The Message
The Pharisees loved rules. They loved having countless rules, using each one to remind people how broken they were. They used these rules to keep themselves in power, creating separation between themselves and others.
Jesus comes along and reminds us what those rules are about. The rules that exist are there to orient us towards God. If the rules are separating us from God, then the rules aren't working properly. If the rules aren't animating our hearts to love God, if the rules aren't helping preventing us from making mistakes that distance us from God, then we need to look at the rules.
What we know is that Jesus fulfilled the ritual laws, but left the moral law in place. Jesus tells us to love our neighbors as ourselves, to love God above all else, but leaves many of the details up to us. I think he raises the standard rather than lowering the bar.
So when you step back and look at your life, at the structures that are there to orient your heart and life toward God, what is helping? What needs more work? How can the Spirit lead you closer to God? How is God calling you to put things in place to draw you closer to God?
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