Faithful reading

Gate Pa – Epiphany 6 (16 February 2014)

Readings:

Hebrew Scripture:                 Deut 30:15-20            

Psalm:                                     119:1-8                                               

Epistle:                                    1 Cor 3:1-9                 

Gospel:                                    Matt 5:21-37              

What I want to say:

Explore how to faithfully read and interpret scripture based on Gospel reading for this Sunday.

What I want to happen:

People to be given the skills to faithfully read scripture for themselves in a way that is consistent with both gospel writers and Paul.

The Sermon

      1.      Introduction:

what is the purpose of God’s law?

            discuss

how we answer that question is all important

            shapes understanding what life in God is all about

            shapes understanding scripture

            shapes understanding how we are to read scripture

heart of today’s Gospel reading

      2.      Law

Law is underlying theme in all our readings this week

•   Psalm acrostic poem – explain

love poem in homage of God’s law

            often struggled with it

•  Deuteronomy means “second law” and is presentation mosaic law

            writer clear that choosing life means obeying this law

            if one chooses not to obey it choose death

•   while law is not explicitly dealt with passage heard from Paul

-          never far from surface

-          this Pharisee steeped in God’s law was constantly arguing for new reading scriptures and reinterpretation of that law.

o         radical position that got him into trouble with all Jewish traditionalists within synagogues and leadership of church.

issue which Jesus is addressing in reading heard Matthew this morning.

      3.      Matthews Gospel

so what did you think of that reading?

            responses

on Tuesday when discussed it one reactions of that makes Jesus look very judgemental and legalistic

they wondered if it had been inserted later

            – not seem to fit with Jesus presented in rest of gospel

I think what are witnessing here is fierce debate occurring at two levels

            between Jesus and Pharisees

            and within Matthews community

ð  about how to faithfully read and interpret scripture.

suggest that rather than fundamentalist approach to scripture

            what hearing here is revisionist reading

last week heard beatitudes – offered radically different way understanding honour system

            radically different way understanding basis of society.

told that if we live in this way we will be salt of earth and light to world.

finished with saying about law and prophets – in pew sheet

"Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. 19 Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5: 17-19)

or “Don't think that my teachings replace or reduce the law and the prophets. And don't think you can skip the details. Details count. But something more than the details is also needed. You must align your whole self with what God desires - that is what those in Heaven are like.” 

seems very conservative

this week goes on some examples of what he meant by that

which on face of it looks fundamentalist and judgemental

face of it sounds like really strict reading of some of commandments and mosaic law

            in fact I suggest it is warning against that kind of reading – if you wish to use God’s law as means to judge others, beware, this is how far you need to go!!

Instead invites hearers go beyond surface reading and see what intent of the law was

that takes us back to where we started

            purpose of the law

Recently listened to book by Rob Bell and Don Golden

suggest that entire story bible is around God’s desire to create community that will enflesh God’s compassion, mercy and love for all people and will be a vehicle by which God’s reign of justice and peace might come.

as another writer put it – God’s being informs our being.

law in this understanding of story of Bible is then means by which this community is built

not built though simple obedience to words of law

build when those laws change how we see those we live among not as objects

            objects of our compassion and generosity

            objects of our outreach

            objects of our anger

            objects of our desire

but as our brother and sister – like us, made in image of God

God’s law then is not a legal code that must be obeyed to earn life

God’s law is means by which we are shaped from within by the being of God

            shaped to be people of justice, compassion, faith and love.

            shaped to be people of the beatitudes.