred and binding, the bottom line is that God hates divorce as it severs that beautiful union. And yet, because of the hardness of men's hearts, we've learned, that God makes allowance for divorce only in cases of adultery and willful desertion. But in either case, repentance and reconciliation should be sincerely sought after prior to, and even prior to pursuing divorce. And so as Jesus continues to address matters of the heart in relation to the law, he now goes on to the swearing of oaths. And how should Christians understand this rightly? This morning, we'll look at Christ's words regarding not swearing falsely in verse 33. His instruction on swearing in verses 34 through 36 and letting your yes be yes and your no, no in verse 37. So look at what he says as he begins to talk about not swearing falsely in verse 33. He says, again, you have heard that it was said to those of old, you shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord. Now on the one hand, Jesus has just laid out several other topics that they had heard about before. And here he comes to them, knowing and calling his disciples' attention to what they had been taught regarding the old covenant commands to keep one's oaths. Now notice the emphasis here on two things. One, not swearing falsely. And second, performing your oaths to the Lord. Now the problem at hand was the sinful judgment of the scribes and Pharisees that allowed and even excused unlawful oaths and indirect forms of swearing. And yet perjury is sin. And Jesus will address swearing falsely more in the coming verses here. But considering this, what portion of God's law is Jesus going to exposit here? Because remember, he's showing and shining light to the full extent of the law, to the full intent of the law, that the Pharisees and scribes had a very truncated view on, that they were deceived and blind to, but that the people, as kingdom citizens, needed to know and to understand. Well, he's going to exposit on the Ninth Commandment, as well as the Third Commandment. We don't need to miss that. The Ninth Commandment and the Third Commandment. What does the Ninth Commandment teach us? The Ninth Commandment requires the keeping of lawful promises, as well as the studying and practicing of whatsoever things are true and honest and lovely and of good report. It also forbids the speaking of untruth, lying, and the breach of lawful promises. We hopefully see this laid out to us in Westminster Larger Catechism, questions 144 and 145. But then what does the Third Commandment teach us? It requires the name of God, his titles, his attributes and ordinances, the words, sacraments, prayer, oaths, vows, lots, his works, and whatsoever else there is whereby he makes himself known to be wholly and reverently used in thought, word, and meditation, and in writing. It forbids all sinful cursings, oaths, vows, and lots, as well as violating our lawful oaths and vows. Again, the Westminster Larger Catechism helps us here with this answer in questions 112 and 113. We find this command in scripture, and indeed an important question is what saith the scriptures on this specifically? We find this command in scripture regarding oath-keeping in Leviticus 19, beginning in verse 11, where we read, you shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another, and you shall not swear by my name falsely, nor shall you profane the name of your God, I am the Lord. Very strong command here. Very strong instruction and exhortation from our Lord. His name is sacred and holy and must not be misused. In Deuteronomy chapter 23, beginning in verse 21, we read this. When you make a vow to the Lord your God, you shall not delay to pay it. For the Lord your God will surely require it of you. and it would be sin to you. But if you abstain from vowing, it shall not be sin to you. That which is gone from your lips, you shall keep and perform. For you voluntarily vowed to the Lord your God what you have promised with your mouth. Beloved, our words must not be flippant. Our words must not be insincere. The intention behind our words must be carefully thought out. We must be committed to do them and to carry out what we have said. Numbers chapter 30, verses one and two. Then Moses spoke to the heads of the tribes concerning the children of Israel, saying, this is the thing which the Lord has commanded. If a man makes a vow to the Lord or swears an oath to bind himself by some agreement, he shall not break his word. He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth. Again, we see that same similar emphasis, right? What comes out of our mouths, the commitments we make, should be binding. We should be committed to carry them out. Now, some of you may wonder, what's the difference between an oath, a vow, and a promise? That's a great question. When you find the answer to that, let me know. No, I'm just playing. Now, beloved, an oath is a solemn promise made with another person or persons calling God as witness regarding the truth in word or action. A vow is a solemn promise made to God alone and not to other creatures, as the confession teaches us. It can be made in public or private. It's a sovereign decree that a certain action will take place. And a promise is a declared commitment or assurance that you will do something or won't do something. A promise is made to another person or other persons. But notice that in all three, an oath, a vow, or a promise, they're all undergirded by a commitment to honesty, and integrity." Honesty and integrity. Regarding oaths, our confession of faith actually helps us here in chapter 22, sections 1 and 2a. It says, a lawful oath is part of religious worship. wherein, upon just occasion, the person swearing solemnly calleth God to witness what he asserteth or promiseth, and to judge him according to the truth or falsehood of what he swears. The name of God is only that by which men ought to swear, and therein it is to be used with all holy fear and reverence. We need to take note of that as we consider the rest of what Christ is saying in swearing and taking and making oaths. This is why the swearing of oaths, beloved, involves the third commandment. because it involves the right use of God's name. Now regarding vows, the Confession, same