Feb. 16, 2014 6th Sunday after Epiphany

Matthew 5:21-37

21 “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ 22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.
   23 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.
   25 “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. 26 Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.
    27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.
31 “It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32 But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
33 “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ 34 But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 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 even one hair white or black. 37 All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.


“Be Real...Choose Life”

Our living, our righteousness, is to exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees.

We are to go beyond the letter of the law to the spirit of the law.
We are to read the Bible looking not for a rule to live by but a hope to live with.
We are to hang in there - practicing a  lot of confession and forgiveness - always choosing the way which has a chance to lead to life - no matter what.

“Blessed are those who are dying in relationships; they can have life.  Blessed are those who feel lonely in marriage;l they need not be lonely.  Blessed are those who are divorced or separated; they can still be part of the community.  And Woe to us who admit no imperfection; sadness is ours.  Woe to us who are church and have no compassion; shame is ours.  Woe to us who think ourselves better; how sad we are...But when you reach out to the hurting, I will reach out, through you.”  Father John J. Bluett of Orlando

“Grace In The Heart”

No one can make it without grace.  There is no righteousness which makes grace unnecessary.

The law has been fulfilled; it no longer means what it says.  It means more then it says!  It is all in a new law - to love as we have been loved.  “Love is the fulfilling of the law” Rom 13:10

The question is, “How is it in the heart?”
The issue is, “How is it in the heart?”

It is dangerous, even evil to hate, to lust, to speak deceptively.  Yet we all do it.
To fight against this we need the grace of God at work in our lives - lots of grace and forgiveness to keep us on course.

It is out of the heart that life springs and good or evil comes.  It is in the heart that God would dwell, so that the good overcomes the evil.
Our challenge is to try love no matter what!  For God is love and love is the closest thing we have to perfect on this side of the grave.  We are to live with love at the center of our lives.

True righteousness seeks reconciliation not revenge; reconciliation means restoration of harmony.