Document Are You Talking To ME? 1 Snapshot of the item below: Here’s a truth that may seem radical at first. The Bible only exists because of you and me, and the rest of mankind. It’s OUR book, written by God, for and to US. Why is it so little time is spent reading something the Creator of the world provided for us? How many people leave a book written to them unread? Much of it is a love letter. If you received a love letter, would you leave it unopened? How many times would you reread your love letter? Would it be radical to say that ALL of the Bible is written FOR us, but not all of it is written TO us! Some parts are specifically for Jews and some parts for Gentiles. Some for sinners and some for saints. We can all benefit from all that is written, as we observe and hear what others are taught, but the instructions are not to us. For example, in a football huddle, the quarterback calls out the next play, and specific parts of what he says are for different players. Hearing the entire call helps all understand what will happen, but we need to especially focus on the part that tells about what we are to do. The fact is, His ministry was only to the house of Israel. When a Gentile woman begged Him to heal her daughter, Jesus said, “He answered, ‘I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel’.” (Mt15:24) When He sent His disciples out to preach, heal, and drive out demons, it’s written, “These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: ‘Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. ‘Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel’.” (Mt10:-6) Until His death and resurrection, which was for the whole world, the Old Covenant was in force. Jesus taught the Old Covenant. The sermon on the Mount was exclusively to a Jewish audience, people under the law! Jesus gave God’s strict interpretation of the law, and not the watered down Pharisee version. He was showing it was impossible to keep. We needed Him to fulfill the law (Mt5:17), pay for the sins of the world, die and be raised again. Righteousness and perfection before God comes ONLY by believing in Jesus and the finished work of the cross. I’m so glad I know that I don’t need to get circumcised. So relieved I don’t have to try to (through works and keeping every bit of law) be more righteous than a Pharisee. (Mt5:20) I thank you Jesus, because You are my righteousness, I AM perfect, even as my Father in heaven is perfect. (Mt5:48) I don’t have to cut off my arm or pluck out my eyes to get into heaven. (Mt5:29-30) Good news indeed! Until the New Covenant, which took effect after the cross and resurrection, Gentiles had no covenant with God. Gentiles never had a law, written on stone or anywhere else, until Jesus died and His law could be written on our hearts, not on stone. So much better. Grace, the unmerited favor of God, is all over His ministry too, and I’ll discuss that in the next installment. Unfortunately, law consciousness kept most of the house of Israel from hearing it. Can you recall the grace messages Jesus taught? Selah.
Posted on: Fri, 20 Sep 2013 00:58:55 +0000
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