The Curriculum

Not to Abolish, to Fulfill!

By the time Jesus sat down to teach the Sermon on the Mount (Matt 5-7), there were probably rumors swirling that he was an upstart teacher promoting something false. Rumors claim that he disregarded the law that was the foundation of Jewish life and practice. The law that was given by God himself. Strong accusations indeed. So, near the beginning of the Sermon, he assures everyone that he was not against the law, he was the completion of it.

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” – Matt 5:17

Here are a few of the things he fulfilled:
All peoples on earth will be blessed through you – fulfilled
The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you – fulfilled

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever – fulfilled and being fulfilled

Know and understand this: From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens,’ and sixty-two ‘sevens.’ It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble. After the sixty-two ‘sevens,’ the Anointed One will be put to death and will have nothing – fulfilled

Jesus embodied specific promises and prophecies. His perfect life looked like the Scriptures lived out. His faith, obedience, and connection to God the Father showed how to live the law perfectly. He is our example in everything and blessedly, his perfection and fulfillment of the law and prophets is passed on to everyone who trusts in him.

Pastor John Riley

by John Riley

The Law Embodied

Some of my best recipes have come without a plan. I look into the refrigerator and let my taste buds guide me as I mix the odds and ends of the leftovers before they go to waste. And almost without fail, my husband comments on how I should make this recipe again. Laughing, I tell him he’s out of luck because I have no idea what I did! How about you? Are you someone who follows a recipe card to the ‘T’? Or do you use it as a general guide and instead add a dash of this or a spoonful of that? The law to the Hebrew nation was a recipe meant to be followed precisely for these written words provided the wisdom for life. The impossibility of this perfect life was found in no one… until Jesus. He was the first human to be able to fulfill the law by the way he lived because as divine he was perfect by His very nature. His righteousness surpassed those of the Pharisees because He was the one that Law pointed to all along.

Jesus was the law (the Word) made flesh who made His dwelling among us (John 1:14). By doing so, He brought the Kingdom of God into the world as a new possible way to live free of the effects of sin and shame. Jesus embodied the law perfectly and then bore the punishment for the sins of all those cursed upon the cross. The generosity of His love for those who did not earn it or who weren’t of a particular status in society was radical. He came to serve as do the people who follow Him and die to their recipes for life and be guided by (surrendered to) the perfect law.

This recipe is replicated and can only be done through the power of the Holy Spirit and will only reach perfection in eternity. The recipe is being refined each day as we apply the Word to our lives. James 1:24 & 25 reads, “For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.”

May you be blessed in your doing and taste and see that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8).

Jessica Klootwyk
Discipleship Director

by Jessica Klootwyk

Jesus loved the Law

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” Matthew 5:17

It’s difficult to imagine how important the Law and the Prophets were to a first-century Jew. Jesus understood. Raised in a Jewish household, he knew firsthand how much the Law and the Prophets defined his people.

Going back to Exodus 19, Moses led the enslaved Israelites out of Egypt, they all walked on dry land as they watched their God miraculously part the Red Sea just for them, and they came to Mount Sinai. Here God gave Moses and the nation of Israel The Law. The Law signified that they were chosen by God to be set apart from every other people group. The Law was God’s instructions to His people. His instructions for them reflected his very own holiness and kept them safe. Through the giving of the Law, Israel understood the character of the Lord their God like no other people group on planet Earth. That made them special. Listen to King David declare his love for God’s law in Psalm 119…“My soul is consumed with longing for your laws at all times…..your promises preserve my life…. This is my happy way of life; obeying your commandments…...how sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!….. I love your law…..I will meditate continually on them…..your laws are wonderful.

The Law was the cornerstone of Jewish identity, it represented God’s favor on them and them alone for the past 1,500 years. But then here comes Jesus, this preaching, teaching, healing Rabbi, talking about the Kingdom of Heaven with authority—like he’d been there or something. He wasn’t a Pharisee or a teacher of the Law, he wasn’t officially a real Rabbi, but he called ordinary uneducated people to follow him. He didn’t fit the mold. His teaching and preaching wouldn’t fit the mold either.

I love from the get-go, that Jesus upheld the law they loved so much. Jesus respected the Law because the Law represented the character of his holy heavenly Father. Jesus hadn’t come to abolish the Law. No, he came literally to fulfill the Law because the whole point of the Law was to get God’s people to Jesus. Galatians 3:24 says, “The law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith.” The Law served its purpose, it taught them to trust, to hope, to believe, and to obey. The Law pointed them to the Savior of the world.

