Sermon on the Mount: Understanding the Law – Matt. 5:17-20
Before Jesus expounds on some teachings of the Law, he first helps his hearers to understand his relationship to the Law.
Law
Jesus As the Fulfillment of the Law and Prophets
Jesus claimed to be the fulfillment of the Law and Prophets. But what did he mean? That he fulfilled some prophecy? Or something much more?
Serve One Another in Love – Galatians 5:13-14
We have been set free from the law. But not to do whatever we want. Instead, we have been set free so that we can humbly serve one another in love.
The Law vs. Grace
I like rules and laws because they let me know what is expected of me. But even better is God’s grace. Should I not extend grace to others as well?
Faith Expressing Itself Through Love – Galatians 5:6
We are not saved by anything we could possibly do, it is a work of God received by faith. A faith that expresses itself through love.
Avoiding a Beating – Acts 22:25
As they stretched him out to flog him, Paul said to the centurion standing there, “Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who hasn’t even been found guilty?” – Acts 22:25 NIV In the previous chapter Paul expressed his willingness to suffer and even to die for the name of the Lord Jesus. And he does suffer repeated and eventually dies for Christ. But here, just after enduring a beating at the hands of the Jews, he avoids a flogging at the hands of the Romans by claiming Roman citizenship. He was not afraid to use the …
Fulfilling the Law – Matthew 5:17-20
Christ has set me free from the tyranny of the law, and by an act of grace, declared me to be righteous. He has set me free from the law of sin and death, and made me free to love.
What Does God Require? – Micah 6:8
What does God expect of me as a believer? It is common, and tempting, to believe that God ‘s expectations for me are to live a life as free as possible from sin; avoiding doing any of the things that fall on your particular list of sins. The focus too often times seems to be on what we don’t do. But should it be? Now I will not dispute that as a believer, I should avoid doing things that will bring discredit to the name of Christ, that cause harm to others, or that are self centered. But I have …
The Ten Commandments & Christianity
As a Christian, am I supposed to obey the Ten Commandments and all the other laws in the Old Testament? Just some of them? Or can I pretty much ignore them? Many Christians that I know would say yes to the first question, until you looked at the materials tag on their clothing, then they would change their answer to a yes to number 2. Few would likely admit to a yes to the third question, yet in reality I think most of us really do in practice. It appears like we follow some subset of the Old Testament law, …