Embracing Integrity in our Speech

 

 

Sermon on the Mount- 13

 

TITLE: Embracing Integrity in our Speech

TEXT: Matthew 5:33-37

TONE: Exhortation

TARGET: Those prone to exaggeration in speech.

TASK: To exhort my hearers toward integrity in all manner of speech and conduct.

TEACH: Let’s take a poll. How many of you know where the phrase “say what you mean and mean what you say” come from? It is commonly attributed to Lewis Carroll’s book “Alice’s Adventure in Wonderland,” where the Mad Hatter and March Hare discuss the importance of clear communication and aligning one’s words with their true intentions; essentially, saying exactly what you mean and meaning exactly what you say. A clear call for integrity in speech. Well, long before these words were written by Lewis Carroll they were spoken by Jesus.

 

The opposite of that is identified in the child’s phrase, “Cross my heart and hope to die, stick a needle in my eye”; this is a phrase we all have likely heard and one used by children. It is often added to a promise or a statement to emphasize we are honest and telling the truth. It’s cure, but sad. The need to take this extreme oath to emphasize when we are speaking the truth only reveals that there are other times when we blur the line between truthfulness and dishonesty. (Daniel L. Akin, Christ-Centered Exposition: Sermon on the Mount, pg. 63).

 

TRUTH: In the context of Jesus teachings, particularly in the Sermon on the Mount, He is explaining the deeper implications of the law to an audience that includes those who believed they could achieve righteousness through meticulous adherence to legalistic standards. Jesus’ intent is to reveal the true extent of human sinfulness and the inability of outward legal compliance to achieve genuine righteousness or salvation.

 

In passages like Matthew 5:33-37, Jesus discusses the notion of oaths and truthful speech. Many is His audience had become accustomed to swearing elaborate oaths to assert the truthfulness of their statements, a practice that often-involved manipulation or embellishment to appear credible. This was part of a broader pattern where people sought to maintain a facade of righteousness while neglecting the spirit of law.

 

Jesus exposes this by teaching His listeners to let their “yes” means “yes” and their “no” mean “no.” His message is clear: Integrity and truthfulness should be so intrinsic to a person’s character that adornments like oaths become unnecessary. The truth doesn’t need make-up.

 

Jesus’ aim is to lead His listeners to recognize their need for salvation, not through self-righteousness or legal obedience, but through faith in Him and the transformative power of the gospel. As we read through the Sermon on the Mount how could we not see our sinfulness? If you are unsaved, you can’t live this way, none of us can. For this reason, Jesus came, lived, died, and resurrected for our justification. Therefore, turn unto Christ and be ye saved! However, this does not negate the moral law of God. Yes! We are saved by grace through faith. But we are saved by grace through faith in Christ alone to obey the moral law of God.

 

Therefore, I believe there are at least three biblical principles we can draw from this text for the believer. The first, we are to be pure in our promises. Second, we are to be simple in our speech. Thirdly, we are to be truthful in our testimonies. So, let’s look at the first principle.

 

I.                             Purity in our Promises (v.33)

Explanation: Jesus teaches that purity in promises is essential for demonstrating true righteousness. When we reflect on the Old Testament teachings of the law (e.g., Numbers 30:2; Deuteronomy 23:21) where vows made to God required fulfillment. Jesus encourages His listeners to embody pure intentions behind their promises, overturning an external adherence with inner transformation. What Jesus desires is heart level honesty. Jesus is talking about everyday ordinary speech. He is not addressing oaths such as in a court of law, nor is He talking about oaths for military and/or civic service. Matthew 23:16-22 really gets to the heart of the issue. The Pharisees had made loopholes for themselves. Jesus calls them blind guides.

 

In a word: Bringing an oath was perfectly just -it was absolutely right to do -as long as one told the truth and kept his or her word. But people began to look for loopholes. There was an increasing feeling that perhaps you should not bring in the name of the Lord. So they began to swear by ‘heaven’ instead, or by ‘earth’ of by ‘Jerusalem.’ This was the loophole. This way, it was slightly less serious how closely the oath was tied to the name of the Lord determined whether or not it was absolutely binding after all (R.T. Kendall, The Sermon on the Mount, pg. 145).

 

Furthermore, making an oath is not necessarily forbidden. God Himself used oaths in Scripture? For example, He said to Abraham: “By myself I have sworn…I will indeed bless you… Of course, this does not apply to making oaths in a court of law or anything like that, but it does refer to our everyday speech, our normal conversations.

 

Illustration: Henry was a man who was known for his craftsmanship and integrity. Whenever he promised to complete a project, he delivered it on time with impeccable quality. One day, a wealthy customer from a neighboring city came to town and commissioned Henry to create a set of ornate iron gates for his estate. As was customary, they shook hands on the agreement without any formal contract. The customer, skeptical of the town’s tradition, insisted on a minimal advance payment and added that if Henry did not complete the work to his satisfaction, he would pay nothing more.

 

Unbeknown to the merchant, Henry had recently been approached by a rival craftsman offering him a more lucrative contract if he would abandon this project. The temptation was significant, and Henry could have easily justified his decision to break the handshake agreement since no paper was signed, especially given the merchant’s initial lack of trust. However, Henry remembered his values and kept his promise from a pure heart.

