Exceeding Righteousness Matt 5 17 26
Series: Trinity Season Gospel Sermons
July 12, 2026
Rev. Nathan J. Rusert
The Sixth Sunday After Trinity 12-July-2026 Sermon Text: Matthew 5:17-26 Sermon Theme: Exceeding Righteousness! I. It Pays Our Debt In Full.(vs.17-18) II. It Frees Us From Self Deception. (Vs.19-22)III. It Reconciles Us With Our Brother.(vs.23-26) by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert
Episode Notes
The Sixth Sunday After Trinity 12-July-2026
Sermon Text: Matthew 5:17-26
Sermon Theme: Exceeding Righteousness!
I. It Pays Our Debt In Full.(vs.17-18) II. It Frees Us From Self Deception. (Vs.19-22)III. It Reconciles Us With Our Brother.(vs.23-26) by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert
I.N.R.I. How much do you owe? Owe? Our nation celebrated its 250th birthday, but it has bills to pay. In our constitutional republic the government doesn’t generate wealth by itself, it only can raise revenues by tariffs and taxes. In other words the government only has money that it taxes away from you, your children, and your grandchildren. As a citizen of The United States of America, the government’s debt is your debt. Debt that will be passed on to every generation after you. How much do you owe?
This morning the U.S. national debt clock reads $39.4 trillion dollars. That means each citizen owes $114,549, but since not all citizens are taxpayers, each of us who pay taxes owe $356,620. To top it off in the U.S. personal debt is over $112 trillion dollars. AI Fraud debt is over $1.2 trillion. Hidden in our debt deception is the reality that $924 trillion dollars has been created out of nothing with currency and credit card derivatives.
What does a trillion dollars look like? A million seconds was 12 days ago. A billion seconds was 31 years ago. A trillion seconds was 31,688 years ago. If the U.S. could pay down its debt at the rate of $1,000 per second it would take nearly 39,437 years to pay down our present debt without calculating the interest that would accumulate. If money is your god, the thing that you run to find help in every trouble and find comfort in every need -then you have a very poor god indeed.
How much do you owe? The Ten Commandments expose our debt. You have not feared, loved and trusted in God above all things. You use His name carelessly instead of calling upon it in every trouble. You despise preaching and His Word thinking it is a common thing. You rebel against authority and the Lord’s rule through parents and government. You live in anger and hate. You lust and degrade marriage. You rejoice to steal from your neighbor, demanding that they pay more taxes , so you can get your entitlements. You lie and gossip spreading rumors hurting reputations - examine your social media and daily conversations. You think if you just had our neighbor’s property, spouse, friends, or workers then you could be happy. You are not alone. We are all deeply in debt. Scripture tells us, Rom 3:10-18 As it is written: "THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NO, NOT ONE; (11) THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS; THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS AFTER GOD. (12) THEY HAVE ALL TURNED ASIDE; THEY HAVE TOGETHER BECOME UNPROFITABLE; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, NO, NOT ONE." (13) "THEIR THROAT IS AN OPEN TOMB; WITH THEIR TONGUES THEY HAVE PRACTICED DECEIT"; "THE POISON OF ASPS IS UNDER THEIR LIPS"; (14) "WHOSE MOUTH IS FULL OF CURSING AND BITTERNESS." (15) "THEIR FEET ARE SWIFT TO SHED BLOOD; (16) DESTRUCTION AND MISERY ARE IN THEIR WAYS; (17) AND THE WAY OF PEACE THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN." (18) "THERE IS NO FEAR OF GOD BEFORE THEIR EYES."This debt demands payment, its wages are death, now and eternally in the solitary confinement of hell. Problem is no one can pay even the least of what we owe. Rom 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” Hope is found outside of your trying - look only to Jesus Christ crucified find: Exceeding Righteousness!
I. It Pays Our Debt In Full.(vs.17-18)
II. It Frees Us From Self Deception. (Vs.19-22)
III. It Reconciles Us With Our Brother.(vs.23-26)
I. Ignoring your bills doesn’t exonerate you of the debt. If you promise the banker not to charge any more on your credit card, you still have to pay your old debt and interest. He’d think you’re a lunatic if you said, “I promised not to charge anymore, so I don’t owe you a cent.” Even though, we treat the Lord God like this - we ignore the word and will of our Creator. If we hide His Ten Commandments and never teach them to our children - we foolishly image we are no longer accountable to Him. Fools - The Law remains in effect for us in 2026 just as it was when ther the children of Israel heard God speak them to mankind at Mount Sinai.
