The "Perfect" Sermon - Matthew 5:38-48

This part Sunday the sermon covered the verses found in Matthew 5:38-48.  What initially comes across to us often as Jesus being weak or in more colloquial term "milk-toast" is in reality a sign of defiance.  Jesus says to "turn the other cheek" which is a way of saying don't strike me with the back of your hand the way you would strike a slave or an inferior, but strike me with your open hand the way you would strike an individual of equal status.  I go into the more in the sermon, but the first several verses are all along this tenet. Jesus is not saying to roll over and die, he's saying stand up for yourself but not in an act of violence; rather in an act of meeting oppression or violence with love.

The quote by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King comes to mind when reading these passages: We shall match your capacity to inflict suffering by our capacity to endure suffering. We will meet your physical force with soul force. Do to us what you will and we will still love you.... But be assured that we'll wear you down by our capacity to suffer, and one day we will win our freedom.

Truly, Dr. King was inspired by the words of Christ in the verses we contemplate here today.

The final point of the sermon had to do with the word "Teleios" which is translated here in verse 48 as "perfect".  Teleios can also be translated as complete or mature.  We are complete when we have attained that purpose or mission that we were intended for.  We are mature when we have reached the final state that our beings are capable of attaining.  Let us be complete, mature, perfect... in our capacity to serve our God and King.

Be a blessing to someone today!
Roy

Matthew 5:38-48  New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Concerning Retaliation
38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; 40 and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; 41 and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. 42 Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.

Love for Enemies
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers and sisters,[a] what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

The Sin of Sin, Matthew 5:21-37 - February 12th, 2017

Below you'll find the video to this last Sunday's sermon along with the scripture verses that the sermon covered.  Matthew 5:21-37 includes some difficult verses and is certainly difficult enough to convict each and every one of us for some sin or another.  None of us escapes conviction by scripture, if you think you do... well think again.

Matthew 5:21-37
Concerning Anger
21 “You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not murder’; and ‘whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult[f] a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, ‘You fool,’ you will be liable to the hell of fire. 23 So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are on the way to court with him, or your accuser may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. 26 Truly I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.

Concerning 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 lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.[l] 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to go into hell.

Concerning Divorce
31 “It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32 But I say to you that anyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of unchastity, causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

Concerning Oaths
33 “Again, you have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but carry out the vows you have made to the Lord.’ 34 But I say to you, Do not swear at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 Let your word be ‘Yes, Yes’ or ‘No, No’; anything more than this comes from the evil one.

The common thread that runs through all sin is the "broken" relationships of us to God, and/or us to one another.  In the sermon I focus on this underlying nature of sin especially the brokenness of divorce, which I do believe is a sin, as it of course is the poster child of "brokenness".  In divorce you see both aspects of sin, that of a severed relationship(s) and the betrayal of an oath (covenant with God and each other).  I've discussed the sin of divorce in another post here and I won't belabor it again in this blog post, but will provide the link to that blog post at the end of this writing.

There is in my opinion no hierarchy of sin, all sin is sin.  We can infer this from the verses above in Matthew and we can see it explicitly in the scripture found in the letter from James.

James 2:10 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it.

Though there is no hierarchy of sin, divorce certainly isn't to be taken lightly, as I have mentioned it is really a two fold (or more) sin or violation.  Divorce without a doubt separates us from God and each other and it is only through faith and prayer that our relationship(s) can be repaired.  Of course most divorces are never reconciled here in this world, I have to believe (due to my faith) that somehow this brokenness is rectified beyond this world and into the next.  Through Christ all that is broken, no matter what sin it is, will be repaired and forgotten.

Please take a listen to the sermon, I hope you'll find it worthwhile.  Have a wonderful and blessed day, and as always...

Be a blessing to someone today!

In His love,
Roy

Link to past blog post concerning divorce/sin

http://thepathtothepulpit.blogspot.com/2014/05/a-wedding-and-roys-ramblings.html

Salt of the Earth

Last Sunday's sermon covered the scripture verses found in the fifth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, particularly verses thirteen through sixteen.  

Matthew 5:13-16  New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Salt and Light
13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot.

14 “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. 15 No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lamp-stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

The main points of the sermon pertained to the "salt" portion of the verses.  There are a number of ways to consider the metaphor of "salt" but the three that I sought to address in the sermon were: 1) preservative 2) fertilizer 3) catalyst.

Take a listen to the video linked above to find out just what I mean by these three analogies.

Thank you for stopping in and as always...

Be a blessing to someone today!

In His constant care,
Roy

Photo from Prairie Sanctuary's site on Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/prairiesanctuaries/