Righteousness that Surpasses

Righteousness Redefined: A Call to More than the Minimum

Righteousness Redefined: A Call to More than the Minimum

Bible Passage: Matthew 5:17–20 Big Idea: True righteousness is not just about following rules; it's about a heart transformed by Christ that seeks to reflect God's love and holiness in every aspect of life.

Introduction

Imagine for a moment that you're driving down the highway. You see a speed limit sign that reads "65 MPH." What do you do? If you're like most drivers, you probably think, "Well, I can go 70, maybe 75, and still be okay." We have this natural tendency to find the minimum requirement and then push right up to that edge – or sometimes beyond it.

This approach to rules and regulations has somehow crept into our spiritual lives as well. We ask questions like: "What's the least I can do and still be considered a good Christian?" "How far can I push this boundary before it becomes sin?" "What's the minimum required for salvation?"

But what if I told you that Jesus came to completely redefine our understanding of righteousness? What if the Christian life isn't about finding the minimum standard but about embracing a maximum transformation?

Today, we're diving into one of the most challenging passages in all of Scripture – Matthew 5:17-20 – where Jesus doesn't just raise the bar; He completely reconstructs our understanding of what it means to live righteously before God.

Let me read these powerful words from our Savior:

Matthew 5:17–20 NKJV

17 “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. 19 Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

These aren't comfortable words. They're not the kind of verses we embroider on pillows or put on coffee mugs. They're challenging, confronting, and absolutely revolutionary. But they're also liberating in ways we might not expect.

The Revolutionary Context

To understand the magnitude of what Jesus is saying here, we need to transport ourselves back to first-century Palestine. Picture a society where religious leaders – the Pharisees and scribes – were the gold standard of righteousness. These weren't casual believers; they were the spiritual elite, the ones who had memorized entire books of Scripture, who tithed on their herb gardens, who prayed multiple times a day, and who followed hundreds of detailed religious rules.

If you lived in that time and someone told you that your righteousness needed to exceed that of the Pharisees, it would be like someone today saying you need to be more athletic than an Olympic champion or more intelligent than a Nobel Prize winner. It seemed impossible, even absurd.

Yet Jesus wasn't speaking in hyperbole. He was laying the foundation for a completely new understanding of what it means to live a life that pleases God. He was about to show them – and us – that true righteousness isn't about external performance but about internal transformation.

1. Clarify Christ's Fulfillment (Matthew 5:17-18)

The Misconception Jesus Addresses

Matthew 5:17 NKJV

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

Why did Jesus need to address this concern? Because His ministry was so radically different from what people expected that many wondered if He was throwing out the old covenant entirely. He ate with tax collectors and sinners, He healed on the Sabbath, He challenged religious traditions – surely He must be abolishing the Law!

But Jesus makes it crystal clear: He didn't come to tear down; He came to build up. He didn't come to destroy; He came to complete. The Greek word for "fulfill" here is pleroo, which means to fill up, to complete, or to bring to its intended purpose. Jesus didn't come to eliminate the Law but to show us what it was always meant to accomplish.

The Law as God's Character Revealed

Think about this: Why did God give the Law in the first place? Was it just an arbitrary set of rules designed to make life difficult? Absolutely not. The Law was given as a revelation of God's character – His holiness, His justice, His love, His concern for the marginalized, His desire for human flourishing.

When God said, "You shall not murder," He wasn't just establishing a legal code; He was revealing His heart for human life. When He commanded, "You shall not steal," He was showing His concern for justice and human dignity. When He instituted the Sabbath, He was demonstrating His desire for rest, reflection, and relationship.

The problem was never with the Law itself – it was perfect, as Paul tells us in Romans 7:12 “12 Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.” . The problem was with our ability to keep it perfectly and, more importantly, our tendency to reduce it to mere external compliance.

Jesus as the Perfect Embodiment

This is where Jesus' fulfillment becomes so beautiful and so necessary. He didn't just keep the Law; He embodied its deepest intentions. He didn't just avoid murder; He loved His enemies. He didn't just tell the truth; He was the Truth incarnate. He didn't just keep the Sabbath; He brought true rest to weary souls.

Every commandment, every ritual, every sacrifice in the Old Testament was pointing forward to Christ. He was the lamb that every Passover lamb represented. He was the high priest that every earthly priest shadowed. He was the temple where God's presence truly dwelt.

The Permanence of God's Standards

Matthew 5:18 NKJV

18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.

Jesus uses the smallest Hebrew letter (yod) and the smallest pen stroke (a tiny mark that distinguished one letter from another) to make His point: God's standards don't change based on cultural trends or personal convenience. His character is eternal, and therefore His moral standards are eternal.

