“So Much More for You”   2014

Isaiah 6:1-8       Matthew 5:20-30

 Isaiah 6:1-8

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple. Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.” The pivots on the thresholds shook at the voices of those who called, and the house filled with smoke. And I said: “Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” Then one of the seraphs flew to me, holding a live coal that had been taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. The seraph touched my mouth with it and said: “Now that this has touched your lips, your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted out.” Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I; send me!”

 

Matthew 5:20-30

For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. “You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not murder’; and ‘whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.’ 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. So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift. 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. Truly I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny. “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 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. 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.

 

            “… unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”  (2x)

 

The crowd listening to Jesus preach the Sermon on the Mount

            must have been stunned and shocked when he said those words.

righteousness that exceeds the scribes and Pharisees ? – no way--

 

In those days, nobody took their religion and righteousness

            more serious than the scribes and Pharisees.

    The scribes were the lawyers,

            who studied the Law of God constantly.

                            The Pharisees not only followed the written Law,

                                    but they also obeyed the oral traditions.

 

Nobody was more scholarly, dedicated and committed

            to careful attention to God’s Law  than those guys,

                            so what did Jesus mean by demanding,

                                    righteousness that exceeds the scribes and Pharisees ?

 

The righteousness to which Jesus refers throughout the gospels

  is far more than a rigid & legalistic adherence to a set of rules.

 

Jesus never focuses so much on outward obedience to the Law,

            as much as having an authentic relationship with God,

                                    a faithful and humble heart that leads

                                         to holy and faithful living as God intends

                                                for the beloved and chosen people of God.

This righteousness is not just obeying rules and commandments,

                 but is really about have a  “right relationship”

                        that calls us to obedience of living a faithful life.

 

Along those same lines of understanding,

            when Jesus referred to the kingdom of heaven

                        it was much more than just the place we go when we die.

 

In the Greek, the word translated, “kingdom”

            also refers to the sovereign reign and rule of a king.

The kingdom of heaven is both future hope and promise,

            and, it has already begun as we allow the Holy Spirit

                        God’s reign and rule to inspire and guide our lives.

 

The kingdom is already present   when our livesà

                are lived according to God’s will, word and purpose,

                        in a living relationship through the Holy Spirit;

            for such a life becomes a reflection of God’s love and mercy,

                        as foretaste of God’s reign and blessings that await us.

 

According to Matthew’s gospel (vs. 4:23), the sermon on the mountà

     is Jesus teaching and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom.

 

He is describing a whole new perspective that sees a world where--          

            - blessed are the poor, blessed are the meek, blessed are the merciful, blessed are the pure in heart, blessed are the peacemakers, and so on …

 

In contrast to a tiny worldview that focuses on self-interest,

     on my wants and desires, and my agenda for personal gain,

                        or that can imagine no greater good

                          than accumulating more trinkets of this passing world…

 

… the kingdom, the reign of God that Jesus describes,   is a hugeà

            and hopeful vision way beyond the limits of this mortal life.

                        It is living in response and truth, in gratitude and joy

                                    in a way that takes God’s promises and word,

                                                God’s will, purpose and truth    seriously.

 

The kingdom-life that Jesus describes

            is far more than outward obedience to a set of rules,

                        but flows from a grace-transformed heart,

                and stands with God

                        against the flawed ways and values of this this world.

 

When we grasp that truth and promise of God’s kingdom,

            it changes us on the inside,

                        which then flows outward and changes everything.

The reign of God is a vision of hope and new possibilities,

            that cannot sit back and do nothing, relax and be complacent,

                           but that vision always call us to action,

                                    to make a positive difference for the kingdom.

 

During seminary a young friend in his early 20’s

     went with a mission group for several weeks in Central America.

He was from a typical suburban middle class family,

            attended a Christian college toward a bright future.

                        He was a good guy, but mostly focused on his own success.

 

But on that mission trip, for the first time in his life,

   he spent weeks in the slums living among the poorest of the poor,

                and was exposed to the hopelessness and the troubles faced

                  by people struggling in an impoverished 3^rd world country.

 

When Stewart returned to seminary,

            he came back with a whole new perspective and worldview…

                        … because that mission experience shook his foundation.

It penetrated his suburban ease and comfortable affluence,

            and his faith and cultural assumptions were forever changed…

… complacent and comfortable Christianity wasn’t enough anymore.

 

The social diseases

            of poverty and political corruption mattered to him now.

He couldn’t go back to his comfortable former life,

   because he was no longer indifferent to sickness and suffering.

He couldn’t even eat without remembering the starvation he saw,

    or the images of war orphans, malnutrition, and such despair.

 

Frankly, he nearly drove the rest of us at the seminary crazy.

