2021.05.23 Does It Apply?
Notes
Transcript
Does It Apply?
Does It Apply?
Me
How did you learn to mow the lawn?
Oldest mowed…younger picked up dog poop.
When I grew big enough to mow the lawn, I had to do both! Rules had changed on me because I was the youngest!
Know what the most common relationship problem is?
Unstated expectations
These next two sermons will be about relationships, so you’ll hear more about unstated expectations, but for now … our God would NEVER hold you to an expectation he hasn’t communicated to you!
We
The pattern of the OT ... people expressed all of the common desires of humanity … and eventually God relented
We wanted a King, after warning us that a King is a bad idea God allowed a King
One of the base desires humans have is for boundaries, so God provided some boundaries:
Sounds strange
Sociologists and Psychologists agree that kids needs boundaries and clearly defined consequences, and families that hold to established boundaries and clearly defined consequences produce more reliable adults.
Christian Psychologist Dr. Kevin Leman: “American parents have become permissive and democratic and American children have become spoiled, sassy, and out of control.”
And so God gave us The Law: 613 Mitzvot or Commands … EXPECTATIONS found in the Old Testament
Does It Apply?
Does It Apply?
So, which of those 613 laws still apply to us today?
First of all … they ALL still apply to Jews!
Orthodox Jews still follow the Law today, with the exception of the animal sacrifices, only because … no Temple
So, how ‘bout Christians? How many of those 613 Mitzvot still apply to us?
This sermon is based on a question that is so common, but it’s usually asked in the middle of a discussion of some expectation of God’s that we don’t want to follow.
The Old Testament food restrictions apparently are still a hot topic to non-Jews debating other topics.
Ever wondered why Christians don’t follow the dietary requirements of the Law?
In studying the Scriptures, I’ve discovered two reasons … one OT, one NT
OT: look at the law (Leviticus 11:4)
4 ‘Nevertheless, you are not to eat of these, among those which chew the cud, or among those which divide the hoof: the camel, for though it chews cud, it does not divide the hoof, it is unclean to you.
“hyuwa lakem” – “to you” or literally “in regard to you” (BDB)
To whom was this law given? Jews
So “in regard to you” means … in regard to Jews
NT: Peter’s vision in Acts 10 – told to kill and eat what are unclean animals
God tells him they aren’t unclean
“You aren’t Jewish anymore”
So, what DOES still apply to us?
God
17 “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.
18 “For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.
19 “Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20 “For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
28 One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, “What commandment is the foremost of all?”
29 Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord;
30 and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’
31 “The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
32 The scribe said to Him, “Right, Teacher; You have truly stated that He is One, and there is no one else besides Him;
33 and to love Him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as himself, is much more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
34 When Jesus saw that he had answered intelligently, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” After that, no one would venture to ask Him any more questions.
Does It Apply?
Does It Apply?
You
So there are two answers to the question of how to tell what applies to us today. One is quite simple, but doesn’t provide a ready list of rules we have to follow.
The other is much more precise, but requires a lot more work.
First, if all of the law hangs on 2 commands, we should know those commands inside out, up and down, backward and forward! We just read them … what are they?
Love God, love neighbor….motives more than behavior!!!
Flower example – Mistake doesn’t necessarily mean sin!
Motive defines sin more than behavior!
Second method is much more accurate, but isn’t as easy
You have to read it for yourself!
DON’T LET ANYONE ELSE DECLARE GOD’S RULES FOR YOU!
But read carefully, and be willing to change when you discover something you missed the last time!
For a long time, I hadn’t noticed the phrase “to you”. I’ve never heard anyone else ever address that curious phrase, but there it was in plain sight. I had to discover that for myself!
If “until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law”, you should know the Law for yourself.
In the absence of some biblical reason to not follow a particular law (like Peter’s vision), the law should be considered still in place and you should follow it!
Does It Apply?
Does It Apply?
We
We live under grace, but grace is over and above the law. To get to grace, we have to go through the Law.
20 The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more,
21 so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase?
2 May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?
So, the answer to the question is: You have to read it for yourself, and discover God’s revealed self for you!
But knowing that grace is available should give you confidence to live without the fear that the Jews lived under. They were continually checking their behavior.
If the motive is more important than behavior, we should continually check our motives rather than obsessing over our behavior.
Checking Motives
Am I right with God?
Am I doing what I’m doing intentionally or just whatever comes naturally?
Is my intention to serve God and my fellow humans?
God is holy and he demands that we be holy, and his definition of holy is not following a bunch of rules … it’s having a heart like his. That is God’s law and it still applies to us.
So … Whether a specific law applies or not, the better question is … “What’s the motive behind your behavior?” Or, more generally...
How’s your heart?
How’s your heart?