Would you turn back to Matthew
chapter five? I've entitled the message for
tonight. The practice of grace. The practice of grace. Let's begin reading in verse
38 of Matthew chapter five. You have heard it, or you have
heard that it's been said an eye for an eye and a tooth for
a tooth. There's law. There's law, justice,
an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. That's quoted three
times in the old Testament, but here's grace. But I say unto
you that you resist not evil, but whosoever shall smite thee
on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man
will sue thee at the law and take away thy coat, let him have
thy cloak also. And whosoever shall compel thee
to go a mile, go with him plain. Give to him that asketh thee,
and from him that would borrow thee, turn not thou away. You have heard that it has been
said, thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate thine enemy. There's
law. Verse 44, here's grace. But I
say unto you, love your enemies. Bless them that curse you. Do good to them that hate you
and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you that
you may be the children of your father, which is in heaven. For he maketh his son to rise
on the evil and on the good and sendeth rain on the just and
on the unjust. For if you love them, which love
you, what reward have ye? Do not even the publicans the
same? And if you salute your brethren only, what do you more
than others? Do not even the publicans so?
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your father. Don't you love
the way the Lord says to his people, when he refers to his
father, he says, your father, your father, be ye therefore
perfect, even as your father, which is in heaven is perfect. The practice of grace. Now, there are two things that
you and I must have some understanding of. I can't possibly emphasize
the importance of this. We must understand the difference
between law and grace. Law makes salvation in some way
dependent upon you. If any aspect of salvation will
fall to the ground if you don't do your part, that is salvation
by law. You know, the most, most preaching
and teaching that happens in our day. God loves everybody. Christ died for everybody. God
wants to save everybody, but it's up to you, an act of your
will, whether or not you'll accept him as your personal savior.
Now that's salvation by law, just as much as believing you
have to keep the 10 commandments to be saved because it makes
salvation ultimately dependent upon you. That is law. Law is God's wages. The wages of sin is death. The
gift of God is eternal life. If I believe in law, that means
if I'm saved, it's because God needed to respond to what I did
and he owes me salvation. That's law. Salvation by grace
is salvation given to you freely for Christ's sake without any
reference to anything that you do. Now don't you love salvation
by grace? I love salvation by grace. Now someone may be wondering
where I got the title the practice of grace from, or what are you
talking about law and grace when you read this passage of scripture.
And I hope you'll see this by the end of this message. And
I look once again in verse 38, here is law. You have heard that
it has been said an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. Three times that's repeated in
the Old Testament scriptures, an eye for an eye, a tooth for
a tooth, burning for burning. There's four or five other things,
but even whatever you do, it's paid back to you. Absolute impartial
justice. Now we see the Lord's mercy in
this law. to make sure the punishment fits
the crime. Don't over-punish, don't over-retaliate,
because that's what we do. We see God's mercy in this. We
would have somebody put to death if they knock at our tooth, and
that's the way we would be. We would over-retaliate, we would
over-revenge and so on, and God is merciful in giving us this
law because he knows what we'll do. We'll over-retaliate. You know, we need law because
of how evil we are. Now understand what I'm saying.
The law was not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and
disobedient. And we're evil enough that if somebody does us wrong,
we're gonna want to do them even worse. It's called revenge. Now a righteous man has no need
for law, but an evil man does. You know, when people want to
be under the law, they let us know what they're made of. They're
evil, evil. Only an evil man wants to be
under the law. But on a personal level, is this
how you want God to deal with you? An eye for an eye and a
tooth for a tooth. Do you want God to deal with
you like that? My, I don't. Not in any way. You know, we say what goes around
comes around. I don't want that to happen with
me. I don't want this thing of an eye for an eye and a tooth
for a tooth. Now remember who he's speaking
to. He says in verse 39, now here's grace, but I say unto
you, who's the you he's speaking to? Well, he's speaking to those
who are described in the Beatitudes, those who are poor in spirit,
Those who mourn over their sin. Those who are meek before God.