 

Guided by his commitment to doing what was right, Henry chose to fulfill the customers project with the utmost dedication, completing the gates not only to specification but embellishing them with intricate designs that exceeded the customers expectations. When the customer saw the completed work, he was stunned by its beauty and the integrity of Henry’s craftsmanship. He paid Henry more than their initial agreement and returned home with a newfound respect for the unblemished contracts of a pure heart.

 

When the merchant saw the completed work, he was stunned by its beauty and the integrity of Henry's craftsmanship. He paid Henry more than their initial agreement and returned home with a newfound respect for the unblemished contracts of a pure heart.

 

Application:  Do you have any unkept promises? Evaluate the purity of your intentions when making promises. Adrian Rogers once said, “Watch your words. Make them warm and sweet, because one day you may have to eat them.”

 

The second biblical principle that we can draw from this text is…

 

II.                         Simplicity in our Speech (v.34-36)

Explanation: Jesus instructs His disciples to embrace and maintain straightforward and unembellished affirmations in their communication. By addressing the practice of swearing by heaven, earth, Jerusalem, or one’s head, Jesus denounces convoluted speech that distorts truth. He reminds His listeners of God’s creative authority, rendering such oath superfluous. Simplicity reflects trustworthiness and sincerity. We are to do nothing to obscure truth and manipulate human trust.

 

Illustration: A few years back, I hired a gentleman to treat my lawn for weeds. When I noticed that he didn’t use the usual green dye in his spray that most companies use, I asked about it. Smiling, he explained, “The coloring doesn’t actually do anything beneficial -it’s just a marker to show you someone’s been here.” Curious, I pressed, “So how will I know you’ve been here?” With quiet confidence, he replied, “Because you won’t have weeds in your yard.”  It’s just that simple.

 

This interaction got me thinking about the nature of promise and trust. So often, we feel the need to dress up our words with oaths or embellishments, believing they add weight or credibility. But in reality, truth needs no adornment. Just as the presence of weeds -or their absence -reveals the effectiveness of the treatment, our honesty should stand on its own plain and uncompromising. Let your words be our bond, not because we’ve sworn them, but because they reflect our character and integrity.

 

Application: Practice clarity and simplicity in your communication. Avoid unnecessary elaborations that might compromise truth. It’s really this simple, what you think and do should agree with what you say.

 

The third biblical principle we draw from this text is….

 

III.                      Truthfulness in our Testimonies (v.37)

Explanation: As followers of Jesus we are called to a path of radical truthfulness that transcends societal norms of communication. By emphasizing that anything beyond a pure ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ stems from evil, Jesus connects false speech with satanic deceit. True discipleship demands resisting such evil through forthrightness and integrity in every word spoken.

 

Illustration: In a small town, there lived a man named Tom, known throughout the community for his dependability. Tom was a farmer and is crops were always well-tended, a testament to his hardworking and honest nature. But it wasn’t just farming skills that earned him respect; it was his straightforwardness.

 

Whenever friends or neighbors needed help, Tom would lend a hand. But what set him apart was his unwavering honesty. When someone asked for a favor, Tom would carefully consider and respond truthfully. One day, a neighbor, Sarah, approached him with a request. “Tom, do you think you could help me build a fence this weekend?” she asked.

 

Tom paused to reflect. It was harvest season, and he had commitments on his own farm. He looked Sarah in the eye and said, “I’m sorry, Sarah, but I have to tend to my crops this weekend. So my answer is no, I can’t help you this time.” Of course, Sarah appreciated his honesty. Though disappointed, she knew she could always rely on Tom when he did make a commitment.

 

The next month, during a quieter period, Tom approached Sarah. “I have some time this weekend,” he said. “if you still need help with that fence, I’ll be there.” True to his word, Tom showed up early Saturday morning and worked tirelessly alongside Sarah. By the end of the day, the fence stood sturdy and straight.

 

Adrian Rogers once said, “If you please God, it doesn't matter whom you displease. If you displease God, it doesn't matter whom you please.”

 

What a great example of letting your "yes" be "yes" and your "no" be "no."

 

Application: Foster a culture where straightforwardness replaces over-exaggeration or deceit. “Nothing ruins the truth like stretching it” (Adrian Rogers).

 

TAKE-AWAY: From this we conclude

 

1.        Just how careful we should be in using the name of God.

2.        Just how easy it is to grieve the Holy Spirit.

3.        Just how easy it is to let the devil in when we talk too much.

4.        Just how tempting it is to make ourselves look good. 

 

One of the first things a doctor asks you to do is stick out your tongue. Why? Because the tongue says a lot about your overall health. It provides clues, including hydration, infections (red), vitamin deficiencies, Oral cancer, Cardiovascular issues (purple), smoking (bushy) etc.… The tongue also tells us a lot about our spiritual condition as well.

 

Helpful tips for speaking truth purely, simply, and truthfully.

 

1.        You cannot please everyone (Gal. 1:10)

2.        You are not responsible for everyone’s feelings (Pr. 9:7-9)

3.        You can speak truth in loving way (Eph. 4:15)

4.        You are not a perfect person (Isa. 53:6)

5.        You are not responsible for others response to truth (Rom. 14:12)

 

Surely, we have more integrity than a Mad Hatter and a March Hare! Therefore, let us “mean what we say and say what we mean” all unto the glory of God. Let your word be your bond!

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