Jesus preaches on the Mount, (vs.17-18) The Pharisees accuse Jesus of being a Samaritan. Samaritan’s accepted the first five books of the Bible - the Torah or Law, but rejected the rest. Postmodern Christians think they can pick and choose which parts of the Bible to believe and which parts to reject - in doing so they call God a liar. Jesus doesn’t come to destroy or set aside even the smallest dot of the Word of God - “The Law and the Prophets” is the whole Old Testament. Jesus the eternally only begotten Son of the Father, leaves His throne on high and enters our time and space, conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, not to destroy but to fulfill the Law and Promises. Literally He fills up to the brim all of the promises the prophets in the Old Testament spoke of concerning the Messiah. More so, as our Brother, fully human, He fills up to the brim all the demands of the Law of God. The promises and the demands of God only ind their fulfillment in the flesh and blood of Jesus. Rom 3:22-24 For there is no difference; (23) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (24) being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
The Law stands. Not even the smallest marking in the Hebrew text - a jot or tittle passes away, till Jesus fulfills it all. Heaven and earth will pass away, but the Word of God endures forever. That is why Lutherans begin catechesis with teaching the 10 Commandments. Unless we see the debt we owed, the price that Jesus paid for us on Calvary means nothing. This reflects the worship of the Old Testament. The Ten Commandments were placed into the golden ark of the covenant. Above them on the cover was the mercy seat of God between the kneeling cherubim. It was on this atonement covering that the blood of the spotless lamb was poured to cover the sins of the people once every year on the day of atonement by the High priest.
The true Lamb of God came. John the Baptist, a priestly descendant of Aaron and the last great prophet points to Him and cries out, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” Jesus is the Second Adam - He alone lived a spotless life, fulfilling the law perfectly not for Himself but FOR YOU! He was examined and found innocent by the priests and two governments. He is raised up between heaven and earth upon the cross and He pours out His blood for the life of this world. He pays our debt in full and swallows up our hell and death forever. Only Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law and the sacrifice whose holy precious blood washes away 100% of the debt of your sin and mine - He died for all.
Three days later He took up His life again. He speaks to the despairing disciples traveling to Emmaus. He opens the Law and the Prophets for them to see that it was necessary for the Christ to have suffered all these things. Breaking the bread at table their eyes are opened to see Jesus. They rejoice in His exceeding righteousness! All is fulfilled for you - for every honest sinner who despairs of his trying. The debt you could not pay, has been paid for you in full by Jesus - this is grace. You didn’t deserve it, you didn’t earn it - it is the free gift of God in Christ Jesus.
II. Grace frees us from self-deception. Grace opens our eyes to see the Truth. Grace leads to repentance. We lie to ourselves that we have no sin, or thinking that our sins isn’t as bad as the sin of others. Like our first father Adam, we try to cover up our sins with camouflage, and if that doesn’t work we blame God and those nearest to us to justify ourselves by excusing our sin.
Only the exceeding righteousness of Christ Jesus clothed upon us in Holy Baptism makes sinners alive again. Stop lying to yourself and those around you. Listen, (vs.19) Whoever breaks one of the least of the Ten Commandments and teaches others to do the same, no matter how many degrees they possess, are the least in God’s kingdom. Our God isn’t play dough. We don’t re imagine Him to fit our sin darkened reason or this present evil age. It is sinful arrogance to redefine marriage, to desecrate our bodies following feelings, to murder the unborn - physically infirm -mentally ill, to steal, to rebellion, to gossip, to worship evil desires as good, and to pray according to our sinful whims. The Word of God stands - marriage is the union of one man and one woman for life, there are only two sexes. Human life is precious from the moment of conception to natural death. Whoever teaches otherwise is the least in God’s kingdom. Murder isn’t just an outward action, but the law examines our hearts.(vs.20-21) The law demands a righteousness that exceeds that of the scribes and pharisees or we can’t set foot in heaven. The Scribes knew all the right words - they knew the Bible like the back of their hand. The Pharisees lived an outwardly moral life - they were very religious and good people outwardly. They taught that as long as you didn’t murder someone with your own hand you kept the fifth commandment. They were shocked when the apostles’ preached accusing them of murdering the Author of Life. It was Pontius Pilate, the Romans they’d say who executed Him, we only handed Him over to the authorities. They lied to themselves. Jesus mocks their way of teaching the Law - with varied punishments for different levels of breaking God’s law. (Vs.22) The Law of God is a mirror exposing our sin. Looking into that mirror the black cold murderer in our heart is exposed. The Holy Spirit teaches us through St. John, 1Jn 3:15 Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. And again, God the Holy Spirit testifies through Him, 1Jn 4:20 If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? Stop all self deception! Tremble before the voice of Your Creator exposing your heart in the Law! Confess the truth, “I am a poor miserable murderer! Look only to the One who takes the place of the murderer Barabbas - He takes my and your place upon the cross. Suffers our just punishment in His body and pays our price in full. Risen He forever frees me from self deception new life in Him.
