Again, this week we continue to hear Jesus preach. Before we get to our text I want to make just a comment about our other readings which work well to support our Gospel reading for today. In the Old Testament reading we hear Moses speak words of law to the Children of Israel, even saying, “You shall be holy for I the Lord you God am holy,” words which Jesus reflects at the end of our Gospel lesson for this morning. In our Epistle lesson Paul encourages us to build our Christian life, not on ourselves and not on anything within us, especially not on what we think we can earn that is that we think we can earn eternal life, but Paul urges us to look outside ourselves and to build our Christian life on Christ alone. Paul also reminds us to be careful to not be deceived by this world, because the wisdom of this world is folly before God, instead Paul urges us to boast only in the Lord.
Now moving to our text. In our text for today we continue to hear more of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mountain as it is called. Remember, these are not my words, these are Jesus’ words, so if you have a problem with what is being said, take it up with the author, Jesus. Anyway, last week Jesus spoke about the fifth, sixth, and second commandments and the fact that rather than narrow the definition of the commandments so we might think we can keep them, as did the Pharisees and teachers of the law, Jesus broadened the definition so that we might see that we sin in thought and word as well as in deed, so that we do see how sinful we truly are so that we see our need for a Savior. Certainly we are reminded that if we could live as God would have us to live, then we would have no need for a Savior, that is why Jesus broadens the definition of the commandments so that we might see our need for a Savior, so that we might confess our sins and so that we might be given forgiveness of sins, and with forgiveness, life and salvation. This week Jesus continues His sermon talking about revenge, loving our enemies and being perfect.
Our text begins at verse thirty-eight and again Jesus begins by saying, “you have heard it said,” implying that what you have heard, probably from the Pharisees and teachers of the law, is not what is true according to God. Verse thirty-eight, “38You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you” (v. 38-42).
Jesus seeks to change the social, political law of retribution that was given for the sake of good order, in other words, through our civil law God gives the authority to carry out just punishment for crimes committed. In other words, if you steal or kill you may suffer civil punishment, temporal consequences for those crimes, you may serve time in jail. This authority to carry out such just judgements is intended for the sake of peace and good order. Think about it this way, if there were no civil authority then there would be anarchy and chaos.
Now please understand that Jesus is not trying to change the civil law, rather He is directing changes to the spiritual order of love, which is to turn the other check. In other words, although we may have crimes committed against us, that does not mean that we are not to seek civil retribution, but it does mean that with confession we are to forgive. So, if someone steals from us, certainly for their sake a civil restitution of restoring what was stolen is in order, but even more, we are to forgive that person, which is probably the more difficult order.
But, there is more, as Jesus tells us that as Christians our faith is to be a reflection of Godly love which is shown and seen in our going the extra mile. In other words, we are to practice agape love, going beyond what is demanded and joyfully sharing God’s love as Christ loved us and gave His life for us. Just as Jesus died for us, instead of inflicting the punishment we deserve, so we are to forgive others as we have been forgiven. Jesus is not giving us an easy task.
And Jesus continues, again suggesting that, “you have heard it said,” and it may not be true so I will tell you what is true. Verse forty-three, “43You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?” (v. 43-47).
Again, Jesus reminds us of the social, political law of equality, that is to love those who love you and hate those who hate you, because after all that only sounds fair. Yet, if we simply love those who love us and hate those who hate us, how do we change to be a more peaceful society?
So, again, Jesus speaks to direct us to change the spiritual order which will work to effect a change in the civil order. Jesus tells us to love our enemies. Someone once said, “The way to get rid of all your enemies is to make them your friends.” Jesus tells us to love our enemies, but not only to love them, but also to pray for them. Here again what Jesus tells us is a difficult, if not an impossible task, at least by ourselves.
Certainly we like to think about civil equality, but what about spiritual equality? Jesus reminds us, concerning spiritual equality that in God’s eyes we are all equal sinners yet, He blesses us all sinners with rain and His love. Civil equality is just that, equality, balancing scales, I treat you to dinner, you treat me to dinner, I give you a present, you give me a present. Jesus wants us to move beyond civil equality to a type of love, agape love, which is always doing more for the other person. Just as God first loved us and sent Jesus to live, die and rise for us, undeserved as we were, so we are to move beyond thinking of equality and loving, even loving those we deem unlovable, even those we know are unable to return what we have first given to them.
Finally, Jesus expresses what He has been saying in a very specific, concrete way, verse forty-eight, “48You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (v. 48). Jesus commands us to be perfect, how much more specific can Jesus get and how much more guilty can He make us feel? Be perfect, how can He ask such a thing of us, after all, we are conceived and born in sin, and every inclination of our heart is evil all the time? The Greek word Jesus speaks is the word which means “complete.” So Jesus is saying, be complete, be grown up as a Christian in faith and love.
