Listen to Sermon
Pastor Tom Johnson, February 12, 2017
Jesus’ words in from our Gospel reading is just a portion of his Sermon on the Mount. And in many respects it is the most difficult part of his sermon. The main topic today is two of the Ten Commandments: you shall not murder and you shall not commit adultery. Most of the Bible comes to us by human authors. Each book of the Bible reflects the personality and writing style of its writer. Sometimes we may think that the Bible dropped out of heaven as one book. Instead it was written by many authors, in various languages, across different continents, and over several centuries. But the Ten Commandments did drop out of heaven. God himself inscribed these words into stone tablets. Moses was the courier—not the messenger—as he carried the Word of God down from Mt. Sinai. But later, Moses does help God’s people understand the Ten Commandments in the book of Exodus. He explains all the ways one is guilty or not guilty of murder and adultery for example. And he details the consequences of murder and adultery. And it is often as severe as death.
Without that understanding, it is easy to miss just how radical Jesus’ words are here. Three times he says, “You have heard that it was said” and he quotes the Ten Commandments and the words of Moses. “You have heard that it was said…but I say to you…” When he introduces his interpretation, he is saying that he is a higher authority than the Ten Commandments and Moses. You have heard the Ten Commandments that caused the earth to quake and you heard Moses whose face had to be veiled because it shone the glory of God. The Ten Commandments and Moses say some challenging and great things but Jesus’ words will forever transform our understanding. Jesus' words about the Law are like going into an enormous cave. The further we go into it, the less light. We realize just how tiny we are when we go through rooms with ceilings as high as cathedrals echoing into nothingness.
Murder no longer is just the act. It’s is the anger and resentment we have in our hearts. Murder are the insults we say. It’s is when we do nothing to reconcile with one another. Adultery is no longer just the act. It’s looking at a person with lust in one’s heart. It’s unfaithfulness in our minds. It is causing others to stumble into sin. It why we confessed our sins earlier in the service the way we did: “We have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone.” Earlier in this same sermon—what we had in our reading from last week—Jesus says that he has not come to abolish the Law but fulfill it. He has come to bring us a full understanding of the Law. And that the Law fulfill it’s purpose—to show just how high God’s standard is. The Law is so demanding, that we must obey it—not just outwardly in our actions—but also in our inner world—in our thoughts and intentions of the heart. Next week our reading will finish this teaching of the Law by saying, “Be perfect, therefore, as your Heavenly Father is perfect.”
We are highlighting our heritage in the Reformation this 500th anniversary year. One of the earliest insights into the Law is that it always accuses (Apology of the Augsburg Confession). Lex semper accusat. That is to say, no one can say, “I have kept God’s commandments.” None of us can earn God’s love by trying to be better. If God’s standard of righteousness is absolute obedience to both the letter and spirit of the Law we all fall short. In fact, that is what Scripture says: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23). And why is this helpful? How can this possibly be good news? Because the only solution is grace. Forgiveness cannot be earned. Eternal life cannot be purchased. We do not deserve salvation. But God is gracious and merciful. He loves us even though we have failed. He delights in extending grace and mercy through his Son. Christ died and rose again for us. And God gives the salvation Jesus purchased for us for free.
Today is a contrast between the darkness of sin and the light of God’s grace—to take a hard and honest look at sin to see forgiveness in all its clarity—to hear the accusation of the Law so that we see that, in Jesus, it has been silenced. The Law shows our sin; the Gospel shows our Savior. The Law reveals our darkness; the Gospel reveals Christ’s light. The Law declares us guilty; the Gospel declares us forgiven. Jesus fulfills the Law demands so that we can benefit from the Gospel’s blessings. One preacher (Robbie Flock) said it this way: “It is of no use trying to sew with the silken thread of the Gospel unless we pierce a way for it with the sharp needle of the law.” And so God sews up our mortal wounds.
Like a good doctor he says, “This is going to hurt.” And so the Law wounds our pride and accuses. He is making a way for the silken thread of the Gospel. He binds up our mortal wounds. “You are going to be okay,” he says. Christ’s death and resurrection has restored you. He has triumphed over sin and death.
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