III. Baptism is our death and our resurrection! Jesus knits you into Himself in this sacrament! Buried with Christ in baptism you died to sin, death and the devil, raised to new life in baptism your life is new forgiven - Jesus lives in you, walks with you, speaks peace to you. The exceeding righteousness of Jesus reconciles us with God and with one another. (Vs.23-26). Forgiveness in Christ Jesus frees us. It flows through us forgiving those who sin against us. Our debt of sin is paid, no longer do we continue in sin that grace may abound. We live a new life trusting and loving God above all things and serving our neighbor in love. New life in Christ is living the Ten Commandments in our daily vocations. Freed to forgive. Freed to seek forgiveness from those we wrong. Freed to call upon the Lord’s name in every trouble, pray, praise and give thanks. Freed to gladly hear and learn the Word of God as it is preached to us. Freed to honor, obey, love and cherish our parents and other authorities. Freed to help and befriend our neighbor in every bodily need. Freed to live a sexually pure and decent life, husbands and wives loving and honoring each other. Freed to help our neighbor to improve and protect his possessions and income. Freed to defend our neighbor’s reputation, speak well of him and explain everything in the kindest possible way. Freed to be satisfied with the daily bread the Lord gives us and we help and serve our neighbor in keeping his inheritance and house. Freed to rejoice in our callings as we urge our neighbor’s spouse and workers to stay and do their duty. Freed from the burden of the debt of our sins - we are freed to run in the way of our loving Father’s will - the commandments aren’t burdensome - Jesus has borne our burden - we are forgiven. Reconciled to our heavenly Father, He reconciles us to one another.
In the early Church this was practiced, before communicants came to the Lord’s Supper they reconciled to one another. They didn’t just say, “The peace of the Lord be with you.” They embraced those who had sinned against them and forgave them all - for they had been forgiven by Christ.
How much do you owe God? Nothing - the debt of your sin has been paid in full by the body and blood of Christ Jesus - the Lord God doesn’t demand any further payment - you are forgiven. How much do you owe your neighbor? Everything - clothed with Christ you are freed to live your faith in loving humble service. Amen.
Sermon Text: Matthew 5:17-26
Sermon Theme: Exceeding Righteousness!
I. It Pays Our Debt In Full.(vs.17-18) II. It Frees Us From Self Deception. (Vs.19-22)III. It Reconciles Us With Our Brother.(vs.23-26) by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert
I.N.R.I. How much do you owe? Owe? Our nation celebrated its 250th birthday, but it has bills to pay. In our constitutional republic the government doesn’t generate wealth by itself, it only can raise revenues by tariffs and taxes. In other words the government only has money that it taxes away from you, your children, and your grandchildren. As a citizen of The United States of America, the government’s debt is your debt. Debt that will be passed on to every generation after you. How much do you owe?
This morning the U.S. national debt clock reads $39.4 trillion dollars. That means each citizen owes $114,549, but since not all citizens are taxpayers, each of us who pay taxes owe $356,620. To top it off in the U.S. personal debt is over $112 trillion dollars. AI Fraud debt is over $1.2 trillion. Hidden in our debt deception is the reality that $924 trillion dollars has been created out of nothing with currency and credit card derivatives.
What does a trillion dollars look like? A million seconds was 12 days ago. A billion seconds was 31 years ago. A trillion seconds was 31,688 years ago. If the U.S. could pay down its debt at the rate of $1,000 per second it would take nearly 39,437 years to pay down our present debt without calculating the interest that would accumulate. If money is your god, the thing that you run to find help in every trouble and find comfort in every need -then you have a very poor god indeed.
