Today’s readings Jesus is still speaking on the mount. He has just finished the Beatitudes and is
continuing to address the crowd. “You
are the Salt of the Earth”. Now we all
know what salt is and, this has to be metaphoric for he asks what good is salt
if it loses its flavor? What Good is it?
Peter woods in the Abingdon Press preaching annual of 2014
relays a story:
I stood on the barren
piece of land where a vibrant community of people had lived. The area is called district six, once
populated by a multi ethnic community that was quintessentially Cape Town:
colorful, exotically indigenous, and as spicy as Malay cuisine.
That was before
apartheid came, the infamous system designed d by Christian, White South
Africans to keep the races apart and favor the minority. During the implementation
of apartheid, District six was systematically bulldozed to the ground and all
sixty thousands of its residents forcibly removed. Each race was taken to its allocated Ghetto.
When I stood on that barren
piece of land, it was 1999 and the Parliament of World’s Religions had come to
South Africa to celebrate the diversity of faiths of the world in this country
that had recently been healed of the scourge of apartheid. Nelson Mandela was
president. The parliament held many of its sessions in the area of old district
six. One session in particular was held
on a still barren tract of land awaiting restitution claims to be concluded.
Jewish delegates of
the Parliament created a large patch of salt about three by three meters that
we had to walk through to get to the open land.
Salt on the land
renders it barren for many years. In South
Africa, the salt of segregation created Bareness; created by Christians who had
lost their understanding of justice for all.
We still worshipped on Sundays, but separately. We stilled Prayed, but
only for our own concerns. We had become
bland, heartless, and barren.”[1]
Jesus is admonishing the Elders, the Pharisees, and the
scribes for they have lost their flavor, their fire the thirst for justice in
the world.
Then he goes on and states that you are the light of the
world. There is no point to that light
if you hide it away. Do not hide your
faith. We are called to be visible to
stand out in the world but if we hide ourselves, if we have become good quiet
Christians, maintaining a status quo, it makes no sense. “In the same way your light must shine before
others so that they may see your Good acts and that they may give praise to
Abba God in Heaven.” One of my Favorite
Hash Tags in Face book or on twitter when our queer community starts bashing
Christianity they see in the world, as if all practices of Christianity are the
same, I hash tag it with #nothatkindofchristian
A conservative movement has hijacked Christianity and what
it is supposed to be in the world and the only way to revision and let people
know what Christianity can be is by being that proud, nonjudgmental, welcoming
Christian we claim to be. We have to be
God’s unconditional love in the world.
We have to allow people to know the true message of Christ that Love
does and can win and there is no place for prejudice or hate in the Kindom of God,
not as we understand it.
Jesus then says I have not come to abolish the laws but fulfill
them. What does that mean, I don’t know
why but the first thing I thought of is what happens when your order is
fulfilled? You are sitting at the
restaurant and you order a lovely piece of Pecan Pie. What happens next? Someone brings the pie,
right? Then what? Well most likely, you
eat the pie. Does the server bring you
another piece? No because that order has
been fulfilled. Maybe that is too simple,
or maybe not.
Got questions dot org explains it this way;
In Matthew’s record of
what is commonly called the Sermon on the Mount, these words of Jesus are
recorded: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I
have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until
heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a
pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished”
(Matthew 5:17-18).
It is frequently
argued that if Jesus did not “abolish” the law, then it must still be binding.
Accordingly, such components as the Sabbath-day requirement must be operative
still, along with perhaps numerous other elements of the Mosaic Law. This
assumption is grounded in a misunderstanding of the words and intent of this
passage. Christ did not suggest here that the binding nature of the Law of
Moses would remain forever in effect. Such a view would contradict everything
we learn from the balance of the New Testament (Romans 10:4; Galatians 3:23-25;
Ephesians 2:15).
Of special
significance in this study is the word rendered “abolish.” It translates the
Greek term kataluo, literally meaning, “To loosen down.” The word is found
seventeen times in the New Testament. It is used, for example, of the
destruction of the Jewish temple by the Romans (Matthew 26:61; 27:40; Acts
6:14), and of the dissolving of the human body at death (2 Corinthians 5:1).
