Matthew 5:17-18
Jesus said, ‘You should not think that I have come to destroy God's Law. Also, I have not come to destroy the messages that God's prophets wrote down. No, I have not come to destroy their words. I have come to make what they taught become true. I tell you this: One day, even the earth and the sky will finish. But while they remain, God's Law will also remain. Nobody can remove even the smallest thing from it. The Law will remain until everything in it has happened. Matthew 5:17-18 (EASY)
In this passage, Jesus is clarifying that the things he is teaching do not trump or erase the advice God has previously given his people, mostly through the profits, but rather, he fulfills it, proves it to be true, and we know he is making it even better with grace!
Knowing that everything the profits had said over a millennium (1000 years) prior to Jesus being born was pointing toward, and was made true through, Jesus, should help us to believe and trust in God’s promises today. Jesus reinforces this as he continues, stating that God’s word, God’s law, will hold true longer than anything else. It is the one, sole thing on which we can always rely.
Furthermore, Jesus’s fulfillment of the law means that we no longer need to live in fear of condemnation. We are empowered to give our all toward living a loving, Christ-like life knowing that, if we mess up, God will always be there to catch us. Jesus gave us God’s grace.
Certainly, Christ made God’s many promises come true. For that reason, because of our message, people also honor God by saying, “Amen!” 2 Corinthians 1:20 (GW)
Questions for Reflection:
- As we prepare to celebrate our Savior’s birth, can we focus on gratitude for all Jesus gave us through both his life and his death?
- Am I honoring Jesus with the way I am living my life?
Prayer:
Dear Lord and Savior, Thank you for sending Jesus to give us hope, to teach us, and to save us. Thank you for sharing your wisdom and extending your grace. May we always look to you and your word, both in times of need and times of plenty. May this Christmas season be filled with gratitude and love for all. In your name we pray, Amen.
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