A RUN IN WITH THE LAW… A BIG DAY!
30 July 2021
Faith Baptist of Zephyrhills
Hi Church,
Do you know how many laws there are “on the books” in the United States of America? The last time I researched it there were nearly 3 million laws on record. I believe that is just Federal laws. And then you have State, and local municipality laws. And that is nothing compared to some of the HOA code of laws in some of our parks, lol!
Do you know what I know? I know that you have had a “run in with the law”, haven’t you! “Me”, you say? Yes, “you”! You might consider yourself a good, law abiding citizen who keeps and supports the law. And you might be just that. Maybe you have never gotten a speeding ticket or cited for some other violation. But you and I have another and bigger problem with the “law”. We have a problem with God’s law!
Thousands of years ago God literally laid down the law through his servant Moses, Exodus 19-24. In that section of scripture you find the 10 commandments and civil and ceremonial laws. There are 613 commandments in all. God made it clear that He has a standard of right and wrong. Many of the moral and civil laws were known and respected by the founders of our country and they worked their way into our laws. They have proven to be a foundation that you can build a country on.
While God’s laws are good and intended to protect us from bad choices and poor judgments, no one, other than Jesus, has kept them perfectly. We all have had a run in with the law! In Romans 3:19 it says, “we know that whatsoever the law says, it says to them who are UNDER THE LAW: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.” And justice must be served!
Paul gives a great illustration of what the intention of the law is and does in Galatians 3:24. It says, “The law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” The law teaches us about the character and nature of God and His expectations of us. It show us that there are things that are absolutely right and things that are absolutely wrong.
As a matter of fact, even if God had not given us the law He gave each of us a conscience of right and wrong. In Romans 2:15 Paul refers to those who were non-Jewish and had not received the law. About them it says, “They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them ” Our conscience tells us that it is wrong to steal, lie, commit adultery, kill and so on.
Here is the good news: Jesus kept the law. “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them” Matthew 5:17
And because He did, He can cover for us. If we by believe by faith that Jesus died, not for his sins, but for ours, God’s justice is served and we can be justified and forgiven.
I hope you can join us this Sunday, August 1st, as we learn more about this amazing truth!
And take notice of some other important plans for Sunday:
– The Lord’s Supper.
– 2nd quarter business meeting, following the service.
– 11:30 am Church Luncheon
– Intro to Blast & Fusion.
– Sunday connection group
I will be looking for you!
Pastor Mike