Relationship Before Worship
Getting to the core of what Jesus came for.
This is one of those parts of Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 5-7 that can rock the soul when properly read.
Don’t bring your sacrifice to God unless you’re right with humanity.
Is that fair to what Jesus said? If your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift at the altar and go.
God doesn’t want your sacrifice, praise…worship…unless you’re right with your brothers and sisters in Christ. (These aren’t blood familial terms.) However jealous we think God is, however selfish we’ve caricatured the divine to be, we’re probably wrong. Jesus tells us here that God doesn’t want our devotion until our relationship with our fellow believers is rightly set. This also isn’t about being right with everyone else in the world - that would not be possible.
But what a standard it is that is set here for the Church.
And how much we’ve failed.
Matthew 5:21-26
“You have heard that it was said to those who lived long ago, Don’t commit murder, and all who commit murder will be in danger of judgment. But I say to you that everyone who is angry with their brother or sister will be in danger of judgment. If they say to their brother or sister, ‘You idiot,’ they will be in danger of being condemned by the governing council. And if they say, ‘You fool,’ they will be in danger of fiery hell. Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift at the altar and go. First make things right with your brother or sister and then come back and offer your gift. Be sure to make friends quickly with your opponents while you are with them on the way to court. Otherwise, they will haul you before the judge, the judge will turn you over to the officer of the court, and you will be thrown into prison. I say to you in all seriousness that you won’t get out of there until you’ve paid the very last penny.
Prayer
God,
I admit this cuts me to the core, calling us to reconciliation before we can even worship you. As you know, those who profess to be a part of the Church amount to a pretty big number. And you may also know that we disagree.
Wait…is this about agreement? I’m not sure it is at the moment. Frankly, I’m not a huge fan of “agreeing to disagree,” but is that kind of what we can do? Is right relationship about alignment of all heady and hearty things? Can I love someone without affirming everything about them?
Dang…I think that’s possible, actually. But how can I convince others of this!? Maybe that’s not my job. But I do actually desire right relationship. And if that is your primary goal, so help me, God. Help me to settle into the restoration of loving relationship above all other things. Show me that this includes not just feelings, but actions. Not just words, but reparations. And give me the gall to do it.
By your spirit & in Christ,
Amen.
This one right here is everything for me. It’s probably not wise to roll up all of Jesus’s message into one piece of scripture, but alas, I’m afraid I do here. I read it as Jesus kind of saying “nothing else matters” if your relationship with someone else is off. This drove my confession to my wife which was the path to healing for both her and me. And, I have struggled when people in the church who have hurt me have seemingly ignored this part of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. I’ve only recently learned how to move on.
There are probably others I’ve hurt and need to make amends with. I know of one off hand, and I pray for the courage to open dialogue.
This one is an "ouch"!