The Reason for the Rules
Words & works of Jesus • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 1 viewJesus returning the law to its intended place
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I am a rule-breaker
I am a rule-breaker
You may recall I got into trouble on our trip to Israel last fall. Purely unintentional. I accidentally broke a very important rule at our hotel restaurant in Jerusalem.
Respectfully, these rules are important. There is a special license, accreditation they get when they keep a kosher restaurant. It’s a big deal. It means a lot of prestige and money for the hotel. It means a lot to them and the ppl who stay there that they can be assured that they won’t get into any religious trouble b/c the hotel has taken careful steps to maintain their kosher status.
What did I do? When we stayed at the resort on the Sea of Galilee I bought a bottle of wine at the restaurant there. They do not keep a kosher restaurant. The wine was not kosher.
That means it did not have the seal of approval of the religious governing body who determines is kosher and not. It has to do w/ how it was made, did the winery maintain their kosher status. Was the juice collected properly. Was it stored and aged properly. Was it bottled properly. I don’t know a lot of the specifics but I know it’s important to those who keep the kosher laws.
The wine at the Sea of Galilee was bottled like our wines in CA, or wherever.
I had a little left in the bottle. I didn’t want to throw it out. So, the last night we were there I brought it down to dinner and put it on the table while we ate.
The waiter came up and picked up the bottle, read the label, then very sternly told me I cannot keep that bottle of wine on the table w/ the kosher food.
I didn’t want to cause any trouble, or be disrespectful, so I put the bottle on the floor. That was okay.
The bottle was corked, no drips, the food and wine were not co-mingling. But it was a big deal that it was against their kosher laws.
Another story about kosher laws that may shed some light on them so we can better understand a little, at least.
Old, long-gone comedian, Buddy Hackett was on the Tonight Show w/ Johnny Carson and he was told this story. He was Jewish and a comedian. He was making fun of the strict nature of the kosher laws. His wife kept a kosher house. It was a big deal to her.
One night, they were hosting a dinner party w/ a number of guests. She served steaks dinner w/ a baked potatoes. There was kosher law that made it a violation to cut meat w/ your butter knife or spread butter w/ your steak knife.
W/out thinking, Buddy Hackett finished cutting his steak and he stuck his steak knife in the butter to put a slab on his potato. His wife went nuts on him. You can’t do that.
She made him take the knife into their backyard and bury it for 2 weeks. That’s what the law required.
This was the early 70s. Why?
When the law was originally written, 1300 years BC, long before modern processes like pasteurization and homogenization, if you were to mix the two on your knife the chemical reaction would make sick, even kill you.
Long before germs were discovered and chemistry was understood, God made sure that the Israelites did not get sick and die from this reaction.
Why bury it? B/C, the ground is a natural anti-bacterial sterilizer. The dirt will kill the germs. Rub some dirt on it.
By the 1970, it was a non-issue. But, the kosher laws were still in effect and needed t/b followed to keep a kosher house.
Not only did the law have all the worship rules, sacrifice rules, the law also kept Israel alive and out of hospitals until germs and adverse chemical reactions could be discovered and averted.
Another law, not a kosher law, but a law was if you came into contact w/ a dead body you needed go wash off. Running water in a river was better than standing water in a pond. But, you had to wash off. We know now that dead bodies, both human and animal, carry disease. The law kept Israel alive when other nations were dying out.
Big cultural differences. Not just between 1300 BC and ad 2023. But also modern Israel and the kosher laws and the modern western world.
I didn’t understand. I still don’t really. But, that’s exactly what was going in c.1 by the time Jesus showed up. The rest of the world didn’t understand. And the rules just pushed ppl away from God. That was never their intent. But, that’s what they became.
613 laws. 70 volumes. The religious leadership believed all of them needed to be kept all the time to be right w/ God.
Jesus came to restore the rules to their original intent when kept the right way, lead us closer to God and keep us close to each other.