Jesus tells us to be perfect. The word He uses is the same word that He uses on the cross when He says, “It is finished.” On the cross when Jesus says, “It is finished,” what He is saying is that the debt, the price for our sins has been paid, has been completely paid. So, to be complete as a Christian means to love as God loves, unconditionally. To love unconditionally means to love without reference to the worthiness of the other person. And this love flows out of the fact that God first loves us.
To be perfect means to be complete. To be complete means that we start with God, not with ourselves. The world would have us start with ourselves, as we are continually admonished by the world, “look inside yourself,” “choose Jesus,” “you can be the good Christian God wants you to be.” Unfortunately, when we start with ourselves all we get is imperfection and failure. By ourselves we cannot be the people God would have us to be. By ourselves we are lost and condemned persons. No, to be perfect means to look outside ourselves and to look to God who stirs and moves in us giving us faith, forgiveness, life and completion and helps us to love others as He loves us.
What Does this Mean? There is a distinction between civil law and spiritual law. As concerning civil law, we live and abide under the laws, the civil laws of the land for good reason, to maintain good order, for the sake of peace. Civil laws are good and unless they negate God’s spiritual laws, we are to obey them. However, obedience to civil laws, while maintaining peace, will never earn eternal life. And you may have noticed, there is no grace and no Gospel concerning civil laws.
As Christians, we live in two worlds, the secular and the spiritual and we live in both these worlds at the same time. As Christians we gladly and willingly obey the civil law, again, as long as it does not contradict God’s law, but even more, we live more under God’s Word which emphasizes His grace and love.
God is the prime mover. God shines His grace and love on us through His Word, through Holy Baptism, through confession and absolution and through His Holy Supper. God shines His grace and love on us through giving us faith, forgiveness, life, salvation. God shines His grace and love on us and through us and stirs in us to reflect that perfect, complete, unconditional love to others. As always, it starts with God and we know we get it right when we start with God.
God first gave His law in the hearts of people, then He gave His written Law to His people Israel through His servant Moses. God’s law has never and never will change, not one iota as we heard a couple weeks ago. Yet, for us and for our sake, because of His great love for us, God sent His only Son, Jesus to do for us what we are unable to do ourselves. God sent Jesus to live perfectly for us, according to His law. Jesus was holy for us. Jesus was perfect for us. Although we may be able to abide by the civil law, in and of ourselves we are completely unable to keep God’s spiritual law, which is what Jesus has kept for us in our place. Jesus was holy, Jesus was perfect for us and now, by faith in Him, faith which He gives to us, His perfection, His holiness, His completion is ours. We are perfect, because Jesus makes us perfect. And all that is left is to rejoice and give thanks to God. To Him be the glory, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
Now moving to our text. In our text for today we continue to hear more of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mountain as it is called. Remember, these are not my words, these are Jesus’ words, so if you have a problem with what is being said, take it up with the author, Jesus. Anyway, last week Jesus spoke about the fifth, sixth, and second commandments and the fact that rather than narrow the definition of the commandments so we might think we can keep them, as did the Pharisees and teachers of the law, Jesus broadened the definition so that we might see that we sin in thought and word as well as in deed, so that we do see how sinful we truly are so that we see our need for a Savior. Certainly we are reminded that if we could live as God would have us to live, then we would have no need for a Savior, that is why Jesus broadens the definition of the commandments so that we might see our need for a Savior, so that we might confess our sins and so that we might be given forgiveness of sins, and with forgiveness, life and salvation. This week Jesus continues His sermon talking about revenge, loving our enemies and being perfect.
Our text begins at verse thirty-eight and again Jesus begins by saying, “you have heard it said,” implying that what you have heard, probably from the Pharisees and teachers of the law, is not what is true according to God. Verse thirty-eight, “38You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you” (v. 38-42).
Jesus seeks to change the social, political law of retribution that was given for the sake of good order, in other words, through our civil law God gives the authority to carry out just punishment for crimes committed. In other words, if you steal or kill you may suffer civil punishment, temporal consequences for those crimes, you may serve time in jail. This authority to carry out such just judgements is intended for the sake of peace and good order. Think about it this way, if there were no civil authority then there would be anarchy and chaos.
Now please understand that Jesus is not trying to change the civil law, rather He is directing changes to the spiritual order of love, which is to turn the other check. In other words, although we may have crimes committed against us, that does not mean that we are not to seek civil retribution, but it does mean that with confession we are to forgive. So, if someone steals from us, certainly for their sake a civil restitution of restoring what was stolen is in order, but even more, we are to forgive that person, which is probably the more difficult order.
