Legal Jesus
Part of Plastic Jesus
May 25, 2025

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Message Notes:

Today: Legal Jesus

Rule based relationships divide in the long run.

The Pharisees of Jesus’ day had turned Judaism into rule-based exchange.

Luke 11:37-40 NASB

*37 Now when He had spoken, a Pharisee asked Him to have lunch with him; and He went in and reclined at the table. 38 When the Pharisee saw this, he was surprised that Jesus had not first ceremonially washed before the meal. 39 But the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and of the dish; but your inside is full of greed and wickedness. 40 You foolish ones, did He who made the outside not make the inside also?

Luke 11:45-46 NASB

*45 One of the lawyers said to Him in reply, “Teacher, when You say these things, You insult us too.” 46 But He said, “Woe to you lawyers as well! For you load people with burdens that are hard to bear, while you yourselves will not even touch the burdens with one of your fingers.

They wanted a plastic Legal Jesus.

Jesus becomes plastic when the foundation of faith becomes a moral system with a legal Jesus at the helm.

The real Jesus does not offer world salvation through a legal set of moral rules; he provides the world a relationship based on his righteousness.

1 Peter 2:9 NASB

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

    What was the basis?

Genesis 12:1-2 NASB

Now the Lord said to Abram,
“Go from your country,
And from your relatives
And from your father’s house,
To the land which I will show you;
2
And I will make you into a great nation,
And I will bless you,
And make your name great;
And you shall be a blessing;
3
And I will bless those who bless you,
And the one who curses you I will curse.
And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”

The nature of our relationship with God since sin entered the world has always been God entirely bridging the gap that sin causes.

God called out Abram by faith to be the father of His people. That’s it.

Jesus died on the cross and God declares you by faith to be His people. That’s it.

We toss the plastic Jesus and embrace the real Jesus when we realize that the very foundation of our faith is not in our actions but in his.

The real Jesus changes what we think religion should be about in three ways:

1. I don’t have to be perfect to be Christian.

2. If my relationship with God is based on Christ’s work and not my own then I’m always in good standing with God even when I make a mistake.

3. The good news of Jesus doesn’t require moral obedience it produces moral obedience.

Matthew 4:18-22 NASB

*18 Now as Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon, who was called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 19 And He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of people.” 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. 21 Going on from there He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets; and He called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.


If you prayed the prayer to start fresh with God today text “startagain” (one word) to 97000 so we can connect with you and help you take the next steps in this amazing decision.

My Notes:


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