Rule Followers or Jesus Followers? (Matt 5:17-20)

Tina and George lived in the seventeen hundreds and had known each other since childhood.  As they grew to adulthood they fell in love with each other and became married.  It was easy for Tina to love George - she couldn't get enough of him.  And he loved her completely too.  They both put the other's well being before themselves.  But one day a new vicar came to their village.  His wife held a meeting of the all the women in the village and gave them a list of rules that they must follow to be good wives. It was a good list - nothing wrong with it whatsoever.  Tina wanted to be a good wife, so she began to follow them. But they were overwhelming and kept her away from doing all the things that she and George had loved doing together like taking long walks and singing together in the evenings.  Once her relationship with George had been out of love for him.  Now her relationship was through a list of rules that she carefully followed - but could never really keep.  George missed his wife.  Tina missed her husband.  Then one day George said, "I am going to the vicar and telling him that this is not our way - that we have a better way.  Our relationship is going to be based on love and laughter not a list of rules."


Matthew 5:17-20   17 "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.  18 I tell you the truth, 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.  19 Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.  20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Luke 16:16-17   16 "The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time, the good news of the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it.  17 It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law. 


Before the Messiah came, our relationship with God was through the Old Testament Law. The Old Testament Law required all kinds of ritualistic actions and sacrifices in order to be right with God.  But Jesus fulfilled all of the Law - not by keeping it or practicing it - but by his life, death, and resurrection.  He did not come to say these laws were wrong or not part of God's plan for humanity, but to give us a new way of being - a way where we would be in relationship with God, not through the law, but through the Holy Spirit living with in us.  His death and resurrection enabled our hearts to be cleansed so that the Holy Spirit could join with our own spirit - giving us direct access to God.  

The Law was for our benefit - to show us how to live in community with each other - and to show us that we could not keep God's standards.  But the Messiah fulfilled the law so that we could have direct access to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  The Christian life is no longer focused on a list of rules to follow, but on following Jesus through the Holy Spirit living with in us.  We may look like a rule keeping people, but we are a Holy Spirit guided people living in direct relationship with God.