How much do you owe? The Ten Commandments expose our debt. You have not feared, loved and trusted in God above all things. You use His name carelessly instead of calling upon it in every trouble. You despise preaching and His Word thinking it is a common thing. You rebel against authority and the Lord’s rule through parents and government. You live in anger and hate. You lust and degrade marriage. You rejoice to steal from your neighbor, demanding that they pay more taxes , so you can get your entitlements. You lie and gossip spreading rumors hurting reputations - examine your social media and daily conversations. You think if you just had our neighbor’s property, spouse, friends, or workers then you could be happy. You are not alone. We are all deeply in debt. Scripture tells us, Rom 3:10-18 As it is written: "THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NO, NOT ONE; (11) THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS; THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS AFTER GOD. (12) THEY HAVE ALL TURNED ASIDE; THEY HAVE TOGETHER BECOME UNPROFITABLE; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, NO, NOT ONE." (13) "THEIR THROAT IS AN OPEN TOMB; WITH THEIR TONGUES THEY HAVE PRACTICED DECEIT"; "THE POISON OF ASPS IS UNDER THEIR LIPS"; (14) "WHOSE MOUTH IS FULL OF CURSING AND BITTERNESS." (15) "THEIR FEET ARE SWIFT TO SHED BLOOD; (16) DESTRUCTION AND MISERY ARE IN THEIR WAYS; (17) AND THE WAY OF PEACE THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN." (18) "THERE IS NO FEAR OF GOD BEFORE THEIR EYES."This debt demands payment, its wages are death, now and eternally in the solitary confinement of hell. Problem is no one can pay even the least of what we owe. Rom 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” Hope is found outside of your trying - look only to Jesus Christ crucified find: Exceeding Righteousness!
I. It Pays Our Debt In Full.(vs.17-18)
II. It Frees Us From Self Deception. (Vs.19-22)
III. It Reconciles Us With Our Brother.(vs.23-26)
I. Ignoring your bills doesn’t exonerate you of the debt. If you promise the banker not to charge any more on your credit card, you still have to pay your old debt and interest. He’d think you’re a lunatic if you said, “I promised not to charge anymore, so I don’t owe you a cent.” Even though, we treat the Lord God like this - we ignore the word and will of our Creator. If we hide His Ten Commandments and never teach them to our children - we foolishly image we are no longer accountable to Him. Fools - The Law remains in effect for us in 2026 just as it was when ther the children of Israel heard God speak them to mankind at Mount Sinai.
Jesus preaches on the Mount, (vs.17-18) The Pharisees accuse Jesus of being a Samaritan. Samaritan’s accepted the first five books of the Bible - the Torah or Law, but rejected the rest. Postmodern Christians think they can pick and choose which parts of the Bible to believe and which parts to reject - in doing so they call God a liar. Jesus doesn’t come to destroy or set aside even the smallest dot of the Word of God - “The Law and the Prophets” is the whole Old Testament. Jesus the eternally only begotten Son of the Father, leaves His throne on high and enters our time and space, conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, not to destroy but to fulfill the Law and Promises. Literally He fills up to the brim all of the promises the prophets in the Old Testament spoke of concerning the Messiah. More so, as our Brother, fully human, He fills up to the brim all the demands of the Law of God. The promises and the demands of God only ind their fulfillment in the flesh and blood of Jesus. Rom 3:22-24 For there is no difference; (23) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (24) being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
The Law stands. Not even the smallest marking in the Hebrew text - a jot or tittle passes away, till Jesus fulfills it all. Heaven and earth will pass away, but the Word of God endures forever. That is why Lutherans begin catechesis with teaching the 10 Commandments. Unless we see the debt we owed, the price that Jesus paid for us on Calvary means nothing. This reflects the worship of the Old Testament. The Ten Commandments were placed into the golden ark of the covenant. Above them on the cover was the mercy seat of God between the kneeling cherubim. It was on this atonement covering that the blood of the spotless lamb was poured to cover the sins of the people once every year on the day of atonement by the High priest.
The true Lamb of God came. John the Baptist, a priestly descendant of Aaron and the last great prophet points to Him and cries out, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” Jesus is the Second Adam - He alone lived a spotless life, fulfilling the law perfectly not for Himself but FOR YOU! He was examined and found innocent by the priests and two governments. He is raised up between heaven and earth upon the cross and He pours out His blood for the life of this world. He pays our debt in full and swallows up our hell and death forever. Only Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law and the sacrifice whose holy precious blood washes away 100% of the debt of your sin and mine - He died for all.
Three days later He took up His life again. He speaks to the despairing disciples traveling to Emmaus. He opens the Law and the Prophets for them to see that it was necessary for the Christ to have suffered all these things. Breaking the bread at table their eyes are opened to see Jesus. They rejoice in His exceeding righteousness! All is fulfilled for you - for every honest sinner who despairs of his trying. The debt you could not pay, has been paid for you in full by Jesus - this is grace. You didn’t deserve it, you didn’t earn it - it is the free gift of God in Christ Jesus.
