What does it really mean to be God’s people?  

From the beginning, God’s desire has been more than simply giving humanity rules to follow. He has always desired a people who would live in loving relationship with Him and with one another. A  Kingdom community shaped by His own life and love.  

Israel was given the Ten Commandments as part of that calling. The commandments revealed something beautiful about God’s intention for His people: a life of love, faithfulness, holiness, mercy, and right relationship. But Israel’s story also reveals something about us. We cannot create that life by our own obedience or strength, and that is where the Good News becomes so powerful.  

Jesus Christ is not merely the One who tells us how Kingdom life should be lived. He is the One who has lived it perfectly for us and fulfilled it in our humanity. Through His life, death, resurrection and continuing life, Jesus brings us out of slavery and into the freedom of His own relationship with the Father.  As Pastor Tony reminds us, Jesus is the “law of freedom.” He is our grace and our mercy. In Jesus Christ, God is creating His Kingdom community.  

A people who belong to Him, rest in Him, receive His mercy, and participate through the Holy Spirit in the loving life of the Father, Son and Spirit.  That is why Peter can declare: “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the One who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” — 1 Peter 2:9 (CSB)  We are not trying to earn our way into God’s Kingdom.  

In Jesus, we have been brought into His life. In Jesus, we have received mercy. In Jesus, we have been called out of darkness and into His marvelous light.  And now, as His Kingdom community, we are invited to live together in the freedom, mercy and love that are already ours in Him.  

REFLECTIVE MOMENT: Are you still relating to God as though everything depends upon how well you perform or are you learning to rest in what Jesus has already accomplished for you?  As someone who has received His mercy, where might the Holy Spirit be inviting you to extend that same mercy, grace and love to someone else?  

Watch the full message as Pastor Tony takes us “From Law To Liberty” and reminds us who we already are in Christ: God’s people, Christ’s Kingdom community, called out of darkness and into His marvelous light.