Divine Reception
Matthew 5:21-26
Intro: During the last couple of weeks up at Camp Elkanah near Starkey, I found myself a bit cut off from the rest of the world. I’m really not all that attached to our cell phone, but needing to check messages at the office, I found myself wandering around camp with my phone up in the air searching for a signal. There were a few high spots where I’d get a signal for just a few seconds and then it was gone. The signal was being blocked by trees or a hill, or buildings or just distance. So I started climbing up the hill. As I did, I’d get the signal to hold a little bit longer. The higher I went and the further around the hill, the stronger the signal became. At last, the signal became strong enough to sustain a phone call and I was able to get through.
-Have you ever felt like the connection between you and God just wasn’t strong enough to sustain a conversation? Have you felt like something was blocking the way? Here’s the heart of what I want to communicate today:
Prop: Good reception with God requires right relationships with people.
TS: Let’s look at some of the relational dynamics from this passage that will give us some guidance in getting closer to God.
I. Obstacles to Good Reception with God (Matthew 5:21-24)
-Anytime we disregard what is important to God, we hinder our ability to connect with Him. And guess what is most important to God? People! Who or what else has He made in His own image? Even angels do not experience the closeness of God on the level that humans can. Angels might be considered servants, but humans are considered as sons of God- made in His image. When we attack another human verbally, emotionally, physically, we are attacking one who bears God’s image. When we withhold our love and blessing from those around us, we are operating at cross purposes with God, who pressed His image into them at conception.
-With that in mind, let’s look at a few of these hindrances or obstacles that may cause us to lose our reception with God.
A. Anger (5:21-22)
21 "You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ’Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ 22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother [Some manuscripts add without cause] will be subject to judgment.
-Anger is generally the root cause of murder. Many murders are committed out of rage and hatred for another person. Jesus is going back to the heart of the issue and instead of saying, “Thou shalt not murder, He says, “Control the anger that leads to violence.”
-Anger can be a good thing. Apparently it is a God-given emotion. However, it has a destructive side to it that can hurt people and disable your connection with God.
-So being angry can create problems, but venting anger with words or actions can create all kinds of connection problems as well.
B. Disrespect (5:22b-c)
22b,c Again, anyone who says to his brother, ’Raca, ’is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, ’You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.
-“Raca” comes from the Aramaic word rak, meaning “to spit.” Apparently in the Middle Eastern culture, most fights start by spitting, which was (and still is) very insulting. Have you ever been “spittin’ mad?” Calling someone a fool was insulting, but not as bad as spitting. There may be an escalation of aggression here. Being angry enough to call someone a fool may lead to the insulting act of spitting, which may lead to violence, and possibly even murder (Lawrence Richards, TVBBCNT, 28). Just watch a little news, and you’ll soon hear of someone who was murdered because someone lost their temper.
-Here’s a question for you: How far have you given yourself permission to go when you get angry? What boundaries have you established for your anger? What is so important that you would chew out, spit out, or strike out at someone who was created in God’s image? Is it pride, reputation, dominance? Is it the need to be right, to look good in front of others?
-When we devalue another human who was made in God’s image, we are disrespecting God Himself. At least respect the image of God in that person, even if it is impossible to see it. What they do with God’s image is up to them, but what you do with it is up to you, and you will answer to the God whose image you bear.
-God looks deeper than the actions, right into the heart of man. Before it ever turns into murder, it begins as a thought, then an insulting word, then an insulting action, and then to violence. Respect will help us bite our tongue. Save your venom for your real enemy. You can hiss and spit at the devil. He’s the one who really wants to destroy you.
-What we say to others has a direct bearing on our connection with God.
C. Offenses (5:23-24)
23 "Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.
-Offenses will come, but we must not allow them to blind us to the value God has placed on every human He created. When we hate those created in God’s image, we are indirectly showing contempt for God.
-Whether we are offended by someone else (which, btw, is not characteristic of love in 1 Cor. 13:5), or if we have offended someone else, it will hinder our connection with God. Our prayers will not be very effective, and we will not be very close to God, the One who loves us and wants us to be close to Him.
-Jesus gives instructions for dealing with offenses in this chapter, and in Matthew 18. In this chapter He says that if someone has something against you (indicating that you may have wronged him or her), GO and make things right before you go through the motions of worship! Why? Because you will not have very good reception. Your sacrifice of worship to God will not be received. In Matthew 18:15, Jesus says that if you have something against somebody else (they’ve wronged you or sinned against you in some way), Go and do all you can to make things right. If they refuse to reconcile, then there are steps to take.
-The important thing is this: Offenses can cut you off from God’s presence if you don’t deal with them.
-TS: Let’s take a brief look at how we should deal with offenses.
II. Reconciliation- Climbing Above the Obstacles (Matthew 5:25-26)
25 "Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still with him on the way, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. 26 I tell you the truth, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.
A. The urgency of settling offenses – If we’ve wronged someone else, or even if it is just their perception that we have wronged them, we need to find a way to settle the issue as quickly as possible. Three little words are often all it takes: I was wrong! Don’t make excuses or make it look like it was really their fault. Take responsibility for the situation- even if you were completely innocent in your heart when your actions offended them. Say, “I think I’ve offended you and I’m very sorry. Can we talk about it?” Nothing is worth ruining a relationship with someone who was made in the image of God. Make it right.
B. The last penny – If we refuse to take the path of reconciliation, then we assume full responsibility for our own debt. However, our debt is too great for us to ever hope to pay.
-Jesus told a story about a man who owed the king what might have been the equivalent of millions of dollars. He begged the King to have mercy on him and the king did. In fact, he forgave the entire debt. But not long after that, this man met someone who owed him $100. He grabbed him and had him thrown in jail until he paid up. The man begged for mercy but received none. When the king heard about it, he wasn’t happy. He ordered the unmerciful man to be thrown in prison until he paid all that he owed- which was never going to happen!
-We can never pay for our own sins. That is why the punishment for rejecting God’s grace is eternal. An eternity of suffering will never atone for our offenses against God. The last penny will never be paid for those who refuse to settle their offenses against God. However, for those who ask for mercy, and are willing to face their offenses against God and man, their debt will be paid in full!
Conclusion: Has the last penny been paid on what you owe? There is a song that says, “Jesus paid it all. All to Him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain. He washed it white as snow.” If you have received God’s forgiveness, having faced up to your offenses against Him, will you ask Him to help you settle the offenses that exist between you and others who were created in God’s image? Some of you have been terribly wronged by others. Some of you have had to endure horrible things at the hands of others. Maybe some of you have committed terrible things against other people. God knows all about it and He wants to give you a clear connection with Himself today. He wants to help you rise above any obstacles that are cutting off communication between you and Him. However, just as I had to start climbing the mountain at Camp so I could use my cell phone, you are going to need to take some difficult steps up out of the ravine you’ve been living in. God will help you rise above the things others have done to offend you. He will also help you put behind you the things you may have done to others.
-If you want to get a clear signal with God, you are going to need to ask Him to help you. Ask Him to help you with the way you treat those who bear His image. Ask Him to help you control your anger and measure the words you say. He will provide you with the service and coverage you need to stay in touch with Him. Just ask Him.