Donielle Winter
EFCC Member

by Donielle Winter

Modern Day Beatitudes

As I’ve had the chance to study Jesus’ beatitudes, I’ve been challenged by them afresh. I’m convinced that for a lot of my life, I read these blessings incorrectly. You might have too. If you’ve ever read the Beatitudes and thought, “I’m not sure I want that blessing,” you’re probably reading them wrong.

There are two primary ways I think we read these sayings of Jesus incorrectly. The first is we assume they’re commands. We read them, “Try to be poor in spirit,” or “Go out and get persecuted.” However, these are statements of the prevalent grace that’s a reality in God’s kingdom, not commands.

The other way we read them indirectly is by thinking the blessing is the first part of the statement when, in reality, the blessing comes second. Take Jesus’ second beatitude as an example. He said,

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. (Matthew 5:4)

The blessing is not that one mourns, the blessing is that there is comfort available. The structure throughout vv. 3-12 works like this: blessed are [people who aren’t normally seen as blessed] for theirs is [hidden blessing available in the kingdom].

This got me thinking, if Jesus were standing in front of our church giving the beatitudes today, what might he say? I tried to write some modern-day beatitudes using the same pattern Jesus used. Here’s my attempt at capturing beatitude blessings in our modern world.

Blessed are people caught in the middle of election turmoil for they see the true kingdom.

Blessed are those whose marriage almost falls apart for their eyes are open to the gift of covenantal love.

Blessed are those faithfully struggling with their sexuality for they experience intimacy with Jesus.

Blessed are those who have cancer because their eyes are opened to see the true value of life.

Blessed are those who hit rock bottom because they find their true foundation.

Blessed are those caught in corporate downsizing because their golden handcuffs are shattered and the world reopens.

Blessed are those who are disoriented and disappointed with the way life is going because their spiritual eyes are opened.

Blessed are those whose plans for their life fall apart because they are freed to genuinely and completely trust God.

Blessed are those who slow down because they experience the good parts of life.

I’m not sure what you are walking through right now, but I know that if you’ve repented and walked into Jesus’ kingdom (Mt. 4:17), you are blessed. Yes, you’re blessed even in the situation you’d love to get out of. That was Jesus’ original message at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount, and it’s his message today also.

Take some time today and write some of your own beatitudes. Make them personal and ask Jesus to speak to you as you write them.

Pastor Ryan Paulson

by Ryan Paulson

Meekness in a ‘Look at Me’ Society

There are some good things about social media, staying connected with people, communicating ideas, sharing beautiful vistas, etc. However, what also has arisen is a focus on self. ‘Look at me’ at what I am wearing, at what I am doing, at where I am, who I know, how smart I am, counting the number of ‘likes’, and so on. Somehow focusing on that is supposed to elevate us. When we come to the verse in Matthew 5:5 which says, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth”, it speaks the opposite to our society.

The meekness that Jesus spoke about is not what our current idea of meekness is a kind of weak docility or being spiritless! The meekness Jesus speaks about is gentleness with strength. Of the three times that the Greek word is used in the New Testament, two of them were translated as gentle. According to one Bible Dictionary, meekness is strength and courage under control, coupled with kindness. It is an attitude of humility toward God and gentleness toward man. Our dear LORD Jesus described Himself in Matthew 11:29 as humble and gentle using the same Greek word translated as meek in Matthew 5:5. Jesus certainly in no way exemplifies our current definition of meekness. The apostle Paul in I Corinthians, speaks with authority about a problem in the church in Corinth “to restore (them) in a spirit of gentleness.” He used his spiritual authority over them kindly, humbly, and meekly.

As a believer, we should clothe ourselves in meekness. One commentator said “Even toward evil men, a man of God should be meek, knowing that God is in control.” Tozer said “Jesus calls us to His rest and meekness is His method. The meek man cares not at all who is greater than he, for he decided long ago that the esteem of the world is not worth it.” To be meek requires a reservoir of inner strength that comes only from Jesus Christ. It is the natural outgrowth of the spirit’s transforming work in each of us. We do not need to ‘power up’ but trust in God is actions. As a result of giving up self, we inherit the earth! While I am not certain exactly what that looks like, it seems like a great trade!

Being clothed in meekness means trusting God with all of the outcomes no matter what role I may or may not have. It means being gentle with my actions and words so that my focus is on Jesus. I hope to live a life that says, “Look at Him” knowing that I am a work in progress!

Ponder today: What does my life say? What does clothing yourself in meekness look like? Why does Jesus say that the meek are blessed or happy?

