Why reconciliation as a focus? Here is my story, my memory of how reconciliation began to be what I refer to as something that preoccupies me. In the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew five, Jesus sandwiches reconciliation between his words on anger and worship. I am someone who has spent time holding down and denying his anger. “I was frustrated,” were my words as I denied my anger even to myself.
In contrast to my anger issue is my love of worship. Then at some point, my memory fails me as to when, these words of Jesus came into my heart and never left. “So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” (Matthew 5:23-24 ESV) Those last words – “First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift”- remind me that reconciliation must precede even the worship of God. It is that important to Jesus, and vision. So maybe on Saturday I should reflect on the week and consider Christ’s “regulative” vision of worship. I do not want to have to leave a worship service because I just remembered someone described as a brother - “…if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go.” Reconciliation can start from a memory of someone who has something against you. Better we deal with those memories on a Saturday before the Sunday.
I will come back to this passage often to keep us thinking about reconciliation. Blogs are not meant to be exhaustive or the final word on a topic, just keep you coming back for more.
The “go” in the Great Commission is not the only “go” from Jesus for his disciples. So, prayerfully review your memories and if needed, “go.” Now you can “go” to worship.
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