Jesus continues his sermon on the mount by showing that the kingdom of heaven has higher standards than the law of Moses.
1) Adultery is Wrong
You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’
Matthew 5:27
Sex is a very good thing made by God, but there are devastating consequences when a married person breaks their vows.
2) Lust is Adultery of the Heart
But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart
Matthew 5:28
How is lust adultery? If you compare a lingering stare vs sleeping with someone, the consequences are different. But the heart of selfishness and unfaithfulness is the same. And Jesus cares about the heart.
“Jesus is not counting as clean someone who avoids only the act of adultery; he wants the heart to be clean as well, for it is not the fruit of adultery that he commands us to cast out, but its seed.” – Methodius of Olympus
3) Kill Your Lust Before It Kills You
If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.
Matthew 5:29-30
Lust will destroy you. It is a cancer that will kill you unless you cut it out; the sooner the better. What is the Spirit convicting you of that you need to do? Tell someone about it! Don’t go through this alone.
“We are to deal drastically with sin. We must not pamper it, flirt with it, enjoy nibbling a little of it around the edges. We are to hate it, crush it, dig it out… sin leads to hell. And that is the ultimate reason why sin must be taken seriously”- DA Carson
Trying to be perfect and never sin will show you just how big a sinner you really are, which shows your real need for Jesus.
4) Jesus Loves Sinners
“Nothing quite drives us to the gospel like an attempt to keep the Sermon on the mount. To take this sermon seriously is to feel that without the gospel of the undeserved grace of God the situation is hopeless.”- Frederick Dale Bruner
Through his life, death, and resurrection, Jesus shows us that he does not condemn you for your adultery, be it physical or in the heart. He says go and sin no more. And he gives us the Holy Spirit to empower our new life.
“Treasure Christ above all in your heart, and the eye, the hand, and the rest of the body will happily follow its lead”- Daniel Akin