Francie Overstreet
EFCC Member

by Francie Overstreet

God Is Mercy

I watched some of the Little League World Series this year–I was rooting for Florida and they won the National Championship and played Taiwan for the World Series Championship. It was a tied game that went into extra innings and finally after a perfect bunt and an error, Florida broke the tie and won the game and the championship. Both teams had played their hearts out for ten days and many players on the Taiwan team were in tears. Some of the Florida players went on the field to console the other team and put their arms around them, and they truly understood their pain because it could have easily been them. When they could have been focused in that moment on their big win, they took time to show the other team compassion and mercy.

This was an act of mercy but scripture tells us God IS mercy. The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. The Bible teaches that His essential nature and character is mercy. Mercy holds back from us what we deserve. When you come to the Lord, you are not coming to somebody sitting with a baseball bat ready to club you for every false move.

How is mercy different from compassion? Mercy and compassion are intertwined. Mercy is the fruit of compassion. Mercy is a gift given to someone suffering by someone acting out of compassion. God shows us mercy when we least deserve it. He knows us better than we know ourselves. No matter how much we mess up, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning. That doesn’t mean we won’t have some scars from the wrong decisions we've made, but it does mean that “where sin abounds, grace abounds even more.”

Psalm 86:5 says For You, Lord, are good and ready to forgive, And abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You.

Reflect today on times in your life when God’s mercy and compassion were very evident. How can you show mercy to someone this week?

Deb Hill
Assistant to Pastor Ryan

by Deb Hill

Blessed are Those Who Mourn

“When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying, … ‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.’’’ (Matt. 5:1-2, 4)

As Jesus looks out on “the crowds,” He sees a whole bunch of people in a whole bunch of different places in life. Some are discouraged, some confused, some giving and not receiving, and some mourning a loss. It’s to those who are feeling the “sting of death” (1 Cor. 15:56) that Jesus has a word of encouragement - You are blessed even as you mourn.

How can this be?

As we mourn, slowly and over time we “get the grief out.” While grief is everything we think and feel about a loss, mourning involves the things we do to give expression to it. Mourning might include crying, journaling, talking to a trusted friend or two, sitting with a counselor, attending a class like Grief Share, taking a walk or beginning to run again, painting, or just about anything healthy we might decide to do. There is not a one-size fits all approach. But one thing we know for sure is Jesus tells us we are blessed as we do it and because we do it.

Why?

A primary reason is simply and profoundly that mourning is how we let God and people into our lives, our hearts and our grief. (Rare is the person who mourns in complete isolation!) And so, in addition to doing it Himself, it’s through others that God provides the comfort we need in the form of the strengthening, grace, mercy, companionship, perspective, peace, patience, hope, listening ears, and shared tears that He and our friends can bring. Those of us who are mourning, or who have mourned, a loss in the presence of God and the “right people” know what a blessing it is to receive this comfort.

Is mourning hard? Yes! Is it painful? Yes! But does blessing come while we are in it, as well as from it? Yes! If it were not so, Jesus would not have said it.

Today, you may find yourself mourning a loss and needing comfort. Go to the Father and some safe people (2 Cor. 1:3-5). Or you may have someone come your way who is in mourning. My encouragement to you is to be available, be compassionate, and be quiet. Ask questions and listen with your heart. As you do, God will provide comfort through you!

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted by God and good friends.

Scott Smith
Care Pastor

by Kim Freels

The Kingdom Burrito

San Diego is famous for the Carne Asada Burrito. Steak, Pico, and Guacamole all wrapped up in a giant tortilla. Not long ago, you couldn’t find a Carne Asada Burrito at a Mexican restaurant outside of San Diego County. If you tried to order one, the folks there would look at you funny. Or, if they had something like that on the menu, biting into it brought disappointment. It was never the same or as good as what San Diego taco shops served.

Jesus put even better ingredients in a kingdom package that brings eternal sustenance and immediate flavor. This kingdom burrito is described at the beginning of the greatest sermon ever given.

What is inside this burrito?
comfort
an inheritance
being filled
mercy
seeing God
a name as a child of God

These blessings remind me of a biblical burrito because the ingredients are all wrapped up in the big old phrase for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Jesus starts his list of blessings with that phrase and he wraps it up with the same phrase.

The Kingdom Burrito hits the spot for anyone that:
needs God
Is sad
Is humble
strongly wants to do the right thing
Is merciful
Is pure
makes peace
is picked on for doing the right thing
Is insulted
has lies spread about them because of faith

All believers relate to some of those circumstances at times, and faith might lead one into any of the others. For theirs is the kingdom of heaven… Matt 5:3,10. Accessing God’s kingdom burrito is not about geographic location. It is about a state of mind. Relish and remember Jesus’ proclamation and access his promise. The kingdom burrito is available at any place and at any time. It was bought and built by Jesus and he serves it as a banquet of blessings for believer’s bellies and beliefs.

Pastor John Riley

by John Riley