But, there is more, as Jesus tells us that as Christians our faith is to be a reflection of Godly love which is shown and seen in our going the extra mile. In other words, we are to practice agape love, going beyond what is demanded and joyfully sharing God’s love as Christ loved us and gave His life for us. Just as Jesus died for us, instead of inflicting the punishment we deserve, so we are to forgive others as we have been forgiven. Jesus is not giving us an easy task.
And Jesus continues, again suggesting that, “you have heard it said,” and it may not be true so I will tell you what is true. Verse forty-three, “43You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?” (v. 43-47).
Again, Jesus reminds us of the social, political law of equality, that is to love those who love you and hate those who hate you, because after all that only sounds fair. Yet, if we simply love those who love us and hate those who hate us, how do we change to be a more peaceful society?
So, again, Jesus speaks to direct us to change the spiritual order which will work to effect a change in the civil order. Jesus tells us to love our enemies. Someone once said, “The way to get rid of all your enemies is to make them your friends.” Jesus tells us to love our enemies, but not only to love them, but also to pray for them. Here again what Jesus tells us is a difficult, if not an impossible task, at least by ourselves.
Certainly we like to think about civil equality, but what about spiritual equality? Jesus reminds us, concerning spiritual equality that in God’s eyes we are all equal sinners yet, He blesses us all sinners with rain and His love. Civil equality is just that, equality, balancing scales, I treat you to dinner, you treat me to dinner, I give you a present, you give me a present. Jesus wants us to move beyond civil equality to a type of love, agape love, which is always doing more for the other person. Just as God first loved us and sent Jesus to live, die and rise for us, undeserved as we were, so we are to move beyond thinking of equality and loving, even loving those we deem unlovable, even those we know are unable to return what we have first given to them.
Finally, Jesus expresses what He has been saying in a very specific, concrete way, verse forty-eight, “48You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (v. 48). Jesus commands us to be perfect, how much more specific can Jesus get and how much more guilty can He make us feel? Be perfect, how can He ask such a thing of us, after all, we are conceived and born in sin, and every inclination of our heart is evil all the time? The Greek word Jesus speaks is the word which means “complete.” So Jesus is saying, be complete, be grown up as a Christian in faith and love.
Jesus tells us to be perfect. The word He uses is the same word that He uses on the cross when He says, “It is finished.” On the cross when Jesus says, “It is finished,” what He is saying is that the debt, the price for our sins has been paid, has been completely paid. So, to be complete as a Christian means to love as God loves, unconditionally. To love unconditionally means to love without reference to the worthiness of the other person. And this love flows out of the fact that God first loves us.
To be perfect means to be complete. To be complete means that we start with God, not with ourselves. The world would have us start with ourselves, as we are continually admonished by the world, “look inside yourself,” “choose Jesus,” “you can be the good Christian God wants you to be.” Unfortunately, when we start with ourselves all we get is imperfection and failure. By ourselves we cannot be the people God would have us to be. By ourselves we are lost and condemned persons. No, to be perfect means to look outside ourselves and to look to God who stirs and moves in us giving us faith, forgiveness, life and completion and helps us to love others as He loves us.
What Does this Mean? There is a distinction between civil law and spiritual law. As concerning civil law, we live and abide under the laws, the civil laws of the land for good reason, to maintain good order, for the sake of peace. Civil laws are good and unless they negate God’s spiritual laws, we are to obey them. However, obedience to civil laws, while maintaining peace, will never earn eternal life. And you may have noticed, there is no grace and no Gospel concerning civil laws.
As Christians, we live in two worlds, the secular and the spiritual and we live in both these worlds at the same time. As Christians we gladly and willingly obey the civil law, again, as long as it does not contradict God’s law, but even more, we live more under God’s Word which emphasizes His grace and love.
God is the prime mover. God shines His grace and love on us through His Word, through Holy Baptism, through confession and absolution and through His Holy Supper. God shines His grace and love on us through giving us faith, forgiveness, life, salvation. God shines His grace and love on us and through us and stirs in us to reflect that perfect, complete, unconditional love to others. As always, it starts with God and we know we get it right when we start with God.
God first gave His law in the hearts of people, then He gave His written Law to His people Israel through His servant Moses. God’s law has never and never will change, not one iota as we heard a couple weeks ago. Yet, for us and for our sake, because of His great love for us, God sent His only Son, Jesus to do for us what we are unable to do ourselves. God sent Jesus to live perfectly for us, according to His law. Jesus was holy for us. Jesus was perfect for us. Although we may be able to abide by the civil law, in and of ourselves we are completely unable to keep God’s spiritual law, which is what Jesus has kept for us in our place. Jesus was holy, Jesus was perfect for us and now, by faith in Him, faith which He gives to us, His perfection, His holiness, His completion is ours. We are perfect, because Jesus makes us perfect. And all that is left is to rejoice and give thanks to God. To Him be the glory, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.