Believe it or not, we Christians keep the law of God the way it was supposed to be kept. And when we do, we keep our relationship with God and each other close like they are supposed to be.
I’ll explain it as we get into it. We’re back in the Sermon on the Mount in Mt. 5.
Fulfillment
Fulfillment
“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. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 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.
The religious leaders had a huge problem w/ Jesus. They believed he came to do away w/ everything Jewish.
Even we get the idea sometimes that’s what He came to do. But we forget, Jesus was Jewish. And He kept the laws like every good Jewish young man.
He didn’t come to abolish the law. He came as the fulfillment of the law.
All the worship rules in the OT pointed to Jesus. All the furnishings of the temple represented something about Jesus.
The first room had a mirror. You were supposed to take a good, hard introspective look at yourself. Sure the mirror only showed you what was on the outside. But it was supposed to get you to look inside and see the sins you commit that create a problem between you and God.
Then there was a basin to wash in. The water didn’t wash away the effects of your sin. It was symbolic of the need t/b washed, purified b/c of the contamination of your sin.
Then there was the table where the lamb was slaughtered and prepared for sacrifice. No, the animal did not pay for your sins. It couldn’t. It was an entirely different species. But it was supposed to represent what needed to happen for you to be able to make up the deficit between you and God that you created when you sinned.
A lamb could not do that. But it directed their attention to a day when God would provide a perfect Lamb that could do that for everyone, anyone who believes.
Once all this was done, you could go into the next room where you could be as close to God as you possibly could.
So, when we look inside and see the sins we commit and contamination it causes, then we repent, acknowledge it, apologize for it, adapt to a new way of doing things; then we accept the Jesus’s death as the punishment we deserve and believe that it accomplished all that; then we can be close to God. In fact, God moves in and lives inside us. That’s how close we are to God.
So, you see, by becoming a Xian, believing in Jesus, having faith that He did this for you, is keeping the OT law the way it was supposed t/b kept. And we cannot take away from any of it or it takes away part of what Jesus had to do for us.
Jesus is the fulfillment of all this.
Then, let’s take into account the 10 commandments.
Jesus was asked which was the most important. There are 2 most important commandments. Love God…Love ea other.
What about the big 10? The first 4 are about loving God. The last 6 are about loving each other.
There is no other God.
Don’t try to draw a picture or sculpt a bust of God. You will not be able to represent him fully and that is a big problem. We cannot create the creator.
Don’t take his name in vain. Yes, don’t cuss. But it’s more than that. Don’t deny or disrespect any of His names. He is all-powerful, all-knowing, everywhere, all the time. He is our healer, provider, protector, and Savior. He’s all this and more. Don’t deny any of it.
Keep the sabbath. That’s the day we don’t make money but work on our most important relationships. Worship. Play. Spend time w/ your friends and kids. Intentionally make less money than you could by working that day. Trust God to take care of you and meet your needs.
Honor dad and mom.
Don’t murder anybody
Don’t commit adultery
Don’t steal anything
Don’t lie
Don’t covent anything. That is, don’t believe you deserve something someone else has more than they do. That will wreck you emotionally and wreck that friendship.
These still work today to keep us close to God and each other. That’s what Jesus is saying here. Still, do these and the rules that support these so that your most important relationships remain close.
But, then Jesus said, you’ve got to do a better job on these than the Pharisees.
What does that mean? Well, first, the Pharisees didn’t have faith. They believed they kept the well perfectly and didn’t need a sacrificial lamb. So, they believed they didn’t have to believe in Jesus.
Second, they elevated the law in way that they worshiped it. It became their priority. It was supposed to be a means to help ensure good relationships. The law led ppl to make sacrifices for God and each other. They sacrificed their relationships for the law.
That comes into focus as Jesus addresses a few specific laws next. They had missed the point. They thought they kept every law perfectly. When, in fact, they didn’t keep these laws at all.
Jesus is about to stomp all over their toes and help us understand what we can do, and shouldn’t do, to keep Him and our friends and family close.