chapter, this time sections five and six, also help us. A vow is of the like nature with a promissory oath and ought to be made with the like religious care and to be performed with the like faithfulness. It is not to be made to any creature but to God alone. and that it may be accepted it is to be made voluntarily out of faith and conscience of duty in way of thankfulness for mercy received or for the obtaining of what we want, whereby we more strictly bind ourselves to necessary duties or to other things, so far and so long as they may fitly conduce thereunto. And so we know, even practically speaking, and the Lord is speaking very practically in Matthew 5 here, isn't he? About what oaths or vows should be taken and what shouldn't. And in fact, we're gonna listen and consider his specific words in a moment, but as you consider these confessional and biblical definitions, you may have a follow-up question to say, well, pastor, that's interesting. If an oath is a promise made between two parties calling God as witness, what about marriage vow? Why do we call a marriage vow a vow if it sounds more like the definition of an oath? And indeed, I think that that's a valid statement. However, we also know that marriage vows are commitments for a lifelong bond We know that it is a sovereign decree that is involved there regarding action to be taken. And in his exposition, notice that Jesus goes on in Matthew 5 to give a pointed prohibition. Look at verse 34. He says, but I say to you, do not swear at all. Neither by heaven, for it is God's throne, nor by the earth, for it is his footstool, nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great king. Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. Now, wait a minute. What is Jesus commanding here? He says, don't swear at all. But considering divine instruction on swearing oaths and vows that we've just heard in Leviticus 19, Deuteronomy 23, and Numbers 30, considering that Jesus has come, he said, even in the greater context of our passage, not to destroy the law and the prophets, but to fulfill them. What does Jesus mean here? Is he opposing or reversing the previous law? Not at all. Further, a question could be, is Jesus condemning Abraham, who made his servants swear by the Lord that he wouldn't find a wife for his son from the daughters of the Canaanites? In Genesis 24.3, is he destroying a useful means of ending disputes? as we find taught in Hebrews 6.16. Again, not at all. What Jesus said the law truly condemned and corrected was the corruption of rash and unnecessary swearing found in the Pharisees teaching the people that swearing was nothing if they didn't give anything up themselves. He corrected their teaching that swearing by other things like heaven, or by the earth, or by Jerusalem, or by their head, etc., avoiding using God's name wasn't sinful. That's what the Pharisees were saying. And the Pharisees' teaching basically gave the ones swearing an escape clause to get out of what they pledged to do. They thought, They could escape being held accountable by God with such a clause. But they were so wrong. And this is what Jesus is condemning and correcting. Further, Jesus also condemned the idea that they were only obligated to swear by God's name in a public court of law, but not at other times. Jesus was in essence saying, don't let your teachers cheat and deceive you and telling you God or the name of God isn't concerned in such false or common swearing. In fact, we know that he and his mountainside disciples, he was saying, I'm your teacher now. You've had these teachers of the law and they've misguided you, but here, is what the law really is teaching, what it really commands, what it really guards. Such swearing shows a great lack of reverence in the heart for the name of God. It shows a great lack of honesty and integrity in the one who swore. This is what Jesus was speaking against and exposing. The truth of scripture is that not all swearing is sinful, beloved. In fact, if rightly done when necessary, as we read in our confession earlier, it's part of religious worship, and in it, we give God the glory due his holy name. We find this truth in Deuteronomy chapter 10, beginning in verse 20. You shall fear the Lord your God, you shall serve him, and to him you shall hold fast and take oaths in his name. Notice verse 21. He is your praise. He is your God, who has done for you these great and awesome things which your eyes have seen. Again, it brings us in the focus is on a place in a position of worship from the heart. And therefore, as Jesus clearly revealed what is forbidden in false, common, and unnecessary swearing, He now shows us the path that we are to take. How wonderful the Lord is and how he has been in this Sermon on the Mount thus far, as he's been expositing the law, as he's been showing the error of the Pharisees, he shows the error, he gives his command, he shines light to the truth, and then he says, now this is what you need to go do. This is how you need to walk. It's beautiful. Look at verse 37. He says, but let your yes be yes and your no, no. For whatever is more than these is from the evil one. Beloved, Jesus commends the right way to us as he calls us once again to be mindful of matters of the heart. In being direct, in being honest, and having integrity in all of our speech. Wonderfully, we see Jesus's model of this reverent and honest speech under oath in the Bible. Consider Matthew chapter 26, beginning in verse 62. And the high priest arose and said to him, do you answer nothing? What is it these men testify against you? And notice, but Jesus kept silent. And the high priest answered and said to him, I put you under oath by the living God. Tell us if you are the Christ, the son of God. Jesus said to him, it is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the son of man sitting at the right hand of the power and coming in on the clouds of heaven. Christ declaring the perfect and glorious and powerful and confronting truth to his hearers in that statement regarding who he is and what would be true of him. The Apostle Paul also spoke in honest boldness under oath. In 2 Corinthians 1, 23 through 24, He shows us and declares this oath is present when he says, moreover, I call God as