The Eighth Commandment: Speak Well Of Your Neighbor
Sermon
What's That Supposed To Mean?
Using The Catechism In The 21st Century
Object:
The Eighth Commandment
Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. What does this mean? We should fear and love God that we may not deceitfully belie, betray, slander, nor defame our neighbor, but defend him, speak well of him, and put the best construction on everything.
What is a lie? In a courtroom we are asked to swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Doesn't that mean that we should tell only what happens, and not leave out important details or add details that never happened? How many of you have ever testified in a court? Let me ask that again, only this time remember that a court is any place a person's character is on trial, whether or not the person is present -- like down at the coffee shop, talking about someone who isn't there! Isn't gossip really testimony at a trial? The only difference between a gossip session and a trial is that the defendant isn't present to defend himself. Why do we like to report the bad things other people do? The difference between a gossip and a witness in a courtroom is like the difference between a butcher and a surgeon. Both cut the meat, but for different reasons.
It is natural that we like to tell stories about each other that make the other guy look bad. But anytime we do that, unless we are willing to face the other guy with our accusation, we are always lying. That's because gossip and slander, like any lie, don't allow the whole story to be told, namely the part of the story known by the person we gossip about. You may think you know the whole story, but until you have his testimony and those who could speak in his defense, you do not have the whole truth. And a half truth is as bad as a lie. It doesn't take into account what Jesus has to say either.
The very first thing to remember about anyone is that Jesus forgave any sins everyone commits. Along with this is the idea that Jesus thinks of us as royalty. So, what business do we have calling Jesus a liar? That's what we are doing when we gossip and backbite. Jesus forgives your sins. He also forgives mine -- even if I am not around to defend myself.
But what are we supposed to do, then, when we think someone has treated us badly? Just let it go? Ignore it? No, that would not allow justice to work. The Lord Jesus tells us how to handle conflict so that forgiveness can have a chance to work healing between us. "If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over." First, give the other guy a chance to repent. You might discover that what you thought the other guy did isn't really what happened, or what he intended. Jesus doesn't clobber us each time we sin. Instead He is willing to forgive us so we can go on being brothers.
"But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, 'so that every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.' " If we can't get satisfaction, Jesus allows us to involve other people -- but only so that certain facts can be established in case the matter has to go to public trial. But the goal is still to "settle out of court" if at all possible, and witnesses can be a big help to do this. The main fact we need to look for is, "Was a real attempt made to forgive and be forgiven?" Witnesses make sure a fair attempt was made to settle the matter in private.
"If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church." Jesus allows us to make public accusations only when all attempts at forgiveness have failed in private. Jesus sets up a church court. You all, when gathered in church, are the jury. Each side gets to tell its story, with the help of the witnesses. The whole congregation then sorts through the stories to try to find the truth. The church can help a person realize how serious his sin is so he can be forgiven.
If a person is found guilty of sin, and he still won't accept forgiveness, then -- and only then -- are we allowed to take action against him. But notice what action we are supposed to take: "and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector." That means the unrepentant sinner becomes missionary material, and we start all over with him from the basics, teaching him about sin and grace.
Jesus gave this authority to the church with these words: "I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." We are allowed by Jesus to tell someone that his sins are forgiven, or that the forgiveness of his sins has been revoked until he repents. Our goal always is the same: forgive sins whenever possible, condemn sinners only when necessary. (The world thinks the opposite: Condemn sinners whenever possible; forgive sins only when necessary.)
The least we can do when we think someone is doing evil is give him the benefit of the doubt ("put the best construction on everything"). Sometimes what we see isn't the whole story. I have a photo of a friend of mine finishing a race. It is from my high school yearbook. It shows a runner crossing the finish line ahead of him. The caption under the photo names the runner in front as the winner. My friend got angry when he saw that! He said that he was the winner. Yet, there was the finish line stretched across the other runner's chest. My friend is obviously a step behind. However, a close look at the photo, near the very edge, shows that my friend has a baton in his hand. That means they were running a relay race. The other runner's hands are empty! That means the other runner had disqualified himself earlier by not taking the baton from his teammate. The yearbook editor looked at the obvious and jumped to the wrong conclusion! Appearances can be deceiving. "Putting the best construction on everything" means trying to figure out what good reason the other guy may have thought he had for doing what he did. It means believing that you might not know the whole story and trying to fill in the gaps with a defense.
Jesus died to take our sins to His grave. His death changed our past. That's the truth. Forgiveness heals our past. In a like manner, when we seek to forgive each other instead of tear each other down, we end up healing the breaks that damage our relationships to each other. It's always best to try to forgive. And if you think someone thinks you have done wrong to him, Jesus says, quick, go to him and be forgiven.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, You call us saints even though we sin daily. You treat us like royalty even though we often treat each other like dirt. You forgive us for crimes we commit against You even though we are eager to get even with those who sin against us. You speak well of us before the Father in heaven, even though we can hardly go a day without telling lies about each other. Help us tell the truth. Especially help us interpret what other people do in the best possible manner, giving them the benefit of the doubt until they show clearly in the presence of many witnesses that they are unwilling to do what is right. And even then, help us extend a forgiving hand, even if that hand is rejected. Amen.
Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. What does this mean? We should fear and love God that we may not deceitfully belie, betray, slander, nor defame our neighbor, but defend him, speak well of him, and put the best construction on everything.
What is a lie? In a courtroom we are asked to swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Doesn't that mean that we should tell only what happens, and not leave out important details or add details that never happened? How many of you have ever testified in a court? Let me ask that again, only this time remember that a court is any place a person's character is on trial, whether or not the person is present -- like down at the coffee shop, talking about someone who isn't there! Isn't gossip really testimony at a trial? The only difference between a gossip session and a trial is that the defendant isn't present to defend himself. Why do we like to report the bad things other people do? The difference between a gossip and a witness in a courtroom is like the difference between a butcher and a surgeon. Both cut the meat, but for different reasons.
It is natural that we like to tell stories about each other that make the other guy look bad. But anytime we do that, unless we are willing to face the other guy with our accusation, we are always lying. That's because gossip and slander, like any lie, don't allow the whole story to be told, namely the part of the story known by the person we gossip about. You may think you know the whole story, but until you have his testimony and those who could speak in his defense, you do not have the whole truth. And a half truth is as bad as a lie. It doesn't take into account what Jesus has to say either.
The very first thing to remember about anyone is that Jesus forgave any sins everyone commits. Along with this is the idea that Jesus thinks of us as royalty. So, what business do we have calling Jesus a liar? That's what we are doing when we gossip and backbite. Jesus forgives your sins. He also forgives mine -- even if I am not around to defend myself.
But what are we supposed to do, then, when we think someone has treated us badly? Just let it go? Ignore it? No, that would not allow justice to work. The Lord Jesus tells us how to handle conflict so that forgiveness can have a chance to work healing between us. "If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over." First, give the other guy a chance to repent. You might discover that what you thought the other guy did isn't really what happened, or what he intended. Jesus doesn't clobber us each time we sin. Instead He is willing to forgive us so we can go on being brothers.
"But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, 'so that every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.' " If we can't get satisfaction, Jesus allows us to involve other people -- but only so that certain facts can be established in case the matter has to go to public trial. But the goal is still to "settle out of court" if at all possible, and witnesses can be a big help to do this. The main fact we need to look for is, "Was a real attempt made to forgive and be forgiven?" Witnesses make sure a fair attempt was made to settle the matter in private.
"If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church." Jesus allows us to make public accusations only when all attempts at forgiveness have failed in private. Jesus sets up a church court. You all, when gathered in church, are the jury. Each side gets to tell its story, with the help of the witnesses. The whole congregation then sorts through the stories to try to find the truth. The church can help a person realize how serious his sin is so he can be forgiven.
If a person is found guilty of sin, and he still won't accept forgiveness, then -- and only then -- are we allowed to take action against him. But notice what action we are supposed to take: "and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector." That means the unrepentant sinner becomes missionary material, and we start all over with him from the basics, teaching him about sin and grace.
Jesus gave this authority to the church with these words: "I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." We are allowed by Jesus to tell someone that his sins are forgiven, or that the forgiveness of his sins has been revoked until he repents. Our goal always is the same: forgive sins whenever possible, condemn sinners only when necessary. (The world thinks the opposite: Condemn sinners whenever possible; forgive sins only when necessary.)
The least we can do when we think someone is doing evil is give him the benefit of the doubt ("put the best construction on everything"). Sometimes what we see isn't the whole story. I have a photo of a friend of mine finishing a race. It is from my high school yearbook. It shows a runner crossing the finish line ahead of him. The caption under the photo names the runner in front as the winner. My friend got angry when he saw that! He said that he was the winner. Yet, there was the finish line stretched across the other runner's chest. My friend is obviously a step behind. However, a close look at the photo, near the very edge, shows that my friend has a baton in his hand. That means they were running a relay race. The other runner's hands are empty! That means the other runner had disqualified himself earlier by not taking the baton from his teammate. The yearbook editor looked at the obvious and jumped to the wrong conclusion! Appearances can be deceiving. "Putting the best construction on everything" means trying to figure out what good reason the other guy may have thought he had for doing what he did. It means believing that you might not know the whole story and trying to fill in the gaps with a defense.
Jesus died to take our sins to His grave. His death changed our past. That's the truth. Forgiveness heals our past. In a like manner, when we seek to forgive each other instead of tear each other down, we end up healing the breaks that damage our relationships to each other. It's always best to try to forgive. And if you think someone thinks you have done wrong to him, Jesus says, quick, go to him and be forgiven.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, You call us saints even though we sin daily. You treat us like royalty even though we often treat each other like dirt. You forgive us for crimes we commit against You even though we are eager to get even with those who sin against us. You speak well of us before the Father in heaven, even though we can hardly go a day without telling lies about each other. Help us tell the truth. Especially help us interpret what other people do in the best possible manner, giving them the benefit of the doubt until they show clearly in the presence of many witnesses that they are unwilling to do what is right. And even then, help us extend a forgiving hand, even if that hand is rejected. Amen.
