It had been a very busy week. Although she knew there was a lot to be done before Sabbath, the urgent seemed to consume the important, and before she knew it, the sun had gone down. The family shared a special Friday night meal and worship together.
It shouldn’t surprise us that the topic of the law can be such a twisted and misunderstood one, given that Satan’s ultimate challenge against God was about His law.
Some in Jesus’ day thought that He had come to do away with the law, but that couldn’t have been further from the truth. Jesus shone light on the law and God’s beautiful character, and He came to fulfill the law (Matt. 5:17, 18) to show us what God is like.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus talks a lot about relationships—with Him and with one another. He says something very poignant toward the end of His message:
“ ‘Not everyone who says to Me, “Lord, Lord,” shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven’ ” (Matt. 7:21, NKJV).
There are many messages in the Bible that speak about our relationship with God and the barriers that prevent us from growing in Christ. Consider these words from Paul and Jesus:
“Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Cor. 10:12, NKJV). Like Samson, self-reliance will bring you down.
“ ‘Do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do . . . , that they may have glory from men’ ” (Matt. 6:2, NKJV). Stop telling everyone how good you are! Be humble, as Jesus was humble.
We are justified (pardoned and set right with God) by faith (Rom. 5:1). We are then also sanctified (given power to be like Jesus) by faith (Acts 26:18). When we invite Jesus into our lives, we also become God’s children by faith (John 1:12). We live by faith in the Son of God (Gal. 2:20).
As this world comes to a close, part of the three angels’ messages describes God’s people keeping the commandments of God and having the faith of Jesus.
Spend some time today studying Hebrews 11, the great faith chapter. Read it aloud first, without stopping. Then read it a second time, and write down your thoughts to the following questions:
