His Law, His Love

Watch video

The narrator of the video said something toward the end that caught my attention… and it’s where I want us to start this evening.

He stated, “His law is an invitation into a better community… into a better life.” And my question to you is… have you ever viewed God’s law or commands in this way?

First off, I do believe we need to start off by talking about something very important. GOD’S LAW MATTERS TO BELIEVERS TODAY.

Many like to try to dismiss the OT in light of the NT and yes… a transition did in fact take place. However, Jesus made a couple of things very clear to the people in His day.

First off, Jesus spoke of this transition in His Sermon on the mount.

Matthew 5:17 NIV

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.

Secondly, Jesus speaks of the importance of applying God’s laws and commands to our lives.

Matthew 5:20 NIV

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.

Now, interestingly enough… neither one of these is a possibility UNTIL Jesus paid the ultimate price.

The law required payment for sin. The wages of sin is death. And we know the law made provision for the sins of the people to be atoned for through a sacrificial system.

We also know that the Pharisees… they missed it. They missed the heart behind the purpose of God’s law. Christ wasn’t calling His people to be like the Pharisees, He was calling them to be something better.

To receive the heart of the law from the heart of God Himself

To be made righteous through the death and resurrection of the One who came to make forgiveness of sin a possibility.

I say all this to make this quick point: Jesus is the key. He alone could fulfill the law. He alone is the source of our righteousness.

The key in living out God’s commands is simple… FOLLOW JESUS. For in Christ, we are justified meaning we are made righteous in the eyes of the Father and in Christ, the heart of God in His law is truly revealed.

So let’s get back to the statement… His law is an invitation to a better community and a better life.

Much of the world would view “laws” in a different light, but stop and think about this statement.

Why do we have laws in our land? What purpose do they serve?

Laws of the land simply set forth a standard on how communities operate. They help to maintain the civility of a community. For the most part, communities agree upon the laws and abide by them as “good citizens” or members of said community.

When a person steps outside of this law, they are coming against the standard of that community. They are bringing harm to that community. The jeopardize the safety and security of that community.

As God gave Moses the Ten Commandments, He was building up a people that would know Him and make Him known to this world.

God’s values and attributes are all over the ten commands that were etched into the stone tablets. God could be known through His law… and His law looked completely different from anything else in this world meaning the world could see God through the people who lived by His law.

But we know what happens… before Moses could return from this mountain top experience with God, the people… decided to do things their way.

Exodus 32:1 NIV

1 When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, “Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.”

They became impatient, complacent, and rebellious. So what did they do? They made for themselves an idol to worship.

And we often look at this story with judgmental eyes and think, “After all God had brought them through, how could they do such a thing?” And yet people - specifically believers - do this all the time.

We become impatient with God - so we take matters into our own hands

We become complacent with God - so we lean on our own understanding

We become rebellious with God - so we make excuses and let go of faith.

So often we look just like the Israelites. We may not build a golden calf, but we run to other “idols” when we lose sight of faith. Idols such as money, hobbies, sports, bottles, you name it - things that pull us away from the community God is trying to build.

I recently read a Facebook post of a person who posted a prayer for their kid. The prayer was for God to protect and provide for the kid. The prayer was for God to guide and direct the kid. And as I read this post and I know the family… I yelled at my computer screen, “If you want God to do these things for your child, then make the effort to get your child to church!”

The reality is… people want what God has to offer, but they choose to remain outside His community!

Again, the answer to this problem is very simple… FOLLOW JESUS! In Christ God’s law is fulfilled. In Christ, the heart of God’s law can be known.

And why do I keep placing emphasis on that last point… because like the pharisees… too often people miss the heart of God’s law.

People see the law as legalistic, religious motions that are lifeless and restrictive. Yet, the heart behind it is quite the opposite. God wants you to experience HIS BEST in your life! But His best will only be found living life HIS WAY!

And His way… is simple. His way is not complicated. His way… is summed up by two very simple commands. Jesus sums up all the law and prophets in two commands that we know very well. We find this summation in Matthew 22:37-40

Matthew 22:37–40 NIV

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.”

