“THE RIGHTEOUS ONE MAKES YOU RIGHTEOUS”
Saint Matthew 5. 20-25
Sixth Sunday after Trinity: 31 July Anno Domini 2011
Fr Watson S.S.P.
"For I say unto you…" is not Jay Watson telling you his opinions. "For I say unto you" is the Lord Christ speaking not just to the sinners gathered around Him in Judea two-thousand years ago but ALSO to the sinners the Holy Ghost has gathered around Him this morning-you!
Righteousness is being "right with God." It doesn't mean that you like Him, try to obey His rules, and think that the Bible is true. Righteousness means that you are perfect. Righteousness means that you have that pre-fall Image of total love and obedience. Righteousness means that you are sinless and commune with the Trinity in Eden-like paradise.
Look around; how's that working for you?
The Pharisees in many ways were the "Confessional" denomination of their day. They took things seriously unlike the liberal Sadducees. The Pharisees believed in an inerrant Hebrew Bible and in miracles and in the Lord's words. They believed insofar as they mouthed the victorious, triumphal, "life of Glory" that sinful man constantly does; that your old-Adam does. The Pharisees did not understand original sin, the depths of sin, and the inability of man to be good, holy or righteous.
Religion, any religion any denomination or movement (including "confessionalism") becomes dangerous and potentially damning when it forgets that "confessing the truth" in bold Luther-like, Worms' like, Augsburg Confession like, is only part of what the word "confess" means. Before the 2nd chief part of the Small Catechism, the CREED, the confession of Faith-the Gospel; comes the 1st chief part: the Law. Before one stands up on hind feet like rampant lion thundering "here I stand" in full heroic testimony to the Truth of the Savior…one must first be kneeling on bended knee, with tears flowing, and with fist striking heart crying out "Kyrie elieson, Christie elieson, Kyrie elieson." First one must confess their sins and their SIN (i.e. their sinful condition). The Pharisees couldn't and wouldn't do that. The Pharisees thought that they were keeping the Law because they were not overtly breaking the Decalogue.
You, think you're better than you are. You think you're more loyal and dedicated Christians and Lutherans than you are. You, like the Pharisees, really do think you do a better job at keeping God's Commandments than pagans, Jews, Muslims, and certainly better than liberals, Calvinists, Romanists, Arminians, Church-Growthers, and ELCA-ites; no you don't! You sin this way, this way of hypocrisy and blindness, because you old-nature is "by nature" a Pharisee. We are all Pharisees-Lord have mercy.
"But I (JESUS) say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment." Those words rarely give any of you cause for concern because…well, you're Pharisees. You're the good guy and your neighbor is the bad guy. You will always find a "cause" that will allow you to be angry. Yes, there are causes. If someone smashes in your car's windshield with a tire iron because they hate you… you have a cause to be angry. If someone beats up or murders your child, you have a cause to be angry. Sinners have causes, and sinners are sinful.
You need to look at a crucifix from time to time more than you do. Jesus had a reason-countless reasons; God had a reason-countless reasons, to be angry with you. But take note how it played itself out. His anger is shown in His Law, yes; but His Law only has the purpose to restore you to communion and fellowship. The minute the Law does its work and you repent…the forgiveness, already there, won, purchased, and objectively REAL, flows over you like a shower of coolness. The minute your neighbor, adversary, enemy, or "that person that just creeps you out" apologizes and ask for forgiveness, you HAVE NO CAUSE for your anger. As a little Christ you simple are Jesus to your erring brother. You forgive him/her trespasses as the Lord has forgiven you yours. Easy? Heck no! Do you do it perfectly, quickly, with a grinning smile and a soft-shoe shuffle? No, no, no.
But Jesus did and does. Jesus forgives all your enemies for their sins against Him and for their sins against you. If Jesus forgives someone…you put yourself in a very, very dangerous position if you go against the Lord's pronouncements of absolution. You cannot belong to two masters. If you choose to belong to the sinful sovereignty of your own emotions and grudges than by that action you absent yourself from the Lord's kingdom, Table, and Grace.
Ask for forgiveness from Jesus. His remission and peace are yours! By His love for you, by the Faith in Him and His work He has worked in you, you do let your anger go and your fists become open palms of Christian brotherhood and Table fellowship. Your anger slips away from your palms even as the Wrath of the Righteous Judge slipped away from you as the Holy Blood of the innocent Lamb slipped away from His nailed-open-palms!
He left His gifts; you are the gifts that the Father has given to the Son, so that He might go to cross for the necessary reconciliation. Christ settled with the adversary relatively quickly. Jesus bore the brunt of your sin, and the world's, for 6 agonizing hours so that the adversary's skull would be forever crushed and yours would be anointed and crowned with sonship.
Come forward fellow gifts-IN CHRIST- to the High Altar of His mercy and forgiveness for more of that which is already in you by Faith. Eat and drink forgiveness as you eat and drink the Lamb.
YOU ARE RECONCILED TO THY BROTHER…and to God
In the Name of The Father + and of The Son and of The Holy Ghost