Faith first. Believe in Jesus as the fulfillment of the law, who is the Lamb of God who took our punishment for us. Now, because we love Him more than anything, do, or don’t do, these things the way the were supposed t/b done from the beginning.
First.
Murder
Murder
“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.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister, will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.
The act of murder, we get. You kill somebody b/c they hurt you or made you mad, you’re guilty of a serious crime.
This is one of the big 10. If I kill you, we aren’t going to be friends. Your friends and family won’t be my friends.
I cannot love you and them, they cannot love me as they love themselves.
Break the command and cause a problem between you and God.
The religious leaders, rather smugly, believed Jesus was speaking to everyone else. They hadn’t killed anybody. They believed they were doing things right.
But, then, Jesus said, if you’re so angry you say ‘raca’ to someone, you’re just ask guilty as if you killed them.
Raca is that same thing as saying, “I wish you were dead.”
How many times have we already seen where they had begun to plot and scheme ways to kill Jesus.
You and I may say, I’ve never been that mad at anyone.
What if your spouse cheated on you?
What if you child’s spouse cheated on them?
What if your granddaughter was raped?
What if a former business partner embezzled millions from you business leaving you broke?
What if someone swindled you out of thousands?
I could go on. These are real life situations that have happened to us and ppl we care about.
Some ppl who commit these offenses may deserve to die. But, so did you when Jesus died for you.
Let God handle whatever get-even needs to happen and let your anger go.
If you don’t, you’re only hurting yourself.
Jesus goes on to say that we need to get minor issues w/ others resolved quickly before they become big issues.
Apologize. Make things right. Forgive. Move on.
Next,
Adultery
Adultery
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.
Again, the act is obvious.
So is the consequence. If I have an affair w/ your wife we won’t be friends.
When one of your friends has an affair, it’s hard to still be friends with them. They cheated on their spouse, another one of your friends, and you.
If you love your neighbor as yourself, then you won’t make love to your neighbor!
The act of adultery is being intimate w/ anyone you are not married t. Singles are supposed t/b celibate.
And, again, the religious leaders bel’d they were way in the clear on this. None of them had been intimate w/ anyone other than their spouse.
But, then Jesus raised the bar back to where it was supposed to be.
If you even look at another person and fantasize about being intimate w/ them you’ve committed the sin.
The Pharisees never slept w/ anybody else, but they sure would check out the working girls as they walked by.
Believing the line was the act. Jesus said the line is the thought. Ouch.
How hard is it today to not see something that stirs something inside you. You can’t watch TV; shows movies, or commercials. You can’t surf the internet, reading the news, sports, and entertainment.
Obviously, people have figured out I’m a guy, and I get sent links to advertisements and click bait intended to tempt a man.
This is where the line is supposed to be. And, we have a problem w/ God when we cross that line, even in our minds.
God set this line in its place to protect marriage. God established society based on marriage and families.
Anything that hurts families, the disintegration of families, hurts all of society. We must take these things seriously.
Jesus did not mean to literally pluck your eye out to keep you from looking at something that led you across this line. But, the message is clear how seriously God considers this.
It’s logical Jesus would go here next.
Divorce
Divorce
“It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
Here’s a hot topic today. The church has not done a very good job with this one.
I speak from experience. Not me and Sara. We’ve been married almost 39 years.
My family was in membership in a church and that church was not very kind to my mom when my parents divorced.
We put too much emphasis on the moment the judge drops the gavel declaring the end of the marriage and not near enough emphasis on what led to that moment.
Malachi wrote that God hates divorce. He does. But He hates the whole process that leads to the divorce. The abuse. The cheating. The adultery. The lies. The selfishness. All of it.
We have so diluted this law that it barely resembles what was originally intended.
Marriage is important. Two imperfect ppl come together and must be gracious w/ each other and committed to sacrificing self-interest for each other.
It is the best illustration of God’s relationship w/ us. He’s perfect. But He’s in a relationship w/ us. He must be gracious if our relationship is going to continue a minute, much less eternally.