            Every topic in every class, every conversation at every meal

               somehow related back to his experiences in Central America…

… for him, the trip became the central experience in his life,

            an awakening that reset his priorities and perspective…

                        … giving him a higher and larger vision

                                    of possibilities more aligned to the will of God.                 

A life more aligned to the will of God

            is also the point of the Matthew 5 passage we read,

                that goes beyond simple adherence to the letter of the law.

 

The Commandment is, “thou shalt not murder”, but that’s not enough;

            as a follower of Jesus and recipient of that grace,

                        I am called to see others as God’s own beloved creation.

             If I am walking with the Lord, then I can’t walk that path

                    of anger leading toward bitterness, resentment and hate.

 

The Commandment says,

            “thou shalt not commit adultery”, but that’s not enough.

In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus redefines neighbor,

            so,  as someone destined for righteousness of the kingdom,

                             I can’t walk with Jesus on a pathway of lust

                                    that reduces my neighbor into a sexual object.

 

The point is that the righteousness of the kingdom

            is about far more than just our outward behavior,

                        but also our thoughts, attitude and inner motivations.

            The point is not to condemn us for our thoughts and feelings,

                        but to offer us hope, because à

                                    God has so much more for us than  just a rulebook.

 

As the beloved and chosen people of God,

            as those who walk by faith and are guided by the Spirit,

                            we are called to hold our neighbors close to the heart

                                    by living out the grace and abundance of our Lord.

But the question is, how do we get there?

 

Think of a time when you over-reacted,

            perhaps spoke harshly-cruelly, or acted inappropriately,

                        then later wondered why, and where did that come from?

 

Generally it comes from some other issue deep inside,

            some buried, old and unresolved resentment that somehow,

                        its toxic poison leaked out and spilled onto others.

The point Jesus is making, is that the inner controls the outer,

     so just focusing on external will not really solve the problem.

 

The Sermon on the Mount is a call for internal change and healing,

            dealing with the heart and not just outward compliance.

I don’t believe Jesus literally meant for his followers

            to pluck out their eyes or cut off their hands…

                        … but as a literary twist, it is a call for us

                                    to go deeper to the underlying causes, the source.

 

The hope, promise and lesson of the Sermon on the Mount

            is that when we grasp the truth

                        of God’s love, grace, blessing, purpose and call,

                                    that changes everything about us, inside and out.

That is the reason for baptism,

            a declaration of trust and receiving God’s grace and promise

                        that marks our journey with Jesus toward the kingdom.

 

The scene described in Isaiah 6 is much like that.

            In a vision, the prophet is in the very presence of God,

                        and then the prophet experiences a moment of terrorà

 

            that ”I am a sinner unworthy, and I don’t belong here”, vs. 5

                        And I said: “Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”

 

Then the prophet experiences God’s grace, mercy and cleansing,

            symbolized by a live coal place upon his lips, vs. 7

                        “… your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted out”,

                                    followed by a call to something more.

 

            When he hears God’s call, “Whom shall we send”,  

                        in grateful response to God’s mercy and call,

                                    Isaiah responds, “Here am I, send me!”

 

The point of this majestic scene is that

            God has so much more for us,    and that God’s love and grace

                        really makes that much difference, if we allow it.   

   It’s not that we don’t still sin,  it’s that the Spirit is at work transforming within.

 

When I went to Disneyland the first time as kid,

            they used to sell booklets of tickets, A-E for the rides.

                        A = kiddie rides like merry-go-round, etc.

                        B = spinning teacups

                                    and all the cool rides required an E  Ticket.

 

So how would you describe you walk with God right now?

            An A-ticket?  still on a kiddie ride,

                  safe, comfortable, predictable, little growth or change?

Or a bit more commitment, risk and sacrifice of a B or C ticket?

 

Wouldn’t it be a tragic shame and waste,

            to leave this mortal life without ever using an E-ticket,

                    or not trying to use all our E-tickets before  going home?

 

The righteousness and kingdom-life that Christ intends

            is the E-ticket ride,  the best of the best…

                        … not a B or C ticket worth of stagnant comfort and ease.

 

The times that I have stepped out in faith, risk and sacrifice,

  what a ride it’s been, when I have had courage to use an E-ticket.

The call is to look deeply at ourselves, at our faith-journey,

            and make room for the Spirit to reveal, cleanse and heal,

                  trusting that God has something more and wonderful for us.

 

In the end I don't see God punishing for not using the E ticket,    

            but I can imagine some sorrow and disappointment,

                        to hear God say,  "I had so very much more for you.”

            “There was so more I wanted to give, life to share with you,

                        if you had been more willing, allowed me to go deeper.”

As Jesus tells us in John 10:10

            I came that you may have life, and have it abundantly.