Be Real Together:
Take a few minutes to catch up, tell stories, and laugh together. Trust and friendship take time to build. If you’re launching a new DNA, one person should tell their story — what do we need to know about you? Next week, have another person in your DNA share their story.
Read Together:
Matthew 5:17-20 CSB
17 Don’t think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or one stroke of a letter will pass away from the law until all things are accomplished. 19 Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commands and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever does and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.
Grow Together: Observe and Apply
As Christians, Jesus calls us to faithfulness. As the people Jesus calls “a city on a hill,” we’re called to follow in his footsteps and obey his commands. We are called to live righteously and Jesus didn’t come to relax the standard on God’s law - we are asked to follow it diligently. So how are we to accomplish this?
1. Jesus fulfills the law.
Jesus didn’t come to abolish the law — he came to fulfill it. He is the fulfillment of all that Scripture had promised up to this point. And he fulfilled it perfectly. This is what separates Jesus from us. He followed the law, down to even the smallest part, perfectly.
He wanted us to know that the Old Testament matters and we should absolutely see it as an authority in our lives. At the same time, the New Testament is the authoritative account of Jesus, his teachings, and his followers. Both the New Testament and Old Testament hold equal weight as the Word of God.
Have more questions about the authority of Scripture? Here’s a few resources:
- https://www.gotquestions.org/canon-of-Scripture.html
- https://www.gotquestions.org/canon-Bible.html
- https://www.gotquestions.org/New-Testament-canon.html
- https://www.gotquestions.org/canonicity-scriptural.html)
What does it mean for our lives as followers of Christ to hold all of Scripture in equal value?
2. We need God’s help to obey it.
Jesus clearly communicates that following the law matters in a big way. He fulfilled the law in the ways that we never can, but that doesn’t mean we should live however we would like. Sin should not be something we minimize or simply shrug off.
Jesus says that those who follow God’s commands will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. Yet, those who break even one command and teach others to do the same will be called the least. With such high standards to uphold, we have two options: (1) To strive harder in our flesh, or (2) to recognize our weaknesses and lean on HIS strength.
What does it look like practically to lean on the strength of Christ in trying to follow God’s commands?
3. We will fall short, but we’re not without vision.
God’s standard for us is to follow the law perfectly, but we will never be able to do that on our own. That’s why we need Jesus!
When asked what was the most important command, Jesus said that first we should love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and second we should love our neighbor as we love ourselves (see Mark 12:28-30). He’s quoting an Old Testament passage from Deuteronomy 6. The word that begins this passage is Shema which means “listen,” or more accurately, “hear and obey.” He was saying that we should love God and love others, and as we do we will find ourselves being transformed, which will help us to keep these commands.
In simple terms, HEAR + OBEY = FAITHFUL.
Have you experienced this as a follower of Jesus? If you feel comfortable, share about an experience where hearing the Lord and obeying His commands led to a change in your heart.
Pray Together:
Lord, thank you for giving us your Word. Thank you for giving us the blueprint for living a righteous life. We know we fall short of following your commands. Thank you for giving us Jesus as the fulfillment of your law. Teach us to lean on him when we cannot keep your commands in our own strength. May we learn to hear your voice and obey your commands better each day, so that we may offer you lives of faithfulness. May we be known for our faithfulness to you above all else.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.