Matthew 5.21-26

Let's begin by reading our passage today:

²¹ “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ ²² But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.
   ²³ “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, ²⁴ leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.
   ²⁵ “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still with him on the way, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. ²⁶ I tell you the truth, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.


It is interesting to me that after Jesus gives kind of his thesis statement, or main thought for the entire sermon in yesterday's blog, what righteousness in the kingdom of God is like, then he moves on to describe this righteousness. Yet the interesting part is not that he goes to the Mosaic law in every description, citing what was said before and now restating it, taking each law to the root of the issue. That isn't the interesting thing to me. The interesting thing is that he begins by talking about relationships.  


Not until Chapter 6 does Jesus begin to talk about things like prayer and fasting and giving, what everyone in those days would have considered righteousness. These actions are those personal piety, or specifically, just relationships between the individual and God. Yet Jesus starts out with talking about relationships. He says, "you want to be righteous, don't be angry with your brother. You want to be righteous, don't look at women lustfully. You want to be righteous, don't hate your enemies, but love your enemies."


Jesus connects how you treat others with what righteousness, or being in a right standing with God, looks like. 


And the first is anger. 


And there are two situations that Jesus illustrates to show us how to handle situations that find us at odds with our brothers, with people. 


The first is in worship. 


if you see in vs. 23-24, a man is bringing an offering to the altar, and when he gets there he remembers that someone is angry with him. Instead of continuing on in worship, Jesus says that he must first go and be reconciled, or go reestablish the original state of the relationship before he can come back and worship. 


If there is bitterness and anger in between you and someone else, it effects your worship. It means that there is unforgiveness or sin involved in that relationship, and that bitterness and sin puts up a barrier not only between you and that person but with you and God as well. Jesus says that that relationship needs to be amended before true worship can take place. 


Is there someone that you are at odds with? Is there someone that is angry with you that you need to make amends with? Even if you did nothing, you need to do your part to try to make amends with that person. This is what Jesus did. Romans 5 states that while we were still sinners, still enemies with God, Christ died for us. He didn't do anything wrong, we rebelled against him. Yet he fixed our relationship and made amends by going to the cross to die for us. Christian, Christ-follower, we are called to follow in his footsteps. 


The second situation is in court. Jesus says to settle matters quickly with an adversary who is taking you to court. This situation involves that if a person is upset with you and suing you, don't let it reach the court, but settle it between yourselves. 


But what if the adversary won't budge? what if they are completely wrong and I am right? What if a lot of money is at stake? Don't I have rights?


No you don't. 


Being a Christian, being a Christ follower means dying to yourself daily. It means forfeiting your rights, your desires, your passions, and living solely to please God and advance his kingdom. In 1 Cor. 6.7-8 speaks on this same kind of situation. It says:


⁷ The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? ⁸ Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers.


1 Peter 2 talks about when we are being persecuted or are suffering injustice, to follow Christ's example. And you know what that is? To offer ourselves sacrificially for that person, to love self-sacrifically. We have no rights, we are slaves of Jesus Christ. This is exactly what Jesus did when he came to earth. He died to his rights, Mark 10.45 says, "For the son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give of his life as a ransom for many."


This is our calling disciple of Christ. 


Anger and bitterness only drives a wedge between you and God and his children. And when people are angry with you, turn your other cheek. 


The world has been fighting anger with anger for thousands of years. Let's try something else. I guarantee you it will bless somebody. 


The nations are blessed when people die on crosses. Pick up yours today.