God's Glorious Gospel Cord

If someone was to ask you, “Was Jesus Law motivated…or Gospel motivated…how would you answer them?

… be careful when someone gives you an either or question…the real answer is “YES”

God’s Law, when it is rightly interpreted and applied is no enemy or obstacle to “Gospel Centered living”…for when we look within the Law itself we see the gospel.

In the Law God shows us the forgiveness of sins through the sacrificial system [Temple, High Priest, spotless lamb] all which pointed forward to Jesus!

In Matt 22:34-40…Jesus, the Perfect interpreter of the Bible...because He is the Author of the Bible tells us something very important about God's law.

Jesus said that all the Law and prophets…hang upon, are fulfilled by, the Two Great Commandments of 1.“Loving God first and foremost with your whole being”, and 2. Loving your neighbor as you love yourself.

Take note- Jesus wasn't make up some new thing here...He was quoting the Old Testament [Deut 6, Lev 19]

Earlier in the Gospel of Matthew [Ch. 5]…Jesus said that He didn’t come to destroy the Law or the Prophets…on the contrary…He came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets…down to the smallest detail [crossing of the t, and dotting of the i].

When Jesus says that He came to fulfill the Law…what do you think He means by this? If we have slipped away from our ‘gospel center’ then we think that Jesus is simply saying that He came to perfectly keep all the rules that we were to keep. [He never hated, never gossiped, never lusted, never violated one command…and it is true…Jesus was perfectly faithful in all the ways of His Father’s covenant.]

But…Jesus was far more than just “the rule keeper”…and the Law is far more than a set of Do’s and Don’ts [even though we can easily fall into this trap if we understand the Law only to be the 10 Commandments].
Pause…

When we look at God’s Law…what exactly are we looking at?

Some philosophers [skeptics to the Christian faith] tell us that we have 2 options to choose from [remember, don’t let people limit your options…always look for more options].

The Law is something higher and greater than God Himself…God makes right/good choices because He always follows this Law [skeptic goes on to say…we don’t need God…we will simply follow this higher law]

The Law is something that God created/makes up. God decided what is good and evil.

The skeptic says “if this is true then God could have made adultery good and faithfulness in marriage evil, circles could have had 4 corners, & torturing innocent children could have been a virtue…if God decided to make it so.

God’s Law is not something higher than God, that God has to answer to…if this was true then this higher law would actually be the highest authority…it would be God!

And…God’s Law is NOT something that God arbitrarily [on a whim] made up…its not like God was playing fill in the blank…He said ‘love’ your neighbor…but He could have just as easily said ‘hate’ your neighbor.

What is God’s Law then? It is very important that we understand this wonderful truth…and that we sink it deep within our hearts…so that it motivates us in all we think and do.

God’s Law is the expression of who our God is! God has revealed to us that His character is unchanging…the Law is the revelation of our God’s unchanging character!

When God reveals to us the 1st Great Commandment, [love God will all your being], we need to understand that this 1st and foremost is the expression of God’s own heart…

God loves God above all else! For all eternity, before creation God, The Father, Son and Holy Spirit expressed this commandment by loving one another with a perfect, harmonious, holy love.

How is love your neighbor as yourself, an expression of God’s character?
The Second Commandment is expressed by God in two ways...
1. Same as the first great commandment [Father, Son and Holy Spirit each loved each other, as neighbor, as they loved themselves]
2. The second way God expresses this commandment…is the very foundation and motivation for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

God created man [Adam/Eve] in His own image…He created us to fellowship with Himself…and we became His neighbor…and He became ours.

So in the garden when Adam disobeyed God and broke the one prohibition [law] that God had given him…God responded by pursuing man, pronouncing judgment and irreversible curse upon Satan [no mercy]

…then God, as the first preacher, proclaimed the gospel…the seed of the woman would crush Satan’s head…then God showed Adam and Eve that their sin would produce ill consequences throughout whole their lives...throughout human history to all their descendants…but God also showed them forgiveness…God offered the first sacrifice to cover their sins.

This first sacrifice [all O.T sacrifices] pointed forward to the fullness of time, when God would become a man…would suffer and die for our sins…so that we would not have to eternally suffer and die.

God the Son, [Lord Jesus] came and perfectly loved God…and perfectly loved His neighbor [us] as Himself…the 1st & 2nd Great Commands are the fulfillment of all the Law and Prophets…and they are also the motivation and fulfillment of the Gospel!

Are you beginning to see that God’s Law, God’s Love, and the Gospel are all intricately interwoven? They are not meant to be separated!


If we want to become a gospel centered community…then we must understand…and be convinced…that our God is Himself…Gospel Centered…the Gospel is the out flowing of God’s character!

Now, I want you to imagine, for a frightful, terrifying moment…that God’s character was all the parts of the Law that pointed to moral purity, uprightness, and holiness…but…minus the gospel [1st & 2nd Commands, sacrificial system]…how would any of us measure up? How would anyone measure up…period?

Before you answer that let’s keep in mind that God, the Judge that we are going to stand before…and answer to… has absolutely no moral flaws…He is morally pure…so pure that He cannot sin and cannot even be tempted to sin.

This Judge makes our modern day satellite systems [Google map], our computer tracking, and our audio and video surveillance systems look like ancient history, there is absolutely nothing that escapes His eye!

What is the Law’s [Judge's] passing grade?

Gal 3:10 “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all the things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.”

James 2:10 “For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.”

Ps 130: 3 says, “If You, LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?”

Without God’s abundant mercy and forgiveness…who in this room could stand?

The Bible points us to only two places where God’s wrath and fury are unmixed…with not a hint of compassion, mercy, or relief…1. Hell, where those who have not received God’s mercy will forever experience His righteous justice, 2. The Cross of Calvary!

On the cross, we witness the only One who ever loved God with all His heart, soul, strength and mind…and instead of receiving God’s immediate favor…He received God’s curse and damnation…why? Because He was also loving His neighbor, as Himself…loving us to the very end…loving us to death!



When you want a perfect picture of Gospel Centeredness…look to Jesus on the Cross…beaten, bloody, and condemned…the spotless Lamb of God who is blameless and holy in all His ways…and what does He pray and ask His Father to do to enemies who are breaking His Law, violating His very character…in the most heinous way? [murdering God]…He asks His Father to forgive them…for they know not what they do.

If you are trusting in Jesus for the salvation of your soul today…then God has heard Jesus’ prayer on your behalf…you were an enemy…made into a friend…more than a friend…you were made a child of God.

God will reward us for our faithfulness…if not in this life…most certainly in eternity…but remember…all of your blessings…and all of the rewards that God bestows upon you…are gracious gifts…you “deserve” none of them…

Your faith, repentance, forgiveness of sins and your persevering obedience are all God’s gracious, and merciful gifts…given you through Jesus suffering, death and resurrection!

Now, Jesus commands you…as you have freely received…freely give!