Heart Surgery on the Mountain

Dear People of God,
 
Jesus’ earthly ministry broke some of the favorite rules of religious leaders in his day.  Rules about what you should do on the Sabbath, or who you should associate with, or what rituals you should follow. Because he was breaking their rules, some people thought Jesus wanted to abolish all of the rules, even the Law of God given to Moses on Mount Sinai.
 
Jesus surprised his critics on this second mount by saying, “I have not come to abolish [the Law and Prophets] but to fulfill them. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished” (Matthew 5).
 
This last phrase raises an important series of questions: 

• What role does the Law play in accomplishing God’s redemptive purposes?  

• Didn’t God send grace through Jesus because we couldn’t keep the Law?  

• Then why does Jesus say that nothing will pass away from the Law until the end of time?  

Could it be that grace in Jesus does not reduce the importance of the Law, but rather sets in motion a heart transformation that enables us to increasingly keep the Law without being condemned by it?
 
Let’s gather to worship before our living God this Sunday, and to let His Word and Spirit cleanse, inspire, and form us into clearer reflections of His glory.
 
Your servant, 
Peter DuMont