Suspense. Intrigue. Mystery. Secret Agents on special missions always make for great entertainment. This is exactly what Yeshua meant when He followed His ‘heart-check’ danger-danger warning to His listeners. Before we enter into worship, He wants us to be ‘secret-agents’ on a ‘top-secret’ mission.

“Therefore (based on what I just got done telling you), if you bring your gift to the altar, and at that point remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” (Matt. 5:23,24).

At first, this statement appears out of place. He just finished dealing with ‘my’ issues with killing, unwarranted anger, calling my brother ‘race’, a ‘fool’ and the dangers associated with each. Surely these are great warnings for my own heart. Why the ‘therefore’?

Anytime you see a ‘for’, a ‘wherefore’, or a ‘therefore’ always ask what it’s ‘therefore’. Therefore, once you have your heart ‘double-checked’ and you know your heart is cleansed towards your brother now it’s time to go deeper into your heart. Huh? How can I do that?

Ask yourself a simple question: “is there any member of the body or outside the body that might in the slightest way hold something against me”?

This Sermon on the Mount is starting to get a little personal. Yeshua expects reconciliation before sacrifice. He wants morality before our religious service. He is also inferring that the one at the altar bringing his gift has not committed an offense. It means that his brother holds a grudge. It might be warranted or unjustified. Regardless, Yeshua says, ‘hold it right there, worshipper’! It doesn’t matter if you are in the right and my brother who carries the offense is wrong. It is my responsibility to reconcile. Then I can present my gift at the altar in shalom!

Tomorrow is Shabbat. 1st day follows that. Could you imagine what would happen if we took this seriously? Remember gang, it’s not about my flaws. It’s about the other person’s reality. Someone else holds something against me. If Yahweh places on your heart a person’s negative feelings towards you, Yeshua says, ‘get out of the Courtyard and be reconciled. If we were that sensitive, would there be a mass exodus before the offering was taken?

When this prompting takes place, Yeshua says, ‘go your way’. Well, that’s not really what He says. The English kind of leaves us a little vague on our ‘secret mission’. When He says, ‘go your way’, hupago, He means do it secretly. It’s a covert mission. Don’t let anyone know what you’re doing. Live the secret-agent spiritual lifestyle. Don’t march out, confronting and demanding for reconciliation. Go secretly. Be discreet. Be super sensitive to their feelings. They are in trauma. This is a private matter and must be dealt with privately. There’s no confrontation here. You are there because Yahweh reminded you of an injured brother or sister and you are there to heal…then to worship.

Be careful! Your sensitivity might have you leave Shabbat tomorrow. You may leave your 1st day meeting. He may bring to your mind the neighbor who thinks you are mean; or the one who thought you cheated them; or the friend who thinks you didn’t stand up for them. I’m sure you can fill in the blanks adequately.

Regardless, slip out of the assembly. Find the injured person. Make amends. Be reconciled. Then watch the atmosphere change in your worship!

Shalom,

Alan