Year A 6th Sunday after the Epiphany

Text Matthew 5:21-37 – Being Heart Smart

Heart care has been one of the biggest concerns in recent times.

It is a combination of the food we eat and the lifestyles that we live that has caused great concern for how we are living our lives.

Foods are cooked with lots of fats and sugars and salts all of which place strains on our hearts.

Smoking, drinking and technology has caused concern for people’s health particularly with obesity and the strain it puts on our hearts.

The problem is that we find it is so hard to break out of that lifestyle.

People look for quick ways to resolve their health issues.

A tablet that blasts away fat.

A fad diet that allows you to eat and still lose weight.

We think that if it says – fat free – or 99% fat free – low salt or diet coke – we think we’re eating healthily but it’s just not true.

We look for products that are “heart smart” or carry the heart foundation Tick of Approval.

But in the end there are no short cuts or easy way out.

It takes hard work – sacrifice and dedication to turn one’s life around.

Jesus is also concerned about the condition of our hearts in today’s Gospel reading.

And likewise there is no easy fix to the problem.

It takes hard work and there are no shortcuts.

There seemed like there were shortcuts before Jesus came onto the scene.

The commandments seem cut and dry.

How many times haven’t we used the line -

I’m not a bad person – at least I haven’t murdered anyone!

But Jesus said, "You have heard that it was said, `You shall not murder'; But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment;

Why does Jesus take this approach?

How is anger the same as murder?

Don’t we all get angry?

Didn’t Jesus get angry? (Mark 3:1-6)

Jesus sees sin as a progression.

It begins in the heart and continues into actions.

As Jesus once said:

A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. (Luke 6:45)

And so Jesus is attempting to get back to the source of the problem.

To fix the heart of the issue – if you’ll pardon the pun.

Just as there is no short cut or easy way in changing one’s health situation, likewise when it comes to our spiritual health there can be great pains at time.

And just as there is a great feeling when one’s health returns so too there are great blessings from a restored spiritual life.

Jesus is not introducing a new list of rules, but the intentions of the law.

Last week Jesus said I have not come to abolish the law but to fulfil them. Until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law.

The intention of the law is to love God with all our heart and our neighbour as ourselves. (Matthew 22:36-40)

What is intriguing in this situation is that it appears Jesus is speaking not to unbelievers but to believers.

He talks about anger against a brother or sister.

He talks about resolving that anger before you bring your offering to the altar.

He’s talking to you and me!

We are to be the benchmark and living examples of love and forgiveness.

If we can’t show love and forgiveness to one another, how can we expect the world who doesn’t know God to show that love and forgiveness.

We can bring our offerings here today and give thanks to God for all he’s given us.

But the greatest harvest thanksgiving we can give is by presenting the true harvest we have reaped – the love and mercy of God.

It is often in the church where anger can fester like an infected wound, which is why Jesus is so concerned about the state of our hearts.

It is so easy to be hurt or offended in the church.

We say the wrong thing – we say something the wrong way – we hear things the wrong way – we let our frustrations out on people who had nothing to do with the situation.

We can bring all the gifts to feed all the poor and hungry but it fades into insignificance if we have something against a brother or sister.

All the years of good work in congregations can be undone in the blink of an eye by hurting a brother or sister and refusing to seek forgiveness or refusing to forgive.

Remember what St Paul says in 1 Corinthians – the love chapter:

If I give all I possess to the poor but do not have love, I gain nothing (1 Corinthians 13:3).

What Jesus asks of us is not easy.

When we are hurt it cuts deep into our hearts.

And sometimes the cure can hurt more than the affliction.

To forgive someone can hurt more than the hurt they caused you.

To forgo vengeance can hurt more than the original injustice to you.

To admit you were wrong and seek forgiveness can hurt.

As Christians we are challenged to lead by example.

Listen again to what Jesus says:

When you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against YOU, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift.

Jesus is challenging the one who is hurt to make the first move, just as God did:

God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

He also says to ‘do it quickly’ because the longer we allow the hurt to fester, the more anger it builds up, and the more harm it does.

And the greatest harm is to our spiritual lives and our relationship with God.

St Paul says:

As long as there is quarrelling among you, are you not of the flesh, and behaving according to human inclinations?

It’s difficult, but not impossible – as Paul says:

I can do all this through him who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:13)

We have a choice on whether to extend love and forgive or to continue to show anger.

Moses gave that same choice to his people in today’s Old Testament reading:

I have set before you today life and prosperity, death and adversity. If you obey the commandments of the LORD by loving the LORD your God, walking in his ways then you shall live and the LORD your God will bless you. But if your heart turns away you shall perish; I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses.

Since creation God has put choices before us which we are free to choose.

Adam and Eve chose to set their hearts against God.

Cain set his heart against his brother and his anger turned to murder.

We too have that choice – to forgive and be forgiven.

Or to harbour anger.

Sadly we often take the latter – it’s easier.

But it just causes more hurt to ourselves and the ones we love when we make that choice.

A wise proverb says – "Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves."

Jesus is not watering down the 5th Commanding but intensifying it.

He does the same to the 6th Commandment regarding adultery bringing it back to the heart and what it does.

Christians are called to go that extra mile in setting up an example of right living.

Sin creeps in wherever it can find room and that begins in the heart.

Lust turns to adultery.

Anger turns to murder.

Jesus came not to abolish the law, but to fulfil it.

Jesus came to call and form disciples as examples of righteousness by fulfilling the intention of the law.

It’s easy to follow the letter of the law, not always easy to follow the intention of the law.

We follow the commandments not because they are rules;

We follow the commandments so that we can be people formed for life in the kingdom of God.

That’s what we pray in the Lord’s Prayer – “your will be done here on earth as it is in heaven”.

The greatest Harvest Thanksgiving we can present is to become people who are pure in heart, so that we might love the Lord our God with all our heart and soul and mind, and that we might love our neighbour as ourselves.

The peace of God that surpasses our understanding keep your hearts and minds forever in Christ Jesus. Amen.