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These are some of the so-called "hard sayings" of Jesus. Finishing His "Sermon on the Mount," He continued His teachings. "Love your enemies," [6.27] "do good to those who hate you," and "pray for those who spitefully use you." [v.28] These things you do not do, not of yourselves. Your "in-born" nature rejects these commands as unrealistic, naive, metaphorical and symbolic. They're not. They are the Lord's will for you. Offer the other cheek, give up your tunic, don't ask for things taken from you to be given back. These things you do not do. And now this morning's reading, brings more imperatives from the Lord. "Be Merciful," "Judge Not," "Condemn Not," "Give."

You may be able to do these things in "small measures" to those who haven't hurt you and your loved ones, to those who haven't tried to destroy the things you hold dear (your spouse, profession, house, nation, or Lord). Jesus sets up no "qualifiers," exigent circumstances or escape clauses. He means "be perfect" in "loving your neighbor as yourself." No, you're guilty. You try to claim "righteous indignation and holy anger" against the enemies of the Cross. Jesus made no such distinctions. You seethe with frustrations, much like the Psalmist, when he wrote: "...I was envious of the boastful. When I saw the prosperity of the wicked...they are not in trouble as other men, nor are they plagued like other men. Violence covers them like a garment. Their eyes bulge with abundance; They have more than heart could wish. They scoff and speak wickedly. ..They set their mouth against the heaven--behold, these are the ungodly, who are always at ease; they increase in riches--when I thought how to understand this, it was too painful for me--" [ps 7.3-16] Mercy? No, you want them to get some "pay-back," well, some fairness at least, or is it a desire for some comeuppance? You want Justice! Don't ever ask God for Justice. Justice is a fearsome thing. Justice cursed the serpent and exiled our first parents from the Garden. Justice is what we earn. Paul says that the payback is death. Moses records that the "just" thing for rebellion against God is eternal damnation.

The "Sons of Thunder," James and John, thought they were defending Jesus' "honor" and that it would be justice to punish the blasphemous Samaritan village. They wanted Jesus to allow them to call down fire upon the malefactors. Perfect justice would have required Jesus vaporizing James and John, and the other 10 disciples as well, not just the "bad" Samaritans. The Christ did not come "for" justice. He came to be "Justice." He the "Just One" came to satisfy God's righteous wrath against sin in His own Body; with His own Blood. He sternly rebuked the "good" disciples and said: "...the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them." [Lk. 9. 56] That's not "justice" as we understand it. It's self-sacrificial love.

It's not about you... it's "for you." Jesus didn't speak this text so that you would become puffed up & arrogant, mini- "Sons of Thunder." He spoke so that you would have Him, the merciful, saving, "Just One." The Holy Ghost allows you this morning to see Christ Himself in His imperative statements. These imperatives describe a "state of being" not a one-time event. Christ's words could be translated "go on being merciful, go on being giving..." The good news is that you already possess this "state of being".... in Christ Jesus. Through faith in Jesus, by Grace, you possess Him, you are credited with Him, you become like Him, and like His Father, your Father. Children look like their parents. Boys like to act like Dad. Flesh of flesh, gene of gene, acorns not falling too far from the tree.

New Creations "In Christ" will "look" like their Lord. As Christians you are literally "little Christ's." Since you are "in Him," and He is "in you" you cannot help but be "like" your Big Brother. When Paul exhorts the Christians in Ephesus to: "Be imitators of God as dear children" [Eph. 5.1] that isn't Law, it's reality. You are buried with Jesus into His death in your Baptisms. You are raised with Him in His resurrection. You now have the joy of going on being what and who you now are! The Apology of the Augsburg Confession states: "He commands such works as are necessary in the New Life.., yet, remission of sins is received by Faith." [Triglotta p.193]

Christ fulfills His own commands for obedience. Christ gives you His Holy Spirit which allows you to live His exhortations, which means to live in Him by Faith.

"Be Merciful." Literally the text could be rendered, "Be Compassionate." Jesus was. "He saw the multitudes and was moved with compassion." [Mt 9.36] The Lord was so moved that He inwardly groaned for His little lost sheep. He was so filled with Godly love and compassion for you that He went to the Cross to pay for your trespasses. It is thus fitting to refer to His last few hours as His "Passion." Who is merciful? Moses knew almost from the beginning: "He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love." [Ex. 34. 6]

"Judge not." "Condemn Not." God did not judge you with the incontrovertible evidence against you. The Father did not give you what "you had coming." He showed you mercy and forgiveness by judging His dear Son guilty in your place, by damning Him to the pains and torments of hell as your proxy.

You are forgiven. In Faith, In Christ, you are richly blessed and given to. The 1st century Judean image of corn or grain poured into a vessel is how you can visualize your abundantly giving Redeemer. You receive a "good measure." You have the life of the Son of God. He who offered Himself as a "drink offering" for the world. He who bled copiously from the tree "filling to the brim the celestial chalices of angels" now overflows into you. You're not just given a ration, a portion, a single helping. No. For you, Jesus' Grace, Love and Mercy is "pressed down" "shaken" (to make room for even more) "running over" placed into your bosom.

Water & Word running over your little heads as you were brought into the family. The Word allows you to look just like your Father and Big Brother. The words poured into your ears, strengthening you in your families' traditions and ways of Compassion and Love. The Blood of Atonement and "Rightness" poured into you from His Cup keeping you in the one true faith unto life everlasting. Depart in Peace.