That seems like an obvious question, but it isn't. It's not actually as straightforward as you might expect. Why do any of us say things, really? It's not why we think we do. We think we say things in order that we might be heard and observed, in order that we might communicate and further human discourse. But then there are times when we say things to 'make conversation.' You know, when we say things just to fill the mental space that is not currently being used for anything else. Nobody's saying anything, so we figure we might as well add something to the mix. And so we say stuff just for the sake of saying it. 'Reading the newspaper?' 'Watching TV and playing on your phone?' Stating and restating the obvious, just for the sake of having something to say. To 'make conversation.' Only problem is that we don't make conversation when we do that, not really. We just fill space with words.
But Jesus doesn't do that. How are we so sure that he doesn't do that? Well, if you get right the way to the end of the Gospel of John, it'll tell you all about it. There are many other things that Jesus did that aren't recorded in this book, but these things are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. All simple and above board, certainly. Or so we'd think.
But then we get to passages about cutting off limbs. And when we get to passages that talk about cutting off limbs, we are far more tempted to think that Jesus is just making conversation. Oh, sure, he's talking about amputations, but he's just exaggerating for effect. He doesn't actually mean it, does he? Or does he?
There's a movement out there that is called 'red letter Christianity.' I won't bore you with the details, but essentially what we're looking at is that the letters of Jesus that show up in the Bible (often helpfully in red ink) are incredibly important, and matter. Now, we won't get into the discussion as to whether all scriptures is God-Breathed (it is), or if scripture interprets scripture (it does). Instead, we're going to isolate those words of Jesus and ask ourselves 'does he mean it?' Simple question. If we say that he doesn't mean it, then we are setting ourselves up for all sorts of trouble as we pick through the words of Christ in the Bible. Oh sure, Jesus doesn't really mean what he says about care for the poor and feeding the sick and taking care of the weak and the orphans. That's too hard! Some might say that's impossible. Okay, sure. And it is. But just because it's impossible, doesn't mean that Jesus doesn't mean what he says.
Take, for example, a quite serious thing that Jesus says, when he tells everyone 'be perfect, just as your heavenly father is perfect.' Would we say that because this is impossible (yes, your perfection is impossible), that Jesus is therefore not serious, is only joking, and shouldn't be taken seriously? Or do we say that he means it, that his intention for us is to be perfect, and we have to grapple with what that means.
So back, once again, to his suggestion that if our hands or feet offend us, that we should remove them. If it is your hands or feet that lead you into a life of sin, Jesus suggests removing them. But he is also suggesting that you remove yourself from any cause of sin. Whatever it is that is dragging you down and causing you to sin, remove it, be far from it, because sin is a serious business. Though he doesn't talk about it often, he does mention hellfire in this section, and it's no joke.
Yes, I know, I'm not what you would call a fire and brimstone preacher. In fact, I'm not sure what brimstone even is, only that it's bad, and I should avoid it. Beyond that, no clue. But when Jesus speaks up about Hellfire and damnation, it's a good idea to listen. It's a good idea to listen because Jesus takes sin very seriously. He takes it more seriously than we in the church do. Most of us are pretty relaxed about sin, take it easy, don't think about it too much. We don't dwell on our sin and what it's doing to us at all. We think instead that our sin is something for Jesus to deal with, and for us to laughingly do, and then half-heartedly repent of later. What does Jesus expect? We're not perfect!
Jesus doesn't do what we want him to, though. He doesn't shrug his shoulders at sin and pretend like it's no big deal. He reminds you, exhaustively if necessary, that it is a big deal, and it always was. Your little sins, the things you do on a daily basis, that's what's dragging you down to hell. It's not the big stuff only (though make no mistake, it is the big stuff), but it's the small stuff too. The little indescretions, the hushed whispers, the browsers opened in incognito mode. The things you do that nobody knows about so you can fool yourself into thinking that there are no consequences, and it won't matter.
But it does. it's the stuff you do that is the problem, not the stuff other people do. Let them do whatever they're going to do, and don't worry about it. Don't fret, don't sweat, don't focus on what they're all about, think about yourself. Jesus is talking about your sin, and how your sin is leading you to hell. Eternal hellfire and damnation where the fire never dies out, and the worm never stops eating away. Sound fun? Of course it doesn't. What would you do to avoid it? Anything Lord, anything! Would you cut off your hand? Well, no, no I wouldn't. I've grown quite attached to it. Well, would you throw out your computer? No, Lord, for I need it for work, and to watch cat videos in addition to pornography. Okay, well would you then install filters on your internet browser to avoid seeing that content anymore? No, Lord, for I don't really want to stop.
Aha. How our excuses fall. Sure, if you wanted to stop, I'm certain you could. If you wanted to quit, there would be ample opportunities to do so. If you really wished to steer aside from your sin, it would be possible, but you and I and Jesus all know that you won't. Far from cutting off your own hands, you won't even change the TV channel to save your soul. So what now? Just abject defeat? Is this the end of all things? Or is it something else entirely?
When Jesus tells you to cut off your hands and feet, he is doing so not for effect, but telling us what it would take to seriously avoid sin. What would it take? It would take body part removal on a large scale. And yet none of us Christians seem to do that. We don't chop off our hands or toss away our feet. Why not? Because the weight of the problem carries with it a solution - it carries with it the solution in Christ Jesus. The price of staying clear is far too high - sacrificing our hands and feet! But that's that Jesus does to keep us free from sin. In order that we might be saved from the consequences of our sin, Jesus doesn't demand that you give up your hands and your feet, but he gives up his. Think of the price Jesus pays on the cross for your sin - think of what he loses. He gives up his friends, his freedom, his safety. He gives up his dignity, his clothes, and his family. At the end, he gives up his hands and his feet, not cut off, but nailed down, and pinned to the cross. and there he dies. Dies for you, and for me, dies for the sins that we wouldn't cross the street or put down a book to avoid.
But the great thing is, the story doesn't end there. There was a bit in Blackadder (a british TV show from the 80s) in which a thorny theological problem got introduced. Namely "Suppose my right hand offends me, and I cut it off. Well, suppose my left hand offends me as well. What do I cut it off with?" Funny, but it does illustrate a good point, which is after you cut off a hand, you don't have another one grow back in its place. Humans are not built to do this, you understand. We don't regrow limbs. Gone is gone, and dead is dead. You have to be really sure cutting that hand off will solve the problem. Well, Jesus was sure that his death would solve the problem of your sin. He knew it would. Itw as all plotted out, this was the price that had to be paid. So he paid that price, bled and died, and your sin was gone. But unlike you, you who could only lose a hand once, Jesus died and then rose again. Paying the price for all time, and yet keeping all the glory to share with us. The amazing miracle of the resurrection isn't only that your sins are paid for, but that you sins are paid for by the one who actually had the resources to do it. Not you, you don't have anything close to enough in your bank balance. This is why you lean on the glory of Christ, because he has promised to give unto you grace everlasting out of his riches. How much does he have to give? Enough that death itself can't hold him down.
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