Matt 5 (Part 3) MURDER ONE TWO THREE

Real Righteousness Part 3
Part of the “Design of a Disciple” series

Sunday, 19th October, 2008 7pm service



"There’s a big difference between the righteousness of being compliant and the righteousness of being joyfully obedient." From Part I
“The fact is, adultery is a promise-breaking sin. It’s an act that breaks vows, and that’s something that flies hard in the face of God’s character.” From Part II

After chewing on something as heavy and as serious as adultery, we’re going to move back a few verses to find a lighter topic.
Murder.
Matthew chapter 5, verse 21… You’ve heard that it was said to the people long ago, “Do not murder”[1], and “anyone who murders will be subject to judgment”.
Knowing the nature of the internet, I’m not going to make the assumption that everyone who will ever read this has kept Commandment Number Six. But it would probably be fair to assume that the majority hasn’t broken it. That law hasn’t been broken by that many people. Well done. There’s that line again, the righteousness of obedience.
But what leads up to the line? Let’s listen to Jesus’ words again:
Whoever murders will be subject to judgment” – but I tell you that…
· Anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment;
· Anyone who says to his brother Raca [2] is answerable to the Sanhedrin [3];
· Anyone who says you fool will be in danger of the fire of hell.
That’s quite a sliding-scale, isn’t it? In the eyes of God, whoever is angry with his brother is on an equal footing with a murderer – judgment is coming.
Call a brother brainless, you’re up before the Supreme Court.
Call your brother a fool – you’re standing on the edge of hell...
Now that just plain frightens people.

There’s something here that makes me squirm, though. I think what really makes me uncomfortable is that we live in a culture where, even when we’re being friendly – actually, especially when we’re being friendly – we regularly couch our language in terms of contempt or derision. We use some pretty deadly terms as affectionate name-tags, but they’ve got an edge to them. You’re such a loser… Mate, that’s just so gay… lame… I haven’t even started, have I?
Here’s a measure of the depth of this world’s corruption. Even when we speak with love and affection, our language is absolutely shot through with terms of contempt, arrogance, poison. We don’t have to be angry with someone to do a killing job on them.
Be careful. Even among our closest friends…
Part of our knockabout culture is that brand of fun that hooks into the whole paying-out thing. You know how it goes… somebody makes a mistake, commits some social faux-pas, says something the wrong way, wears a pink shirt or the wrong clothes or whatever…
and we just mercilessly pound that person for days, weeks, months. And the worst part is that if the poor sucker is actually hurt, he can’t say much – because it’s only a joke, right? We’ve made a really sharp hook for a brother or sister to hang off, and we’ve left them with no way to get themselves off. We’re pretty free with saying “it’s just a joke” – or, even more callously, “it’s nothing personal”. Really?
It’s not that far a jump from talking to a brother or a sister like that to the beginnings of secretly holding them that way in our heart – even if it’s a little bit. If we’re comfortable with using that language to each others’ faces… maybe we’ve got some quiet contemplation and repenting to do.
I do. I find the whole paying-out thing pretty easy, and pretty fun. I’m good at it – really good at it – and I have absolutely no right to be proud of that.

Jesus then gives us two practical demonstrations, two ways that show how righteousness happens, what righteousness looks like. In the first example (Matthew 5:23-24), he puts us in a position where we’re in conflict with a brother or a sister.
The other (Matthew 5:24-6) is a situation where we’re in conflict with someone who is most definitely NOT a brother or a sister.
Here’s the trick – Jesus very quickly sketches two pictures, and in both scenarios he cleverly gives no suggestion at all that we’ve done wrong.
There’s no suggestion that we should repent, or that we have anything to repent of. For all we can tell, we’re the ones being falsely accused.
So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you [notice, not that I have some outstanding issue against my brother…] leave your gift there before front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

Whether or not I’ve been wronged, Jesus has made it my responsibility to make things right. Sacrifices to God can wait – says God – until the heart is right. And here, again, is righteousness that exceeds beyond. See it?

Again, looking to the other example; if someone wants to have a crack at us – whether we deserve it or not – Jesus has made it my responsibility to do everything to make amends. Before I get taken to a place where others will judge between the two.

What’s that got to do with murder?
If I’m penalised unjustly, how hard is it going to be for me to think compassionately of my accuser? Or am I likely to languish in that prison, growing a little plant of bitterness? You have heard it said by the ancients, “You shall do no murder” – the righteousness of the Pharisees, and the line of the law – but I tell you that everyone who is angry with his brother is in danger of the same judgment as someone who has gone and murdered.
The righteousness that God requires of me means that I have to keep my heart so far away from that place. Not just a matter of keeping on this side of the line that the law describes, but keeping our hearts in a way that the line isn’t even approached.

Blessed are the peacemakers.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake.

[1] Jesus’ quote can be found at Exodus 20:13, Deuteronomy 5:17
[2] Aramaic word – basically, Raca means emptiness, with the implication of an empty skull.
[3] The Jewish Council in Jerusalem – we’d call it the Supreme Court.