February 4
Ex 19:16-21:21 | PS 28 | Prov 7:1-5 | Matt 23:13-39
As we approach the giving of the law in the book of Exodus, we must remind ourselves of a few things from Scripture. The law is indeed good (Romans 7:12). The law was our tutor to bring us to Christ (Galatians 3:24). We are unable to follow the law due to our fallen nature and propensity for sin (James 2:10, "For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.") We know from Romans 3:10-12, that no one is either good or righteous. We know from Romans 3:23, that we "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Since we can't keep the law, we know from Romans 6:14, that we are under grace, not the law. I mention all of this because the overwhelming majority of people believe they and their loved ones are heaven bound due to their inherent goodness. Most don't believe they are great, but believe they are "pretty good". The question must be asked, "On what basis?" Their basis is based on society's view not God's view. Even one sin not covered renders one unable to enter heaven's gates. The law must make us aware that we simply cannot do it on our own, no matter how we try we simply will never be good enough. But the purpose is not to frustrate any of us, but to lead us to Jesus. He has already covered every sin, every debt that we are unable to pay ourselves. It is why Jesus, Himself, could make such an exclusive statement in John 14:6, "Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me."
Ray Comfort, Christian evangelist, often uses the ten commandments in his approach. We read the ten commandments in Exodus 20. The first four are vertical commandments between individuals and God, the final six are horizontal commandments between individuals and other individuals. As people frequently do, they state that they are a "pretty good" person, to which Ray Comfort asks them if they ever lied, which all admit to. He then tells them this makes them a liar. He also adds in Jesus' enhanced definition of the commandments in Matthew 5, letting those who never committed murder but harbored anger and bitterness towards another know that they are guilty of murder, that those who ever looked at another with lust that they are guilty of adultery, that those who even take a pen or busy themselves with their cell phone at work are guilty of stealing. So, he brings one to realize that all are guilty of virtually every commandment. This doesn't even include the first commandment in Exodus 20:3, "You must not have any other god but me." Everyone fails this one. No, we don't serve at the altar of Baal or Asherah any longer, but many bow down to the altar of self, their children or grandchildren, their work, their sports, their social media, etc. Anything and everything that takes our attention off of God and takes up most of our time and focus becomes our god.
We must remember that the "best" and seemingly most righteous people of the day were indeed the Pharisees, yet we read Jesus' comments in Matthew 23:13, "What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven in people’s faces. You won’t go in yourselves, and you don’t let others enter either." In fact, earlier, we read in Matthew 5:20, "But I warn you—unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!" We must understand that the righteousness of the Pharisees was not good enough, nor is our own inherent righteousness good enough. The dilemma is solved in Christ, as we read in 2 Corinthians 5:21, "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." All of Scripture, both Old and New Testaments must lead us to Jesus Christ. He is the Cornerstone of our faith. He is the only answer to our sin problem. He did so much and desires all of us to come to Him, as we read in Matthew 23:37, " O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God’s messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me." May we approach our loved ones, those in our mission fields, with the message of Jesus Christ, the only message that offers salvation.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: