Sunday Feb. 12, 2023

Call To Worship:

Matthew 22:34-40

When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, 35 and one of them, an expert in the law, asked him a question to test him.36 “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” 37 He said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the greatest and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

Songs:

In Christ Alone

Verse 1

In Christ alone my hope is found

He is my light my strength my song

This Cornerstone this solid Ground

Firm through the fiercest drought and storm

What heights of love what depths of peace

When fears are stilled when strivings cease

My Comforter my All in All

Here in the love of Christ I stand

Verse 2

In Christ alone who took on flesh

Fullness of God in helpless babe

This gift of love and righteousness

Scorned by the ones He came to save

Till on that cross as Jesus died

The wrath of God was satisfied

For every sin on Him was laid

Here in the death of Christ I live

Verse 3

There in the ground His body lay

Light of the world by darkness slain

Then bursting forth in glorious Day

Up from the grave He rose again

And as He stands in victory

Sin's curse has lost its grip on me

For I am His and He is mine

Bought with the precious blood of Christ

Verse 4

No guilt in life no fear in death

This is the power of Christ in me

From life's first cry to final breath

Jesus commands my destiny

No power of hell no scheme of man

Can ever pluck me from His hand

Till He returns or calls me home

Here in the power of Christ I'll stand

This Is My Father’s World

Verse 1

This is my Father's world

And to my list'ning ears

All nature sings and 'round me rings

Music of the spheres

Chorus 1

This is my Father's world

I rest me in the thought

Of rocks and trees of skies and seas

His hand the wonders wrought

Verse 2

This is my Father's world

The birds their carols raise

The morning light the lily white

Declare their Maker's praise

Chorus 2

This is my Father's world

He shines in all that's fair

In the rust'ling grass I hear Him pass

He speaks to me ev'rywhere

Verse 3

This is my Father's world

O let me ne'er forget

And though the wrong seems oft so strong

God is the Ruler yet

And though the wrong seems oft so strong

God is the Ruler yet

Chorus 3

This is my Father's world

Why should my heart be sad

The Lord is King let the heavens ring

God reigns let the earth be glad

The Lord is King let the heavens ring

God reigns let the earth be glad

Before the Throne Of God

Verse 1

Before the throne of God above

I have a strong and perfect plea

A great High Priest whose name is Love

Who ever lives and pleads for me

My name is graven on His hands

My name is written on His heart

I know that while in heav'n He stands

No tongue can bid me thence depart

Verse 2

When Satan tempts me to despair

And tells me of the guilt within

Upward I look and see Him there

Who made an end to all my sin

Because the sinless Saviour died

My sinful soul is counted free

For God the Just is satisfied

To look on Him and pardon me

Verse 3

Behold Him there the risen Lamb

My perfect spotless righteousness

The great unchangeable I Am

The King of glory and of grace

One with Himself I cannot die

My soul is purchased by His blood

My life is hid with Christ on high

With Christ my Saviour and my God

Verse 4

I bow before the cross of Christ

And marvel at this love divine

God's perfect Son was sacrificed

To make me righteous in God's eyes

This river's depths I cannot know

But I can glory in its flood

The Lord Most High has bowed down low

And poured on me His glorious love

Teaching: “Seeking God’s Kingdom First: A Law”

Seeking God’s Kingdom First: A Law

Every kingdom has 4 main traits

A People
A King
A Land
A Law

613 laws in the OT. We are not covering each of these today.

We have a few main goals for our teaching on the law:

Overview of the purpose of the law
Correction of the negative views of the law
How Jesus fulfills the law and what that means for us

Every nation has laws. These laws, at their most basic and intended purpose, are to help people understand the standard for living in a place. How to thrive in a certain place.

Common Law: based on precedence, written code, judicial ruling
Ancient world was a common Law culture

Do you perceive laws as positive or negative?

I think we tend to view them in a negative way, restricting what we are not allowed to do.
But at their core they are meant to help people understand how to thrive in a place.

Certainly law systems throughout human history have been used to oppress, abuse, control.

But laws have also done good things.
1919- Women’s right to vote
1865- 13th Amendment abolished slavery
1866- 14th Amendment gave right to citizenship and equal protection under the law to all people
1869- 15th Amendment gave black Americans the right to vote.

When churches talk about the Law of the OT it tends to be negative

“Jesus did away with the law”
“The NT made it so people no longer had to be weighed down by the restraints of the law.
But this is an unhealthy way of looking at the OT

Jesus himself says in Matthew 5:17 “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.”

