How many of you consider yourselves law-abiding citizens? As many of you know, there are 613 laws in the Torah, which is a large number of laws. Jesus tells us he is the fulfillment of those laws, and of whom the prophets spoke. I started thinking about law, and laws, while preparing for this sermon, and I wondered: how many laws do we have in Sarasota County? So, I googled it. I expected to get a simple number, like 300. What I came across was the code of ordinances of Sarasota County. Fr. Wood meet rabbit hole. Rabbit hole, Fr. Wood.
After looking through the ordinances and going cross-eyed searching for my answer, I decided to try something else. Back to Saint Google of Silicon Valley. I searched “How many laws does the United States have?” I got the simple answer I was looking for. “There are at least 5,000 federal criminal laws, with 10,000-300,000 regulations that can be enforced criminally.” That is one heck of a margin for error, 10,000- 300,000! I have heard people say it is crazy that the ancient Israelites had 613 laws. When you compare their laws to the number of laws we have on the books, the 613 laws of the Torah actually seem fairly restrained.
The foundation of the Torah, and much of the foundation of the laws of western society, are built on the Ten Commandments. Our Confirmation class must memorize the ten commandments in numerical order each year as part of their confirmation homework. I give them a little trick to use to help them remember: Commandments one through four are about the human relationship to God. No gods but me, do not make for yourself any idol, don’t take the Lord’s names in vain, and remember the sabbath. The last six commandments are about relationships between people. Honor parents, no murder, no adultery, no stealing, do not bear false witness, and do not covet.
Is it any surprise then, that the law can be summarized, love God with all you are and all you have, and love your neighbor as yourself? Think about those 5,000 federal criminal laws. I bet we could simplify 99-100% of them into loving God and loving neighbor. Jesus calls his followers, including each of us, to be salt and light. Jesus says what good is salt if it has no taste? What good is a lamp of its light is hidden?
What good are we, if we come to church multiple times per week, and when we are not here, we hide the light of God we have all received, from those with whom we live, and work, and study? God did not call Israel to be an introverted community, sitting and waiting for God to come and act, and fix everything. Jesus did not create the Church to be a community of people that hide their love, their passion, and their zeal for righteousness, inside a building they come and visit once or twice per week.
We are salt. Our job is to go out of these doors each week and salt up the world so much it needs to take blood pressure medication. We are light; our job is to force the world to wear sunglasses every time we are around. Jesus warns each of us if we are salt without taste, we are as good as dirt. If we hide our light, it may be extinguished. The prophet Isaiah in chapter 58, speaks to being in a relationship with God. Isaiah says if we want our light to break forth like the dawn, we must share with the hungry, bring the homeless poor into our home, and cover those who are naked.
Jesus described himself as the fulfillment of the law for a fantastic and yet also a simple reason.
Every human being who has ever lived has needed laws and peer pressure to do the right thing. We need laws because, without them, we would all be unhinged, out of control, self-centered monsters — all of us. But not Jesus. Jesus demonstrates the perfect relationship with God and a perfect relationship with his fellow man. That is how he fulfills the law. He does all that the law commands, of his own free will, out of love, and for the sole purpose of revealing the face of the Father to all humanity. The best part is he leaves all of us with a simple way to remember how to do what he did. Love and rely entirely on God, and love your neighbor, so that he or she may see Jesus’s face in each one of us.
As God-fearing and God-loving Christians, children of God, and heirs of Christ’s kingship, we should be eager to mirror the grace each of us has, and continues to receive, from God. Eager-to-be law-abiding citizens and to represent the law to our families, friends, and neighbors. To be tasteless salt, or hidden light is to cheapen God’s grace. We receive grace, not simply for us to feel better, and to assist us in our need for mental and spiritual health. We receive it also to empower us to change the world, and to reveal God to the people we encounter every day. God calls us to be keepers of the law; to teach God’s laws to others, starting with our families, and then branching out.
Ask yourself today: Can I love God with all that I am? Can I love my neighbor like God loves me?
If we ask ourselves those questions at the dawn of each new day, if we make those questions our petition to God, I bet God will give us the opportunity to make Him known.
Sermon preached by the Rev. Christian M, Wood
Church of the Redeemer
Sarasota Florida
4 Sunday after Epiphany
9 February 2020