I am pretty sure that if we did a quick survey of all who are attending church this morning, asking the question, "Why did you come to church today?" we would get a variety of answers. In fact, I think there are a variety of valid reasons why an individual might come to church.
I think all of these reasons contribute to the importance of church attendance. And in all of these reasons, if we look closely at them, we will see how they are important in accomplishing what Jesus wants of the church. Jesus' focus was on the Word. Look at the words Jesus used as the climax for His great Sermon on the Mount.
Matthew 7:24 (NASB)
"Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock."
I have an idea that it is a combination of several, if not all, of these benefits of the organized church that motivate our attendance. A big part of the gathering of the church is to gain an understanding of His words to us. Once we understand His words, we must then make the necessary application of those words to our personal lives in the twenty-first century.
But there is one thing that probably would not be much of a motivation for coming to church. An overwhelming emphasis of learning the law, and a legalistic view of keeping the law. Yet, Jesus seems to give particular attention to the importance of the law. The portion of the Sermon on the Mount we will look at today deals with this topic and is found in Matthew 5:17-20.
All through the centuries, people, the organized church, scholars, theologian, institutions, and governments have been imposing their own preconceived ideas about why Jesus came. They want to say they have the final understanding of His teachings and actions. Jesus tells us that He is the final authority about His mission here on earth. Let's look at His teaching on the law.
Matthew 5:17-20 (NASB)
[17] "Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.
[18] "For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.
[19] "Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
[20] "For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus' words, "do not think that I came..." tell us that He realized that people were imposing their own preconceived ideas, about why He was teaching things that seemed to be contrary to the religious leaders of His day.
From the context, we can infer that many thought He was trying to do away with, or abolish, the Law and the teachings of the Prophets of old. Jesus wants them to know that the Law and Prophets are important. It is not His intention to do away with them at all. His intention is to give a correct interpretation of them to the people.
In the second half of our passage for today, there is an emphasis of the protection of the law. Jesus speaks against those who would annul the law, or teach others to annul the law. This emphasis of protection is important because the law is there to preserve proper, and necessary, restraints on the behavior of mankind.
Jesus' emphasis on the importance of the law includes a statement of permanence. "...until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law..." The law is necessary as long as there are humans who interact with each other.
This is important because the law is a set of guidelines for reasonable behavior in our relationships with God and with mankind. Without the law, our sinful nature dominates life. It promotes a selfish attitude, which overwhelms what is reasonable for behavior toward others around us.
The emphasis of this passage is not an emphasis to be legalistic about keeping the law. The emphasis Jesus is trying to get across to the people is to realize that the fulfillment of the law is only possible in a relationship with God. That relationship can only come through Jesus Christ.
This relationship is a relationship of love. I don't keep the law because I must follow God's commands in my life. I keep the law for two reasons.
Another reason the words, "...until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law..." is important is because it shows the importance of this relational teaching through the law.
The law shows the guidelines for our love for each other and for God. Look at the Ten Commandments. The first four commandments deal with our relationship with God. The last six commandments deal with our relationships with mankind.
Deuteronomy 5:6-21 (NASB)
[6] 'I am the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
[7]'You shall have no other gods before Me.
[8] 'You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth.
[...]
[11] 'You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.
[12] 'Observe the sabbath day to keep it holy, as the LORD your God commanded you.
[...]
[16] 'Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, that your days may be prolonged and that it may go well with you on the land which the LORD your God gives you.
[17] 'You shall not murder.
[18] 'You shall not commit adultery.
[19] 'You shall not steal.
[20] 'You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
[21] 'You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, and you shall not desire your neighbor's house, his field or his male servant or his female servant, his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor.'
For the sake of understanding, Jesus even condensed the law into two simple statements or commandments, which are quotes from the Old Testament.
Matthew 22:36-40 (NASB)
[36] "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?"
[37] And He said to him, " 'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.'
[38] "This is the great and foremost commandment.
