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Introduction: The title for today’s sermon comes from a song recorded in 1966 by Buddy Holly and the Crickets and then the Bobby Fuller Four.  It basically repeats this line over and over “I fought the law and the law won.” It was a song about rebellion.  In today’s passage we see Jesus explaining our relation to the law.  We typically respond to the law in one of two ways: work really hard to keep it (old brother in the parable) or rebel against it (younger brother) which leads to either pride or despair.  As older brothers, we think we are pulling it off and/or judge others who are not as spiritual as us OR as younger brothers, we acknowledge we can’t do it based on our past or repeated mistakes and just give up.  Jesus provides a third option that is great news. Complete (vs. 17-18) ·          Law (The Torah or first five books of the Bible) or the Prophets (Major & Minor) o    Basically a descriptio...

I am currently reading through two books: Christless Christianity by Michael Horton and Walking with Jesus through His Word by Dennis E. Johnson.  Here are some quotes I read recently: It is through God's Word of judgment (law) and salvation (gospel) that we are transferred from our own pointless scripts and inserted into the grand narrative that revolves around Jesus Christ. Reduce Christianity to good advice and it blends perfectly with the culture of life coaching...What distinguishes Christianity at its heart is not its moral code but its story...At its heart, this story is a gospel: the Good News that God has reconciled us to himself in Christ. The worst thing that can happen to the church is to confuse law and gospel...We naturally think that if you want people to do the right thing, you just need to tell them what to do and exhort them to do it with sufficient passion and effective methods. This, however, avoids both the law and the gospel...The law commands, but...

Here are my sermon notes from my message today at Hesston MB:   Two Words—2/18/18 1 Timothy 5:1-2 & Psalm 78:3-7 Introduction: 24 hours ago this message was not written. I received a voice mail from Pastor Brad on Friday night at 5 p.m. while I was at the basketball game.   He thought he was getting better but his fever had returned.   I told him, I would take care of the message.   I began to pray. I asked others to pray.   Why?   Because I know my personality.   I am planner.   I prepare weeks before I preach.   I go over a message several times before I preach it on Sunday.   But I was reminded of my own words from last Sunday: ·          Many will walk away from a sermon like this and get busy trying to do the actions by trying harder, doing more. Our actions must be centered on WHO not just the WHAT.   Timothy would do the things written by Paul not because he was good, ...

Our first speaker on Saturday morning at Here We Still Stand was David Zahl from Mockingbird. Here are his thoughts: "Repeating What We Have Heard" Social media basically exists to send signals. Those people of Facebook have received their reward in full. Most of our signaling is not overt. We are signaling all the time. Signaling is about self-justification. Signaling is connected to the Law. It flows from guilt and shame. Whatever you are using to self justify yourself is the Law to you. The Law is everywhere.  We are more religious now than ever before. Religion is all Law. Law disconnected from the Gospel turns into a competition. There are two signals at the heart of the Reformation-Law and Grace. Documentary of Daryl Davis-picture of grace This righteousness needs to come from outside of us. This means that the church thrives when people don't have it all together rather than appearing as good people. Matthew 22-Parable of the Wedding Banquet-The U...

It is my privilege to hear Elyse speak twice in the month of October.  She spoke at my church early in the month.  She is one of my favorite authors and speakers. And I get to go glow paddleboarding with her on Saturday! Here are her thoughts from Friday morning: Galatians 3:10-14 And do them? We live in a time of rampant self-helpism.  It's not that we are not hearing law. Social media functions as non-stop law.  But we haven't done business with "the Law". The Law reveals God's nature.  The Law is good.  What is written in the Book of the Law? Wholehearted love, worship, devotion, obedience to God. Wholehearted love and service of one's neighbor. Jesus perfectly obeyed all of the Law FOR YOU.  He lived a life for 30 years in humility and obscurity. This is not just a placeholder until he can die on the cross. He is fulfilling the law in our place. What is this curse? The demands of the Law that we cannot, will not fulfill.  ...

Jared C Wilson is one of my favorite authors right now.  He was one of the speakers at Here We Still Stand on Friday morning.  Below are his thoughts: Romans 3:19-26--"Putting the Law In It's Place" The gospel as good news does not exist as an idea or theory.  You have to take it personally. The Law's function is good in design . We cannot be flippant about the law.  The Law is not bad, but it cannot do what the gospel does. It reveals the holiness of God. It reveals we are fallen. The Law's indictment is total in impact . The law is not manageable.  Christ's makes the impact of the law greater.  Luther-"All of life is repentance". Sin affects all people and all of life. None of our motives are unmixed.  Our imperfect faith merits the perfect righteousness in Christ. It's not the strength of your faith that saves, It's the strength of your Savior. It's not bad news if you can kind of make it. The Law's fulfillment is gif...