Our scripture this week is John 1:1-18.
For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known. John 1:17-18
The law was a guide, a set of instructions to help teach the children of Israel how to honor God and live in community. Jesus came as a person, much different than the law, one able to teach and explain and interact, a living model for us. Whenever He was asked He told them He had “not come to abolish the Law or the Prophets but to fulfill them” (Matthew 5:17).
The problem was not with the law but in our understanding and use of it. During Jesus time on earth a group known as the Pharisees enforced the law according to their understanding – with certain loopholes to get around parts they found hard to obey. Does this sound like the way we sometimes think, that the law should be applied fairly – unless it is going to affect us?
Jesus came to show us the true meaning of the law and how it was God’s love for us in action. It was intended to teach a rag-tag group of freed slaves wandering in the desert what life as a community of God-fearing people could be, but it is still applicable to how we worship and treat each other today.
Loving Lord, we are amazed at the beauty of Your Word for us and the lessons it teaches. May we keep Your Word in our hearts today and always, to share the love You send to us. Amen.