Jesus Came to Make the Law Obsolete (Advent 17, 2024)

As we approach Christmas and celebrate Christ’s first Advent, we can see there are more Visitation Principles for why Christ came. Jesus came to make the righteousness process of the “old covenant” obsolete. The Holy Spirit is like new technology, and He couldn’t come until after Jesus’ birth, life, death, resurrection and ascension. Our hearts were simply not a suitable home for the Spirit of God while we were under the law. Visitation Principle 17: Jesus Came to Make the Law Obsolete.

What was this an upgrade? No longer would there need to be a sacrificial system or priests among men. The law had served (and continues to serve) its purpose: to point out man’s failure to achieve righteousness on his own.

Hebrews 8:10 This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 11 No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. 12 For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” 13 By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear.

Questions for further thought:

Does new technology that performs the same process in better ways negate the need for the process or only act as an upgrade?

How is an internally derived moral compass superior to one that is externally forced? How does the Holy Spirit provide an internal compass as an upgrade to the external Law? Is the purpose of achieving righteousness still the goal?

Think for a moment about a commandment such as “Thou Shall Not Steal” and robbing a bank or looting a store. When it arises out of your heart to obey because it’s coming from God, are you more or less likely to make excuses such as “It’s okay in this instance to steal because…”?

Does a world which does not know Christ, nor does it have the Holy Spirit, have that internal motivation? How does that contribute to moral relativism where it’s only true in circumstances? Has the world bought into the “my truth” vs “your truth”? How does the Holy Spirit teach “His absolute Truth”? Why is it absolute?

Prayer: Forgive us, Lord, for the times in which we follow the world’s ways and make excuses for our behavior. We’re sorry for grieving Your Holy Spirit. Help us to follow the laws in our hearts that come from You and are guided by the Holy Spirit, and to honor the laws of our society as a way of demonstrating our desire to live upright lives. Help us to see enforcement of external laws is meant to prompt everyone to obey and to drive the lawbreakers to repentance. Thank You for the blood of Your forgiveness as our great High Priest and perfect sacrifice. We love You, Lord, we glorify and worship You. Amen.

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Acknowledging inquiries about an entire season’s devotionals for your study group’s planning purposes, Seminary Gal’s prior seasons’ Advent devotionals can be accessed via the archives to the right and are as follows:

“From the Jews for the World” was the theme of last Advent’s devotional series. It is archived beginning December 3, 2023, and explored how Jesus’ Jewish heritage was necessary for the salvation of Gentiles, too.
“Awaken Remnant” was the devotional topic for 2022. It began November 27, 2022, and highlighted the remnant found throughout Scripture as evident in Jesus’ lineage.
The multi-faceted Interlude between the promise of a Deliverer and the birth of our Messiah and King was the theme of 2021’s devotional series. It is archived beginning November 28, 2021.
2020’s Devotional Series Divine Intervention began on November 29, 2020 and explored God’s activity on behalf of a hurting world and nations in tumult– Intervention for you and for me when our status as sinners required nothing short of a miracle.
God’s Christmas list explored what might be on God’s Christmas list, learning what He wants from us. It began December 1, 2019.
Storyteller began December 2, 2018 and entered into the Christmas story through its telling.
The 2017 series Still Christmas, began December 3, 2017 and was the Advent complement to the Lenten series, Be Still and Know that I AM God.
The 2016 season devotionals were called “Timeless: The Message of Christmas for All Ages” and explored how the message of Christmas is timeless truth, for all ages of people, and for all ages at all times. Timeless hope, encouragement, grace, peace, and love as we looked into the Word, saw the face of our Lord Jesus, and experienced restoration in His presence. His goodness and His Gospel are truly Timeless. The 2016 devotionals began November 27, 2016.
The 2015 season devotionals were titled Incarnation and involved digging deep–and yes, I mean deep– in this important mystery of Christian theology. They began November 29, 2015.
Carol Me, Christmas! remains one of my most popular offerings and tells the Christmas story through our most beloved Christmas hymns and carols. You can access all of the numbered devotionals from 2014 via the archives. They began November 30, 2014.
The 2013 series was Emmanuel: When LOVE Showed Up in Person and examined the Prologue to the Gospel of John. It began December 1, 2013.
The 2012 series focused on Expecting the Unexpected…the unexpected, unlikely, and uniquely divine qualities of God’s perfect plan outlined in Luke’s account of the Christmas story. It began December 1, 2012.