“JESUS IS THE GIFT BEFORE THE ALTAR”
Saint Matthew 5: 20-26
6th Sunday after Trinity: 24 July Anno Domini 2022
Fr Jay Watson, SSP
How is your status, your standing, with The Lord of all power and might? How often to you even think about God as all-powerful—omnipotent? I hazard to guess not all that much. Satan and society have watered down The Creator to just some loving, but benign, “force” that’s in your corner. The devil has also destroyed much of Christendom in theology and Scripture truth to the degree that most so-called Christians (Lutherans) think only of “I’m saved, I’m good—doing my best—and now I can move on with my life, my agenda.”
And because of this “cheap grace” and non-sanctified mind, the life-style, HOW YOU LIVE, doesn’t seem much different than the heathen. Why is that?
“For I say unto you, that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall NOT enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Christ explains what He means by this comment. The Pharisees were good, excellent actually, at obeying the Torah—The Commandments given by God through Moses—at the basic surface level. They were seen and heard as people that didn’t commit adultery, murder, and theft. They were not caught outright lying, or openly gossiping. Jesus in another place calls them nasty, stinking, public rest-rooms; outhouses, that had been painted over bright white—looking so nice from the outside. He called them tombs, mausoleums keeping the dead and decaying; but outhouses capture something most are more familiar with.
You are dead in your old-Adam nature whether you believe it or not, whether you try never to think about it or not (except during the sermon on the Sunday’s you’re here). Whoever is angry with his brother is in danger of damnation. Make all the sinful exceptions you want over His words “…without a cause,” parse the syllables like a Pharisee tithing his mint and cumin, you’re guilty of murder. The only cause that matters is The Lord’s cause—wrath over blasphemy and persecution of the Saints; wrath over unbelief and sin. So, if you are truly angry over your brother’s sin—take stock—remember the text from two weeks ago about the plank and speck. Repent yourselves first. Seek to share the full counsel of The Lord’s Words and Will for your adversary, enemy, neighbor.
God is also quite explicit about the danger to you, to anyone who calls another person a fool. Now we know from King Solomon’s Proverbs that there are fools. King David also uses the term fool for one who rejects God. Fine. There is a colloquial use of the term. Jesus is using the term in a specific way. The Pharisees and Scribes were labeling all of their opponents with the slander “fool,” and by that they meant one who is damned—whom they have judged and pronounced anathema! Don’t do that. Don’t condemn others before they die or before the Final Judgment by The Real Judge at the end of time.
The uttermost farthing, the largest obligation the greatest debt you have to pay before you are gathered by The Spirit to this altar and rail to receive the True Gift is to forgive your brother; to let go, to release your bitterness, resentment, anger, desire for payback, and most of all, your demands that everything be reconciled THE WAY YOU WANT IT; THE WAY YOU THINK IT OUGHT TO BE!
So yes, be reconciled. And may that statement to your unaided natural man also kill you and damn you.
Jesus isn’t teaching His Disciples and followers (or the scribes and Pharisees) or you, about WHAT to DO to achieve righteousness with God “the Author and Giver of all good things.” Jeus is God. Jesus is The Author and Giver. Jesus is The Good Thing. Jesus is RIGHTEOUSNESS.
If one desires to live by their own attempts at righteousness, by their works and actions and reparations, then they will indeed be consigned to a Purgatory (more appropriately called Hell) until THEY have paid the “uttermost farthing.”
But you, hear Righteousness, Jesus, for you: I brought the ultimate gift to the altar. I brought The Body and Blood of God to the altar of the cross. I remembered all my brothers who had “ought” against one another and against My heavenly Father. I have paid the “uttermost farthing” with my own innocent suffering and death. I have entered hell that you may enter “the kingdom of heaven.”
But, but…what about forgiving my enemy and neighbor that I don’t do and don’t really want to do? What about my being angry and gossiping and not taking Jesus’ religion seriously every day?
Well, stop that. Do what you’ve been blessed with doing. These are the chores of all the family members. You didn’t get to be in the family by doing ANY of them. Jesus adopted you into His family and gave you a true blood transfusion so that you are God’s children by Grace. So, be his children.
And if this troubles you or confuses you—welcome to the Kingdom of The Cross. You sound hungry and thirsty. You need some nourishment. You need more Jesus.
In the Name of the Father and + of the Son and of The Holy Ghost
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