The Righteousness of the Kingdom

Matthew 5:17-48 (NKJV)

Title: “The Righteousness of the Kingdom”

Introduction:

The Sermon on the Mount is Jesus’ foundational teaching on righteousness.In this section, Jesus clarifies the law’s fulfillment, raises the standard of righteousness, and calls His followers to a higher way of living.Three key lessons emerge from Matthew 5:17-48.

I. Jesus Came to Fulfill the Law (Matthew 5:17-20)

A. The Law is Not Abolished (v. 17-18)

Jesus affirms the law’s divine origin and purpose.Fulfillment, not destruction—He is the embodiment of the law’s intent.

B. True Righteousness Exceeds the Pharisees (v. 19-20)

External obedience is not enough; inward transformation is required. The Pharisees were meticulous in law-keeping but lacked heart transformation. True righteousness is not based on legalism but on a changed heart. We still see this actvity today in the church. People go about looking holy, acting religious when all the time they are at heart sinful and disobedient at their core. The Pharisee knew all the right words to the peoples questions, they prayed all the right prayers, but they were dead inside because they were serving themselves and their selfish goals rather than God and His righteous will. Jesus is clear, if we are not more righteous than the human stand of righteousness we will never enter the kingdom of heaven. How can we be more righteous, when most of us are so much less righteous than the pharisee of that day and the pharisaical church of today? Simple, we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior, and when we do that we become like Christ who is the very essence of righteousness. Jesus fulfilled the law for us, and through our adoption into God’s family through the sacrifice of Christ and our faith in Him we are saved, and our eternity in Heaven is made secure in our Faith in Christ.

From the fall of man in the garden, we were never going to be righteous enough through the law to enter heaven, the law was given to show us our shortcomings and to guide us as God’s people, but God’s plan was always to send the Savior.

Jesus in the rest of this chapter clarifies and doubles down on the law and what it means for those who follow Him, it means the Spirit of the Law overrules the mere obedience of the Law.

🔹 Cross Reference: Romans 3:21-22 – “Righteousness comes through faith in Christ, not works of the law.” Ephesians 2:8–10 “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

II. The Spirit of the Law Overrules Mere Obedience (Matthew 5:21-37)

Let us recognize first the authority of Jesus in what He is about to say; Jesus says “I say to you” in these next six examples of righteous clarification. He declares Himself the authority of scripture and the moral authority of God, which we know He is.

A. The Heart Behind the Commandments (v. 21-30) Read the Scripture.

In verses 21-30, Jesus exposes the deeper intent of the spirit of the law—internal righteousness. Anger is murder in the heart (v. 21-26)—not just external actions, but inward attitudes matter. Lust is adultery in the heart (v. 27-30)—sin begins internally before it manifests outwardly.

Verse 21, Jesus rightly declares that the law forbids murder. I say murder because many different translations say different things, but murder is the killing of a man that cannot be justified before God, and even that can be forgiven with repentance and faith in Christ. But in verse 22, Jesus clarifies and tells us in His authority that if we hate our brother without cause, we are in the same danger as those who commit unrepentant murder, but He doesn’t stop there either, He goes even further and says if you say to your brother “RACA” which is “empty-headed or fool” in Aramaic you have also committed an egregious sin like murder. Most of us have commited murder or the like of it in God’s eyes, some of us even did this today.

In verses 23-26, Jesus tells us we shouldn't even come to the alter of God if we haven’ reconciled with our brother, we are to go and make it right, seek forgiveness, lest we not be forgiven and pay the civil and eternal penalty for unforgiveness. Matthew 18:35 “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”

In verses 27-30, Jesus reminds us that Adultery is a sin, a violation of God’s law. Over time this law was perverted by the Pharisee and Sadducees, so that adultery was more than tolerable in Jewish life by men, but no so much for women. Does this sound familiar? Is adultery tolerated today? Is it even celebrated and expected in some ways? Jesus tells us that adultery is a sin and then really doubles down and clarifies with if you look upon another with lust, you have already committed adultery in your heart, and are just as guilty as if you performed the physical act. How many of us have looked upon another with lust in our hearts?