The term can carry the extended meaning of “to overthrow,” i.e., “to render
vain, deprive of success.” In classical Greek, it was used in connection with
institutions, laws, etc., to convey the idea of “to invalidate.”
It is especially
important to note how the word is used in Matthew 5:17. In this context,
“abolish” is set in opposition to “fulfill.” Christ came “...not to abolish,
but to fulfill.” Jesus did not come to this earth for acting as an opponent of
the law. His goal was not to prevent its fulfillment. Rather, He revered it,
loved it, obeyed it, and brought it to fruition. He fulfilled the law’s
prophetic utterances regarding Himself (Luke 24:44). Christ fulfilled the
demands of the Mosaic Law, which called for perfect obedience under threat of a
“curse” (see Galatians 3:10, 13). In this sense, the law’s divine design will
ever have an abiding effect. It will always accomplish the purpose for which it
was given.
If, however, the Law
of Moses bears the same relationship to men today, in terms of its binding
status, then it was not fulfilled, and Jesus failed at what He came to do. On
the other hand, if the Lord did accomplish His goal, then the law was
fulfilled, and it is not a binding legal institution today. Further, if the Law
of Moses was not fulfilled by Christ—and thus remains as a binding legal system
for today—then it is not just partially binding. Rather, it is a totally
compelling system. Jesus plainly said that not one “jot or tittle”
(representative of the smallest markings of the Hebrew script) would pass away
until all was fulfilled. Consequently, nothing of the law was to fail until it
had completely accomplished its purpose. Jesus fulfilled the law. Jesus
fulfilled all of the law. We cannot say that Jesus fulfilled the sacrificial
system, but did not fulfill the other aspects of the law. Jesus either
fulfilled all of the law, or none of it. What Jesus' death means for the
sacrificial system, it also means for the other aspects of the law.[2]
Now let me say this about that…It does not mean some of the
law is not good as a practice. If you do
not want to eat, shellfish as a spiritual practice that is up to you. Also, remember that what we understand as
quote “The Law” unquote is nothing like what neither the people of Jesus’ time
nor the Jewish people today understand as the law.
For example should you be interested in the complete Talmud
you can buy “Complete Full Size Schottenstein Edition of the Talmud English
Volumes (73 Volume Set)” for about 2000 dollars. That includes every word of
the text which is then; “vowelized and translated Each phrase is explained so
that the reader understands the reasoning and flow Each question, answer, proof
and rebuttal is introduced so that the reader will know where the Gemara is
taking him Notes expand on the explanation of the Gemara's points, and explain
unfamiliar ideas without interrupting the flow of the text Detailed diagrams
Introductions to the entire tractate and to each topic.”[3]
So anyone want to do that let us know when your done and we
look forward to a brief summary.
Jesus actually goes unto say that every letter and dot and
squiggle of the law shall remain until it is fulfilled.
What are these laws? What
laws is he referring too? Well the first he says, “Unless your sense of Justice
surpasses that of the religious scholars and the Pharisees, you will not enter
into the Kingdom of heaven.
“Jesus’ point in the
Sermon on the Mount was that God sees the heart, and that we are actually held
to a higher standard than external conformity to a set of rules. The Pharisees
taught that, as long as you did the right things, you were “holy.” Jesus said
not so, “For I tell you that unless your righteousness
surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly
not enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20).
Jesus is teaching the
necessity of having a heart to follow God. Putting on an act and going through
the motions of serving God is dishonest. It is also futile, because God sees
through the masks we wear (see Mark 7:6). A person who pretends to be holy on
the outside yet nurtures a sinful heart is a hypocrite. The Pharisees, whom
everyone thought were holy, were guilty of just such dissimulation. God does
not want more activity that is religious; He wants a heart dedicated to Him.
Holiness starts on the inside.”[4]
This is why we
gather as a community on Sundays, to energize our hearts. To feed that which is our Holy connection to
God and to energize ourselves for the week so that we may see and claim the
blessings around us and seek to right the injustice that is so very plain to
see in our world.
