The Hard Sayings: Living The Law

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” - Matthew 5:17 Have you ever noticed that very few drivers come to a complete stop at a stop sign? Most prefer the “rolling stop option.” Or the many places in Warsaw where a light turning from yellow to red is almost always guaranteed to have a truck or car running through it? People apparently think that these are only suggestions. But are God’s laws like that? Are they merely suggestions? The psalmist treats God’s law with the utmost seriousness. He declares, “My heart is set on keeping your decrees to the very end.” (Psalm 119:112) As Jesus was teaching his listeners, he reminded them of how serious God’s laws are. He explained that he did not come to abolish the law or any of God’s commands; rather, he came to fulfill them. In fact, he said that not even the smallest letter (a reference to ‘yodh,’ the smallest letter of the Hebrew alphabet) or the least stroke of a pen would be eliminated from the law.  In addition, Jesus says there will be great rewards for keeping God’s laws and great penalties for not keeping them. The problem, though, is that none of us can keep God’s law perfectly because (at heart) we are all in rebellion against God and his Word. So what can we do? We remember that Jesus fulfilled the law perfectly - something that we could not do. We also remember that we need the grace that only Jesus can provide through his death and resurrection. And then we focus on living the law (not to merit favor), but out of a heart of gratitude and love. As we look at this challenging scripture this week, I pray that you are allowing God to prepare your heart and mind for a bit of “spiritual surgery.” May God grant to us a deeper desire to live for him. And may that love for God and His ways compel us to love others well. Let’s keep up the invitational nature of our church culture. Grace & Peace, Pastor Aaron