Those who hunger and thirst after righteousness. They must have
Christ's righteousness. They're pure in heart. They've
been given a new heart. They're peacemakers and they're
persecuted for the gospel sake. They are they who are called
by the Lord, the salt of the earth and the light of the world,
believers. people who have been born again,
people who have this new nature that he's given. I say unto you,
he's speaking to his disciples that you resist not evil, but
whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him
the other also. Now, what he is saying, is impossible
for a natural man. And it's natural for a spiritual
man. Let me repeat that. What he's
saying is impossible for a natural man, but it's natural for a spiritual
man. Turn your other cheek. Now, this
is not talking about foreign policy. I remember after 9-11,
somebody said in the study, well, we ought to turn the other cheek.
No, we shouldn't. No, we shouldn't. I mean, if
you did that, what city next would be destroyed? And what
city next would be destroyed? And some people have used this
as saying you shouldn't punish people for crimes. You ought
to just turn the other cheek. There shouldn't be punishment.
That is not what that is saying at all. But this is talking about
how a believer responds to being mistreated. And the only way
that you can do that from your heart is by really believing
that God is the first cause behind that man hitting you. Turn with
me to 2 Samuel 16. 2 Samuel 16. Verse five. And when King David
came to Bahurim, behold, there came out a man of the family
of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera. He came forth and cursed still
as he came. And he cast stones at David,
and at all the servants of King David, and all the people and
all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. And
thus said Shimei when he cursed, come out, come out, thou bloody
man, thou man of Belial, you wicked, evil, worthless man.
The Lord hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of
Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned. And the Lord hath delivered
the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son. And behold,
thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man.'
Then said Abishai, the son of Zariah, unto the king, Why should
this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over, I pray
thee, and take off his head. And the king said, what have
I to do with you, ye sons of Zariah? So let him curse, because
the Lord hath said unto him, curse David. Who shall then say,
wherefore hast thou done so? Now he didn't retaliate, because
he said, I know that the Lord told him to curse David. Now,
if you really believe that the Lord God is the first cause behind
all things, you know who's in control of
that evil. So you don't seek to retaliate. Remember the Lord
said, vengeance is mine. I will repay, saith the Lord. And you turn to him the other
also. Verse 40, here's grace. And if any man will sue thee
at the law and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also."
Once again, we're not seeking to protect our rights. We believe
God is the cause of causes. Now this is grace. That person
didn't have this coming to them, did they? They didn't deserve
it. But God said that one who takes your coat, give him your
cloak also. Verse 41, and whosoever shall
compel thee to go a mile, go with him too." Now, can you imagine
walking down the street and all of a sudden a Roman soldier stops
you? Maybe you're getting ready to do something very important.
He says, you have to carry my armor for the next mile. And
by law, you had to do it. Can you imagine how aggravated
you would be? I got things to do. That's an
unjust law. But here he says, you do it.
Now, what does our Lord say to do? Don't only go the one mile,
go two. That's grace, isn't it? That's
grace. Verse 42. Give to him that asketh thee. Doesn't say anything about how
worthy he is. It just says, give to him that
asketh thee. And from him that would borrow
of thee, turn not thou away. That is what is called grace. Grace. Here's law, verse 43. But you've
heard that it has been said that thou shalt love thy neighbor
and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your
enemies. Bless them that curse you. Do good to them that hate you. And pray for them which despitefully
use you and persecute you. Now that's grace, isn't it? That
is grace. That is unmerited, unearned,
undeserved favor. That's what our Lord says to
do. And he says to do this in verse 45, that you may be the
children of your father, which is in heaven. Now you don't do
this in order to become a child, but you do this because you are
a child and you demonstrate the family likeness. You see, he
makes his son to rise on the evil and on the good. And he
sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. That same rain
that's used to feed a crop, that's used to feed
people in need. That same rain comes down on
that crop that's used to produce drugs that kills people. The
Lord let that happen. He makes his son to shine both
on the just and the unjust. You notice our Lord speaks of
two kinds of people. There are the evil and the good. There are the just and the unjust. And yet he gave them both rain
and sunshine. You do the same as your father. You're different like your father. Verse 46, for if you love them
which love you, what reward have you? What are you doing that
everybody else doesn't do? Do not even the publicans, that's
the worst persons alive. Don't they do the same? And if
you salute, if you treat kindly and respect your brethren only,
what do you more than others? Do not even the public and so?
