Reflections on Scripture with Dr. Leins
| Time Stamp | Transcript |
| 0:05 | hello |
| 0:07 | today let’s talk about |
| 0:10 | murder adultery and revenge |
| 0:16 | we’re still in Matthew Chapter 5 and |
| 0:19 | Jesus is still preaching The Sermon on |
| 0:21 | the Mount |
| 0:22 | but today we’re going to reach some of |
| 0:24 | what is often called the hard sayings of |
| 0:27 | Jesus |
| 0:28 | and they are hard sayings indeed |
| 0:31 | we begin with with verse 20 |
| 0:36 | in which Jesus says accept your |
| 0:38 | righteousness exceeds that of the |
| 0:41 | scribes and Pharisees you cannot enter |
| 0:43 | the kingdom of heaven |
| 0:45 | and this section ends with verse 48 in |
| 0:48 | which Jesus says be ye perfect |
| 0:51 | as your father in Heaven is perfect |
| 0:54 | and between these two bookends |
| 0:57 | we have a number of hard |
| 0:59 | hard sayings |
| 1:02 | Jesus begins |
| 1:04 | you have heard it said You shall not |
| 1:06 | murder |
| 1:08 | but I say to you |
| 1:10 | everyone who is angry with his brother |
| 1:14 | is already guilty |
| 1:16 | and anyone who says to his brother you |
| 1:20 | fool |
| 1:22 | you are already guilty |
| 1:24 | of endangering your own soul |
| 1:28 | do you not know that your relationship |
| 1:31 | with God impacts every other |
| 1:33 | relationship that you have this vertical |
| 1:36 | relationship impacts all of your |
| 1:38 | horizontal relationships you’re so |
| 1:40 | concerned and interested in God |
| 1:42 | forgiving you your sin |
| 1:44 | do not realize that you should forgive |
| 1:47 | the sins of others |
| 1:52 | in just a few verses |
| 1:54 | Beyond today’s reading |
| 1:57 | Jesus provides us with the model prayer |
| 2:01 | at the conclusion of that prayer he says |
| 2:03 | do you not know |
| 2:05 | if you do not forgive men |
| 2:08 | then your father in heaven will not |
| 2:10 | forgive you |
| 2:15 | that’s a terrifying word |
| 2:17 | Jesus is obviously taking the fifth |
| 2:21 | commandment Thou shalt not kill very |
| 2:23 | very seriously |
| 2:25 | Jesus goes on to say you have heard it |
| 2:28 | said You shall not commit adultery |
| 2:31 | but I say to you |
| 2:33 | anyone who looks at a woman with lust |
| 2:38 | has already committed adultery in his |
| 2:41 | heart |
| 2:42 | cut out your eye |
| 2:44 | cut off your hand |
| 2:47 | it is better for you to enter Heaven |
| 2:49 | without an eye or without a hand than it |
| 2:52 | is for you to have your whole body |
| 2:55 | condemned to hell |
| 3:03 | you have heard |
| 3:06 | he who sends his wife away let him give |
| 3:09 | her a certificate of divorce |
| 3:11 | but I say to you that everyone who |
| 3:14 | divorces his wife |
| 3:16 | for any reason but on chastity |
| 3:20 | makes her commit adultery and whoever |
| 3:23 | marries an un |
| 3:25 | whoever marries a divorced woman |
| 3:28 | commits adultery |
| 3:32 | you made a marriage vow before God you |
| 3:34 | made a promise before heaven |
| 3:36 | will you break it now |
| 3:39 | for divorce or for |
| 3:41 | lustful desire |
| 3:45 | the word of God stands |
| 3:48 | you shall not commit adultery |
| 3:52 | Jesus Takes the sixth commandment |
| 3:55 | very seriously too |
| 3:59 | the Lord goes on |
| 4:01 | you have heard it said an eye for an eye |
| 4:03 | and a tooth for a tooth but I say to you |
| 4:07 | do not resist him who is evil |
| 4:10 | if he wants to sue you for your shirt |
| 4:12 | give him your coat too |
| 4:15 | if he demands that you walk within one |
| 4:17 | mile walk with him too |
| 4:21 | and |
| 4:22 | love him |
| 4:25 | forgive the Unforgivable |
| 4:28 | love the unlovable |
| 4:31 | love your enemy |
| 4:34 | and |
| 4:35 | pray for the one who persecutes you |
| 4:40 | that is the heart of God |
| 4:42 | it should be your heart too |
| 4:47 | by this time the words of Jesus |
| 4:50 | are not just hard there |
| 4:53 | impossible |
| 4:55 | we |
| 4:57 | I |
| 5:00 | cannot |
