The Evil Eye
Introduction
A. Our vision, that is our point of view, shows whether we believe in Jesus or not. To believe in Jesus means to believe in His teachings, that is, to put them into practice in our daily lives.
B. Jesus demanded that the righteousness of His listeners should exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees. Otherwise, they were not welcome to enter the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:20
1. He gave several examples of the kind of righteousness that He demanded in the following verses.
a. 5:21-26 We must restrain our anger from venting insults and humiliation on our neighbor.
b. 5:27-31 We must restrain our lusts for the wives of our neighbors.
c. 5:32-37 We must tell the truth and not swear falsely.
d. 5:38-47 We must not retaliate against those who insult or wrong us. Instead we must love our enemies and do good to them even as God our Father blesses them with rain and sunshine.
2. Jesus extends those demands on the heart to govern the eyes through which we view, judge and value other people and things.
a. The key verses are 6:22-23. “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, our whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in your is darkness, how great is the darkness!”
b. Let us consider several ways that Jesus shows us that our eye may be full of darkness and thus evil.
I. The Good Eye will not Covet the Neighbor’s Wife.
A. Matthew 5:28-31 The eye that looks with lustful intent has committed adultery in the heart.
B. Exodus 20:17 God said to Israel, “You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's.” A man may covet anything that is his neighbor’s and commit this sin, but when he covets his neighbor’s wife, it become adultery which is condemned in verse 14.
C. Nearly all forms of modern public entertainment have capitalized on the temptation to look and enjoy beauties of strange women, usually dressed “attractively” to varying degrees of undress or nakedness. In sports, women and men perform in brief and revealing garments. In movies, the cavort in the bedrooms, dance in evening gowns, or sing on stage a variety of music styles but always showing cleavage, curves, and generous portions of skin. Even when they are solving mysteries, chasing bad guys, or trying them in civil court, they entertain us with occasional glimpses private things that God reserved to be shared only by married couples. We are trained to be voyeurs. We cannot look away.
D. Jesus teaches us to see the lovely ladies as souls beloved of God, and their sacred beauty as given by God to enhance the bonds of matrimony.
D. You cannot enter the kingdom of heaven with an evil eye.
II. The Good Eye will not look at his neighbor with hate, no matter the provocation.
A. Matthew 5:38-48 When someone has been evil or unjust to us, it is difficult to not look at him with a desire for vengeance. Jesus demands that we offer the other cheek, go the second mile with him. Love your enemy and pray for him. Do good for him just as you Heavenly Father does.
B. Any rebellious scribe or Pharisee might love his friends and hate his enemies. What do you more than they?
C. The daily provocations of thoughtless people try our patience. They do not know God, and little do they understand the simple principles of courtesy, grace and kindness that sweeten our lives and lighten our burdens. If we focus on the sins and failings of everyone around us, we will be angry and abusive ourselves in how we speak to them, calling one “fool,” (depraved, pervert) and other “raca,” (idiot, imbecile). See 5:21-22.
D. Life is not fair. Every child cries out against the unfairness of his life. Some people make unfair demands and not only that we be unfairly inconvenienced but also burdened. It is depressing, and many live their lives depressed and discouraged and bitter. Jesus demands better of us.
1. Ephesians 4:31-32 Paul writes that we should put away the bitterness and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
2. Philippians 4:8-9 Think about good things.
E. Jesus knew that if we follow Him, we will be mistreated and even “persecuted.” Expect it.
1. 2 Timothy 3:12 “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”
2. 1 Peter 2:19-23 “For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.”
F. We must look at these experiences the way Jesus sees them. This the eye full of light and darkness.
III. The Good Eye does not desire the Praise of Men.
A. Matthew 6:1-18 The scribes gave alms, prayed and fasted with a view to being seen by men.
1. Alms are a form of charity, an act mercy and compassion designed to give and aid and comfort to someone who is in need because of a lack of resources to provide his own and his family’s needs. It is humbling, even humiliating, to be found so vulnerable, so weak, and so desperate as to need help for whatever reason. We all have our dignity and self-respect that is threatened by the need. The evil eye does not look for the comfort of the need but for his own honor from men who exalt true charity.
2. One who gives alms according to Jesus’ will, does not wish to increase the pain and humiliation by doing so in arrogant or condescending manners. The more private the help, the better. God in heaven watches and He too wants the charity shown in anonymous fashion so that all Heaven may know that the alms are given to honor and praise our Creator who cares for the poor and needy. The evil eye looks for the attentions of those who watch his charity. The eyes of God know the heart and will not reward such an insult to His holiness.
3. By the same token, righteous and holy men pray to be heard by God, regardless of what other men might think. A pretentious prayer is by nature hypocrisy, because it pretends to be honoring God and asking His favor, when in reality it intends to exalt the one who prays in the eyes of other men. Wordy and showy prayers are embarrassing to God because they suggest that He is moving by such shallow and thoughtless exercises in theatrics. The evil eye looks for the attentions of those earthly men who hear his prayers. They already have their sought-after reward: the admiration of men.
4. The eyes of God’s saints look to God in hope when they fast and afflict their souls. It is the evil eye looks for the admiring approval of the public when he publicly afflicts himself. The approval of the public will be the only benefit that he will receive.
Conclusion: Let us guard our eyes, that we be not filled with darkness.