witness against my soul. Watch out, congregation. This is a serious statement by the Apostle Paul. You don't call God as witness against your soul and be flippant with your words. For again, remember, he will hold you accountable. But Paul says, moreover, I call God as witness against my soul, that to spare you I came no more to Corinth, not that we have dominion over your faith, but our fellow workers for your joy, for by faith you stand. That was the truth. James echoes Christ's teaching in James 5, verse 12, when he says, but above all, my brethren, Do not swear either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your yes be yes and your no, no, lest you fall into judgment. Beloved, think about Jesus' and James' words here. Let your yes be yes and your no, no. Think about that. There must be an integrity in your word and the commitment that you make, and the promise that you make. Are there exceptions to this rule? Yes, if God brings providential circumstances to pass. that prohibit you from being able to carry out your promise, to be able to carry out your commitment, that that isn't you breaking God's law in that case. And so this passage is wonderful. Again, as the heart is exposed, and beloved, Jesus shines the light of the law to a part of your heart that if you're honest, is dark and all too common. The same is true for me. Don't be deceived into thinking that lying or willful deception are far from you. Don't have the heart of a Pharisee to say, ha ha, thank you that that's not me. That's them. No, no. For those temptations are knocking at your door daily, and for some, you may have already let them in. Don't be deceived into thinking that there's no Pharisee in your heart who desires to twist God's law in order to make perceived loopholes and escape hatches in oaths or vows or promises that you make. Lying and deception must never be viewed as acceptable strategic outs to you. But rather, Hear Christ's instruction to not be cavalier with any swearing that you engage in and let that sink in and provide the clear picture and biblical guardrails that you need as you walk before him. Hear Christ's words and learn from his example to be a person who is honest. A person who is consistent and holy and reverent in using God's name in the manner and on the occasion that he prescribes and never in those that he forbids. But also examine your heart regarding your integrity and commitments. Are you a man or a woman, kids? Are you boys? or girls who have integrity? If not, repent of any lying that you've done and any patterns or ruts of lying that you're in. And beloved, sometimes that's, on both sides of that, it's more challenging than others. We're mindful as our conscience weighs heavy on us, Even maybe right after we lied, it stings. But as with many other things, as with sinful anger in the heart, as with lust in the heart, as you feed the beast, the beast wears down and sears your conscience. The resistance, the offense, becomes less and less sharp. The one lie, the white lie, becomes bigger lies. And the snowball begins to grow, and it's going downhill faster and faster. It's getting bigger and bigger. There's no going back now, we think. We convince ourselves. But if you are a child of God, seek integrity and honesty. Seek to stop that train of a snowball that's tearing your life and others apart. And that is dishonoring to Christ in his name. Repent of that and seek forgiveness and God's grace to restore integrity in your life. It's not too late for God is the God of grace. God is the God of transformation and changing lives. Just as Jesus proclaimed to his disciples, he proclaims to you, this is what you must see, this is what you must know, and then this is what you must do. Seek God's grace to restore integrity in your life and then let that show in the oaths or the vows or the promises that you make. And if you promise you're going to do something, do it. If you promise you aren't going to do something, don't. And moms and dads, don't make excuses when it comes to your kids. Because they're watching and they're learning this very practically from you in the day to day. And oftentimes we can get in that, well, she's only four, she's only five. I could probably get away with that. We can rationalize these types of things in our mind. It's just my kids. They're your kids. Be honest. Be a godly example to them. And where you fail and fall, repent and seek their forgiveness. even if you realize and the Lord shows you that you're caught in a lie or a web of lies to them. But never be someone who just tries to save face or to keep up appearances or to people please, saying things and committing to things that you have no intention of doing or not doing. And why? Because you represent Christ. You're a kingdom citizen. You represent the king and you belong to him and he calls you to be holy as he is holy. Don't give in or go back to that which you were in bondage to. You are now free in him. He requires you to take his word seriously as well as then your own. And considering this, you must never vow to do anything that is forbidden in his word or anything that would hinder your duties commanded therein. And so what does that mean? Again, we're not flippant in any of these commitments. but we're thoughtful, we're wise, we're prayerful before engaging or entering into them because we know the weight of them. Our word needs to be our bond. We need to be people of honesty and integrity and truthfulness and doing what we're saying we're going to do or not doing what we say we're not going to do because of Christ. Amen, I pray that God will grant us all grace to do these things for his glory. Let's pray together. Our gracious God and heavenly Father, Lord, we thank you for such helpful instruction from your word. We pray that your spirit would ride it in our hearts, encourage us to live according to it in our lives, that we would be humble and contrite and repentant where we fall, that you would raise us up and that you would open our eyes and help us be strong in putting one foot in front of the other and opening our mouths carefully and wisely and then following up with what we do. We pray that you would receive the glory in such things. We pray this in Christ's name. Amen.