Text: Matt. 5:21-37 or Psalm 119:1-8
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23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
Aren’t you glad that we worship a loving and forgiving God?
I am Jesus little lamb.
Ever glad at heart I am.
For my shepherd gently guides me,
Knows my need and well provides me,
Loves me every day the same,
Even calls me by my name.
LSB 740
20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Matt. 5:20
For we who are called to be salt and light in a world we need to know that God’s Law, certainly has been fulfilled in Christ but the purpose of the Law remains.
To convict us of sin so that we repent and turn to Jesus as his Little Lamb to receive his blessed forgiveness.
So Jesus now drops some heavy Law on his disciples, and those who might claim to be Moses disciples and be in earshot as well, hitting on four elements of the human condition in regard to sin;
Anger, Lust, Divorce and Oaths!
This will pertain to you and me as well!
21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment;
You shall not murder
We know the 5th commandment and maybe you like me have heard it said:
“Well, I’ve never killed anybody so that is one commandment I can stand firm that I haven’t broken.”
But, Jesus here breaks that argument pointing to, not the letter of the Law but the spirit of the Law.
We all know anger. Husbands and wives, parents and children, siblings and friends, coworkers, or neighbors or - how about the cashier who wasn’t fast enough or as competent as we would have been had we were behind the register?
Jesus points to the root of the sin of murder as being the evil in the human heart that causes anger and hatred to one whom God children who has created in his image.
As the Apostle James make clear in chapter 1 of his epistle:
19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. James 1:19-20
Isn’t that really the same as the gossip that comes from our mouth? When we say something about another, intending to tell others, a friend or the pastor, something that shines a negative light in a way on a person. We all are guilty of this and we need to think before we speak.
Or, whether we intend it to be held in a negative way or to just not put the best construction on things - we need to think lest we break the 8th commandment, bearing false witness against another for their harm and not their wellbeing. We are all guilty.
When I worked in the business and sales world, we had a little sales proverb that we tried to remember when working with our customers who at time could try the patience of even the most seasoned professional.
“First engage brain before putting mouth in gear!”
Maybe you’ve heard it?
Maybe you’ve used it?
Maybe you’ve miss it?
You’ve became angry with your brother and said or done things you wish you hadn’t.
You’ve broken the commandment and fallen short and missed the mark if you will.
Jesus gives you comfort and peace and reconciliation.
First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
God has reconciled the world unto himself so that we who are reconciled to Christ by his Spirit in repentance, come to each other with repentant hearts seeking to be reconciled.
“Mighty judge, cover the outbursts of my sinful anger with the embrace of your reconciling peace!”
Lutheran Study Bible - study note pg.1587 5:21-26
You shall not commit adultery!
27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Matt. 5:27-28
The 6th commandment has already been broken.
As a former pastor many years ago has said:
“Guys, if you’re driving down the street and see a pretty girl out of the corner of your eye, the first look is free, the second look is sin!”
It is the willful and lustful intent of the human heart that shows you and me the sinful condition we are born in and wrestle with our entire lives.
Jesus’ answer to this condition is not a slap on the wrist but a dire warning.
29 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. 30 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. Matt 5:29-30
Jesus knows the seriousness of the sins we commit and the brokenness that this sin leads to - that lustful intent and adultery - brings many to a place of divorce, the ultimate breaking of what God has joined together, united in marriage joined as one, husbands and wives, male and female.
Divorce is a plague in our lives because we are all affected by divorce even if we have the blessing of remaining married.
For years I’ve said that of the 40 years of my own marriage to Monica, I’ve known someone, been related to someone, or discussed with someone, wrestling with, going through, or recovering from divorce.
It is not the unpardonable sin. Keep that in mind.
This sin, the sin of unfaithfulness, adultery and divorce was also paid for at the cross by our loving Lord; but divorce, breaks families, hurts all involved and kills the love of God for so many as the devil uses this sin as a wedge between us for the rest of our lives.
If you have been divorced, cast all your cares on Jesus who has carried your burdens upon himself to the cross and buried them in the grave once and for all so that you might live in him, and for him, in this life we share.
33 “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ Matt 5:33
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus says:
37 Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.
We are those who continue in this life to wrestle with sin because that is who we are. But, Jesus only came for sinners so that is really good news.
In our epistle reading today Paul calls the Corinthians, people of the flesh as infants in Christ needing the milk of the word and not solid food.
We remain though his children, as God’s loving word makes clear, and by his Spirit we turn in repentance choosing life over sin, death and the power of the devil receiving the Lord’s blessing and overcoming the curse of the Law in Christ.
As God’s children we can together sing!
Jesus loves me!
This I know, for the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to him belong; They are weak, but he is strong.
Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.
LSB 588
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
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