Sunday, February 20, 2011

Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany

Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany
February 20, 2011

Jesus Goes the Extra Mile
Matthew 5:41


Dear friends,

You really got to hand it to David. He really pulled a stunt that people have been talking about every since. He and a buddy snuck into the enemy camp and stole the enemy king's water jug and spear.

Now this prank won't make any sense unless you know that this enemy king, Saul, was trying to kill David. You also need to know that God had anointed David as the new king of Israel, specifically to replace corrupt Saul.

From the world's point of view, David had every right to take out Saul. Some might even say that this was self-defense, since Saul had already hurled a couple of javelins at David.

From a believer's point of view, killing Saul might have justified since Saul was essentially a usurper to the throne. A king who respected God's word would have abdicated the throne to God's chosen successor.

But David was having none of that. He honored his king, God's representive, and refused to harm him. The words of the Fourth Commandment and its explanation show us David's thinking:

Honor your father and mother, that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth. This means that we should fear and love God that we do not dishonor or anger our parents and others in authority like kings, but honor, serve, and obey them, and give them love and respect.

David went the extra mile. From every human point of view he had every right to protect himself, but because above all things he trusted in God, he chose to put the best interests of others before his own best interests.

What a great guy, right? Wrong. Little David, whom Samuel had anointed to be the next king, who killed Goliath, and who had lead Israel's armies to many victories, showed who he really was when he committed adultery with Bathsheba and then had her husband eliminated.

David walked many extra miles because of God's mercy, but in the end he fell into the ditch.

Listen. There are times when I know you go the extra mile.

When friends come to you with juicy gossip about a personal enemy, you amaze them by refusing to participate in their sharp words, and perhaps even speaking well of him.
There are times when you use blasphemous words in front of our children and instead of pretending that it's okay to use God's name in vain, you amaze your children by confessing that your words are sinful and that you are ashamed of yourself and will strive to run away from those words in the future.

One of my favorite things about the Hy-Vee is watching the kind workers and shoppers help each other. Maybe something as simple as a bag boy running after a shopper who forgot their milk. Perhaps someone noticing that a small child is alone and risking a misunderstanding by stepping in to make sure that she is reunited with her mom.

Believers and unbelievers alike go the extra mile. But in the end we must admit that we are just like David. He said:

Have mercy on me, O God,
according to Your unfailing love;
according to Your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me. (Psalm 51:1-3)

David saw that no matter how many mountains of earthly good he did, it added up to barely a hill of beans to God. All the extra miles David walked didn't get him one inch closer to God.

But David still asked that God wash away his sin. In light of what I just said, this doesn't make much sense. But in view of Jesus and His cross-bearing for us, God will wash us clean because Jesus went the extra mile. And He walked for us in our place.

Ever done a walk-a-thon? You walk for other people who can't walk and they pay money to your charity based on your mileage.

Jesus walked for us.

We didn't pay Him;
He paid for us.

We don't donate anything on His behalf to anyone;
instead He rewards us by bringing us near and into His kingdom.

We walked because He first walked for us first. We love because first He loved us.

Jesus walked the extra mile for us. Period.

Amen.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany

Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany
February 13, 2011

Jesus Hates Hate
Matthew 5:21-22


Dear friends,

Is it ever okay to hate something?

If by hate you mean getting emotional and angry, then the answer is no.

But if you mean recognizing that something to be dangerous and saying as much, then the answer is yes, and it would be foolish not to.

Jesus recognizes that sin is dangerous and He says that the sins of murder and hate are really the same sin and both are dangerous to our souls.

“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell. (Matthew 5:21-22)

Even unbelievers recognize that ending another human life when they have no right to do so is evil. Murder is wrong. There are many unbelievers who recognize the truth that abortion is the murder of unborn children. You don't have to trust in Christ to call murder a sin.

But even believers struggle to properly recognize that hate is sin. Jesus hates hate. That is to say that Jesus, our perfect Savior, recognizes that burning grudges and angry thoughts against our fellow man are dangerous to our souls. He hates hate.

We do everything we can to pretend that hateful thoughts and silent anger aren't dangerous. We even call these sinful feelings good by pretending that they are directed toward people who are different from us. Since we are good and they are bad, then it is okay to hate them. And these “bad” people have probably done something to you, probably something that you never bothered to bring up with them because if they didn't know what they've done wrong, then you have every right to go on hating them.

I used to shepherd a large congregation. It was filled with many wonderful folks. But it was also a place where many grudges were alive and growing. Old conflicts that had never seen the light of Christian conversation or rebuke had become the bitter lifeblood of many members. And not just the older folks.

I've been here less than two years. So far I haven't seen that kind of bitterness here, and I thank our gracious God for this blessing. I mention all of this because it is better to talk about these sins openly and by Jesus' mercy, to run away from the temptation to hang on to hate.

Jesus hates hate. He regards these sinful thoughts seriously and rebukes them harshly. Years after the Sermon on the Mount, He inspired His Apostle John to say that anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in Him (1 John 3:15).

This means that all of us don't deserve eternal life because all of us by nature love to hate. Maybe we rarely lose our temper, but hate can be quiet, too. Every time we put our selves first we are hating our brother and loving me first. This is natural. It is also sinful. We love to hate.

But Jesus hates hate and this precisely why haters like us will have eternal life. Only the perfect Son of God who hides Himself in human flesh can perfectly avoid hate and always love others in a perfectly selfless way. His every thought was in perfect harmony with His Father's will and His Father's will is that all should be saved. He wants the best for everyone. And He sacrificed Himself to get the best for us.

So when you hear Jesus' rebuke that anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, despair of yourself and put your trust in Jesus, who hates hate perfectly. He is love in the flesh. And His love sent His body to the cross and suffering.

Through Baptism He has given Riley new life and a new heart of love. And for her whole life whenever she is tempted to hate, she can run to her refuge and strength, Riley's every present in trouble. And should anger overwhlem her, she will turn her eyes to the cross and to her heart to her Baptism, where Jesus died and where she personally was made clean forever.

Jesus hates hate, but He loves Riley and He loves you.

Amen.