Pluck your eye out Matt 5:27-30
Was supposed to do a wedding in Texas in March- I cancelled- didn’t want to get sick or stuck
Ive seen a lot of people take a lot of precautions with covid over this past year. Distancing. Covering. Washing. Planning. Changing their plans. Doing everything they can to make sure they they don’t get infected and they don’t die. Wearing masks in cars. Not shopping, travel work etc
Public service announcements, tv, web, radio, announcements in parking lots. EVERYWHERE
Anything and everything at whatever cost necessary to live and not die. Road signs- maskup!
I wonder if we took that drastic of measure to stay away from sin. Just as much protection
In these verses Jesus uses the example of lust to expose a heart condition and then uses hyperbole to describe the drastic measures we should take to keep ourselves from sin
The stakes couldn’t be higher. Hell is the destination for those who don’t take it seriously.

Jesus says sin Starts with Intent
Intent is shown in our first verse 27 “You have heard that it was said [i]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.

To Jesus this sin of lust starts with intent “to lust for her” it’s a plan to sin. Not just lust all sin
James 1:15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. DESIRE+ACTION = Sin = Death

The desire to lust is a desire to sin and is equal with actually committing the sin of adultery
Jesus is drawing attention to the fact that adultery is listed as the 7th commandment “thou shalt not commit adultery” which the jews were apparently using as an excuse to justify lust
The whole “I didn’t do it, just thought about it” defense, that in their minds they thought OK
It’s the moral equivalent of my brother not touching me in the back of the car as a kid
Without spending a ton of time going into every scenario lets make it simple- Sex is only for married people who are man and a woman and intimate thoughts are to be reserved for them
Pictures, moving or stationary. Random people etc. the sin of the eyes and the lust of the flesh
ANYTHING outside of that is sin according to Jesus. A longing look. An extended thought. Anything. Very very high bar. Many people probably have or do struggle with this.
Not just guys. I was in the Army with females. They are just as bad.

But I don’t want to spend our time together just limiting to the sin of lust- all sin is equally as grievous. The non-lusters are not off the hook this morning. You’re just as vile. Sin is sin.
And it all starts with intent. And intent and desire are just as bad as action. Must be rooted out
People have too long lived in a world where they think its ok to think something they don’t act on- Murderous thoughts, lust, greed, anger, envy, covetousness, sexual deviancy etc
God judges the intents of our hearts. He looks deep into our hearts and sees what we value
Psalm 44:21 Would not God search this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart.
Man. This is scary. I need more time to work on my heart. Its far from perfect.

10" class="scriptRef">Jeremiah 17:10 10 I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings.

Yikes- not just the heart- but the mind too- God looks at what I’m thinking about and what I desire and he wants it to be pure.

Lord Jesus help us! Fill us with your Holy Spirit! Enable us to live for you! We need you father!
We need the Holy spirit to help our hearts! We can’t meet this standard on our own strength!
How do we fix the intent of our hearts?

Be born again- Become a new creation in Christ- It changes- but the flesh still wars! Soooo
Bible reading and bible preaching Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Preaching and reading is supposed to convict us. Its supposed to refine us. Its painful
Its like cleaning- big stuff, little stuff, clean and then deep clean. Blinds, corners etc.
Back when Gym was open- trainer would always find some weak body part to show off
Remind ourselves of the stakes 5" class="scriptRef">1 Corinthians 4:5 5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the [a]counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God.

Faith and Victory Church
http://www.faithandvictory.com

1302 A St. SE
Auburn, WA 98002