That’s it… all the law is right there… because if you truly live by these two commandments, the rest will be naturally followed. LOVE is at the heart of God’s law which makes perfect sense because as 1 John 4:8 points out

1 John 4:8 NIV

8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

Tonight, I want us to focus in on these two commandments. I want us to realize that God is inviting all people to be a part of the community… the kingdom He is building.

His kingdom looks different and sounds different from the rest of this world. His kingdom is built upon His standards and truth… and His standards and truth are given from a position of love. God truly wants the best for us… do you believe that? But His best… can only be found as we choose to follow Jesus.

Love God

Simple and straight forward. The first and most important command is to love God.

Jesus broke this love down into three different parts. He said to love God:

With all your heart - with your emotional self. With your feelings and your passions.

With all your soul - with your spiritual self. With your innermost being.

With all your mind - with all your intellectual self. With your thoughts, dreams, and understanding.

Jesus purposely hits on these points as He gives this command. Why? Because it incorporates the entire person. Jesus says we are not to love with just a part of who we are, we are to love Him in ALL that we are.

Our love for God should be evident in all that we say and do… not just part of the time, but all of the time. Loving God should be priority one in our lives.

But how is it… that a person comes to love God?

In context, Jesus gives this answers to the Pharisees. One of these guys who was an expert in the law… tested Jesus with this question.

Now… I find something to be very interesting regarding the description of the guy that asks the question regarding the greatest commandment: It says he was an expert in the law.

This guy knew what the law said and being an expert, I hope he also lived it out. he was all about doing what the law said to do… which sounds pretty good, right?

But in this moment… we know HE COMPLETELY MISSED IT. How can I make such a claim? Because the Son of God was right there… in the presence of this so-called expert… and the guy had no idea who he was.

This guy may have been an expert in God’s law… but he was far from being an expert in God’s love. He missed the heart of the law completely.

So why bring this up while answering the question how is it that a person comes to love God?

Because too often, people mistaken legalism for love. Too often people place too much emphasis on doing… and miss out on the importance of being.

First off, we need to understand that God loved us… first. There is nothing we can do that can ever separate us from His love.

AND… there is nothing we can do that will cause Him to love us more. His love has never nor will it ever be conditional on what we do.

I say that because I see many people trying to earn God’s love in their lives. His love is not earnable… only receivable - meaning His love is there for us to accept or deny.

Even as the expert tried to test Jesus in this moment, Jesus responded with truth in love. Jesus didn’t tear the guy down… He simply answered the question and pointed the “expert” back to the heart of the law.

Secondly, God calls us back into fellowship through the Son

Jesus was in this moment… in this position… to invite all sinners to come home. Where Israel failed in its representation of God… Jesus didn’t

In John 15, we see Jesus describe Himself as “The true vine.” This is hugely significant.

In the OT, Israel was often referred to as the vine. This nation was to be God’s evangelistic arm to the world - the world was supposed to see God through His people… but they routinely failed to follow God.

Jesus WOULD NOT FAIL in this way. He remained faithful. He remained free from ALL sin. He became God’s ultimate example to this world of God’s love, truth and way.

Jesus… is God’s ultimate gift of love for us. This was an undeserved gift… but He was given nonetheless. We come to know the love of the Father, through the loving gift of His Son.

And we are called… to follow Him. We are called to love God with all that we are.

We are CALLED to BE followers of Jesus. And our doing will come naturally in our being. Those who follow Christ will keep His commands. Not because we have to… but because we understand they were given so we can truly experience life more abundantly.

The world’s way is broken - severely broken. And it will only become more broken as culture turns its back on God’s Word, truth, and morality. Cultural trends may be acceptable in the world, but they will only lead to darkness and destruction.

Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. If you want God’s best for your life… then follow God’s Son. Love Him with all that you are.

Love People

The second commandment Jesus gives is much like the first… but this time… it focuses on… people. Jesus says to love your neighbor as yourself.

