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“Therefore, if thou bring thy gift to the altar,
and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee, ...”
The Pharisees were only committed to external acts of worship, they were
not concerned about the state of their hearts. The internal state of mind and
attitude towards their fellowmen were not considered as essential to their
worship of God. While their hearts burned with the fire of anger and hatred,
they continued with their external acts of worship. While they were under the
heavy burden of judgement and condemnation for contempt and conspiracy against
Christ, they continued with their external acts of worship. Their worship was
unacceptable. They had not learnt that “God is a Spirit: and they
that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth” (John
4:24). If anyone worships God with zeal and great commitment, yet with anger,
hatred and malice in the heart, our Lord has declared his worship to be
worthless and his religion vain. It is more desirable to have the heart right
with God and man than to perform mere outward acts of worship. If, therefore, a
man has gone so far as to bring his gift to the very altar, and should remember
that anyone had anything against him, it was his duty to leave his offering
there and go and be reconciled.
“First
be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.” The
word, “first”, emphasises the priority and necessity of
reconciliation with offended brothers, sisters or neighbours before offering
our gifts to God in worship or service. Consider the word, “first”
in Matthew 6:33; 7:5; 17:10,11; 23:26. While the unresolved matters
remained, our offering, sacrifice, worship or service cannot be acceptable. The
gift we bring to God may appear great
and very significant while the offended brother appears small and insignificant, yet restitution and
reconciliation are necessary. The situation may appear small and insignificant,
yet restitution and reconciliation are necessary. The situation or the “aught”
may be known only between the offended and the offender, yet reconciliation
will be necessary and it is not to be delayed. The fault or blame may be on
both sides, yet the one who remembers that his brother has “aught”
against him is not excusable. “To obey is better than sacrifice,
and to hearken than the fat of rams” (1 Samuel 15:22). To continue
offering our gifts and labouring in the service of the Lord without reconciling
with our brother, without restoring Christian fellowship will result to giving
“the sacrifice of fools” (Ecclesiastes 5:1). Such
sacrifice or service is unacceptable to God. Acceptable worship or service is
always offered from hearts “void of offence toward God, and toward men”
(Acts 24:16).
Very humbling Bible Study this week. This is the kind of message that requires the christian who intends to make heaven to prayerfully look within themselves and judge whether their hearts are right with God, this message propels us to ask God to bring to remembrance any thing we might have done to offend anybody. The bible says “Therefore, if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee, “First be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.” Before our talent, time, and gifts can be accepted before God, we must make all the wrongs right with the people in our lives. I pray God will help us to obey the command of reconciliation in Jesus' name. Amen
"Trust and Obey"
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