Relationships and Worship
Epiphany VI - Matthew 5:21-37
Today I would like to take these vss, only a part in the Sermon on the Mount, and think about them in the area of relationships. 5:23-24 " If you bring your gift to the altar and there remember that your brother has aught against you; leave there your gift before the altar, and go your way; first, be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift." None of us can always do this perfectly, and that is the whole point of the Sermon the Mount as well. Who is always pure in heart? Who always a peacemaker? Who is always meek? Yet we seek to be like Christ and yet we fail so often in our lives and in our relationships. How can we hope?
1. The very inability to do the things we should illustrates our need of God's help in our situations and relationships. That is the whole point of the sermon on the mount. Yes we are to do His Will and forgive and repair as we try but we must let God help us do it.
This reminds me of the story I read in Swindoll's book on Matthew 5, Simple Faith ; It shows that not all is at seems....." A Church called a new pastor, ...who preached with real zeal...the church grew..( Two brothers in the church were wealthy) Suddenly one of the brothers died, and ...the day before the funeral, the surviving brother pulled the minister aside and handed him an envelope ' There is a check that is large enough to pay the entire amount you need for the new sanctuary...all I ask is one favor: Tell the people at the funeral that he was a saint.'
The minister gave the brother his word, he would do precisely what was asked....He said with conviction at the funeral service,' This man was an ungodly sinner, wicked to the core...hot tempered ...ruthless in his business, and a hypocrite in the church..but compared to his brother, he was a saint.'
Not everything is as it should be is it? We are unable without the Holy Spirit to live the law of God at all , and that even partially.
2." Conduct is more important than formal worship" Matthew, by Tasker.
Jesus clearly is asking us all to take a look at what is happening with people we interact with. I attend a pastor's meeting periodically where I live still and they talk about the texts for the week and ask for input and we get a lot out of the discussion. I brought this text up and somehow I had overlooked the point as I was thinking about it that the one making the gift remembers that your brother has aught against you. My first reading was the other way around . We all have people we are fed up with to some degree at some time or another. ( I imagine God has this issue as well if you read the Old Testament and see His attitudes and actions toward Israel) But to remember the one who may have the same issue and do nothing about it is time to go and fix as we can.
3. Then the part I was going to talk about for the message but here it is for the last: The word reconciled is a little greek word thoroughly have change. None of us as we said are capable of making complete change but we can make a step. Perhaps this of all things is needed in our relationships, our schools, our churches, and in our nation . The word reconcile does not mean we agree with what has happened. It may mean we are changed in how we see what has happened. " Be reconciled" Only possible through God in Christ and the Holy Ghost.
May I suggest that we assume what others think and do not know unless we hear what they really think?
So today, go and before we offer the gift, be reconciled to the one who has something against us. Worship can wait. It must wait because we cannot give God all if we have not given Him what He asks.
In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
Today I would like to take these vss, only a part in the Sermon on the Mount, and think about them in the area of relationships. 5:23-24 " If you bring your gift to the altar and there remember that your brother has aught against you; leave there your gift before the altar, and go your way; first, be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift." None of us can always do this perfectly, and that is the whole point of the Sermon the Mount as well. Who is always pure in heart? Who always a peacemaker? Who is always meek? Yet we seek to be like Christ and yet we fail so often in our lives and in our relationships. How can we hope?
1. The very inability to do the things we should illustrates our need of God's help in our situations and relationships. That is the whole point of the sermon on the mount. Yes we are to do His Will and forgive and repair as we try but we must let God help us do it.
This reminds me of the story I read in Swindoll's book on Matthew 5, Simple Faith ; It shows that not all is at seems....." A Church called a new pastor, ...who preached with real zeal...the church grew..( Two brothers in the church were wealthy) Suddenly one of the brothers died, and ...the day before the funeral, the surviving brother pulled the minister aside and handed him an envelope ' There is a check that is large enough to pay the entire amount you need for the new sanctuary...all I ask is one favor: Tell the people at the funeral that he was a saint.'
The minister gave the brother his word, he would do precisely what was asked....He said with conviction at the funeral service,' This man was an ungodly sinner, wicked to the core...hot tempered ...ruthless in his business, and a hypocrite in the church..but compared to his brother, he was a saint.'
Not everything is as it should be is it? We are unable without the Holy Spirit to live the law of God at all , and that even partially.
2." Conduct is more important than formal worship" Matthew, by Tasker.
Jesus clearly is asking us all to take a look at what is happening with people we interact with. I attend a pastor's meeting periodically where I live still and they talk about the texts for the week and ask for input and we get a lot out of the discussion. I brought this text up and somehow I had overlooked the point as I was thinking about it that the one making the gift remembers that your brother has aught against you. My first reading was the other way around . We all have people we are fed up with to some degree at some time or another. ( I imagine God has this issue as well if you read the Old Testament and see His attitudes and actions toward Israel) But to remember the one who may have the same issue and do nothing about it is time to go and fix as we can.
3. Then the part I was going to talk about for the message but here it is for the last: The word reconciled is a little greek word thoroughly have change. None of us as we said are capable of making complete change but we can make a step. Perhaps this of all things is needed in our relationships, our schools, our churches, and in our nation . The word reconcile does not mean we agree with what has happened. It may mean we are changed in how we see what has happened. " Be reconciled" Only possible through God in Christ and the Holy Ghost.
May I suggest that we assume what others think and do not know unless we hear what they really think?
So today, go and before we offer the gift, be reconciled to the one who has something against us. Worship can wait. It must wait because we cannot give God all if we have not given Him what He asks.
In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
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