We, as Christians, are called to live out Christs call to
justice and live out God’s call that is why as United Church of Christ our
denomination is a Just Peace denomination.
Now this may seem like a tangent but it is one place where this
denomination has excelled.
First let look at what Just war is. According to Wikipedia;
“Just war theory (Latin: jus bellum iustum) is a doctrine, also referred to as
a tradition, of military ethics studied by theologians, ethicists, policy
makers, and military leaders. The purpose of the doctrine is to ensure war is
morally justifiable through a series of criteria, all of which must be met for
a war to be considered just. The criteria are split into two groups:
"right to go to war" (jus ad bellum) and "right conduct in
war" (jus in bello). The first concerns the morality of going to war, and
the second the moral conduct within war.[1] Recently there have been calls for
the inclusion of a third category of Just War theory—jus post bellum—dealing
with the morality of post-war settlement and reconstruction.”
Just War theory postulates that war, while terrible, is not
always the worst option. Important responsibilities, undesirable outcomes, or
preventable atrocities may justify war.[2] But in contrast to that the UCC is a
Just Peace Denomination.
“A Just Peace is grounded in God's activity in creation.
Creation shows the desire of God to sustain the world and not destroy. The
creation anticipates what is to come: the history-long relationship between God
and humanity and the coming vision of shalom.
Just Peace is grounded in covenant relationship. God creates
and calls us into covenant, God's gift of friendship: "I will make a
covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them; and
I will bless them and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of
them for evermore" (Ezekiel 37:26). When God's abiding presence is
embraced, human well-being results, or Shalom, which can be translated Just
Peace.
A Just Peace is grounded in the reconciling activity of
Jesus Christ. Human sin is the rejection of the covenant of friendship with God
and one another and the creation and perpetuation of structures of evil.
Through God's own suffering love in the cross, the power of these structures
has been broken and the possibility for relationship restored.
A Just Peace is grounded in the presence of the Holy Spirit.
God sends the Holy Spirit to continue the struggle to overcome the powers
ranged against human bonding. Thus, our hope for a Just Peace does not rest on
human efforts alone, but on God's promise that we will "have life and have
it abundantly" (John 10:10).
A Just Peace is grounded in the community of reconciliation:
the Just Peace Church. Jesus, who is our peace (Ephesians 2:14), performed
signs of forgiveness and healing and made manifest that God's reign is for
those who are in need. The church is a continuation of that servant
manifestation. As a Just Peace Church, we embody a Christ fully engaged in
human events. The church is thus a real countervailing power to those forces
that divide, that perpetuate human enmity and injustice, and that destroy.
Just Peace is grounded in hope. Shalom is the vision that
pulls all creation toward a time when weapons are swept off the earth and all
creatures lie down together without fear; where all have their own fig tree and
dwell secure from want. As Christians, we offer this conviction to the world:
Peace is possible. “
I bring this to you today to consider as a congregation
might we want to consider to become officially a Just Peace Church and to
answer Christs Law to bring our sense of Justice to surpass those of the Pharisees
and be a Just peace Congregation.
It’s not an easy decision and there is study to go along
with that, but as we move into our identity as UCC we have already of course
claimed the open and affirming, we are a accessible to all church and we are
the first Creation Justice Church.
Jesus said; “For I
tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the
teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven”
(Matthew 5:20). I hope we are getting there.
[1] Jenee Woodad,
ed., The Abingdon Press Creative Preaching Annual 2014 (Nashville:
Abingdon Press, 2013), 42.
[2]
gotquestions.org, What does it mean that Jesus fulfilled the law, but did not
abolish it?, accessed February 2, 2017,
https://www.gotquestions.org/abolish-fulfill-law.html.
[3] amazon.com, Talmud
Complete, Medium, accessed February 2, 2017,
https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Schottenstein-Talmud-English-Volumes/dp/1578190673/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1486073540&sr=8-5&keywords=the+talmud+complete.
[4]
gotquestions.org, What does it mean that Jesus fulfilled the law, but did not
abolish it?, Medium, accessed February 2, 2017, www.gotquestions.org/jesus and
the Law.
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