You see, if I'm a believer, if I know anything about the grace
of God, I am to do more than others. You see, grace makes
a man gracious. Grace makes a man gracious. The Lord says in verse 48, be
ye therefore perfect, even as your father, which is in heaven
is perfect. The word perfect quite often
means to be mature, to be of full age, to grow up. And may the Lord enable us to
mature and to grow up and demonstrate more and more of the family likeness. To be a perfect man, a mature
man, a strong man in Christ Jesus. To not just be a child, but to
be a strong man in Christ Jesus. Quite often in the scriptures,
that's what it means. As a matter of fact, when we
read that passage in James chapter one, when he talked about being
perfect and entire, wanting nothing, he's talking about maturity.
Be ye therefore perfect. But notice what the Lord says,
be ye therefore perfect, even as your father, which is in heaven,
is perfect. Now has he ever matured? Why
the very thought of something like that is blasphemous. He
wouldn't mature because that would mean he changed. That would
take away from his immutability. This is not talking about being
mature, although I'm all for us being mature, but this is
not what this is a reference to when he says, be ye therefore
perfect, even as your father, which is in heaven is perfect. Quite often, When people have
fallen short in some way, I've said this, you've said this.
When we've fallen short in some way, we'll say, well, I'm not
perfect. I'm not perfect. Oh, I wouldn't have known that
unless you told me. I'm not perfect. But when the
Lord says, be ye therefore perfect as your heavenly father is perfect. Don't be discouraged by this
command and say, well, I can't measure up to that. Here's why. You can only be perfect if you
are perfect. You can only be perfect if you
are perfect. Paul said in Colossians 1 28
that his great end in preaching was to present every man perfect
in Christ Jesus. Mature, sure, but perfect. Turn to Hebrews chapter seven. Hebrews chapter seven, verse 19. For the law, remember what law
means. Salvation in some way dependent
upon what you do. That is law. You can put law in the beginning
of salvation, an act of your will. You can put law in the
middle of salvation. You make yourself better and
more pleasing to God by your works. You can put law in the
end of salvation by gaining a higher reward in heaven by your works.
But it's still law. Now, look what the scripture
says about the law. As a matter of fact, Look back
in verse 16, who is made not after the law of a carnal commandment,
but at the power of an endless life, for he testifieth hour
to priest forever after the order of Melchizedek, for there's verily
a disannulling. This is talking about the law.
There's verily a disannulling of the commandment because of
the weakness and the unprofitableness thereof. That's what he says
about God's law. Now the weakness is not with
God, the weakness is with me. The law can never do me any good
because I can't keep it. Whatever it requires, I can't
do. So it's weak as far as I go because
it can't do anything for me. And look what he says in verse
19. For the law made nothing perfect. Leviticus 22, 21 says it shall
be perfect to be accepted. The only way I can be accepted
by almighty God is if I am in fact, in reality, perfect. Now the law made nothing perfect,
but the bringing in of a better hope did. It actually made perfect. By the witch, by this better
hope, we draw nigh unto God. Now, what is this better hope?
Look down in verse 22. By so much was Jesus made a surety
of a better testament, a better hope. The law made nothing perfect,
but this better hope, Christ being the surety of a better
testament, makes perfect. The bringing in of a better hope
did. Now, every time I try to illustrate assurity, I always
go to Judah and I love that illustration, but I've used it so many times
here lately. I'm going to use the illustration of Philemon.
