23 February 2014                 But, Comma                          Matthew 5:38-48

  It seems to depend on where the comma is. With Jesus not placing a comma anywhere in his “But I say to you” he is not offering a moment’s pause. He is going strongly for the emphasis. Take the high road, come with the mature response, be the rule and the example.

  We have spent these past few weeks with the full version of the Sermon on the Mount. Not just the beatitudes we know well, but these more obscure, less well known continuations of teachings. Often during these post-beatitude proclamations Jesus has repeated a familiar refrain. It is sort of a “Yes, but” statement. Jesus uses it to draw us in, “you have heard that it was said,” and then to set us apart, “But I say to you…” There is no comma after that “But.” Jesus goes right to the point to emphasize the importance of the teaching.

  Jesus knows well what this world is saying about life and faith and he goes along with the drama for a while until he stops us in our complacency with, “But I say to you.” He stops us most often when we find ourselves agreeing with the set up and not ready for the catch, “Yes. But I say to you there is another truth. There is another way. There is another life for you to consider.”

  The Sermon on the Mount has grown to be larger than we can live because God’s way to live in this world is not the way the world teaches. The world’s response is different.  “Yes. But, you must look out for number one.”

 Jesus is not to be deterred, “Yes but,” he says, listen instead to my opposition teaching. The teaching we all learn when we come to church with phrases like; “Turn the other cheek.” “Go the extra mile.” “Love your enemies.” “Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is prefect.”

 We understand the point. We know the teaching. We have been told again and again – difficult, yes, but all things are possible with God. We may be God’s plan for the world, but we are not God, and some days we do not feel we are even with God. Far too many days we feel utterly alone in this world.

 Alone, but, not so totally alone. You see, we have our own “Yes but” responses do we not? Love our enemies? Yes, but surely not all of them. They are the worst known to humankind. Respond to body blows by opening ourselves up to more blows? Yes, but surely we are not to stand for abuse. Pray for our persecutors? Yes, but they persecute. Surely we should judge them!

 With these justifications on our lips we never quite hear Jesus’ final command. “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. “ Yes but wait, like Jerry in the car insurance commercial claims, I was perfect all along. Right up to the moment I ran up the light pool, again.

 Now it is Jesus’ turn. He has heard it said, by us, how justified we have made ourselves. Yes but, Jesus says, listen to my commands. And he means it.

 Truthfully we do listen to Jesus commands. We know them well. It is just that we are surrounded by the reinforcement that in this world, in this time and place, it is all about me, or you. We know there is little that is perfect about us or our station in life or even our potential. We are inherently flawed. Yes, we get that. But Jesus offers us an alternative. His offer is as good today as it was in the First century. Even today we can be perfect. Yet again we resist.

 Barbara Essex, Minister for Higher Education and Theological Education for the United Church of Christ speaks for us, “It is easier to be mean, hold grudges, and ignore those in need. If we give to everyone who begs, we will have nothing left for ourselves. If we turn the other cheek, we will get slapped again, if we get sued, we are hiring the best lawyer we can afford to find a loophole in our favor. If we love our enemies, we will be persecuted or even killed. If we are too nice, we will be seen as weak, a pushover, and a doormat.

 How often has the quest for perfection backfired? How many times must we labor for the elusive perfection? Be it in grades, the perfect job, the perfect spouse, or house, or kids. They do not exist. What vanity do we perpetrate next? Only to be reduced to depression and feeling unworthy and a failure. We dig ourselves deeper into despair. Yes, but, we counter, “I am only human.”

 Dearest ones, Jesus will not let us get away with any of our excuses. Jesus has climbed to the top of the mountain to teach us, to teach us in no uncertain terms.

 In God’s community there will be people who think of others first. In God’s community decisions and actions will be made for the common good. For in God’s place, all are sister and brother to one another and act out of love with concern and a giving spirit.

  Jesus knows about God’s place and he knows this life he preaches is possible because of the overpowering love of God. God, who is perfect love. God, who in and through us helps us be gracious, forgiving, hospitable, and generous because we are God’s plan. We are children of God and God showers us with abundant grace, mercy, love, and protection.

 Once we know God’s love in these ways, we can love our enemies. Once we experience God’s forgiveness in these ways, we can forgive those who persecute us. Once we realize Gods’ gift of generosity in these ways, we can give back to those who have little or nothing. We become able to do these things because in Jesus Christ we live in God’s community of believers and doers.

 Yet even with this good news Jesus persists. Yes, these things are true, “but I say to you,” you no longer have to rely on hearsay, the written word alone, what your elders teach you, or what your preacher’s preach to you. To understand God and God’s will for us and for all people and for all creation we simply have to look and listen to Jesus.

  Yes Lord, to Jesus.  But we also persist. We have to stay up on our current events don’t we? We have to listen to the experts or we will lose everything won’t we? We have this life here and now to worry about.

   This may be the hardest part of all. We do worry. We do hold anger and fear within. We cannot seem to avoid our “Yes but” approach to life. Yet in the midst of our present hurry and worry we learn even these times do their dance and then disappear. They are gone, over, finished. But we hold on to them in our minds and they drive our heart and soul to despair.

Then Jesus climbs to the mountain top, Jesus climbs to the depths of the darkest night of the soul, and Jesus finds us. No matter where or when or in what context, Jesus finds us because Jesus loves us. We know Jesus loves us because the truth is before us. We have the marks of ones fully embraced by God and empowered by God’s will.

 We first received those marks at our baptism. Those same marks are nourished each time we come to table for our Holy Supper. I see those marks in each of you. They are your story. The life you have lived filled with duty, faithful discipleship, mature faith, and deep love for God, for one another, and for this church. Dear ones, you cannot play your “yes but” card here.

 We who profess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior cannot play a “Yes but” card because Jesus does not set impossible goals for us. Jesus does not shame folk who cannot reach perfection. No. Jesus sets forth Gods’ vision of God’s world where genuine and unconditional love reigns.

  Jesus sets forth God’s vision of God’s world where to be perfect is to be assured we are not alone. God continues with God’s unconditional love to this very moment, now, and now, and now, to work in and through us.

 Barbara Essex reminds us, “Perfection is less about getting things right and more about living as God loves. Jesus is God’s concrete example of that love.”

 Jesus’ teaching this morning is a voice of promise. It is a good news story to the world that offers the truth that we may love the world as God has loved us – fully, richly, abundantly, and completely. It is a good news story to seek the perfection of God’s pure love. A love so powerfully available to us that when we embrace it we become filled with God’s perfect Son, our loving Lord and savior, Jesus, our Christ.

 I dare say that is a trump card worth playing.

 In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen                                           022314.gpc