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Understanding the Law and God's Love Behind It
From Matthew 5: 17 "Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. 19 Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
I was brand-new when it came to college life. I thought one took 40 hours a semester thinking I usually work those in a week! And I heard about societies and clubs you could join, like Pre-Med and Pre-Law. I chuckled when I heard about pre-law because that's how most of my dorm behaved, like there was no law to govern their behavior. I thought pre-law was a reference to humanity before the 10 Commandments. Yet, if you think about it, God gave the Law to bring about civil and religious behavior among people used to living under dictator style life. As slaves to the Egyptians they only knew that their job was to do as the Egyptians said or they would die. They prayed to God for deliverance and after 400 years were delivered from that life. What they did not realize was that God wanted to form them into a people. God led them to the wilderness and for 40 years this formation came through evidences of God's power and God's love. Chief among all things besides their freedom, was the giving of the Law. Moses shared with them what God expected from them as a people of God and as people to people. The Law sought to curb the maniacal approaches towards revenge and retribution. Behind all the Law was God's love. Fast forward to Jesus' time and people knew the Law only as a list of Dos and Don'ts, emphasis on the Don'ts.
It was on that mount that as Jesus preached about entry into this kingdom and responsibilities in the kingdom that He reminds them about the Law. Jesus stresses that He did not come to do away with the Law or to undo the teachings of the prophets. What they had shared on God's behalf, Jesus said, still stood as scripture and teaching for a better way to live. Jesus reminds people that the Law exists for good and we have forgotten that, but more importantly behind the Law is found the grace of God, that undeserved but constantly flowing love from God. And this passage is but a prelude to what came next in Jesus' teaching about the Law and how to better understand it and follow it. If you think the law is not important think back to those times you have come to a busy intersection and all traffic lights are out. Most civil people will stop and await their turn, civil law and working traffic lights served to teach us that; but there's always that one clown who is more important and in a greater hurry that the law does not apply to him/her.
In our spiritual lives and in our dealings with others, we know about love and respect because of what was taught through the Law. We know what delights God and what displeases Him because of the Law; and Jesus says, "Keep that up, but understand how much God loves you and that's why we have the law."
PRAYER: Loving God, thank You for Your love and involvement in our lives. I pray that we might truly be people of love and respect, honoring and glorifying You in our actions with others. This Sermon on the Mount shows a different, but better way, to live. May it be so in me. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Prayer Request: This morning, Nate Pennington son of Rev. Matt and Brooke Pennington is having ENT surgery here in Corpus Christi. Please pray that the procedure go well for Nate and that God's peace and patience be with Brooke and Matt. Thank you for caring enough to pray for one another!
