Family Service Sermon

Sermon: "Laws for Living"

The story that Chris read is very important. It is a story about Jesus. In the story Jesus tells us that laws are important for living.

Laws help us to live together. What are some of the laws we live by?
Like:
On the road - bike or car:
Keep right (what happens if you don't?)
Stop at red lights (why?)
Laws about people smoking in buildings - why?
Laws about people acting like doctors without a license to practice. Why?

Laws about dumping oil or chemicals into the ground -
why?
Laws about bullying each other in the school yard or hitting each other. Why?

In every case the rules are there so that we don't hurt each other.
God doesn't want us to hurt each other and when we break good rules, we are more likely to do so.

I believe that we make rules like that, so that we can love each other better - the way Jesus asks us to love one another.

Jesus also says we need to love God - that God wants us to love God.
It sounds a little like parents asking you to love them. Of course we want to love our parents. And of course we want to love God - who gives so much and makes live worth living.
I think Jesus asks us to love God because:
- when we really love God, we are bound to love each other more, because we know that God loves every person like a beloved child.

So Jesus tells us - you don't have to remember a whole bunch of rules and laws and regulations. All you have to do is remember two things:

1. love God with everything you are and have
2. and love your neighbour - the other person whether near and far - as much as you love yourself.

When you go home today, talk in your family groups or with a friend or a neighbour, about those two commandments.

Jesus says that if you really learn to observe those two commandments, then you'll live forever - you will have life in all its fullness, because you will be close to God.

In Lent, we really try and learn more about how to live with those two great commandments that Jesus has given to us. We will do that by focussing on the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20 & Deuteronomy 5) week by week as we walk with Jesus to Jerusalem.

May God give us love so that we may be people of love. AMEN