This doesn't mean we're still bound by ceremonial laws about food or clothing – those were shadows pointing to Christ, and they found their fulfillment in Him. But the moral principles underlying all of Scripture – love, justice, mercy, truth, holiness – these remain as relevant today as they were 3,000 years ago.

2. Cultivate Commandment Integrity (Matthew 5:19)

The Danger of Minimizing

Matthew 5:19 NKJV

19 Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Here Jesus addresses something that's still remarkably relevant today: the temptation to pick and choose which of God's commands we want to take seriously. We live in an age of spiritual cafeteria plans where we load up our plates with the commands we like – usually the ones about God's love and forgiveness – while carefully avoiding the ones that challenge us or make us uncomfortable.

But Jesus says that even the "least" of the commandments matters. Why? Because every command reveals something about God's character, and when we dismiss any aspect of His revealed will, we're essentially saying we know better than He does about how life should be lived.

The Heart Behind Obedience

This isn't about becoming a legalist who obsesses over every tiny rule. Rather, it's about cultivating a heart that says, "If this matters to God, it matters to me." It's about developing the kind of relationship with our Heavenly Father where we want to please Him not because we have to, but because we love Him.

Consider a child who truly loves their parents. They don't obey just the "big" rules while ignoring the smaller requests. They have a heart that wants to honor their parents in everything, from the major life decisions to the daily courtesies. That's the kind of heart Jesus is calling us to have toward God.

Teaching and Living Integrity

Notice that Jesus mentions both practicing and teaching these commands. This is crucial because integrity means alignment between what we believe, what we say, and what we do. If we're going to teach others about God's ways – whether formally from a pulpit or informally through our daily lives – our lives need to back up our words.

This is particularly challenging in our social media age, where it's easy to post Bible verses about love while harboring bitterness, or to share inspirational quotes about trust while living in anxiety. Jesus calls us to a wholeness where our public proclamation and our private practices align.

3. Challenge Conventional Righteousness (Matthew 5:20)

The Shocking Standard

Matthew 5:20 NKJV

20 For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

Imagine the gasps that must have rippled through the crowd when Jesus said this. Surpass the righteousness of the Pharisees? These were the people who had made righteousness their full-time job! They knew the Law better than anyone, followed it more carefully than anyone, and had built entire systems to ensure they never accidentally broke it.

How could Jesus possibly expect ordinary people – fishermen, tax collectors, farmers – to exceed such dedicated religious professionals?

The Pharisees' Fatal Flaw

To understand what Jesus meant, we need to understand what was wrong with Pharisaical righteousness. It wasn't that the Pharisees were insincere (though some were) or that they didn't care about God (many genuinely did). The problem was that their righteousness was primarily external and self-generated.

They had turned faith into a performance, relationship into rules, and grace into grades. They were like actors on a stage, playing the part of righteousness so well that sometimes even they forgot they were acting. But God sees the heart, and their hearts often remained untransformed.

Jesus tells a parable about this in Luke 18, where a Pharisee prays, "God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get." His righteousness was all about comparison, competition, and self-congratulation.

The Righteousness That Exceeds

So what does righteousness that exceeds the Pharisees look like? It's not about doing more religious activities or following more rules. Instead, it's about a fundamental difference in source and motivation.

External vs. Internal: Pharisaical righteousness focused on external compliance. Gospel righteousness flows from an internal transformation. It's the difference between a plastic apple and a real one – they might look similar from the outside, but only one has life within it.

Self-Generated vs. Christ-Generated: The Pharisees worked hard to generate their own righteousness through effort and discipline. Gospel righteousness is generated by Christ's work in us and through us. We don't earn it; we receive it and then express it.

Performance-Based vs. Relationship-Based: Pharisaical righteousness was about performing for God and others. Gospel righteousness flows from a love relationship with God that naturally produces right living.

Exclusive vs. Inclusive: The Pharisees' righteousness built walls between them and "sinners." Gospel righteousness breaks down walls and draws people toward God's grace.

The Heart of the Matter

Here's what Jesus is really getting at: He's not calling us to be better Pharisees. He's calling us to be something entirely different. He's calling us to a righteousness that can only come through Him – one that transforms us from the inside out.

This righteousness isn't earned through our efforts but received through faith in Christ. It's not about checking boxes but about being changed. It's not about impressing others but about reflecting the character of God who loves us unconditionally.

The Paradox of Gospel Righteousness

Here's the beautiful paradox of what Jesus is teaching: The righteousness that exceeds the Pharisees actually begins with admitting we can't be righteous on our own. It starts with recognizing our need for a Savior and receiving His righteousness as a gift.