[39] "The second is like it, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.'
[40] "On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets."
These are the simple choices given to us in the Law.
When heaven and earth pass away, eternity has begun and all has been decided. Everyone has made their choice to be in the Kingdom of God or separate from it. Everything is then fixed.
There is no need for law because all relationships have been finally settled. Those in the Kingdom of God will treat each other with the respect, mercy, and love that exemplify Christ's love for us.
Those who choose not to be part of the Kingdom of God, will no longer have the restraints of the law to restrain their selfish behaviors toward each other.
Can you imagine a place in eternity where there are no restraints? Can you imagine that no one in that place has love for anyone but themselves? It will be a place where there is no respect, mercy or love for anyone but self. That is hell, and it will be forever.
On November 9, 2009, there was a 20th anniversary celebration of the fall of the Berlin Wall. It was held at Berlin's Brandenburg Gate and there were several important leaders there to speak at the celebration. Angela Merkel, Germany's first chancellor to be raised in the former communist East, was one of them.
She was talking about two important moments in German history where the people stood up and said, 'no more!', to the communist repression they lived under. Her words are a reminder to us about the cost of freedom.
She said: "Both show that freedom is not self-evident, freedom must be fought for. Freedom must be defended time and again." (STAR)
I think that is what Jesus was doing when he taught about the law. He wanted us to know that the law, the guidelines that God has set for reasonable human interaction with God and with mankind, must be protected and defended.
Not because they are the laws of Almighty God, but because they are there for our protection. If you look carefully at what is happening in our culture today, you will see that it is the abandoning of God's law that is bringing our Nation into the depths of the depravity of sin.
"Uwe Kross, a 65-year-old retiree, fought back tears as he recalled watching the drama unfold two decades ago, hours after a confused announcement that East Germany was lifting travel restrictions.
"'That night, you couldn't stop people,' Kross said. 'They lifted the barrier and everyone poured through. We saw it first on TV - normally it was very quiet up here - but that night we could hear the footsteps of those crossing, tap, tap, tap.'
"Merkel, who was one of thousands to cross that night, recalled that 'before the joy of freedom came, many people suffered.'" (STAR)
I think I understand a fraction of the joy that Ms. Merkel felt that night when her foot first fell on West German soil. I will never forget the feeling I had when I returned from Viet Nam on Vetrans Day, 1970. Walking down the steps of the plane and placing my foot on American soil. It was an overwhelming experience.
There was one other time in my life that I had that feeling. It was in February of 1971. It was the day that I knelt at an altar and gave my life to Christ. I crossed the line that divides this world from the Kingdom of God.
When Jesus came to earth, died on the cross, came out of the grave after three days, ascended into heaven, and then sent the Holy Spirit to indwell His followers, it was like tearing down a wall similar to the wall that divided East and West Germany.
He tore down the wall that separated sinful mankind from Him. He made it possible for sinful mankind to live in relationship with Him. Since that day some 2000 years ago, the tap, tap, tap of the footsteps of millions of people walking away from the world and into His Kingdom has been heard every single day.
Like the throngs that crossed over from Communist East Germany to the Democratic West Germany, like the throngs that have made the choice to follow Jesus Christ and cross over to His Kingdom. The choice to cross that line is made available to everyone.
Thanksgiving will soon be upon us. Christmas follows close after that. I would like to give each of you a gift this year. I give you the gift of the Christ Child, which represents all that God, in His love for mankind, has done because He loves us so much.
The choice is yours to make. What will you do with the gift I offer you today?
NASB - New American Standard Bible (NASB). Cedar Rapids: Laridian, 2002.
STAR - Arizona Daily Star, World A13, Tucson, AZ, Tuesday, November 10, 2009,
I want to thank my research assistant, Debi Peck, who does hours of research to provide many of my resources. I also want to thank Vonda Watson-Bostick and Robyn Harper, who help me with editing.