Sermon On The Mount wk 3

The Law

This morning we are continuing to look at Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount as we look at The Law.

Week one we looked at the eight Beatitudes, last week we looked at Disciples.

This morning we are looking in Matthew 5:17-20, at four things that deal with the Law.

These verse that we will be looking at today, have been misinterpreted and taken out of context many times.

As we look at what Jesus says about the law, we need to understand that He is referring not just to the Mosaic Law, but the entire Old Testament.

Now we know that the Mosaic Law falls within the Old Testament and therefore what Jesus is speaking of does include the Mosaic Law.

I have heard people say, well Jesus said He fulfilled the Law, therefore all we need to follow is the New Testament.

Now I disagree with that as we are told in Scripture that all Scripture, meaning Old and New Testaments are inspired by God.

2 Timothy 3:16–17 NASB95

16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

Did Jesus fulfill the law, yes, and we see that in today’s Scripture, but what does that mean.

Look with me at Matthew 5:17-20

Matthew 5:17–20 NASB95

17 “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. 18 “For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. 19 “Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 “For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Pray

All four verse deal with the law, or better the Old Testament.

There are four points that we will look at this morning.

I. Fulfill

Matthew 5:17 NASB95

17 “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.

Many people read that fulfill part of that verse and skip over the part that Jesus said he did not come to abolish the law.

The Greek word used for abolish is Katalyo which means - destroy, throw down, or demolish.

Now Jesus is saying here do not think that I came to destroy, throw down, or demolish the Law or the Prophets.

He is saying He did not come to put an end to the Old Testament but to fulfill it.

The Greek word used for fulfill is pleroo which means - fulfill, complete, or fill.

In Luke 24 Jesus joins two disciples on the road to Emmaus, after listening to them talk about the events of His crucifixion and resurrection, He eventually speaks up.

We are told in Luke 24:27

Luke 24:27 NASB95

27 Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.

Another words Jesus explained how the Old Testament points to Jesus.

When Jesus came He did not come to do away with the Old Testament but to fulfill the prophecies of the Old Testament.

Fulfillment speaks in the sense of that the prophecies of the Old Testament have been fulfilled.

Jesus was indicating that He is the fulfillment of the law in all its aspects.

Jesus fulfilled the moral law by keeping it perfectly.

He fulfilled the ceremonial law by being the embodiment of everything the law’s types and symbols pointed to.

He fulfilled the judicial law by personifying God’s perfect justice.

Every Old Testament text must be viewed in light of Jesus’ person and ministry and the changes introduced by the new covenant He inaugurated.

II. Accomplish

Matthew 5:18 NASB95

18 “For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.

Here Jesus is affirming the utter inerrancy and absolute authority of the Old Testament as the Word of God, down to the smallest stroke or letter.

This suggest that the New Testament should not be seen as replacing or revoking the Old Testament, but as fulfillment and clarifying it.

For example, all the ceremonial requirements of the Mosaic Law were fulfilled in Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and no longer need to be observed by Christians.

Yet the smallest letter or stroke of the law is not to be erased, the truths of the Old Testament remain.

In the coming weeks we will see how even Jesus refers back to the Old Testament law and confirms and strengthens the law.

Jesus fulfilled the requirements of the law, but the law like the Old Testament is still useful for us even today.

III. Keep

Matthew 5:19 NASB95

19 “Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

The consequence of practicing or teaching disobedience of any of God’s Word is to be called least in the Kingdom of heaven.

Here Jesus reaffirms that importance and need for the Old Testament.

James, the half brother of Jesus, speaks to keeping the law in his epistle.

James 2:10 NASB95

10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.

James is saying that whoever tries to keep the law for righteousness sake, but makes a mistake even in the smallest part of the law is guilty of the entire law.

Another words, it is not possible to keep the law for salvation, as stumbling or falling even the smallest part of the law is to be guilty of the entire law.

But we can find salvation through Jesus Christ who did keep the law perfectly.

The law is to point us to Jesus, as James states, to stumble on one point is to be guilty of all, and therefore the law is to help us see that we need a Savior.

Jesus does not refer to loss of salvation here and it is clear from the fact that, though offenders will be called least, they will still be in the kingdom of heaven.

As disciples of Jesus Christ we are to uphold every part of God’s Word both in our living and in our teachings.

We need to remember what Paul writes to Timothy

2 Timothy 3:16–17 NASB95

16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

That even includes the Old Testament.

All Scripture is inspired by God, that is God the Holy Spirit spoke to Moses, the prophets, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, Peter, James and all the authors of Scripture telling them what to write down for us.

IV. Righteousness

Matthew 5:20 NASB95

20 “For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Here Jesus is calling His followers to a deeper, more radical holiness than that of the Pharisees.

The Pharisees had a tendency to soften the law’s demands by focusing only on external obedience.

Now the Pharisees, Sadducee, and Scribes had complicated the law, but even in that their ways were still soften to the point of outward obedience.

The righteousness the law calls for actually involves an internal conformity to the spirit of the law, rather than mere external compliance to the letter.

Romans 12:2 NASB95

2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

Here Paul tells the Romans to not be conformed to the world, but to be transformed by the renewing of their minds.

This is dealing with internal conformity to God’s holiness.

God works from the inside out, we do not always see what God is doing in a person or even in ourselves for a while after He has been working on the inside of us.

To try to keep the law perfectly is impossible, and it requires works.

This is the reason God sent His only begotten Son so that we could be found righteous through Jesus’ shed blood.

2 Corinthians 5:21 NASB95

21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Jesus kept the law perfectly, He then went to the cross and took the sins of the world upon Himself so that we can be seen as righteous through Jesus sacrifice on the cross.

Conclusion

Now I know all this can seem confusing.

Paul more or less explains in his first letter to Timothy roughly what Jesus said in our text today.

1 Timothy 1:8–11 NASB95

8 But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully, 9 realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers 10 and immoral men and homosexuals and kidnappers and liars and perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching, 11 according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted.

The law is to be a moral compass for us as believers, but it’s main function is to point unbelievers to Jesus Christ for salvation.

If you have never received the gift of salvation from Jesus Christ, by repenting of your sins and confessing Him as Lord and Savior, then allow the Law to point you to Him.

Allow me to talk with you and share with you.