Its a not just the physical act of murder, or of adultery that Jesus says condemns us, but its the intent of our heart and that condemns us, and thats a whole lot harder to control than our actions alone. But with Christ all things are possible in Him who strengthens us.

B. The Integrity of Our Words (v. 31-37)

Divorce was permitted due to hardness of heart, but God’s design was permanence. Oaths and vows—let your yes be yes; honesty should define a believer.

Verse 31 and 32 define for us biblical divorce as permitted by Jesus. The original Law had been so watered down by man that Jesus had to clearly define it again. Jesus declares only one reason for divorce here, sexual immorality (not only Adultery). We often get caught up on this verse, just because Jesus allows for divorce here does not mean that in every instance of sexual immorality should you be required to divorce. Forgiveness is always the better option, but because of the damage and the hardness of heart that results from sexual immorality within a relationship, Jesus has allowed for it. But He also warns of the lasting consequences of unbiblical divorce should this allowance be taken out of context again, and it has been and probably until He returns will be.

Verses 33-37, remind us to not give an oath except to the Lord. For if swear by God and fail we dishonor God. So, do not swear by God or the heavens, or anything in the heavens, or that by which only God can make Holy including yourself, because you do not have any power to do so. Instead Jesus says, let your yes, be yes, and your no, be no; let your word stand on its own, do not be double tongued and do not go against your word. We are to not be indecisive, and we should always be aware of our words. No oath is necessary when we can stand on our word, and glorify God.

🔹 Cross Reference: James 1:22-25 – Be doers of the word, not just hearers.

III. The Radical Love of the Kingdom (Matthew 5:38-48)

A. Responding to Evil with Grace (v. 38-42)

The law permitted justice (eye for an eye), but Jesus calls for grace.Instead of retaliation, believers should show patience and mercy. Jesus tells us to be giving, even unto persecution and assault, and trust me thats a tough one to swallow for us men. In verse 39, Jesus commands us to turn the other cheek, if they slap one cheek give them the other to slap, do not retaliate — listen thats a very difficult one for me, especially with my military background and because of the way I was raised to stand up for myself and to be tough, to be the overwhelming force that ends the conflict through decisive, rapid and overwhelming but appropriate violence. Its difficult to change that side of me, but Jesus has commanded it, and so I shall endeavor to obey my Lord.

Jesus tells us if we are sued and they take our tunic, our shirt we should also give them our cloak or coat. What he is saying is if they want some give them more than they ask for, be generous even to a fault, but when we do that, God will work things out for us, when we obey, God will stand with us and bless us through our obedience, and as an added bonus we become peacemakers.

Verse 42, Jesus tells us to give to those who ask, we aren’t to run away and be greedy. God gave us the resources once, surely He will reward you again if you give. I’m not saying give if you can’t afford to give, but if God has blessed you and you can, you should, or why else did he bless you?

B. Loving Our Enemies (v. 43-48)

The world loves those who love them, but kingdom righteousness loves even enemies. This reflects the heart of the Father, who is kind to both the just and the unjust.

God loved us even when we were in sin, He sent His only Son to die for us. Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

It’s not natural for us as fallen people to give love freely to those who hate us or to those we are enemies with, but that exactly what God did for us and we should do in return. If we are to be the salt and light, the hands and feet of Christ, we have to love the way Christ did. Then maybe we will overcome evil with good.

🔹 Cross Reference: Romans 12:19-21 – Overcome evil with good.

Application: Living as Kingdom Citizens

Live with Christ-centered righteousness – Not just external obedience, but an inward transformation that surpasses legalism (Matthew 5:20).

Guard your heart and mind – Sin begins internally; we should walk in purity and integrity (Matthew 5:28, Proverbs 4:23).

Love beyond human expectations – Show grace, mercy, and love even to enemies, reflecting Christ’s example (Matthew 5:44, 1 John 4:7-8).

Conclusion:

Jesus redefines righteousness, showing that it is a matter of the heart.His call to a deeper holiness and love is impossible in our strength but possible through the Spirit. Will we surrender our hearts to kingdom righteousness today?

👉 Invitation: Come to Christ, who alone fulfills the law and empowers us to live righteously.