Sixth Sunday after Trinity

My Brothers and Sisters in Christ, we find in our Gospel lesson today that our Lord and Savior is preaching to the Crowds in this section of Scripture known as the Sermon on the Mount. He reveals to the people what the true meaning of the Law is, and that following the Law is not limited to just one body part or another, but to the entire person. When the Scriptures say, you shall not murder, that command isnt just for your hands, but for your tongue, your mind, and your heart. For whoever hates their brother is a murderer. Now these passages would be a very heavy burden to bear, if it were not for Christ’s words near the start of this Sermon. Where Jesus says, do not think I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets, I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

There are many who wonder why it is that we still continue to teach the Word of God as it was recorded so long ago, but that is because of what our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ says here, not an iota, that is the smallest letter of the Greek alphabet, and when it says dot, it means the smallest stroke of a pen when writing an individual letter. The law will not depart until all is accomplished and “by all accomplished” Jesus means the end of the world. The Law serves as a guardian over mankind calling them to repentance until the end of the world.

Those who then think that because the Law of God has been fulfilled by Christ means that we have no need of it are mistaken, and whoever downplays the Law of God will be called least in the Kingdom of God, which in their way of speaking means that the person has no place. (AE 21:71) For you cannot despise and reject what is God has called has good, and also want to be in his presence.

Indeed Jesus then speaks of a Righteousness that exceeds even that of the Scribes and Pharisees people who had dedicated their entire lives to fulfilling the Law of God. They were incredibly legalistic. To give you an idea when it came to tithing to the temple to provide for the priests and the services, a tithe meant that they were to give a 10th of what they had been blessed with by God. They went so far as to include the herbs that they grew in their garden, they would harvest them, dry them, weigh them out and tithe out of that. They would buy their homes based upon their distance to the synagogue so they wanted have to work too far lest they do work.

So when Jesus says here that you have to be better than the Pharisees, this is a tall order, for if you have to do better than those guys in keeping the Law. What hope do you have? The people have no idea what that means, they were considered the holiest people, how do you top that? Well what Jesus does in the Sermon on the Mount, he unpacks and He teaches what each one of the commandments really means.

Look here at the commandment about murder. Most people will say well I have never committed this sin, because their hands have never taken a life. But it isn’t enough that you don’t commit murder, you are forbidden to even hate your brother. The commandment about adultery wasn’t just meant for the marriage bed, but extends to your heart which must be free of lust, and your eyes must not stray.

You must never lie or try to convince people by an oath, but let your yes be yes and your no be no. You are to assist those in need, you are to love your enemies, give to the needy, not be anxious about anything, but trust in God’s providence without fail. By the end of these 3 chapters, we find that the righteousness that one needs to enter heaven is the righteousness of God himself. This is why no matter who you are, or what you have done, all people are called to repent. For it isn’t enough to just be better than your neighbor, or better than the rest of society, you still fall short of the holiness of God.

This is why many hated Jesus during his day, and why many still reject him to this very day. For the Law of God reveals that they aren’t good enough to get to heaven on their own. This is why the first work of the Holy Spirit is to convict us regarding our sins and show us that we have fallen short of God’s glory. It is hard and humbling work to realize that despite our best efforts we aren’t good, we are sinners.

There are some churches that soften this law, and they try to make it attainable by weakening it and saying well so long as your intentions weren’t evil that will be good enough, but that isn’t what Jesus says here. Or they will tell them if they just try hard enough they can do all of the things that Jesus talks about here, in the text. If this is all you learn from the Sermon on the Mount you will no doubt very unhappy and wonder what is the point? You would be in danger of missing the very reason that Jesus tells all of these things to the people and it is found here at the start of the Sermon on the mount.

What does Jesus say? He did not come to abolish the Law and the prophets, but to fulfill them. Now if you have weakened the Law that Jesus has laid down, than this doesn’t mean all that much because the law is something you think you can handle on your own. So you won’t need a Savior, but when you hear the truth of what the Law really demands of you, then you understand why Jesus came to earth and the wonderful hope that He has given to you. Jesus came to fulfill the Law for you.

And Jesus gives to you that righteousness you need without which you cannot enter heaven. For Jesus’ Righteousness is God’s Righteousness. Jesus clothes you in His own Holiness, which is the holiness of God. So that God doesn’t see your sins, but rather the Father in heaven sees His own dear child. This is what Jesus has God has done for sinners. When we talk about this point in the Scriptures, it is referred to as Divine Monergism, a big fancy phrase, but what it means, is God does everything for you that you might be saved. There is nothing you have to add, not a single good work, Jesus has kept ever iota, every brush stroke of the Law of God for you. It is his gift to sinners.

So what then becomes of the Law, and why does it still persist until the end of time? Indeed why should any one do Good works if they do not secure for you a place in heaven? That is what the Lutherans were accused of back in the 1500s if heaven is given out freely what motive is there to do good works. But if anyone asks you that point this out. If that is the only reason you are doing good works is to save yourself, then you are doing good works for selfish and sinful reasons, and they are no longer good.

But when heaven is already yours, not by what you have done, but by what Christ has done for you, then what purpose does the Law serve why does he say that it will not pass away. The Law exists for Christians to show us what loving our neighbors looks like. Not to save us or so that we can be saved, but to see those who are in need, and help them. Not seeking your own benefit, but actually loving your neighbor from a pure heart.

For there is nothing you need to do to be saved, because there is nothing you can contribute nothing you can offer up, Jesus Christ has done it all for you. He offers up His life in your place that you might be saved. This is why Christians throughout the years have been able to offer genuine love to those in need, that we get involved in the lives of those around us lending a hand and support not looking for temporal or eternal rewards. We are able to look up beyond our own needs and see family, friends, strangers and those who may hate us, and lend a hand.

So my brothers and sisters in Christ, Learn the meaning of the Law, that you might know what Jesus has fulfilled the Law for you and rejoice that Jesus has given to you a righteousness that exceeds that of the Pharisees and heaven is yours. So go forth and aid those who are in need, for you will find many, but fear not for Christ has done everything to save sinners. So be of good cheer. In Jesus name. Amen.