Day Three Matthew 5:17-18
“Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. 18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved.” – Matthew 5:17-18 (NLT)
Learn From the Word
Jesus now prepares for a long teaching addressing the Old Testament Law (the law of Moses and writings of the prophets) in the rest of chapter five. Before He dives in, though, He wants to remind His listeners of His own relationship to the law, almost as if He’s anticipating pushback. When Jesus says He came to accomplish the purpose of the law, or to fulfill it, He’s essentially saying He came to change the role of the law and its commands in the lives of His disciples. He didn’t come to do away with the law, to amplify it, or to alter it. Instead, He came to embed the way to live in His upside-down kingdom in the hearts of His disciples, giving them new desires and instincts (listen to this Bible Project podcast for more on this rich topic).
Put It Into Practice
Have you ever practiced or done something so much that it became like second nature to you? Was it slow and difficult at first? Jesus knew the only way to learn how to live in His upside-down kingdom was to start, to do, and to practice. It’s why He placed so much importance on knowing Him and following His commands. If you don’t have a regular rhythm of studying God’s Word and talking to Him, start. And keep practicing until it’s embedded in your heart and becomes like second nature to you. Here’s a tool we like if you need one!
For Families with Kids at Home
Have your kids ever broken a rule or made a poor choice? Ask them how hard it is to obey all the rules all the time (probably pretty hard!). Jesus followed every rule so that even when we inevitably don’t, God still loves us!