Epiphany 7 A
But I Say to You
Matthew 5:38-48
19 February 2017 – Redeemer
What is the Gospel? What is the good news that you should expect to hear and hopefully do hear week in and week out at Redeemer? Christ Jesus died for sinners. Christ Jesus died for you that you might be declared righteous, pleasing to your Father in heaven. Christ Jesus has accomplished your favor before God and your adoption as His own dear child.
You need to know that Gospel, hear that Gospel, believe that blessed good news from God to you, before you can hear and receive the Words of the text. We have been hearing Jesus preach the Sermon on the Mount for four weeks – and no offense, but our attention span isn’t that long. You may have forgotten how this sermon began – a month of Sundays ago. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.” That’s the good news that begins this sermon.
A honest self-evaluation against the Holy Law of God reveals we are in deep debt. Our pockets are empty of righteousness. We owe God for the harm and pain we’ve caused one another. We owe Him for our rebellion and disregard of His gifts – of our families, our bodies, our possessions, and yes, even of His church and His forgiveness. It is our regular confession that I am a “poor, miserable sinner.”
But at the beginning of this sermon Jesus calls you the unthinkable, the unbelievable, the impossible, the miraculous – “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ” You are not left homeless and destitute because of your sin, but in His mercy God has given you the riches of forgiveness, seated you at the royal table where He feeds you life and engages you in Holy conversation. You not only have the ear of the King with your prayers, you have the wealth of His Kingdom – what only He can give – forgiveness, life everlasting, the resurrection of your body. Blessed are you, the poor in Spirit, for yours is the Kingdom of heaven. You are delivered from your poverty not with gold or silver, but with the holy, precious blood and the innocent suffering and death of God’s only begotten Son. All of that is the foundation under the text. Jesus not only speaks these Words, but as your Savior He is the foundation under these words – apart from Jesus and what He has done these words will only kill you.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’” That’s straight from God’s Word. Ex 21:24, Lev. 24:20, Deut 19:21. It was a command given to God’s people Israel and it was also a law found in many other ancient cultures. Now there’s something very important to remember about this Law – it was not given to individuals, but to nations, to societies. Israel in the Old Testament was at the same time a nation and a church if you will. This Law “an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth” was given for those who governed Israel the nation. This Law served two good purposes – it didn’t let individuals or groups gang up and seek more revenge than fit the crime. That’s good, because when you are hurt what do you like to do? You like to hurt back. Spread some rumors. Get a gang of your friends to pile on the person who has wronged you. This Law required the punishment to fit the crime – an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. Laws in the United States still abide by this old Law – The Eighth Amendment of the United States Constitution prohibits the government from imposing excessive bail, excessive fines, or cruel and unusual punishment.
The other purpose of this Law, given to the nation, was to regard the life and body of every person in the nation as equal in value regardless of social, racial, or economic status. (Kleinig, quoted by Gibbs in Commentary). If the rich man took the eye of a poor man the rich man’s eye could be taken in punishment. If a Levite punched out the teeth of a Benjamite he could also be required to give up a tooth (or pay for a crown and root canal).
Let’s be honest, that is the way our nation should work – the punishment should fit the crime. The nation bears the sword to keep evildoers in check. We should work, vote, and pray for just laws, and punishments that fit the crime. That is how evil is restrained among civilizations.
But, says Jesus, you, you disciples, you my brothers and sisters, you reside in a different Kingdom at the same time. You have heaven so I say to you, do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right check, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well, And if anyone forces you to one mile, go with him two miles.”
Every one of us, because of our sin, is a bookkeeper. We count the sins against us. You say something harsh against me I say something harsher against you. I want the scales to tip in my favor.
This past week I read the story of such a man. He had bought a new car for his son – a Corvette, and he called the Department of Motor Vehicles to find out where to pay the taxes locally. His call went to a call center in some distant land. He sued the DMV to get all the local phone numbers released to the public. When he finally paid the $13,000 in sales tax he owed he delivered it to his local DMV in pennies. They inconvenienced him and he made sure they were more inconvenienced. We laugh because we like what he did. Our laughter reveals our sin. We don’t want to get even. We want to win. Lord have mercy on us.
But what does Jesus say of us here, of His disciples. He says you live in a different Kingdom – a Kingdom where God does not count your sins against you. Where His only begotten Son turned the other check to those who slapped Him, where He walked the extra mile – He walked our sins into hell itself as He suffered for them. You live in a kingdom where they stripped His only garment from Him and cast lots for it and yet He still gives us the robe of His righteousness – right off His whipped and scarred back.
Jesus calls on us to live reckless and even dangerous lives of generosity and kindness. A backhanded slap on the face (in the days of Jesus ) was an insult, not abuse. (Gibbs commentary) How do you respond when insulted? Turn the other check and give a compliment. The Jews of Jesus’ day could be required to give up their property and even their freedom at any time. Can you imagine if a Roman soldier came into Jacob ben Jonah’s house and said, “Give me a chicken – my men need to eat.” And Jacob said, “I’ll give you three chickens. You look hungry. And here’s a nice bottle of chardonnay that is wonderful with chicken.” What would that Roman soldier have thought? Well, that’s exactly what the disciples and followers of Jesus did. They went the extra mile, loved the unlovable, housed the orphans, cared for the mentally ill, stood by the suffering and endured slaps, poverty, and death. They lit the world with grace and seasoned it with love so much that by 325 AD Emperor Constantine declared the civilized world of the Roman Empire to be Christian. Christianity won the Empire over without any weapons, except the foolish love that comes along with the forgiveness of sins
Jesus speaks to you this morning as the One who does not count your sins against you. He speaks as the One who was made poor that you might be rich. He’s calling you to live like a resident of the Kingdom of heaven. That’s a high calling and hard calling – since your sin clings to you until you die – sometimes you’ll succeed in being gracious and many times you’ll play judge, jury, and executioner. That’s why we come back here week after week – to be rebuilt on the foundation that is Christ, to be given again and again the riches of heaven, so that we are so certain of our residency in heaven that we can be her ambassadors and emissaries here on earth with love and charity and kindness. In the name of Jesus. Amen.
Pr. Bruce Timm
19 February 2017 anno Domini