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21 "You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, "You shall not murder'; and "whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.' 22 But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, "You fool,' you will be liable to the hell of fire. 23 So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are on the way to court with him, or your accuser may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. 26 Truly I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny. 27 "You have heard that it was said, "You shall not commit adultery.' 28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to go into hell. 31 "It was also said, "Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.' 32 But I say to you that anyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of unchastity, causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. 33 "Again, you have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, "You shall not swear falsely, but carry out the vows you have made to the Lord.' 34 But I say to you, Do not swear at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 Let your word be "Yes, Yes' or "No, No'; anything more than this comes from the evil one. (Matthew 5:21-37 NRSV)
Happy Monday, dear Friend! I pray you blessed the Lord this weekend with your worship and praise. I pray that whatever sermon you heard kick-started a response for Jesus! I also pray that worship and praise continue today as we pray and reflect on God's word. As we pray, I ask for prayers for Cary Boddeker, of Austin, TX, who was United Methodist Men Conference President of the Rio Texas Conference. On Friday, he underwent surgery and is recovering in the hospital with hopes of returning home on Monday or Tuesday. Cary is a servant of the Lord and has blessed many with his life and witness. Pray for his healing and recovery. Prayers continue for Eva Boscamp as she continues to deal with pain from injuries on her ribs in Gonzales, Texas. Pray for one another, and pray for yourselves.
Yesterday's gospel lesson covered Jesus' comment on the Law. Jesus said he did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it. And in today's passage we begin to see what He meant by this. What Jesus shares is nothing less than radical and revolutionary. The Law, namely The Ten Commandments has the solid Thou Shalt Not Kill. There is really no way around that word from God, the Author of Life. Jesus shifts from actual murder to the killing that happens when we are angry with one another. And if you've ever been really angry, you know that Jesus is telling the truth about the impact anger has on our souls. Anger that leads to insult and name calling leads to a liability with God; as if we had indeed killed that person.
Then Jesus addresses adultery. Another of the Big Ten! Jesus says, "Everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. It was some years ago, during this time of presidential posturing and campaigning that one of the candidates admitted in a men's magazine, that he was guilty of having lusted in his heart. Oh, the scandal that honest response created; yet, President Jimmy Carter was elected as president. Jesus continues, "If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away." Ouch! And more, "It is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into hell." Jesus says the same thing about one's hands. The purpose behind these is to emphasize how important self-control is over our thoughts and actions. We should control our eyes to viewing that which blesses rather than condemns. And our hands in the same manner, should be used for good rather than bad.
Jesus then really meddles by addressing divorce. Jesus asks that a finalization of divorce be shared with the woman because since the time of Moses, a man was allowed to take his wife's possessions out of the dwelling, usually a tent, and place it outside. This was a sign that she was no longer welcome. The women were, as one can imagine, shocked and dazed by this act, and did not know if they were fully divorced or not. To have a certificate of divorce, Jesus said, was necessary. But, Jesus also said that those men who for any other reason, other than unfaithfulness, would be guilty of adultery if he remarried. Jesus is stressing the seriousness with which we are to undertake marriage. A television show that I watch on Sunday nights had one gentleman say that in his family, no one has divorced in over 500 years. Quite an accomplishment and blessing, is it not? The late Ruth Graham was asked if she ever considered divorcing her husband, the Evangelist Billy Graham. She replied, "Murder maybe, never divorce."
And the passage concludes with vows and swearing. In Jesus' time just like now, there have been times when we have said something that someone else has not believed, and because we didn't know better, we have said, "I swear!" or more seriously, that Jesus discourages, "I swear to God!" And countless others that Jesus says we need not and should not do. "Let your yes be yes and your no, no." Beyond that, you've used Satan.
We are part of this life regardless of what the world and society may say to us. We are committed to living like Jesus to glorify Him and God. We should invite God into our lives and live out a different and better way that gives witness to God.
PRAYER: Loving Father, Your Son Jesus, has truly shared with us a new way to live. It is not an easy way, but it is a better way. Bless our faith so that we may be faithful and fruitful. We want to help share with the world the truth about life as it can be truly found in You. Bless us and those for whom we are praying. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Live a revolutionary life that blesses God and others!
Receive my blessings of peace and love,
Pastor Eradio Valverde
