Tension: How to faithfully obey God's commands that were given 1,000 - 1,500 years earlier

The Pharisees navigated this tension by rigidly following the commands in Scripture and adding extra rules to ensure faithfulness to God's commands.

Jesus has a fundamentally different way of reading and interacting with Scripture.‍

For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:18-20

The term "the Law" is referencing all of the Hebrew Scriptures, not just the lists of rules.

Jesus doesn't want his listeners to set aside the Law (Hebrew Scriptures), but to rediscover the heart of God in the Law (Hebrew Scriptures)

Bottom Line

The way of Jesus invites us to rediscover the heart of God through Scripture.

A rigid reading of Scripture is actually a shallow reading of Scripture.

Action Steps

Read through the Sermon on the Mount this week in order to encounter God's heart for you and His direction for your life

• Pray that God would speak to you through His Word
• Read slowly until something sticks out or feels significant
• Ask God to show you how His truth connects with your life
• Respond faithfully