The First Step in Worship

Reconciliation

July 7, 1991

Matthew 5

You have heard that the ancients were told, YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER and 'Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.'

But I say unto you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever shall say to his brother, 'Raca,' shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever shall say, 'You fool,' shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.

If therefore you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar, and go your way; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering,

Make friends quickly with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way, in order that your opponent may not deliver you to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. Truly I say to you, you shall not come out of there, until you have paid up the last cent.—Matthew 5:21-26

Introduction:

The Sermon on the Mount is familiar territory for people who have been Christians for any length of time. In this segment of the great sermon, commenting on the commandment, "THOU SHALT NOT COMMIT MURDER," Jesus underscores several important facts for us here:

  1. Being 'right with God' is very much inter-connected with 'being right' with each other;
  2. Relationships with both God and fellow human beings must be maintained; they sometimes require reconciliation; and
  3. It is important to settle these "debts of spirit" before they have time to sour and fester.

Relationships are dynamic. They never stay put, never hold still, never stay quite the same. They need to be worked at, maintained! And it is not just human relationships that need to be maintained because they are dynamic and changing.

Our relationship to God is a growing, dynamic thing. Our walk with Him stretches us, challenges us. It must be kept fresh and sweet. It is not automatic. One reason for worship is making sure that we are in touch with God.

I. WORSHIP AS RECONCILING THE RECONCILED

  1. AS A CHRISTIAN:
    1. You ARE reconciled to God. He loves you. You love Him.

      When we are saved by the grace of God, we are reconciled to God by Christ's sacrifice.

      Worship is an exercise of love. When genuine worship takes place it is the highest fulfillment and satisfaction humans can know. Worship is usually reserved for those who are in harmony with God. There is mystery involved in this intercourse with the Almighty, but it probably is a safe statement to say: It is necessary to be at one with God in order truly to worship.

    2. God is NOT looking to cut you off from Himself! Hear these words of scripture:

      And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now RECONCILED you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him, holy and blameless and beyond reproach- if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister. (Colossians 1:21- 23)

  2. CHRISTIANS NEED TO "CONTINUE STEADFAST"
    1. Those who truly worship find it is of utmost importance to stay in harmony, in step, with Jesus. [Re-quote, from above: "... if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard ..."]
    2. Worship is a reconciling, re-tuning, course-correction in love that keeps us on course.
  3. This reconciliation is really necessary! It has to be done, or vital contact with God will be lost! Our worship must go beyond just "living in our heads!" It must come into the arena of relationships where we live our lives!
    1. So often we are content to "think" instead of do. We think that faith is the same as knowledge; that acknowledging the truth or the facts somehow is the same as faith. Faith is a mystery, but on our part it is very close to simple obedience: doing what we KNOW GOD wants us to do!

      Sometimes we think that when we have agreed that a course is right; or have agreed that we are probably wrong that the admission plus grace makes it all right. We take "thinking" for "doing."

    2. "Informed" or "reminded?" In our worship— our sermons— the sermons we demand— we want to be informed: what is God LIKE! But there is only one authority on that subject: God must speak for Himself. And God does speak! Instead of being informed, probably very often we need to be reminded!
    3. Thus one part of worship is confession, absolution, washing. We do NOT live under the yoke and dominion of sin; we are NOT aliens from grace. But, paradoxically, we DO pray the Lord's prayer; we DO confess that we fall short, and we DO leave worship renewed and assured.

[Transition: But here is a "sticky wicket!" - Jesus links worship to a clear conscience to human beings. To be right with God involves a conscious effort to be right with each other. Just as it is necessary to be "reconciled" to God, according to Jesus it is also vitally necessary to be reconciled to our brother/sister.

SO: How does this segment of the Sermon connect with your family and mine?:]

II. BEING RECONCILED TO GOD MEANS RECONCILING WITH FAMILY

  1. Our relationship with loved ones is a lot like our relationship to God:
    1. We ARE reconciled- we HAVE made commitments; we LOVE and we ARE LOVED. But at the same time
    2. We must work at the task of MAINTAINING OUR RECONCILIATION.
    3. We need to KEEP sweet and fresh and forgiven!

      Family friction: harboring secret grudges is worse than hidden cancer, physically. (Is it possible to even hide these frictions from ourselves?) When we cover over resentment and feelings of frustration that fester and become a denial of our basic commitment of love we are inviting disaster!

  2. Few people set out to be hateful and unforgiving and hard to communicate with and spiteful. Perhaps that is the very reason why Jesus connects WORSHIP and RELATIONSHIPS with each other.

    [Do you know that] It is at the place of prayer our relationships are examined in the pure light of God's love. [?] And it is just here where we need to be very sure we do not just "live in our heads." We have to make the effort to be reconciled. We have to reach out to the offended dear one.

    We can deny our feelings. We can try to pray over top of bad attitudes. But worship and honesty and obedience and transparency before God are all bound up together.

  3. But doesn't being filled with the Spirit take away all negative feelings? [Where do you find that bit about "feelings" in the Bible?] Claiming unrealistic levels of purity ("I am sanctified; therefore I do NOT feel what I feel!") is asking for emotional bankruptcy, if not spiritual disaster.
  4. We need gentleness and wisdom in seeking reconciliation. Honesty with our loved ones is not just "letting it all hang out!" The way we approach the offended must reflect God's patience and grace with us! (Ephesians 4:32!) Kindness plus honesty is the basis for beautiful family relationship.

(Conclusion:)

III. DON'T INSIST ON COLD, HARD, LITERAL JUSTICE!

  1. At the end of this passage, Jesus throws in what seems to be an irrelevancy about the courts or civil law.
    1. Why, do you suppose, does Jesus talk about settling disputes out of court when he has been speaking about murder and hatred and worship and friendship and reconciliation relation ships?
    2. Can it be that Jesus is telling us that we all need mercy before the impartial bar of God's justice? And is He telling us that if we insist on going through the courts, as it were, we shall find that we are more involved in liability than we thought ?
  2. Jesus expects us to "Forgive one another, even as God, for Christ's sake, has forgiven us!" Jesus teaches us to pray, "Forgive us, as we forgive one another!" We need to keep the channels clear between us and God! And we need to keep the channels clear between our hearts and those we love as well!

    Jesus urges us to find peace "on the way." Not glossing over family disagreements, not excusing wrongs— but forgiving and being forgiven!

Prayer: Lord, Life is too short for us to let clouds come between loved ones! Give us the grace to be reconciled, and maintain that one-ness with You, and with those we love. In the name of our Elder Brother and Friend and Savior and Lord, Amen.