Back at worship or thrown into prison?...Matthew 5:21-26...A backup from the act of murder to the act of anger.

Another trek up the mountain trail this morning with my best hiking buddy.  This is a beautiful spot where you cross over Beaver Creek on the Timber Lake Trail.  We are probably smiling because we are on our way down.  And these in the picture below are grateful tools we have to get us up the trail and back to the trailhead.

 The views like this one keep us going back and pushing up the trail a little further.  We will try this trail again so we can view Timber Lake for ourselves.  

Jesus is starting a realigning of some of the 10 commandments with His disciples.  He is going from the external to the internal.  You could say, "Well I have never murdered anyone." But Jesus is asking, "Do you hold unholy anger toward another?"  This is the first example of a righteousness that exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees.  They were focusing on outward murder while Jesus was zeroed in on a heart that resolved anger with reconciliation.  

What was really revealing for me in this passage was the presenting of God's way and man's way.  God's way is to have this anger made aware to you in worship and you leave to address it with the one who you have offended to be reconciled.  It brings you back to a place of worship.  Man's way could lead down the road of the courts and could land you in prison because you can't dictate your adversary's actions.  In each, you, the disciple are to take the first step.  You also take the first step in Matthew 18 when you are the one offended.  Disciples of Christ take the first step.  

I fear that many disciples of Christ have been waiting for someone else to take the first step and therefore reconciliations have not occurred because of it.  This is difficult to do but so was Jesus heading toward the cross, leading His disciples there to see God's will fulfilled.   I said Sunday that attending a worship service that is truly focused on glorifying a holy God will reveal any flaw within us that needs to be addressed.  We will remember those things in our lives where we have misstepped (sin) and feeling the pressure in the face of a holy God to follow His instructions rather than continuing on with our man-made excuses and rationalizations.

This is just the start.  Anger today but next week is lust.  Some of these things only God can see but He is addressing them with His disciples to not only expose them but to have them call out to Him to change their hearts.  "May I not be angry anymore with my brother but seek eagerly to get back to loving him.  Lord, help me be obedient to Your words to be reconciled rather than rationalize an unchecked anger."

Adam