Now… I have to think that this was a tall order for these guys… as it can be for us as well. Remember in John 8, the Pharisees are involved in one of the most unloving acts (in my opinion) in all of the Bible.

It is the story of the adulteress woman. Jesus was teaching in the temple courts… and the Pharisees wanted to put Him to the test… again.

The woman, according to their testimony, was caught in the act of adultery. They knew what the law said regarding this sin, but they wanted to see what Jesus would do in this situation.

They had NO regard for this woman. She was nothing but but someone to be used in this moment.

Had she sinned against God? Yes. Did she break God’s law? Yes.

And the Pharisees were more than eager to disregard her as a person… and treat her as nothing but a dirty, rotten, sinner.

And then… Jesus drops this HUGE reminder on the whole party… every person in that circle was a dirty, rotten, sinner.

Every person… deserved to be in the middle of the circle facing condemnation for their wrong doings. None of them were without sin… but because they had missed the heart of the law, legalism instead of love ruled in their hearts.

If we look at people, and all we can see is their sin, then we, like the Pharisees, have lost sight of the love that is at the heart of God’s law.

Truth is, none of us would be here tonight if not for the love of Christ - meaning none of us would be saved, forgiven or set free.

Instead of treating the woman as they wanted to be treated, they were using her to try to prove a point. But Jesus turned the whole thing around on them.

Loving others… can be a difficult thing to do. Why? Because every person has been impacted by the negative and destructive consequences of sin.

But never forget something very important regarding Jesus’ words. He told us to love others as we love ourselves. In other words… treat others how we desire to be treated.

This is not a “I’ll scratch your back if you’ll scratch mine” kind of love. This is a “I will love you how I desire to be loved no matter how you might treat me” kind of love.

This is the kind of love… that Jesus demonstrated for us on the cross. Sacrificial. Unconditional. A kind of love the world had never seen before.

As they mocked Him and made fun of Him, He prayed for their forgiveness. As the thief called out to Him, He set the man’s souls free.

Jesus remained on mission… His love for others NEVER wavered. And He calls His people… His followers… to be people of love.

In fact, He goes on to say in John 13 that the world will know we are His disciples by our love!

John 13:34–35 NIV

34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

God’s law was not given to us that we might weaponize it against each other… it was given so that we might know God’s love. Yes, His Word is used to correct and rebuke… but what is the HEART behind that correction and rebuke?

Is it to alienate and accuse like the Pharisees were doing in John 8?

Or is it used to guide and restore - to lead people back to God’s love and His ways?

A New Command

Jesus labeled His words in John 13 as a new command… and really, it was God’s command all along. The problem was… love had gotten lost in legalism. The heart of what God wanted to do… had been missed.

And I pray tonight that we do not lose sight of God’s love. I pray this evening that as we do our best to live follow and adhere to all of God’s commands, that we forever remember the reason why God gave us those commands.

We are followers of Christ - that’s who you are. And as followers, we are to be doers of His Word.

James 1:22–25 NIV

22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

It goes without saying that what we do… matters. In fact… it matters greatly. But so does why we do what we do.

Our BEING followers of Jesus should compel us to do as Christ instructed or commanded us to do. If we do not do what His Word tells us to do… it is as if we have forgotten who we are.

I do not want us to forget who we are, what we have heard, and who it is that we follow. At the heart of all of this is God’s love.

We are who we are because God gave us His Son.

We do what we do because God gave us His Word.

And God has given us all of this in the name of love.

Therefore, His love ought to be the driving factor behind our choosing to follow His commands and to live according to His Word.

I don’t follow and do because I have to… I want to. Because the more I become like Jesus and the less I become like the world, the more freedom, joy, peace, blessing, you name it I experience!

The two greatest commandments give to us sum up all of the commands in Scripture… and they are both based on love.

Let’s not lose sight of His love for legalism and… let’s choose to be beacons of His love. We do this by:

Loving each other

Sharing God’s love with others.

BE followers of Jesus

DO the works He has called us to do

Allow His love to be our motivation.