Oct 10-11 - Matthew 5:21-22

Jesus said

"You have heard that it was

said to those of ancient times,

‘You shall not murder’; and

‘whoever murders shall be

liable to judgment.’

But I say to you that

if you are angry

with a brother or sister, 

you will be liable to judgment

Matthew 5:21-22

I'm not angry today. But I surely have been in the past. As a young man, I had too quick of a temper. 

Am I therefore liable for judgment?

Yes. 

My fate is certain. I am guilty. 

The penalty is death. 

I'm not being dramatic. This is my condition -- sinner. This is my judgment -- guilty. This is the appropriate punishment -- death. 

Sinner. Guilty. Death. That's your situation too. 

Too often people think of Jesus as the one who loosened the law and defeated legalism. No! He sharpened the law. 

Why? To convince us that we are guilty. 

 Have you ever been angry? Guilty! Have you ever lusted in your heart -- much less with your body? Guilty. Have you ever fudged on your taxes or not given your employer a fully day's work? Thief!

Jesus' point is this. You are guilty. You deserve death. 

Why is that Jesus' message? 

Because until we realize that we need a Savior, we are proud hypocrites. We are insufferable bores. We are deceived liars. We think we can be good enough, and therefore try to do life without God. 

It's only when we realize how sinful we are that we reach back to God. 

The Savior wanted you saved. Therefore, to keep you to think you could save yourself with your own goodness, he showed us the real sharpness of the law and the real futility of our sinful nature. 

And then, through the cross, he offered us the only path to life. 

In Christ's Love,

a sinner who now

comprehends grace