Saturday 11 May 2013

Read: Matthew 7:12, Luke 10:25-37

As Christians we tend to think rather negatively about the law. We know that the law cannot save us and that we are only justified through faith in Christ. We know that in Romans, Paul talks about the law revealing our sin and our sin taking advantage of the opportunity presented by it. As a result we tend to assign the law to a low place in our list of priorities.

 

Jesus, however, has a different view. We have already seen previously in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:17) that Jesus has not come to abolish the law, as if it was some kind of divine mistake, but to fulfill it. This alone should cause us to take the law more seriously. Additionally the law was given by God not because of some kind of divine malice or desire to end fun but to give and to protect abundance of life. That is why God constantly says to the Israelite people that He sets before them life or death for them to choose.

 

If we truly take the law seriously then we must pay special heed to Jesus' summary of the law here in Matthew 7:12. What about you? Would you truly be able to say that you have always treated others as you would like to be treated? Can you say that in this way, you have fulfilled God's law perfectly? None of us can. In this way the law shows us our utter sinfulness before God and our desperate need for the reconciliation that comes through Christ. That is the point of Jesus' parable in Luke 10. Loving others is not just about loving those who we get along with but about loving everyone, even our most despised enemies. The lawyer, who had hoped to earn eternal life, goes away sad, knowing he cannot love his enemies. This principal shows us our own inability to keep God's law and our utter sinfulness before God.

 

Why then would Jesus command His followers to keep a principal of the law we absolutely cannot? We have something the lawyer did not, the Holy Spirit. God is actively working on our hearts so that His people can show the love of God to everyone, even our worst enemies. We are to do as the lawyer could not, to treat our enemies as we would like to be treated. Think about how that might look practically in your own life. How can you treat those around you in your workplace, your school, your university or your home in the way that you would like to be treated? How do you demonstrate the love of Christ even to those who hate and despise you? As you live according to this principal you will shine the light of Christ where you are and draw people to our great and gracious saviour.

 

Prayer:

Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.

 

Adoration:

 

Confession:

 

Thanks:

 

Supplication:

¥ Praise God for His great grace to you through Jesus Christ. Pray that He would give you wisdom and courage today to take advantage of every opportunity to share Him with others and to demonstrate His love to the world. Pray that He would grow a passion in your heart to see the lost come to know Him.

¥ Pray for the preaching of God's word tomorrow around the world, in Australia, in the Darling Downs and at Christlife. Pray that everywhere where God's people are gathered the Word would be preached and proclaimed faithfully, boldly and powerfully. Pray that God would work through His word and that many around the world would come to saving faith in Him.

 

My Additional Prayer Points.

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Discussion Questions For Families and Groups

1. Think about a place where you spend a lot of time during the week. What would it look like to do to others as you would have them do unto you in that situation?

2. Tell the group about how you can practically love others in that environment.