August 15, 2026
Saturday, August 15
This week, we’ve seen the giving of the Law in Exodus 19-24. I have also attempted to explain why we disregard some parts of that Law today, while still following other parts. I hope it made sense. So how do we live biblically? Think back to what God told Moses were the three purposes of the Law: To be His treasured possession, a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. I believe, in light of that, that living biblically starts with Pursuing a love relationship with God. Our relationship with God is like a marriage, or any other close relationship, in this way: In order to understand how to love Him back, we need to spend time with Him. How much time do you spend with God? Perhaps your honest answer is, “I go to church when it’s convenient, and I pray when something urgent comes up.” That’s like trying to build a marriage by saying, “I’ll spend an hour with you once or twice a month, and let you know when I need something.” Clearly, that won’t work. What would you start doing if you got serious about pursuing a love relationship with God? Why not start that today?
Being a priest to those around you. 1 Peter 2:9 says, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” Did you know you’re called to the priesthood? Peter is telling Christians like you and me that we have the same calling as the ancient Israelites: to serve as priests of God. That means we represent God to the people around us. Every day, we live in constant awareness of the way our lives reflect God to the people around us. Most of them will never visit a church or pick up a Bible. You are the only Gospel they will ever hear. Here at First Baptist, that’s what we call establishing transforming relationships, and that’s why we exist.
Seeking to be a city on a hill. Israel was meant to be a holy nation that collectively lived in such a way that they would stand out among the peoples of the world and show God’s glory. Jesus came along and said the same thing applies to everyone called by His name, only He put it this way in Matthew 5:14, 16: “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden… In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” It’s important to note that the “you” in Jesus’ statement is a plural noun. It should actually be translated “Y’all are the light of the world. Y’all are a city on a hill.” So to live biblically means that you are growing in a love relationship with God, and fulfilling your calling as a priest to bring people to the Father, but it also means you’re part of something bigger than yourself: The people of God that we call the Church. And that means that you and are responsible for how the Church is doing.
We rejoice when the Church gets it right and weep when the Church gets it wrong. We find our way to serve in the Church and we support her work through our tithes. We pray for revival and encourage one another to love and good deeds. And here’s the best part: When you invest in helping the Church become a city on a hill, you are part of a mission that cannot lose. Because our true King, the one Head of the Church, is Jesus Christ, the One who defeated sin on the cross, defeated death in the empty tomb, and is coming back to rule this world forever. Amen.
In case you need further convincing that we should live biblically, let’s listen to a hymn that helps us envision the glory of God, like what the Israelites experienced atop Mt Sinai: O Worship the King.
Senior Pastor
First Baptist Conroe
More from Pastor Jeff at his website: jeffbergerwriting.com
