Embodying Love: The True Essence of the Law

Devotional

Day 1: Embodying the Essence of the Law Through Love

The fulfillment of the law is not about discarding it but embodying its true essence, which is love. Jesus exemplified this by living in perfect harmony with the law, showing that it is not a set of rigid rules but a pathway to grace and love. The law is a reflection of God's character and a blueprint for how we should live, love, and interact with others. By understanding the "why" behind the law, we can see it as a guide towards a life of love and compassion, rather than a burdensome set of regulations. [02:29]

"For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another." (Galatians 5:14-15, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a relationship in your life where you can better embody love. How can you take a specific action today to reflect God's love in that relationship?

Day 2: The Law as a Divine Gift

The law is a divine gift that guides us towards a life of love and compassion. It is not meant to be a burdensome set of rules but a reflection of God's character and a blueprint for righteous living. By viewing the law as a gift, we can appreciate its role in guiding us towards a life that mirrors God's love and compassion. The law is a tool that helps us align our lives with God's will, leading us to live in harmony with others and with God. [04:21]

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. I have sworn an oath and confirmed it, to keep your righteous rules." (Psalm 119:105-106, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you view God's law as a gift in your life? Identify one area where you can embrace the law as a guide towards love and compassion today.

Day 3: Distinguishing Legalism from True Law

Legalism distorts the law into a system of superiority and oppression, missing its true purpose. The law is meant to refresh the soul and bring joy, not to be a tool for self-righteousness. True law is about living in a way that reflects God's love and grace, rather than using the law as a means to judge or elevate oneself above others. By distinguishing between legalism and true law, we can focus on the heart of the law, which is love and compassion. [06:06]

"For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life." (2 Corinthians 3:6b, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on a time when you may have approached God's law with a legalistic mindset. How can you shift your perspective to focus on the spirit of the law, which is love and grace?

Day 4: Grace and Law Working Together

Grace empowers us to live according to the law, and the law provides a framework for expressing that grace through love. They are not opposed but work together to guide us towards goodness. Grace is the source of our ability to live out the law, and the law helps us understand how to express that grace in our daily lives. By embracing both grace and law, we can live in a way that reflects God's love and goodness to the world. [09:33]

"For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace." (Romans 6:14, ESV)

Reflection: How can you allow God's grace to empower you to live according to His law today? Identify one specific way you can express grace through your actions.

Day 5: Living the Law Through Love

We are called to love the law rightly by doing the next right thing, being compassionate, kind, and humble. Each moment is an opportunity to live out the law through love and reflect God's character. By focusing on love as the heart of the law, we can be a force for good in the world and demonstrate God's love through our actions. Living the law through love means being intentional about our actions and interactions, seeking to reflect God's love in all that we do. [10:40]

"Let all that you do be done in love." (1 Corinthians 16:14, ESV)

Reflection: What is one specific action you can take today to live out the law through love? How can you be intentional about reflecting God's love in your interactions with others?

Sermon Summary

In today's reflection, we explored the profound relationship between Christians and the law, emphasizing that obedience to the law is not just a matter of duty but a matter of understanding the "why" behind it. Jesus, the greatest teacher, did not come to abolish the law or the prophets but to fulfill them. This fulfillment is not about discarding the law but about embodying its true essence, which is love. The law and the prophets, representing the Old Testament, were always pointing towards Jesus and his story. This is akin to a narrative unfolding, where the unexpected yet inevitable revelation is that everything was leading to Him.

Jesus' life exemplifies what it means to live in perfect harmony with the law, not as a set of rigid rules but as a pathway to grace and love. The law is not a burdensome set of regulations but a gift that guides us towards a life of love and compassion. It is a reflection of God's character and a blueprint for how we should live, love, and interact with others. The essence of the law is captured in the Golden Rule: to do unto others as you would have them do unto you. This is the heart of the law, and it is through love that we fulfill it.

Legalism, on the other hand, distorts the law into a system of superiority and oppression, missing the point entirely. It becomes a tool for self-righteousness rather than a guide for righteous living. The true purpose of the law is to refresh the soul, make wise the simple, and bring joy to the heart. It is a course of goodness, not the source, which is God and His grace. Grace empowers us to live according to the law, and the law provides a framework for expressing that grace through love.

In our daily lives, we are called to love the law rightly by doing the next right thing, by being compassionate, kind, and humble. Each moment is an opportunity to live out the law through love, to be a force for good in the world, and to reflect the character of God in our actions.

