In this week’s message, Pastor Tommy speaks on Jesus’s teachings about oaths. He explains that in Jesus’s time, people were exploiting loopholes by swearing oaths on things “God-adjacent” rather than directly on God’s name to avoid keeping their promises. Jesus responds by instructing his followers to “let your yes be yes and your no be no,” advocating for radical trustworthiness instead of oath-taking. Pastor Tommy emphasizes that being trustworthy isn’t just about personal reputation but also represents God to others, as believers are meant to reflect God’s faithful character. He concludes by noting that when we break trust, we should admit our wrongs, and that Jesus will address how to respond when others wrong us in the following sermon.
Reflection Questions
- What stuck out in today’s message? What did you find challenging and encouraging? Did you learn anything new?
- Think of trustworthy people in your life (past or present). What makes them trustworthy? What are some of the words or actions that make them trustworthy?
- Read Matthew 5:33-37. What places does Jesus warn against swearing an oath by? What cultural habit is Jesus speaking into with this direction?
- How do these verses (like all of the topics Jesus discusses in v.21-48) relate to not seeing others as created in the image of God?
- Do you use words or phrases to convince others you are trustworthy? What specific areas of your life or people do you use these words or phrases with?
- What are the characteristics of a life that doesn’t need an oath to back it up?
- How do the words we speak impact how we interact with others and represent our relationship with God? Reflect on your last few weeks and how you choose to use your words and bring those reflections to God in prayer.
- What could you do this next week to challenge yourself to pay more attention and change the words you use to positively impact your relationship with God and others?
