Matthew 5:18 For I assure you: Until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or one stroke of a letter will pass from the law until all things are accomplished. Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
In the preceding verse Jesus said that He came to "fulfill the Law of the Prophets", the laws and prophecies of the Old Testament. As we head through this Advent Season, we will be brought back many times to the prophecies of Isaiah, Zechariah and others in the Old Testament. The Christmas story, and all of the Old and New Testament writings are a testament to these verses.
Many in the secular world around us try to trivialize the Christmas story and the Bible in general. The Message (below) warns that those who trivialize the Bible today will themselves be trivialized when He returns.
Jesus came to fulfill the law and the writings of the prophets. He not only fulfilled but expanded upon them. If you have the time today read through the rest of Matthew chapter 5 which is the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus deals with anger, lust,divorce, oaths and retaliation before he launches into loving your enemies in chapter 6. The message of Christmas will continue to be heard as will Jesus' message, His words for life until he returns, no matter how much the secular world will try to trivialize it.
Jesus spoke of the message of old and gave a fresh approach to that generation, His words continue to give a fresh approach to life to those in this generation and for those to come until He returns again.
Matthew 5:17-20
The Message (MSG)
Completing God's Law
17-18 "Don't suppose for a minute that I have come to demolish the Scriptures—either God's Law or the Prophets. I'm not here to demolish but to complete. I am going to put it all together, pull it all together in a vast panorama. God's Law is more real and lasting than the stars in the sky and the ground at your feet. Long after stars burn out and earth wears out, God's Law will be alive and working.
19-20 "Trivialize even the smallest item in God's Law and you will only have trivialized yourself. But take it seriously, show the way for others, and you will find honor in the kingdom. Unless you do far better than the Pharisees in the matters of right living, you won't know the first thing about entering the kingdom.
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