Matthew 5: 21--22a
You have heard that is was said to the people long ago, "Do not murder,
and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment." But I tell you that
anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment.
--NIV
In the name of our Savior, amen.
Once again Jesus crawls inside our head and condemns our thoughts and
attitudes. If we are angry with our brother we are as guilty as if we
had murdered him. That is not to say that there is not a righteous
anger. There is as is reflected in the fact that God Himself becomes
angry at times. But our anger is so rarely righteous. Instead we flare
up in anger with people anytime they do something that inconveniences us
in the least. The car that pulls out in front of us. A spouse who
doesn't give us what we want. The forgotten birthday, Christmas, or
thankyou card. Worse yet, there are those groups of people that make us
angry--the wrong political party, various ethic groups, homosexuals, etc.
Sometimes such groups act contrary to God's will and they face His anger.
But even then, we must be careful. Our anger is not to latch onto God's
word as a justification for our personal gripes. Or, as Dr. Luther put
it, we are not to mix our anger with the anger of God, because that is a
tool of the devil. Looking back at history, how much evil has been done
in the name of religion? Rather than having a hateful attitude, we are
to love and reach out to others, even our enemies.
That is the example of our Savior Himself. He kept on reaching out and
loving His enemies, even when they nailed Him to the cross. "Father
forgive them, for they know not what they do," was His response to the
injustice He suffered. He suffered injustice because He loved His
enemies. He suffered injustice to save His enemies from eternal death.
May the forgiveness you have because of Christ's innocent death, and the
righteousness you have by His glorious life create in you a faith that is
able to suffer injustice and still love and forgive. Amen.
Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, you truly loved Your enemies. You even loved us enough
to suffer and die so that we might live. Give us power by Your Holy
Resurrection to live our lives for you--forgiving even our enemies, amen.