When we truly understand that our righteousness comes from Christ, something miraculous happens. We stop striving to be good enough and start living out of the goodness He's placed within us. We stop keeping score and start keeping in step with the Spirit. We stop performing and start becoming.

Living Out This Righteousness

So what does this look like practically? How do we live out a righteousness that surpasses the Pharisees while avoiding both legalism and license?

1. Motivation Matters

Check your heart regularly. Why are you doing what you're doing? Are you serving in church to be seen and appreciated, or because you love God and His people? Are you reading your Bible to check it off your list, or because you hunger for God's presence? Are you giving financially to get a tax deduction or to participate in God's work in the world?

The same action can flow from entirely different motivations, and God cares deeply about the motivation behind our actions.

2. Embrace the Spirit, Not Just the Letter

Jesus is about to unpack this principle in the verses that follow our passage today, but we can start applying it now. Ask yourself: What is the heart behind this command? What is God trying to accomplish in my life through this instruction?

For example, the command to love your neighbor isn't just about being nice to people. It's about reflecting God's heart for human flourishing, recognizing the image of God in every person, and participating in God's mission of reconciliation in the world.

3. Let Grace Transform You

Don't try to manufacture righteousness through willpower and discipline alone. While these have their place, lasting transformation comes through regularly receiving and reflecting on God's grace toward you. Spend time meditating on what Christ has done for you, and let that reality change how you see yourself and others.

4. Practice Authentic Community

The Pharisees often lived in isolation, judging others from a distance. Gospel righteousness thrives in authentic community where we can be real about our struggles and growth, where we can encourage one another, and where we can serve together.

The Ultimate Fulfillment

As we close, I want us to remember that this passage ultimately points us to Christ. He is the one who perfectly fulfilled the Law. He is the one whose righteousness exceeds everyone else's. And He is the one who offers to clothe us in His righteousness.

When we stand before God, we won't be wearing the threadbare garments of our own attempts at righteousness – whether the sackcloth of self-condemnation or the fancy robes of self-righteousness. Instead, we'll be clothed in the perfect righteousness of Christ, which He gives us as a gift.

This doesn't lead to complacency; it leads to transformation. When we truly grasp what Christ has done for us, when we understand that we are loved and accepted not because of our performance but because of His grace, something changes within us. We begin to live not out of fear or pride but out of love and gratitude.

Conclusion: The Call to More

Jesus isn't calling us to do more; He's calling us to be more. He's not asking us to try harder; He's asking us to trust deeper. He's not demanding better performance; He's offering complete transformation.

The righteousness Jesus calls us to isn't about meeting minimum requirements – it's about maximum relationship. It's about hearts so transformed by grace that we can't help but reflect God's character in everything we do.

This week, I challenge you to examine your own approach to righteousness. Are you living like a minimum-wage Christian, doing just enough to get by? Or are you embracing the abundant life that Christ offers – a life where righteousness flows naturally from a heart transformed by grace?

Are you trying to earn God's approval through your actions, or are you living out of the approval you already have in Christ? Are you comparing yourself to others, or are you looking to Jesus as your standard and your source?

The Law couldn't make us righteous, but it could show us our need for a Savior. Religious performance can't transform us, but it can reveal our need for grace. And our own efforts can't perfect us, but they can drive us to the One who is already perfect and who offers to share His perfection with us.

Jesus didn't come to give us a harder test to pass. He came to give us a new nature that naturally passes the test. He didn't come to raise the bar so high that we could never reach it. He came to reach the bar for us and then to lift us up to be with Him.

This is the righteousness that exceeds the Pharisees – not because we do more, but because Christ has done everything. Not because we try harder, but because His Spirit empowers us. Not because we're perfect, but because we're being perfected by the One who loves us beyond measure.

May we leave here today not burdened by an impossible standard, but liberated by an incredible Savior. May we stop settling for minimum righteousness and start living in the maximum grace that transforms us from the inside out.

The call is not to be better rule-followers. The call is to be better lovers – of God and of the people He has placed in our lives. And that, my friends, is a righteousness that truly exceeds all others, because it flows not from our efforts but from His inexhaustible grace.

Let us pray.

Heavenly Father, thank You for not leaving us to figure out righteousness on our own. Thank You for sending Jesus not just to show us the way but to be the way. Transform our hearts, Lord. Help us to stop settling for minimum compliance and start embracing maximum relationship with You. May Your righteousness flow through us not as a burden but as a blessing – to us and to everyone around us. In Jesus' name, Amen.