Marriage is a picture of God’s relationship w/ us.
Maintain the sanctity of the marriage and the marriage bed.Administering grace to your spouse is a clear indication that get how much grace God administers to you in order to keep His rel w/ you intact.
Next,
Oaths
Oaths
“Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.
The oath was, a dramatic and emphatic vow to keep a promise. It was over the top and way more show than substance.
The Pharisees made a big show of taking an oath to keep a promise.
Jesus was like, look, if you say you’re going to do something, then do it. Don’t make a big presentation of a vow.
Make your ‘yes’ a yes, and make your ‘no’ a no. Just keep your word.
If you promise to pay, pay. If you promise to perform, perform. Think contracts, jobs, volunteering in the community.
Be reliable. keep your word. Be trustworthy.
Next,
Retaliation
Retaliation
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ 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. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
The law never allowed for a person to react in like manor to someone who hurt them. It was intended to limit the retribution to a similar amount to the loss.
These words were written in the law, but not necessarily to be taken literally.
Roman soldiers on the move were allowed to force citizens to carry their load for them so they could maintain their strength for battle.
If a soldier makes you carry his load for a mile, then carry it two.
Again, Jesus raises the bar. Don’t retaliate in kind but give more than they take.
Someone who takes from you violates the law themselves and they have an issue w/ God. Their issue w/ God is much more significant than their issue w/ you.
Let God handle the get-even. He’ll do a much better job. You let it go knowing God will make it right and your heart will heal.
If you retaliate or hold a grudge, then it will only hurt you more.
Don’t do the least. Do more. And let God make things right and your heart will be healthy.
Next,
Love Enemies
Love Enemies
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Just like in the case of grace and marriage; being gracious w/ your spouse is an indication you get that God is gracious w/ you.
So also loving your enemies indicates you get that God loved you long before you loved Him.
Love is a verb and feelings follow. Act like you love those who do not love you. But your feelings need to follow.
Obviously, it’s easy to love those who love you. It takes the strength of God to act like you love those who hate you.
It’s less about the message to your enemies and much more about getting the message yourself that Jesus acted like He loves you while you were still in rebellion against Him.
The religious leadership bel’d they were justified in hating their enemies. Even if they could act better, their hearts convicted them.
Jesus is more concerned about our hearts than just how we act. How we think and how we feel lead to how we act. And by doing this for ppl who don’t like us indicates we get how Jesus does it for us.
Jesus confronted the religious leaders for lowering the bar on the rules, making it easier to keep the rules, but making them a burden to keep.
613 laws. How do you keep up w/ all that?
It’s easier when you keep the main thing the main thing. The reason for the rules was to keep our relationships strong.
Making this our priority helps us keep the law the way it was supposed t/b kept.
Applications
Applications
Fairly obvious
Having faith in Jesus fulfills the OT law.
Do you have faith in Jesus to save you?
Are you so mad that you wish someone was dead?
Let it go. Let God handle it. He’ll do it better than you could anyway.
Your first look is free and innocent. Your second look is premeditated and trouble. Don’t let anything into your eyes that can get into your mind that can get you in trouble.
What do you need to stop looking at?
Is your marriage a high enough priority? Being gracious w/ your spouse indicates you understand how gracious God is w/ you. Do you get it?
Be trustworthy. If you say you will, then do it.
Don’t retaliate. You’ve heard is said, holding a grudge and getting even is like taking poison expecting the other person to get sick.
Let it go and let God handle the get-even.
Don’t just act like you love the ppl who don’t like you. Mean it.
Is there someone you need to do something nice for, pray for, who might have other things in mind for you?
Do it. Pray for God to bless them.
Jesus came to restore the rules to their original intent when kept the right way, lead us closer to God and keep us close to each other.
Believe it or not, we Christians keep the law of God the way it was supposed to be kept. And when we do, we keep our relationship with God and each other close like they are supposed to be.