Saturday, March 24, 2018

A Better Obedience?

S - "Don’t suppose I came to do away with the Law and the Prophets. I did not come to do away with them, but to give them their full meaning. Heaven and earth may disappear. But I promise you not even a period or comma will ever disappear from the Law. … You must obey God’s commands better than the Religious Experts and the teachers of the Law obey them. If you don’t, I promise you will never get into the kingdom of heaven. … Treat others as you want them to treat you is this what the Law and the Prophets are all about. … Anyone who hears and obeys these teachings of mine is like a wise person who built a house on solid rock. … When Jesus finished speaking, the crowds were astonished at his teaching He taught them like someone with authority, and not like their teachers of the Law of Moses." Matthew 5;6;7 TS

O - What is the "better obedience" Jesus is requiring of his hearers?  Since not a period or comma will disappear and the Religious Experts were all about the periods and commas, what is his point? I was taught his point is to show how impossible it is to fulfill the law and that no one can do it -- no one except Jesus. This of course is true but what if it's not his point? What if the better obedience has nothing to do with being convinced of an impossibility and has everything to do with the ever-present possibility of loving? The Religious Experts worked the periods and commas without love; without treating others as they would want to be treated.  According Jesus, there are two Scriptures upon which ALL OTHERS depend.  "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind this is the greatest and most important commandment.  The second most important commandment is like this one. And it is, “Love others as your equal.” All the Law of Moses and the Books of the Prophets depend on these two commandments." (Matthew22) If this weren't enough to clarify his intent of better obedience, his only new commandment does: "But I am giving you a new command. You must love each other, just as I have loved you. If you love each other, everyone will know that you are my followers." (John 13)

A - It’s amazing how consistently love is missed in religious and theological conclusions. It’s not denied it’s more like ignored or viewed as less consequential to the point. Jesus comes to clarify the person and purposes of God and he makes it clear love is the point! In fact, without love everything done or said becomes noise and nothing … everything (cf. 1 Corinthians 13:1-3). God is love. Love is the reason Jesus came; the point upon which all other points depend; it’s the only reality which identifies who his followers actually are. I will pursue/embrace Jesus’ invitation to better obedience.

P - God of heaven and earth,
I accept the purpose heaven has assigned to my life (and to all humans): to love You with my all and my neighbor as myself, my equal. I will live out loud Jesus’ better obedience. I will live, love and pray in him and in his name.
Steve

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