February
16, 2020
6th
Sunday after Epiphany
Deuteronomy
30:15-20
Psalm
119:1-8
1
Corinthians 3:1-9
Matthew
5:21-37
Please pray with me,
May the words of my mouth and the
meditations of all of our hearts be acceptable and suitable in your sight, O
God, our rock, our strength and our redeemer.
Amen.
Today’s gospel is a hard one to
hear, right? I mean it sounds like we
are being hit over the head with the law.
And even with Jesus saying, you have heard that it was said, but I say
to you, it seems that the laws being decreed are even stricter. Not what I’m looking for when wanting to hear
the words of Jesus.
But what happens if
we, or when we read these as laws of love? As
laws that call us into leading and living full lives that nurture relationships
and community, that bring God to the forefront of all that we say and do?
Isn’t that who God is calling us
to be?
Isn’t that Jesus command and call
for each of us really, to live our best lives?
It’s like God created us and
said, this isn’t just good, but this is really good, now go, live your best
lives! And what happened? We messed up.
Time and time again. Yet God
comes back in with a word of love and the action of grace and sends us on our
way again.
And so here we are…claimed and
called to live our best lives. Yet when
we think about living our best lives – it’s not just for ourselves, but for the
whole world. Let me say that again, it’s
not about living our best lives for ourselves, but for the whole dang
world. These commands that Jesus
declares are to help and guide us into living more fully into God’s love. Which impacts more than our own little lives
and homes…but the rest of the world as well.
Our gospel lesson today is that
not so gentle reminder that the thoughts we have, the words we speak and the
actions we take can have deep and far reaching impacts on those around us not
just in our own homes but in our schools, places of work, communities, nation
and world.
God wants us and Jesus calls us
to live lives of integrity and lives that are not only life giving to others,
but life giving to ourselves as well.
Right? God wants us and Jesus calls us to live lives
of integrity. Lives that are lived
honestly and completely. Lives that when
lived are life giving not just to ourselves but to others as well. That how we act and treat others deeply
impacts the greater world around us. That
we are called to live lives that fulfill God’s call to love and serve, and when
that happens, when we do that, not only are our lives, hearts and souls filled,
but also the lives of those around us.
And it seems to me that living
the fullest, deepest life means completely surrendering to God’s call and law
in our lives. What I mean is that we are
called to fully live into who God created us and calls us to be. Doing things that do not cause others to
stumble, but living and acting in a holy way by doing acts of love and service
that truly let Christ’s light shine in all that we say and do.
God’s call is clear. The truth is that we can’t do it. (Not on our own anyway…) Try as we might, when given the opportunity
to live our God’s word to choose life, we often fall short.
Am I right? We cut down those around us for having
different opinions instead of listening and engaging in dialogue. We don’t build up others around us because we
are afraid that they will outshine us.
We don’t love others fully because we are afraid that a love that deep
and that holy won’t be returned or even accepted. We would rather live in the perceived safety
of our own personal space bubbles surrounded by our own stuff so we don’t have
to put ourselves in places where we might learn and grown through our
interactions with others.
It’s easier to stay comfortable.
And safe.
But here’s the thing. God is
still going to call us, wherever we might be, to draw us out of those safe
spaces and into the places where we will learn and grow.
God will still nudge us, some
times gently and other times with the force of a mighty wind, into places and
conversations where we will be given the space to listen, to speak, to learn
and to be God’s presence all within the community of others.
This call for us today is because
of God’s great and amazing and unending love for each and every one of us.
God as a loving parent in our
lives, wants the best and only the best for us.
Right? Wants us to live our best
lives! God, as a loving parent truly
wants the best for each and every one of us, for each of God’s beloved children.
So, out of this unconditional
love, God will continue to call us to live our best lives.
Lives with hope and promise.
Lives that will give life to
others.
Lives that will nurture,
strengthen and build up community.
Lives that will transform the
world as we know it through acts of service and love.
As we heard from Moses in the
reading from Deuteronomy, there are options for the future… “See, I have set
before you today life and prosperity, death and adversity. If you obey the
commandments of the Lord your God that I am commanding you
today, by loving the Lord your God, walking in his ways, and
observing his commandments, decrees, and ordinances, then you shall live and
become numerous, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land
that you are entering to possess. But if your heart turns away and you do
not hear, but are led astray to bow down to other gods and serve them, I
declare to you today that you shall perish; you shall not live long in the land
that you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess.
I call heaven and earth to
witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessings
and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live, loving
the Lord your God, obeying him, and holding fast to him; for that
means life to you and length of days, so that you may live in the land that
the Lord swore to give to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and
to Jacob.”
We have the opportunity friends,
to choose life.
What does that look like for
you?
Is it serving on a Wednesday
evening by filling college care packages?
Is it helping to provide food for
a funeral meal?
Does it look like calling or
visiting a friend you haven’t seen in a while?
Is it joining the prayer chain so
you can pray for the people of this place as part of your daily devotions?
Is it volunteering at the food
pantry?
It will look different for each
of us.
But given the opportunity, choose
life…
Choose life, friends, so that you
and your descendants may live…
Choose life, friends, loving the
Lord your God, living out God’s loving call in your lives…
Choose life, friends, so that all
may know God’s abundant love, grace and peace in our world.
And now, may the peace which
surpasses all understanding, keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus and let
all God’s people say, amen.
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