Keeping The Law In Christ
gtcotr/ss030203
Turn to:
Matthew 19 The Young Rich Ruler
16 ¶ And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
18 He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,
19 Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
20 The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?
21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.
Jesus was talking to this OT Jew, who was under the law, about the 10 Commandments and his duty to keep them.
There were Two Tablets Of Stone whereupon was written 10 Commandments, 4 Commandments on the First Tablet and the remaining 6 on the other.
The First Tablet
Commandments 1-4 Detailed an individual’s
Responsibilities Toward God
Exodus 20:1-11
1 ¶ And God spake all these words, saying,
2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
1. You shall have no other Gods before me.
2. You shall make no image or likeness of anything to serve or worship.
3. You shall not take the Name of the Lord your God in vain.
4. Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy.
The Second Tablet
Commandments 5-10 Outlined A Person’s
Responsibilities Toward Others
Exodus 20:12-17
12 ¶ Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
13 Thou shalt not kill.
14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.
15 Thou shalt not steal.
16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.
5. Honor your father and mother that your days shall be long upon the earth.
6. You shall not commit murder.
7. You shall not commit adultery.
8. You shall not steal.
9. You shall not lie.
10. You shall not covet. (Jesus referred to loving neighbor as self)
The rich man’s answers revealed that he was keeping the second tablet of the law, but he was failing to keep the first table.
Note: We Should Love God more than ourselves and love others as much as ourselves and we will fulfill the whole will of God.
How can I examine myself to see if I truly love God and others?
John 14:15 If you love Me, keep My commandments.
Allow me to stand in this morning as a minister of God and ask some questions to assist with self examination … just as Jesus did for the Young Rich Ruler when he ask, “What lack I yet?” (Matthew 19:20)
Ecclesiastes 12 The First Two Questions
12 … my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
13 ¶ Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
#1. Do You Fear God
It is the smart thing to do! The beginning of wisdom.
(Psalms 111:10; Proverbs 1:7 & 9:10) Begin!
#2. Do You Keep His Commandments
> What Commandments? Today -
* The Commands of Christ -- Differ
> Not in the ‘letter of the law’, but the ‘spirit’.
(2 Cor 3:6)
Micah 6 The Last Three Questions
7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
#3. Are you living justly? (decisions based on what is right instead of what benefits us)
#4. Do you love to show mercy? (unwarranted forgiveness)
#5. Are you humble?
Point # 198. Humility is quietly caring more what God thinks about you than what others think about you.
Matthew 19:16-22 Jesus challenged the young rich man’s life
1. How do you treat others? (not how do they treat you!)
2. How do you treat God?
Some Christians treat people alright, but see God as servant instead of Master; as but one possible answer instead of The One And Only Answer; as the blessor instead of The Blessing.
Other Christians treat God right, but do not treat their fellow man with justice or mercy, nor do they walk with humility.
In order to inherit the kingdom of God, we must:
Fear God
No Other Gods Before Him - Love Him more than us
Keep His Commandments - Loving our neighbor as ourselves
Do Justly
Love Mercy
Walk Humbly
Both Tablets - Today’s Challenge - Keeping The Whole Law
#1. Love God More Than You Love Yourself
#2. Love Your Neighbor As Much As You Love Yourself