So would you turn with me to the little book of Philemon? Philemon, right before Hebrews. Beginning in verse 10. Paul says,
I beseech you therefore for my son Onesimus, this was a runaway
slave, whom I had begotten in my bonds, which in times past
was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to
me. Evidently this slave had run
off He'd gone to Rome, he'd come under the preaching of the Paul,
and the Lord had done something for him, and now Paul is sending
him back to his master. Whom I've sent again, thou therefore
receive him, that is mine own boughs, whom I would have retained
with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me
in the bonds of the gospel, but without thy mind would I do nothing. That thy benefit should not be
as it were of necessity, but willingly. For perhaps he therefore
departed for a season, that thou should receive him forever, not
now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother, beloved, specially
to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh and in
the Lord. If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself. If he hath wronged thee, or oweth
thee aught, put that on mine account. I, Paul, have written
it with my own hand. I will repay it. That's what
the Lord said. Whatever he owes, you put it
on my account. I will repay it. But I love the
way Paul goes on to say, albeit I don't say to thee how thou
owest unto me thine own self besides. Yea, brother, let me
have joy of thee in the Lord, refresh my bowels in the Lord. Now, here is the better hope. The law made nothing perfect,
but Christ Jesus says, whatever he owes, I'll pay. I'll be his
surety. Everything you require of him,
you look to me for. Is that a better hope? That's
the better hope of the gospel. Oh, the law made nothing perfect,
but the bringing in of a better hope did. Now turn with me to
John chapter 19. John chapter 19. Here's the better
hope. Verse 30. When Jesus therefore had received
the vinegar, he said, It is finished. Now that's the same word, perfect. It is perfected. Now there's the bringing in of
the better hope. When our Lord said, it is perfected, He said,
everybody that I'm dying for, Everybody who looks to me only
as everything in their salvation, they have been perfected. Perfect in Christ Jesus. Now turn with me to Hebrews chapter
10. Verse 14, for by one offering. That's talking about His death.
For by one offering, He hath perfected forever them that are
sanctified. Now, I realize we all the time
don't feel perfect. I've never felt perfect. We always
feel incomplete in and of ourselves. I realize that. I don't want
to take away from the reality of that. But if Christ died for
me, I really am perfect. It says, he hath perfected forever,
perfectly completed, never to be repeated. When he said, it
is finished, Todd Nybert was perfected for. And now I am perfect
in Christ Jesus. He's perfected forever them that
are sanctified by one offering. He has perfected forever, not
everybody, but them that are sanctified. Now remember this
about sanctification. This is such a wonderful word that describes
God's salvation. It means to take something common
and ordinary and set it apart for holy purposes so that it
is perfect. Take the vessels in the temple.
They were just ordinary vessels, some of them made of mud to be
used in the temple, some of them made of gold, but I mean, there
was nothing special about them, but they were set apart for the
temple use, and they were special. They were set apart for God's
use, they were holy. Belteshazzar, when he's having
a drunken party, God doesn't pay any attention to him. But
when he says, let's bring out the vessels of the Lord and pour
wine in them and use them for our party, all of a sudden the
handwriting is against the wall. You've been weighed in the balances
and found wanting. They're special because God made
them special. Sanctification. Every believer
was set apart by God in eternal election, set apart, designated
by God to be holy. to be perfect. Every believer
was made perfect by the work of Christ on the cross. He hath
perfected forever them that are sanctified. Every believer is
made holy in the new birth, in the new nature, when God the
Holy Spirit does something for them and gives them this new
heart. And they have been perfected. Verse 12 of Hebrews chapter 10.
Well, let's pick up in verse 9. Then said he, lo, speaking
of the Lord Jesus, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh
away the first that he may establish the second by the witch will,
by God's will. We are sanctified through the
offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. perfectly
and every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes
the same sacrifices which can never take away sins but this
man after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever sat
down on the right hand of God from henceforth expecting till
his enemies be made his footstool for by one offering he hath perfected
forever." Then they're sanctified. I'm looking at some perfect people.
