To Fulfill The Law Series

WELCOME & INTRODUCTION

THE WEIRDEST LAWS IN EVERY STATE

The United States is a large, vibrant and diverse country in which states and even cities have the power to pass their own laws. This makes sense in many cases because life is different from the East Coast to the West Coast and what needs to be regulated in Alaska is different than in Florida.

However, because states and cities are given legal leeway, that's led to some pretty outrageous laws getting on the books. Sometimes, they are not really enforced, but no one has bothered to repeal or undo them. Here are a few of the weirdest state laws in our nation:

ALASKA

In 1913, the mayor and city council of Fairbanks, Alaska, had had enough of the antics of bartender Pete Buckholtz and his pet moose. Buckholtz refused to stop bringing his oversized pet to work at the local saloon. To prevent the animal from coming inside, officials crafted an ordinance declaring that moose weren't allowed on city sidewalks, effectively prohibiting the moose from walking on the sidewalk and into the bar or other businesses.

ARKANSAS

There is a legal code in Arkansas that explains how the state's name should be pronounced. While it's not technically illegal or punishable to say it wrong with a hard "s" at the end of the state's name, Arkansas is legally supposed to be pronounced "Ar-kan-saw."

CONNECTICUT

There are plenty of wacky things that are banned in the U.S., but folks in Connecticut are persnickety about their pickles. According to one of Connecticut's former food and drug commissioners, one of the tests used to determine whether or not a pickle was legally fit for human consumption was that if you drop it 1 foot, it should bounce.

IDAHO

The city of Pocatello, Idaho, has embraced its identity as the "U.S. Smile Capital" after the mayor passed an ordinance in 1948 making it illegal not to smile. The "Smile Ordinance" was passed to jokingly boost morale after exceptionally severe winter weather. The law unintentionally remained on the books until it was rediscovered and became a source of pride for Pocatello.

ILLINOIS

The city of Galesburg, Illinois, likes things nice and simple, even its bike riding. The city has an ordinance banning bike riders from removing both hands from the handlebars or feet from the pedals or engaging in "any acrobatic or fancy riding on any street."

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Multiple towns in New Hampshire have made it illegal to have a picnic in a cemetery. If you want to dine with the deceased, you're better off enjoying a meal at the most haunted hotels in America.

WASHINGTON STATE

In 1991, Whatcom County, Washington, declared itself an official Sasquatch Protection and Refuge Area. That means if a resident does come across a mythical Bigfoot, they are not to kill or harm it.

WASHINGTON D.C.

Washington, D.C., is a must-visit destination for history buffs because many of its iconic, historic landmarks are free to visit. However, visitors are not free to bust a move. Demonstrations are prohibited at the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, the Jefferson Memorial and other parks in the National Capital Region. "Demonstrations" include expressive dancing or other entertainment that attracts a crowd of onlookers.

Rarely are any of these laws enforced. Not seriously. When it comes to following the law, we all actually break it every day without knowing it. At least some kind of law. Today we continue with the Sermon on the Mount and Jesus takes his famous sermon in a bit of a different direction.

Every bit of Jesus’ previous statements have been about the life and attitudes of his followers. How a disciple might act. What a believer seeks in his or her life. Today, Jesus makes some statements about himself and his purpose here on earth. Let’s read our passage this morning and get into what Jesus is saying.

MATTHEW 5:17-20

17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. 19 Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus, as he is preaching some of these principles of a faithful disciple, is looking intently into the eyes of the people he is preaching to. These are committed Jews, some being part of the teaching and law keeping class, as well as Gentile people. They are hearing beatitudes and parables about how to live that are stepping on the proverbial toes of what many of them already knew to be true—some going beyond the basics and getting a bit more difficult.