Law, Prophets, & Psalms

When building any building, the foundation is essential.  When building the Temple of the LORD, the foundation becomes even more important.  Jesus, as we saw yesterday is the cornerstone of the foundation.  He begins construction of the Church as the Temple of the Holy Spirit.

“The Law and the Prophets were until John; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached, and everyone forces his way into it. But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one dot of the Law to become void.” (Luke 16:16-17 ESV)

When we listen to Jesus’ teachings, however, we find out that the construction process has already been underway.  Since Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever, He was already the cornerstone back before the creation of the heavens and the earth.  The first leg of the foundation, then, was the Old Testament Scriptures.

“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. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.” (Matthew 5:17-18 ESV)

This can be challenging statements from Jesus.  Heaven and earth have not passed away, so everything in the Law is not accomplished yet.  In other words, it still applies today.

Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” (Luke 24:44 ESV)

Some of it does, at least.  Parts of the Old Testament pointed to Jesus’ first coming.  They have now been fulfilled.  Other parts, however, are still not “accomplished” or “fulfilled.”  The question becomes, then, “Which parts still apply today?”  For now, we will simply say, “The Old Testament cannot be thrown away.”  It is a part of the foundation upon which the LORD is building the Church as the Temple of the Holy Spirit.

So, how about you?  Do you see the Old Testament as a part of your foundation?  Do you build your life upon the foundation of the Old Testament with Jesus as the cornerstone?