| 5:03 | meet his requirements they are too hard |
| 5:06 | for me |
| 5:12 | I wonder Lord can’t you just reduce your |
| 5:15 | Commandments can’t you just make them |
| 5:18 | easier |
| 5:21 | they are too demanding your Commandments |
| 5:23 | are too commanding |
| 5:26 | but he’s already given me the end from |
| 5:28 | the beginning |
| 5:30 | except your righteousness exceeds that |
| 5:32 | of the scribes and Pharisees you cannot |
| 5:34 | enter the Kingdom of Heaven be perfect |
| 5:36 | as your father in Heaven is perfect |
| 5:39 | and I see and declare I am not and I |
| 5:43 | cannot |
| 5:46 | I am unrighteous and unfit and ungodly I |
| 5:51 | cannot enter the kingdom of heaven |
| 5:54 | and for all of my protestations God |
| 5:57 | cannot reduce or remove his Commandments |
| 6:01 | simply because I can’t keep them |
| 6:05 | he would cease to be the holy and |
| 6:08 | righteous God |
| 6:10 | where he |
| 6:11 | to remove his Commandments |
| 6:14 | or reduce them |
| 6:18 | he cannot lower the bar |
| 6:20 | simply because I can’t keep it |
| 6:24 | and so |
| 6:27 | he declares that wrath is poured out |
| 6:30 | upon the Sinner and judgment is given |
| 6:34 | to the unrighteous |
| 6:38 | and I understand my condition and I |
| 6:40 | understand |
| 6:42 | the judgment |
| 6:45 | and the Lord Jesus won’t compromise on |
| 6:47 | this and he wants me to see and hear |
| 6:50 | the reality of my position before God |
| 6:54 | so that when God’s word is declared I |
| 6:56 | will hear it with fresh ears |
| 6:59 | and a heart that rejoices because to |
| 7:02 | this |
| 7:03 | unrighteous |
| 7:04 | ungodly sinner to all those who find |
| 7:08 | themselves in that position |
| 7:11 | the heavenly father |
| 7:12 | says this |
| 7:16 | I love you |
| 7:20 | I love you |
| 7:22 | because you have loved my son |
| 7:26 | and because you have believed |
| 7:28 | that I sent him |
| 7:32 | and for the sake of that belief |
| 7:34 | on account of that faith |
| 7:37 | I declare that you are without sin |
| 7:41 | and you are my own child |
| 7:46 | it is a mystery |
| 7:48 | is a glorious mystery |
| 7:52 | that |
| 7:54 | these two diametrically opposed truths I |
| 7:58 | am a sinner |
| 8:00 | because of my sin |
| 8:02 | and I am a saint |
| 8:06 | because of my savior |
| 8:09 | both of these truths |
| 8:12 | Stand Together |
| 8:14 | in a holy mystery |
| 8:22 | we the ungodly |
| 8:26 | sin |
| 8:29 | that’s true |
| 8:32 | at the same time there is now no |
| 8:34 | condemnation for those who are in Christ |
| 8:36 | Jesus Hallelujah that is true |
| 8:41 | Luther says we are simultaneously Saints |
| 8:43 | and Sinners |
| 8:45 | the |
| 8:47 | simultaneously is similar |
| 8:50 | in Latin Saint and sinner is Eustis at |
| 8:54 | pecatur |
| 8:56 | the Divine mystery of what |
| 8:58 | God has made |
| 9:01 | for those who believe |
| 9:03 | uh Luther by the way explains this |
| 9:05 | wonderfully in his lectures to the |
| 9:07 | Galatians |
| 9:09 | that set of lectures delivered in 1535 |
| 9:12 | please note especially chapter 3 verse |
| 9:17 | 6 |
| 9:21 | hmm |
| 9:24 | so we live in the symbol |
| 9:27 | we live in the tension |
| 9:30 | of being both Saints and Sinners |
| 9:35 | humble repentant with our eyes ever |
| 9:37 | focused upon the cross |
| 9:42 | because the sin in you |
| 9:47 | declares God is now no sin |
| 9:52 | and you who are Unforgivable |
| 9:56 | God declares |
| 9:58 | you are forgiven |
| 10:01 | you who are damnable are not damned and |
| 10:05 | you who are worthy of Eternal punishment |
| 10:08 | are now worthy of Eternal Paradise |
| 10:13 | how has this happened |
| 10:15 | what has happened to you |
| 10:21 | the one who has given you faith |
| 10:25 | has on account of that faith |
| 10:28 | declared you righteous |
| 10:33 | the one who judges your sin |
| 10:38 | has named you his own beloved child |
| 10:45 | amen |
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