Sermon for the sixth Sunday after Trinity
"You Christians
are so judgemental!"
We hear that a lot,
but what does it mean?
We often find ourselves
in situations
where the Christian life
runs contrary
to the life of the world.
We have seen this
in the public votes
in Parliament
which have ruled
that there are circumstances
in which it is lawful
to take the lives of innocent people.
We also live in an age
where profoundly
destructive worldviews
are being taught
uncritically
to those who are
learning how to live life.
And we Christians speak out
and get pilloried for doing so.
But we have to be careful
because people do not like to be judged.
Why not?
They think that
what they are doing
is good,
not harmful,
beneficial,
even beautiful.
And the basis for their judgement
is that it "feels right" and
"isn't hurting anyone "
and "isn't trying to control people".
The basis of their sense of righteousness
is themselves
or it is the culture around them
telling them that they are right.
Their righteousness
is man-made,
not God-made.
Their righteousness
will change with the times
and they will look back on the past
and declare it immoral
"by today's standards."
But "today's standards"
will be immoral by tomorrow's.
[PAUSE]
Our righteousness
as disciples of Christ
has to exceed the righteousness
of the Scribes and Pharisees
of today.
Let's be clear,
there is no-one more
educated in the Law
than the Pharisee.
It's his job to know
and to follow all the little bits and pieces
of the Divine law,
but his basis for the Law
is the law itself.
The Pharisees righteousness
is based on a law
which is indeed God-given
but applied by a greater law
namely the Pharisee's
self-righteousness.
But doesn't the Church
follow the Divine Law?
What makes the Church
any better than the Pharisees?
[PAUSE]
Our Lord shows us
that the law
goes beyond the letter.
To.murder someone
means more than
sticking a knife into them.
We can commit murder
by calling someone a fool
and kill their place
in our hearts.
We can commit adultery
by looking lustfully at a women
just as well as getting her
into bed.
The law of the Pharisee
is written on parchment.
The law of God
is written on human hearts.
We've seen the effects
of applying the written law
inhumanely
and the effects have been appalling.
If the written law
has the capacity
to end the life of
an innocent person
then innocent people will die
and the world will think
that it has done a good thing.
And anyone who objects
will be regarded as
judgemental
and inhumanely
for allowing people's suffering
to continue.
[PAUSE]
This, of course,
ignores the sovereignty of God
and His ability
to turn our suffering into joy,
perhaps not in this life
but Eternally so.
All pain and suffering on earth
will end in time
and the heart that seeks
the righteousness of God
will find peace in Him.
Man does not have the capacity
to see the fulness of another's pain
nor the value that it possesses.
Man can only walk with those
who suffer and tend
the wounds inflicted.
Only God can reach the cause
of pain
because pain tells us
that something is wrong,
that there is a conflict
between what is and what should be.
The righteousness of this world
seeks to numb that pain
by providing a distraction
or a pleasure to distract
from sorrow
rather than addressing
the actual cause.
[PAUSE]
It is only through Christ
that we can see true righteousness
which will exceed the righteousness
of Scribe and Pharisee
because it is based
on Love
- not the sentimental feeling,
- not the legalised idea of compassion
- not the politically correct form of caring.
God is Love
and God is Righteousness.
He is the basis of morality
and if we make our judgements
based on His love,
then the World can call us judgemental
as much as it likes
but our judgement will be good
because it will pour the love of God
into the wounds of the suffering
and they will be healed in Him
eternally.
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