The Blessing of Teaching God’s Law
(Preaching Outline)
1) At our book club on Tuesday we discussed the fact that many people in South America are coming to Christ. I asked Chuck if he knew if they were primarily brought into liberation theology and he told me that they were actually emphasizing the prosperity gospel.
a) The point is that all of those numbers account for little with regard to God’s Kingdom coming and His will being done on earth as it is in heaven because of ideas that make them irrelevant to discipling nations.
b) The prosperity gospel is the wrong kingdom.
c) Immature Christianity can be well intentioned but still be building the wrong kingdom.
d) Christians often rejoice to hear many people were baptized, but we need to ask, baptized into what? (The images of baptism).
e) There are many ideas in the church that keep Christians from transforming the world.
f) Today I want to begin by exploring one idea that I am convinced has the potential to transform the world…it is our approach to God’s law.
2) The school-master
a) Galatians 3:24 (NKJV) — 24 Therefore the law was our (school-master AV) tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
b) Traditional approach
c) Suggested approach
d) The Law is stamped on creation: Romans 2:12–15 (NKJV) — 12 For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law 13 (for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified; 14 for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, 15 who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them)
3) The law in the book of Romans:
a) Romans 7:14–23 (NKJV) — 14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. 16 If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. 17 But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. 20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. 22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
b) Romans 5:12–15 (NKJV) — 12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned—13 (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. 15 But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many.
c) Romans 8:2–4 (NKJV) — 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
d) Matthew 5:6 (NKJV) — 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.
e) Putting the power of God to work for a purpose!
i) Like the potential of a car in a driveway.
4) Why was the law given?
a) Galatians 3:19 (NKJV) — 19 What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator.
b) The fact that God gave the law before the gospel.
c) Given because of transgression.
d) The law of God and the state.
e) The law of God and the Levitical Priesthood: Hebrews 10:1–2 (NKJV) — 1 For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. 2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins.
5) A current example of the potential for teaching the law.
a) How do we handle the issue of misinformation? – Trust – Freedom – An incredible opportunity to apply the law as a tutor.
b) Fear, anger, hatred, frustration vs. love, mercy, grace, compassion and hope.
c) What are the motivational mechanisms being used and what kingdom do they build?
d) It is ultimately about a vision of what kind of people we want to be and what kind of world we want to create.
e) The clearer that vision, the more it activates our lives through study, prayer and action.
6) The blessing of teaching God’s law.
a) We need to get people to agree with the law in their mind.
b) Plato – well-ordered soul and well-ordered society. – interconnected
c) The law of God includes wisdom to help us well order society which helps people to agree with the law in their mind.
d) The more complete and accurate our ability to teach the Law, like Jesus did, the more it awakens conscience when we find we are enemies of the world we want to create and the people we want to be.
e) It is about restoring the type of Christianity that blesses and transforms the world.
f) The law is a tutor that brings us to Christ – conversion based on wanting to be like Jesus and to see God’s kingdom come and His will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