He says in 5:20, “For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.”

But how can we be more righteous than the professional Law followers

The law in the OT was present to help Israel live Just and Righteous lives in God’s presence.

The law was meant to bring goodness to God’s people. The help them thrive and live justly and righteously with God.

But people fail all the time. And Israel failed over and over to uphold the standards of the law.
God knew they wouldn’t be able to follow the law perfectly so he created a way for them to atone for their sins…through sacrifice.
And thus the cyclical life of Israel began…follow God, disobey, repent, God allows them to come back, and over and over again.
Jesus comes along and says, “Let’s get back to the point of the law.

What was the purpose of the law in the OT

Matthew 22:34-40, “34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Jesus summarizes all 613 laws of the OT by saying God desires 2 things: f

First to love God
Second to love our neighbor

The entire OT law centered on these two commands. To obey God meant they would love him and love others.

God giving the law was a good thing.

One of the undeniable truths of the law in the OT was that no one could ever live into it fully.

But the law didn’t exist just to make known the sinfulness of humanity.
Ultimately the law was given so people would learn to hear the voice of God, and understand both their need for a savior and God’s desire and goal to bring that savior to them.
God gave them glimpses through the law that one day Jesus would arrive to make all things new.
Because of Jesus we no longer have to see the standard of God as something that we can never reach, but something that can finally be achieved through him.

The notion that Jesus “took the law away” or “did away with the law” therefore now life should be easier simply doesn’t make sense.

Jesus does make things more simple to understand but actually much harder to live.

2 examples of this truth.

Matthew 5:21-22, “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ 22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment.”

The law to “Not Murder” was one of the 10 commandments
But the law was not simply about not murdering people
Jesus was trying to get people to understand that the heart is where the action of murder originates. And it begins in anger and hatred.

To love means that we will be aware of our feelings of anger so we can release them to God so he can turn our hearts toward love.
But this is ultimately more difficult than simply not murdering because it is dealing with the inner workings of the human heart.

Matthew 5:38-42, “38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ 39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. 41 If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.”

The law in the OT made it possible for victims of a wrong to call for judgment equal to the severity of the wrong committed against them.
Looking back at Genesis 4

Cain is cast away
Says his punishment is too much for him to bear and he worries about being killed

God tells him not to worry because if someone kills him they will be punished 7 times over.

Lamech is Cain’s great, great, great, grandson.

He knows about Cain’s 7 fold promise if he was killed
So he says, if anyone harms me then I will take vengeance 77 times over.

Before the law people could take whatever kind of vengeance they wanted.

But God’s law made it so judgment had to match the crime.
Eye for an Eye

Jesus says, let me tell you what God was really doing here.

The ultimate standard of God would begin in a place of love for the person who wronged you.
The kingdom is not about retaliation but rather forgiveness and goodness.

This seems difficult, to which Jesus would say, “yeah it is.”

Jesus later says, “you’ve heard it was said love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you.”

So much of Jesus’ teaching feels impossible.

But the law always pointed to Jesus coming, through whom, the impossible would be made possible.
Jesus certainly made things more simple. Matthew 22 he says all 613 laws hinge on 2 essential standards, Love God, Love your neighbor.
But simple doesn’t mean easy. It is actually much harder because it deals with the heart of a person, not just their behavior.

The law is fulfilled in Jesus because ultimately the law was something no one could ever live up to and so it required a perfect sacrifice to make people right with God for all time.

Jesus is that sacrifice.
Our righteousness is no longer based on our adherence to the law. But rather it is based on Jesus fulfilling the law for us.

Romans 8:3-4, The law of Moses could not save us, because of our sinful nature. But God put into effect a different plan to save us. He sent his Son in a human body like ours, except that ours are sinful. God destroyed sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. He did this so that the requirement of the law would be fully accomplished for us who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.”

We have the blood of Jesus that forever frees us from the debt of the moments we miss the mark.
And we have the Holy Spirit constantly making us more and more into the image of Jesus.

Communion:

for communion play the song “The Greatest Commands” and sit and reflect on the desire of God’s heart for you and me.
Then we will play the song a second time and all head up to the communion table to take communion together.

Benediction:

Our Father in heaven,

May your name be revered as holy.

May your kingdom come.

May your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

And do not bring us to the time of trial, but rescue us from the evil one.

May the strength of God pilot us;

May the wisdom of God instruct us,

May the hand of God protect us,

May the word of God direct us.

Be always ours this day and for evermore.

Amen

Jared KingFebruary 11, 2023