Key Takeaways

1. righteousness. [06:06]
4. Grace and Law Together: Grace empowers us to live according to the law, and the law provides a framework for expressing that grace through love. They are not opposed but work together to guide us towards goodness.

5. Living the Law Through Love: We are called to love the law rightly by doing the next right thing, being compassionate, kind, and humble. Each moment is an opportunity to live out the law through love and reflect God's character.

** [06:06]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:11] - The Importance of the "Why"
[00:31] - The Golden Rule
[01:00] - Jesus and the Law
[01:39] - Misunderstandings About Jesus' Mission
[02:05] - Fulfillment of the Law and Prophets
[02:57] - The Story of Jesus
[03:38] - The Gift of the Law
[04:21] - Psalm 19 and the Law
[05:00] - Distinguishing Law from Legalism
[06:06] - Legalism vs. True Law
[07:21] - A True Story About Legalism
[08:03] - The New Legalism
[09:04] - Surfing and the Law
[09:33] - Grace and Law Together
[10:40] - Living the Law Through Love

Sermon Clips

"people sometimes wonder if I'm a Christian am I supposed to obey the law and the answer is yes but it's the why that really matters it's the why that can make you greatest teacher who ever lived said your problems your difficulties are not insurmountable what is insurmountable is God it is Kingdom his action and presence Among Us us and so you can make today a golden rule day" [00:00:00]

"do not think I have come to abolish the law or the prophets now why would he say that well it's because there were people who thought that he had come to abolish the law and the prophets for one thing he spoke with unique Authority this passes the first time in the sermon not that he will use the phrase truly I tell you rabbis didn't talk like that they quoted the Torah they quoted other rabbis this Rabbi was uniquely authoritative" [00:01:02]

"so there were folks that thought well he must have come to abolish the law and the prophets so he says let me be real clear on this not only have I not come to abolish them I have come to fulfill them now what does it mean that he came to fulfill the law prophets the law and the prophets was a way of referring to all of the Old Testament" [00:01:44]

"the law and the prophets from the beginning was pointing towards something and that something that it was pointing towards because it's a story it was him and his story kind of like if you've seen the old original Star Wars movie and then you saw the second installment and then the third one and you realize Darth Vader the enemy is actually Luke's father and Leah's father and the reconciliation is possible" [00:02:55]

"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 until all of humanity God's Cosmic project of community we all look the way that God wants us to and the essence of the law of course is do to other people what you would have them do to you that is love love God love your neighbor" [00:03:41]

"the law of the Lord is perfect refreshing the soul the statutes of the Lord are trustworthy making wise the simple the precepts of the Lord are right giving Joy to the heart the commands of the Lord are radiant giving light to the eyes the decrees of the Lord are firm and all of them are righteous altogether I came down to do this by the ocean because it refreshes my soul" [00:04:12]

"it's helpful here to distinguish between two different ideas one is the law as God gave it or what Israel called the law and the prophets that's the story of who God is what God's character is like and what God thinks a good person ought to look like we have this perennial problem how do I live how should I act as a friend what should I do with my money" [00:05:03]

"we turn the law from a pathway to Grace into the wrong kind of law which becomes an instrument for cultural superiority and human oppression and then it just becomes this kind of odd um Book of Rules that we will use to make ourselves feel better than other people make us feel Superior so it actually becomes the anti-law the essence of law is love God love other people" [00:06:06]

"Grace and law go together law is a gift of Grace to us and then Grace gives us the power to move towards it and the Heart of it the essence of it always is love so today love the law be deeply grateful uh that God has given us a picture a story words we're not stumbling around in the dark to be filled with love to be clothed with compassion and kindness and humility and gentleness and patience" [00:09:37]

"if you want to be a follower of Jesus and uh learn how to love the law rightly just do the next right thing when you're with another person how can I assume him how can I love him how can I speak the truth for all I um I was remembering this morning or quite a recent incident where I was with somebody and they were deeply Med and I looked at my wallet and I had a large bill so I gave it to him" [00:10:54]

"when the next moment comes do the next right thing remember uh Jesus came to fulfill the law so uh the law and the prophets are summed up in this one statement which we call the golden rope make it a golden Mule Day let your soul be refed if you like hearing John talk about The Sermon on the Mount we've got a whole series on that so go ahead and subscribe to make sure you don't miss any future episodes" [00:11:27]

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