I. The Law tell us what God wants so we can do it, specifying the beneficial behaviors that reap God's blessing

Ps 119:97 Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day.  Josh 1:8  Book of the Law shall  meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do acc to all that is written in it. For then you will make  your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
Psalm 1 2 his delight is in the law of the LORD..meditates day and night 3 tree..fruit..not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.

Dt 6:5 love the LORD your God with all your heart, soul, strength. 6 And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children 17 You shall diligently keep the commandments testimonies, statutes...18 And you shall do what is right and good in the sight of the LORD, that it may be well with you 20 'What meaning...God has commanded you?' 24 LORD commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God, for our good always, that He might preserve us alive, as it is this day. 25 Then it will be righteousness for us, if we are careful to observe all these commandments before the LORD our God, as He has commanded us.'

Dt 7:9 LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and hesed for a 1000 generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments 10 He repays those who hate Him to their face, to destroy them. He will not be slack with him who hates Him; He will repay him to his face. 11 Therefore you shall keep the commandment, the statutes, and the judgments which I command you today, to observe them. 12 because you listen to these judgments, and keep and do them, the LORD will keep with you the covenant and the hesed which He swore to your fathers 13 He will love you and bless you and multiply you; 14 and you shall be blessed above all peoples...
Dt 10:13 and to keep the commandments of the LORD and His statutes which I command you today for your good?

Dt 17:19 read it all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them:
Dt 30:14 the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it. 16 I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments...God will bless you...

II. NT Believers are freed from the ceremonial/kosher obligations of the OT Law

Gal 3:19 Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, till  the Seed should come to whom the promise was made...21 Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law. 22 But the Scripture has enclosed all under sin, that the promise ek faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. 23 But before faith came, we were kept under watch by the law, enclosed eis the faith which would afterward be revealed. 24  the law was our tutor until/eis Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. See 4:1-5

Rom 3:20 by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin 21 now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 the righteousness of God, thru faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace thru the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, thru faith...26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. 27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. 31...we establish the law.
The necessity of the exercise of faith establishes (validates the claims of the law) rather than shatters the law (which points out need for faith v20)

Rm 10:4 Christ is the telios of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. Mt 23:23 weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith
Rm 4:5 to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, 6 just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: 7 " Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, And whose sins are covered; 8 Blessed is the man to whom the LORD shall not impute sin."

III. NT Believers are under an even higher standard of pleasing God.

Jn 13:34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
Jn 14:15 "If you love Me, keep My commandments. 15:10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love
1Jn 3:22 whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we k eep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight
Heb 13:21 make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, thru Jesus Christ

Js 2:14   What does it profit, brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?
17 faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 20 foolish man, faith without works is dead 22 faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. Eph 2:8-10

Gal 6:2 Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ  Js 2:8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," you do well;  12 So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty.
Christ's love (and law) has met my needs and set me free, so I am free to love others    Jn 8:32 Know Truth, it shall set you free

Questions for Reflection/Discussion/Response:

1. Did God give us the law to bless us or show us how bad we are? What's the purpose of the law (kosher/ceremonial/moral)?
2. How did the Israelites have a relationship with God during the 1500 years before Christ came?
3. Did Abraham sacrifice Isaac to obtain forgiveness of sin? What about the Levitical praise, peace, grain, and thanksgiving sacrifices?
4. Does freedom from the OT law imply freedom from responsibility (Gal 5:13 liberty...don't indulge temporal desires of flesh but serve in love)
5. How can you and your relationship with God benefit from the law? Are you at the point where you can say you love it?

Loaded words: Works; Righteousness; Holy; Blessedness; Grace; Salvation: justification (God/man), sanctification, glorification; love/mercy