ICEL Love never fails Mathew 5: "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them. 18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 1 Corinthians 13: 8 Love never fails The OT “Law” and the NT Law of love are of the same enduring Quality. They never lose their value or go away. Only Gods love never fails.

ICEL Intro: Sermon on the mount (the longest sermon) 3 chapters. Mathew and Luke (107and 30) 8 blessings and 4 blessings (and 4 wows) The same? Jesus teaching his disciples, and a large crowd of followers When and where? We do not really know. The key is: What does God say to us…here and now!

ICEL Mission impossible! Matthew 5: "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbour and hate your enemy.' 44 But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you… 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. We are only perfect if we are “made” perfect Jesus did “perfect us” “ (In Christ we are new creatures: 2 Cor. 5.17) Hebrews 10:14 …because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.

ICEL Jesus came not to abolish the law and the prophets but to fulfil these: Matthew 5:17 "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them. Rom 3: But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

ICEL Jesus set us free by paying “Ransom” Ransom is: To free from captivity or punishment by paying a ransom. To pay the price demanded for the release of a captured or kidnapped person. No price was high enough! The capturer: Sin, Satan. Psalm 49:7-8 No man can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him- the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough- Matthew 20:28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

ICEL His ransom brought a new covenant to a lost world: Hebrews 9:15 15 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. The old and new covenant both are covenants of love. Deuteronomy 7:9 Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands.

ICEL Our part of the covenant: Love your neighbor… Romans 13:9 The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbour as yourself The burden of the law has been rolled away! 1 John 5: 3 This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome. 1 Peter 2:21…Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. Jesus last Neighbour…at the cross. (Blessed are you…Mat 5.11)

ICEL Challenge of Love Let us start acting! 1 Corinthians 13 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails. 13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.