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Location: Hattiesburg, Mississippi, United States

Sunday, February 20, 2011

7th Sunday after the Epiphany 2/2/11 Text Matthew 5:38-48

7th Sunday after the Epiphany
2/20/11
Text: Matthew 5:38-48
Title: Set Apart

Today we are continuing our study of the Sermon on the Mount. Since Easter, if I remember correctly, is at the latest time it can be it gives us a wonderful opportunity to study Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount in more detail than we normally could in the Epiphany season.
Before we do that though, so that we can better understand the Sermon on the Mount reading for today please turn to the Old Testament reading; particularly verse 2 where God speaking through Moses says, “Speak to all the congregations of the people of Israel and say to them, ‘You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.’”
Just what was God saying? Was he saying that we have to be perfect as he is perfect, as it says in the last verse of our Gospel reading, or is he saying something else here?
The word holy is used 665 times in the Bible. Each time the word is used it means to be set apart and not perfect, as most people understand it to mean. A modern day example would be those times when we dedicate things that are used in worship. They are referred to as being holy; that is set apart for worship. It would also be correct to say when pastors, teachers and officers of the congregation are installed in a congregation that they are holy in that they are set apart for service to God. You, as a member of the body of Christ are set apart from those outside of God’s Church. You are holy.
Our Old Testament reading for today is part of a section of Scripture where God is telling the people Israel of their personal responsibilities toward each other as people who are holy, or we would say set apart from other people, for service to him.
There are a couple of other verses that we need to keep in mind when we study the Sermon on the Mount text for today. One is the verse 18 of our Old Testament reading, the other is found in Leviticus 24:20. Verse 18 says, “You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you are to love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.” Notice God says that you are not to personally take vengeance or bear a grudge.
Then in Leviticus 24:20. I will have to read it to you since it is not part of our Old Testament reading for today. This verse is part of the code for the governing of the Israelites. In other words it is not a personal directive, but a government directive for Moses and those he appointed to govern. “If anyone injures his neighbor, as he has done it shall be done to him, fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; whatever injury he has given a person shall be given to him.” Do you see the difference? The first is personal the second is for the government.
Now moving on to our Gospel lesson we hear Jesus saying in verse 38, “You have heard that it was said. ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you. Do not resist the one who is evil.” Then he goes on to talk about turning the other cheek when slapped and walking the extra mile. When Jesus said that he turned the Jewish teachings upside down, or it would be better right side up, for by this time they had corrupted the law under which they lived. Personal revenge was acceptable. What had been the job of the government, that is punishment of the wrong doer, was for many being done personally.
Concerning the walking of two miles under duress Roman soldiers had the right to make a Jew carry their gear for a thousand paces or what we would say is a mile. The Jews hated this law and so when Jesus said they were to carry the soldier’s gear two thousand paces they naturally did not go along with that teaching. How many of us would turn the other cheek or walk an extra mile carrying some one’s gear while they walked alongside of us?
Then in verse 43 Jesus says again, “You have heard it said. You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you. Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons (& daughters) of your Father in heaven.” I looked up “hate your enemy” in the Bible and there is only one place where out of 339 times a form of enemy is used is there a reference to hating one’s enemy. David says in asking God why he has not rescued him from his enemies when he hates the enemies of God, those who teach against God’s teachings.
When I started working on this sermon last Sunday night I realized that in chapter 5 of Matthew Jesus said “You have heard it said.” followed with, “But I say to you.” six times. Jesus is saying something important here. He is making it perfectly clear that those who trust in him as their Savior are not to live as those who are not his. We are holy; set apart to do God’s work here on this earth. That is why in the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount he says that those who follow his teachings are blessed.
By the time Jesus was doing his ministry the Jewish religious people had inserted into, dropped out parts of, or warped God’s commands. That is why he said, “You have heard it said.” with “but I say to you.” In other words the people did not know the true word of God from the stuff that people said was the word of God, but wasn’t.
As I looked at those words, it came to me that we have the same problem today. Many Christians today don’t know sayings that they have heard or read from the teachings of the Bible. I wonder what Jesus would say to us today, if he walked in and started teaching. Would he say, “You have heard it said” and then say “but I say to you?” I think he might have good reason to do so. Here are a few examples.
You have heard it said that Godliness is next to cleanliness, but I say to you that John Wesley, a Methodist preacher, said that in a sermon. Just because you are clean does not make you godly neither does being godly make you physically clean
You have heard it said that God helps those who help themselves, but I say to you that God helps those who finally admit that they can’t help themselves, at least as far as spiritual matters are concerned.
You have heard it said that once saved always saved, but I say to you that while nothing in or on this earth or the heavens can get you away from me you can always turn back to your sinful life and not stay in my forgiveness.
You have heard it said that God works in mysterious ways, but I say to you that sentence came from a hymn written by William Cowper. It is not in the Bible.
You have heard it said that there were three kings who came to worship me when I was born, but I say to you that it is not recorded whether there were three or that they were kings. The three king idea came from an American Christmas carol titled, “We three kings of orient are.”
You have heard it said this too will pass, but I tell you that came from a 10th Century English poem. You need to quit trying to find your comfort in the present and focus on comfort that God gives you in his promises of what is to come.
Then there is the passage that I have seen many times on banners at sporting events especially when one of the teams is thought of as an underdog. You have heard it said that with God all things are possible, but I tell you I am not talking of earthly things in that passage, but of the salvation of souls, for you cannot save yourself, only God can do that. Read Matthew 19:23-26 to see what Jesus meant when he said "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.""

There are many more sayings that are attributed to God that do not come from the Bible, but you get the idea. We, who are blessed, who are chosen to be holy, that is set apart, need to know what is God’s Word and what is not, so that we, because of Christ actions on the cross, will be perfect as the Father is perfect. Amen