Sixth Sunday after Trinity (2026)

Matthew 5:17-26

My Brothers and Sisters in Christ as we just had the Sermon on the mount in our Jamming Salmon recently it is a good reason to come back and take a look at the passage here that speaks about Christ’s reason for coming to earth, and what He was doing while here. In the Gospel Lesson, he says that He hasn’t come to abolish the Law or the prophets, but to fulfill them. For they won’t pass away until heaven and earth pass away. Then he goes on to explain what the Law and the prophets mean.

What is Good Enough?

Confessing our sins is tough.

There’s is the first problem that none of us want to be the villain. The second issue is that you are asking someone to do this in the church and confess, that is same-speak, what the Law has said about us. That we are sinners who are deserving of God’s temporal and eternal wrath and damnation. If you walk into a court and confess to the judge that you are guilty of all the charges that have been laid against you, and that will cause everyone to squirm. We try to soften the charges of the law, because as sinners we want

We want moral relativism.

We don’t want an absolute standard like the 10 commandments, we want to have a target that adjusts to fit who we already are. If you ask people are they a good person, most will acknowledge that they are not perfect, but they’re not evil, they will show how this evil is overcome by the good they have done here, and they know that’s good because its better than a person who does a worse job than them. Consider for a moment

What if there’s no absolute?

Nothing that is absolutely right or wrong. If we all operate by this weak morality, and we were to ask even a man like hitler, are you evil, and what would his response be? Well I’m not like Jews, does that make him good? If we practice this moral relativism, he cannot be condemned and what he did cannot be called evil. Indeed parents have no right to correct their children, teachers have no authority over children. It sounds nice because it allows us to hide from confessing our sins in the moment, but the results are awful. This is why it is important for us to know

The Law of God

People confuse shall and should.

We like should, it is softer, and we can all agree there are many things I should do, but you shall, means you will. That causes the sinner inside of us to rise up real fast, who are you to say how I will live my life. That breath, that life isn’t yours, it was given to you by your Creator who said repeatedly you shall, or that is you will. We are warned by Christ that

We aren’t to relax them.

All of those who interpret the commandments as you should, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven which is to say, that you do not have a place. So be on guard, lest you fall victim to that relativism that the sinner inside of us wants. For we also hear in Holy Scriptures, that

Jesus didn’t come to abolish them.

He didn’t come to get rid of them, they will be with us until heaven and earth pass away, that is to say when Jesus returns in all power and glory, and so the commandments remain in force until that time. We don’t get to change them, modify them, or teach people to despise them. We are called to live by them. Now

Fulfilling the Law

The Law offers great rewards.

The Scriptures contain many passages that tell us if you live according to the Law, that heaven is yours, that if you live by the Law you will receive great and wonderful rewards. Which will cause all our ears to perk up and say, oh, so what

What does the Law require?

Jesus explains that in the sermon on the mount, and as he works through each commandment we find that the Law demands absolute perfection. We want to compare ourselves to a worse neighbor, but God says, No. I am the standard of what is Good, and you will be just as Good as I am. Which is to say, the Law demands that you be perfect. People try to earn God’s favor by the Law, but they realize what St. Paul confessed,

The Law condemns us all.

No matter how good we might be in the eyes of the world, no matter how much we are loved by our family and friends, no matter how much they share their goods with the world, they haven’t matched God in His goodness, his mercy, his love, his justice, his holiness. This is why many become bitter towards God for they hear his demands and realize they cannot please him by their works, but that’s because they misunderstand the Law, the

It was added that sin might increase.

Now when the Bible says this in Romans 5, it speaks of magnifying sin, so that we can see it more clearly and recognize the issue. Imagine for a moment, that you have a friend who has lung cancer and refuses to start treatment because they aren’t in perfect health, but they are fit and there isn’t any cancer, and so the doctor tells them to run 2 miles. Does the doctor hate them? No, but they need to see the trouble they are in. So what are we to do? Well what else does Jesus say?

Jesus Fulfilled the Law

Jesus kept it perfectly.

WHen he says that our righteousness must exceed the pharisees that was a high bar that would intimidate many souls. For we lacked the ability to keep the Law, and so Jesus came down and was born of the virgin mary to fulfill the Law.

The big question is why?

Jesus didn’t do this to show off, or prove he is better than us, He did it because even though we didn’t recognize our need. Jesus didn’t need to keep the Law for himself, He is God in the flesh, he is already holy, and righteous, and without sin. He is the judge of all creation and the source of all that is good. So why?

Jesus kept it for you.

The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, all knew the path back to heaven for the broken creation was impossible for sinners and no matter how sorry they might be for their sins, no matter how hard they worked, they would not make it back for sin of Adam had corrupted us all. So Jesus came to earth to keep the Law for you, and the great rewards that the Law had promised, Jesus received and He gave it to you, that you might be righteous in God’s sight.

Pure Righteousness

To be righteous is to be innocent.

The Law condemns us all, but by Christ’s work upon the Cross, He has declared that you are innocent, that you a poor miserable sinner who has confessed all sins in thoughts, words, and deeds leave the court of heavenly judgment and are declared innocent. What happened to your sins?

Jesus is declared guilty for you.

That’s why He is there upon the Cross, your sin included a debt, a punishment that had to be paid, forgiveness wasn’t free, just like even in this life, there’s no such thing a free meal, free healthcare, free education, someone has to pay, and Christ out of love paid that debt for you. And now

His pure blood washes you clean.

God doesn’t see your sins, He doesn’t see the wrongs that you have committed for Christ has taken His perfect life and clothed you in His own righteousness, which exceeds the Pharisees, and heaven is yours, and it’s all a gift, a beautiful blessing which is given to us by the Son of God.

Won’t this be misused?

Indeed grace is often abused, and people think well won’t people fall back into sin, or misuse it. They certainly will, and Christ will deal with them on the last day, for he knows the hearts of all, and those who cling to their wickedness, and only want His grace that they might sin all the more. Don’t let that be you, and don’t be afraid to speak words of forgivenness to your neighbor.

My Brothers and Sisters in Christ, we cannot soften the Law, or embrace the relativism that the world wants for it only results in great evil for there is Absolute, Objective, Knowable right and wrong, but know the purpose of the Law, that it shows us our sins, that we might understand our need for help, and flee to Christ our savior, and in him find the hope of salvation, forgiveness, and the promise that all our debts are settled and that it has been given to us as a gift. This will bring with it peace which surpasses all understanding as our heart and minds are guarded in Christ Jesus our Lord. In His name. Amen.