I really am. I'm looking at some people who
God would say, perfect, perfect, without fault, without blemish. Somebody says that sounds awful
good, but you don't look perfect. And neither do I. I'm still conscious
of sin. Indeed, we still have the old
man, the sins of the old man. Paul also said in Philippians
chapter three, it's not as though I already attained or were already
perfect. He said that in his experience,
he said that because he still had the flesh, but it makes us
understand. Turn to second Corinthians chapter
12. This makes us understand this. Paul says in verse six, for though I would desire to
glory, I shall not be a fool for I'll say the truth. But now
I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which
he seeth me to be or that he hearth of me. And lest I should
be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations. You put yourself in Paul's place. What if you had been taken into
the third heavens and Christ spoke to you directly and taught
you the gospel and use you as the great expounder of his gospel. We wouldn't be reading the epistles
of Paul would be reading the epistles of Todd or Bob. Can
you imagine how you'd feel? Put yourself in his place. Verse seven, and lest I should
be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations,
there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of
Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure for
this thing. I besought the Lord thrice that
it might depart from me, but he said unto me, my grace, is
sufficient for thee. You're going to have to be satisfied
to be saved by sheer grace. Four, my strength is made perfect
where? In weakness, in powerlessness,
in inability. Paul was made to see in no uncertain
terms that salvation is of the Lord. It was not a cooperative
effort between him and Christ. It was not his struggle against
sin. Christ's strength is only seen in human powerlessness. Would that be you? I can say yes to that. Let me show you a scripture that
was a great encouragement to me. Turn to Psalm 138. Verse
6, Psalm 138. Though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect. unto the lowly. But the proud, he knoweth afar
off. Though I walk in the midst of
trouble, thou wilt revive me. Thou shalt stretch forth thine
hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall
save me. The Lord will perfect that which
concerneth me. Now, what concerns you? What concerns me is that something
be done about my sin, that it might be put away. What concerns
me is that I might have perfect righteousness. What concerns
me is that I might not sin any more. What concerns me is that
I might be made just like Christ. What concerns me is that I might
be made willing that he'd work in me both the will and to do
of his good pleasure. That's what concerns me. What
concerns you? Well, he says, the Lord will
perfect that which concerneth me. And here's his hope. Here's
why he could speak with such confidence. And he doesn't say,
I hope the Lord will perfect that which concerns me. He says,
the Lord will perfect that which concerns me. And here's why.
Thy mercy, O Lord, endureth forever. That's why I know the Lord will
perfect that which concerns me because his mercy endures forever. And then he said, forsake not
the works of thine own hands. Now I want to ask you a question.
Think about this. Your salvation. Is it the work of God's hands? If you're saved, is it the work
of God's hands? Yeah. If I am saved, I know this. It's the work of his hands. I
know I don't have anything to do with it. I know it's his work
and his work alone. It's grace from the beginning
to end, from election to glorification and everything in between. Salvation
is of the Lord. Salvation. Grace is the work
of his hands. Now, if your perfection is because
his mercy endures forever. If your perfection is because
your salvation is the work of His hands, and you know that,
you have every reason to say the Lord will perfect that which
concerneth me. Paul said, being confident of
this very thing, that he that hath begun a good work in you,
he did it, shall perform perfected in the day of Jesus Christ. Beloved, Every believer is perfect
in Christ Jesus. And when he says, be ye therefore
perfect, even as your father, which is in heaven is perfect,
I am perfect because I have his perfection. I'm united to him. I have his righteousness. I have
no sin. I'm perfect. And He says, Be
ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven
is perfect. And this perfection is seen in
the practice of grace. The practice of grace. Now, back to our text. We're
going to close by looking at it again. Not going to make any
call, man. I just want to read this. Here
is the practice of grace. Here's law, verse 38, you've
heard that been said, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a
tooth. Here's grace. But I say unto you, that you
resist not evil. But whosoever shall smite thee
on thy right cheek, turn to him thy other also. Don't retaliate,
don't seek to get even, don't seek revenge. And if any man
will sue thee at the law and take away thy coat, Let him have
thy cloak also. And whosoever shall compel, force
thee to go a mile, go with him too. Give to him that asketh
thee, and from him that would borrow thee, turn not thou away.
You have heard that it's been said, thou shalt love thy neighbor
and hate thine enemy. There's the law, but here's the
practice of grace. But I say unto you, love your
enemies. Bless them that curse you. Do good to them that hate you. And pray for them which despitefully
use you. And Peter mentions that as being
a false accusation. Pray for those which falsely
accuse you and persecute you that you may be the children
of your Father which is in heaven. For he maketh his son to rise
on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just
and on the unjust. For if you love them which love
you, what reward have you? Do not even the publicans the
same? And if you slew your brethren only, what do you more than others? Do not even the publicans so?
Be ye therefore perfect." May God give us grace to practice
grace. Be ye therefore perfect, even
as your Father, which is in heaven, is perfect. Let's pray.