“The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time, the good news of the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is forcing their way into it. 17 It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law.” Luke 16.16-17
This is something interesting I had not paid attention to until now: “The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time,” Jesus said, “the good news of the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is forcing their way into it.”
For thousands of years, from Adam and Eve onward, God’s relationship with His people was largely one-sided. He reached out to them through the Law, guidelines, structure, and instruction delivered by His sent representatives. The people remained separated from God by more than 600 laws. If they obeyed the Law and heeded the Prophets, God blessed them. If they failed, they faced punishment and were kept at a distance. The Jews had to work their way toward God.
The prophets served as God’s representatives, calling the people back to faithfulness. God’s words came to the prophets, who then delivered them to the people. Obedience brought blessing; disobedience brought judgment and hardship.
This was an arms-length relationship — more conducive to obedience and external compliance than to love and trust.
Then God sent Jesus. This was His original intent, the kind of closeness He shared when He walked with Adam and Eve in the Garden. God has always desired an intimate love relationship with His people — one in which they serve Him because they love Him, not because they are forced to. He did not want to compel His love upon subjects; He wanted to lavish His love upon sons and daughters.
Jesus came not as a fiery prophet like John the Baptist, but as the God-man — a baby, a Jewish child born among them, raised in one of their towns, speaking their language, walking their roads, and preaching a new message of love, repentance, and restored relationship with God. This Servant of God did not demand sacrifice; He was the sacrifice. He not only taught humility and devotion to the Father — He demonstrated it perfectly by dying in our place on a cross, shedding His blood for our redemption, and rising again for our eternal life.
With Jesus, the walls of separation between God and humanity were torn apart, melted away, and crushed before our very eyes. Jesus defeated death, atoned for our sins, and opened a new path for us to know God personally — not as a slave-master relationship, but as Father and son, Father and daughter, Friend and friend.
The Law is not gone; rather, its original intent has been fulfilled. God’s law is now written on our hearts. The greatest commandment, Jesus said, is to love the Lord our God, love our neighbor, and love ourselves. Love is the new law of the land, for “by this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Our Revive Team and our Lead Team love one another. We love each other too much to let sin remain hidden. We love each other too much to ignore one another’s hurts and sufferings. We love each other too much to leave anyone alone in this life. We love as Christ loved us. He is both our example and our peace.
At the end of this long and wonderful summer of serving with Revive, we are learning more deeply how to love God, our neighbor, and ourselves. This is the new command — love one another. This is the Gospel lived out. All who do this are fulfilling what Jesus came to preach, what He lived, and what He died to proclaim.
“O Lord God, You are good. The summer is well along, and man, has it been powerful. I am so thankful for Your gracious love and enduring patience. Thank You for using me and others in proclaiming Your kingdom. Come now, Holy Spirit; fill us with Your power. Direct our steps each moment of this day so we might walk in Your ways. For You are good, and Your love endures forever.” Amen.