1 Corinthians 3:10-11, 16-23; Matthew 5:38-48
Preached by Rev. John Warner
Imperfection
Striving for Perfection
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be always
acceptable in thy sight oh my Lord and my Redeemer.
During my tenure as the director of
the local community mental health center, I established annual goals for each
of my managers, which would be used as the foundation for each one’s
performance appraisal. Each were to write similar goals for their respective
managers and employees they supervised. Within the area of customer service, I
required that each would have NO substantiated customer complaint. This goal was
followed by much grumbling. “You expect me to be perfect. That’s impossible!”
one after another would state. My responses to such statements would be to ask,
“Would you feel comfortable going under a cardiac surgeon’s knife who bragged
of only losing 20% of his patients on the operating table or to fly on a
transcontinental flight with a pilot who proudly exclaimed only two crashes
last year?” Although I didn’t expect perfection, I did set an achievable bar
even if the employee had to stretch a bit.
I believe that Jesus wants us also to
stretch a bit. Okay, a lot! Today’s reading from Matthew continues Jesus’s
inauguration of the Kingdom of God, not the kingdom of God future but the kingdom
of God present as displayed within the Sermon on the Mount. The Sermon on the
Mount addressed to the disciples is an expectation of greater righteousness. Radical
words, many which I confess I find difficult to understand much less follow.
Take, for example, the words spoken today. First, I am not to seek “an eye for
an eye.” Does this mean that if someone I love is murdered that I should not
seek justice for his or her death?” Second, if I am sued for $100,000, I should
give the person who has taken me to court, a double amount or even greater
amount. Finally, if I’m forced to perform some act of submission, I’m also to
roll over and become a door mat. Jesus
summarizes the lesson by directing us to love both our friends and enemies. Granted, I haven’t had many enemies in my
life, but I have had a few who have persecuted me; who made it their mission in
life to destroy mine. Love them! Are you kidding?
To understand the relevance of this
portion of the Sermon of the Mount in preparation for my sermon, I had to dig a
bit deeper in these verses. If a Jews in ancient Israel was struck on the right
cheek, it was generally done with the back of the hand—violence, for sure, but
also an insult. Generally, there was also a power differential between the
assailant and victim. One would have been inferior in social status to the
other. Jesus is saying that you can hit
me again but you are going to do so with both of us being equals. All are equal
in God’s kingdom.
If an enemy takes you to court to sue
you, probably for a large debt, you are not going to win. Therefore, you can at
least show him what he is doing. In a world where most would own only a coat
and cloak, you can at least shame the individual by your impoverished state.
Could this be a metaphor that the rich and powerful may be reducing the poor to
a state of shame?
The third situation reflects the Roman
occupation of Israel. As conquerors, a Roman soldier had every right to force a
Jew to carry their equipment for one mile but no more. Jesus is telling his
disciples to be as generous as God. Don’t complain and plot revenge, but go
that extra mile. Show the soldier a different humanity, one that does not
involve revenge and injustice.
Although I understand the “good news”
better, it doesn’t make following his teachings any easier. Jesus sets a high
bar! But what would you expect for those who have Jesus Christ as their
foundation? If, as Paul tells the church in Corinth, we are God’s temple
sanctified by the Holy Spirit, what other rule of life should we aspire to?
As much as I try, I haven’t fully
moved into the kingdom of God. When I’m in my clericals, I have to keep
reminding myself (or Marsha reminds me) that I am a wearing a collar and to
watch my behavior. The collar tells me, “Don’t yell at that elderly man who
just pulled out in front of you and is now driving like a tortoise down the
road” or “Don’t ignore that woman who needs help.” I dream for the day when I
don’t have to remember that I’m wearing a collar to remind me to be an example
of God’s charity to others. I dream for the day when I internalize the collar
within my heart. I hope eventually to be a light of Christ in the world. But
for right now, I’m only on a journey of becoming.
The Sermon of the Mount wasn’t just for us; it
was also for Jesus. It was the blueprint for his life. He asked nothing of
others that he wouldn’t do himself. Matthew’s portrayal of Jesus shows us what
God is really like. The Sermon on the Mount isn’t just about how to behave.
It’s about discovering God in the living, loving, and dying Jesus, and, with
his help, in us reflecting that love into the world.
Amen.
(Some
of the information used in this sermon is a paraphrase of commentary found in
the book Matthew for Everyone – Part One by Tom Wright.)
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