II. Grace frees us from self-deception. Grace opens our eyes to see the Truth. Grace leads to repentance. We lie to ourselves that we have no sin, or thinking that our sins isn’t as bad as the sin of others. Like our first father Adam, we try to cover up our sins with camouflage, and if that doesn’t work we blame God and those nearest to us to justify ourselves by excusing our sin.
Only the exceeding righteousness of Christ Jesus clothed upon us in Holy Baptism makes sinners alive again. Stop lying to yourself and those around you. Listen, (vs.19) Whoever breaks one of the least of the Ten Commandments and teaches others to do the same, no matter how many degrees they possess, are the least in God’s kingdom. Our God isn’t play dough. We don’t re imagine Him to fit our sin darkened reason or this present evil age. It is sinful arrogance to redefine marriage, to desecrate our bodies following feelings, to murder the unborn - physically infirm -mentally ill, to steal, to rebellion, to gossip, to worship evil desires as good, and to pray according to our sinful whims. The Word of God stands - marriage is the union of one man and one woman for life, there are only two sexes. Human life is precious from the moment of conception to natural death. Whoever teaches otherwise is the least in God’s kingdom. Murder isn’t just an outward action, but the law examines our hearts.(vs.20-21) The law demands a righteousness that exceeds that of the scribes and pharisees or we can’t set foot in heaven. The Scribes knew all the right words - they knew the Bible like the back of their hand. The Pharisees lived an outwardly moral life - they were very religious and good people outwardly. They taught that as long as you didn’t murder someone with your own hand you kept the fifth commandment. They were shocked when the apostles’ preached accusing them of murdering the Author of Life. It was Pontius Pilate, the Romans they’d say who executed Him, we only handed Him over to the authorities. They lied to themselves. Jesus mocks their way of teaching the Law - with varied punishments for different levels of breaking God’s law. (Vs.22) The Law of God is a mirror exposing our sin. Looking into that mirror the black cold murderer in our heart is exposed. The Holy Spirit teaches us through St. John, 1Jn 3:15 Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. And again, God the Holy Spirit testifies through Him, 1Jn 4:20 If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? Stop all self deception! Tremble before the voice of Your Creator exposing your heart in the Law! Confess the truth, “I am a poor miserable murderer! Look only to the One who takes the place of the murderer Barabbas - He takes my and your place upon the cross. Suffers our just punishment in His body and pays our price in full. Risen He forever frees me from self deception new life in Him.
III. Baptism is our death and our resurrection! Jesus knits you into Himself in this sacrament! Buried with Christ in baptism you died to sin, death and the devil, raised to new life in baptism your life is new forgiven - Jesus lives in you, walks with you, speaks peace to you. The exceeding righteousness of Jesus reconciles us with God and with one another. (Vs.23-26). Forgiveness in Christ Jesus frees us. It flows through us forgiving those who sin against us. Our debt of sin is paid, no longer do we continue in sin that grace may abound. We live a new life trusting and loving God above all things and serving our neighbor in love. New life in Christ is living the Ten Commandments in our daily vocations. Freed to forgive. Freed to seek forgiveness from those we wrong. Freed to call upon the Lord’s name in every trouble, pray, praise and give thanks. Freed to gladly hear and learn the Word of God as it is preached to us. Freed to honor, obey, love and cherish our parents and other authorities. Freed to help and befriend our neighbor in every bodily need. Freed to live a sexually pure and decent life, husbands and wives loving and honoring each other. Freed to help our neighbor to improve and protect his possessions and income. Freed to defend our neighbor’s reputation, speak well of him and explain everything in the kindest possible way. Freed to be satisfied with the daily bread the Lord gives us and we help and serve our neighbor in keeping his inheritance and house. Freed to rejoice in our callings as we urge our neighbor’s spouse and workers to stay and do their duty. Freed from the burden of the debt of our sins - we are freed to run in the way of our loving Father’s will - the commandments aren’t burdensome - Jesus has borne our burden - we are forgiven. Reconciled to our heavenly Father, He reconciles us to one another.
In the early Church this was practiced, before communicants came to the Lord’s Supper they reconciled to one another. They didn’t just say, “The peace of the Lord be with you.” They embraced those who had sinned against them and forgave them all - for they had been forgiven by Christ.
How much do you owe God? Nothing - the debt of your sin has been paid in full by the body and blood of Christ Jesus - the Lord God doesn’t demand any further payment - you are forgiven. How much do you owe your neighbor? Everything - clothed with Christ you are freed to live your faith in loving humble service. Amen.
© 2026 Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Tell City, Indiana Podcast. All rights reserved.