Different from the World, Faithful to the King

Text: Matthew 5:17–19

Matthew 5:17–19 ESV

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.

Series Theme: Sermon on the Mount: Pursuing Excellence in Christ

January Theme: Blessed Are the Different

Why it fits:

This option highlights Jesus’ fulfillment of the Law and reframes obedience as allegiance to the King, not legalism. It keeps the theme of distinctiveness while preparing the congregation for the heart-level demands that follow in Matthew 5:21ff.

Single Unifying Metaphor: The King’s Charter

Metaphor Overview

Present the Law and Prophets as the King’s Charter—the founding document that defines the values, authority, and expectations of the Kingdom.

Jesus does not discard the Charter; He fulfills it and brings it to life.

Central Idea

Jesus calls His followers to live differently—not by rejecting God’s revealed will, but by faithfully aligning their lives with it as fulfilled in Him.

Flow Check (January so far)

Week 1: The Blessing of a Transformed Character — Who we are (Matt. 5:3–12) 

Week 2: The Blessing of Influence and Purpose — Why we matter (Matt. 5:13–16) 

Week 3: The Blessing of Righteous Alignment — How we now live (Matt. 5:17–20)

Introduction

Jesus has described kingdom character (5:3–12) and kingdom influence (5:13–16).

Now He addresses a crucial question: What is our relationship to God’s law?

Difference in the kingdom is not rebellion against God’s Word—but deeper faithfulness to it.

Metaphor Illustration: Every kingdom has a charter—a founding document that defines its values, authority, and direction. When a new king takes the throne, he doesn’t tear up the charter and start over. He honors it, fulfills it, and governs by it.

As Jesus begins this part of the Sermon on the Mount, some wondered if He came to erase what God had already revealed. Jesus answers clearly: I didn’t come to destroy the Charter—I came to fulfill it.

And that means living differently isn’t about rejecting God’s Word—it’s about living faithfully under the King who completed it.

How the Metaphor Carries Through the Sermon

Introduction

Every kingdom has a charter, constitution, or founding document.

The Charter doesn’t create the king—it reflects his authority and intent.

Tie-in:

Jesus is addressing how citizens of God’s kingdom relate to the King’s Charter.

“Before Jesus explains how His followers are to live differently, He first clears up a dangerous misunderstanding about His relationship to God’s Word.”

I. Jesus Did Not Come to Abolish God’s Will (v. 17a)

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets…”

Metaphor Point I – Not Abolished

A new king does not destroy the charter that defines his kingdom.

Abolishing it would undermine the kingdom itself.

Line:

“A king who destroys his own charter destroys his authority.”

Key Truth:

Jesus confronts a misunderstanding before it takes root.

Romans 3:31 (ESV)

“Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.”

Why it fits:

Paul echoes Jesus’ point—faith in Christ does not cancel God’s revealed will but honors it.

Psalm 119:89 (ESV)

“Forever, O LORD, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens.”

Why it fits:

Affirms the enduring nature of God’s Word, supporting Jesus’ rejection of abolition.

Teaching Points:

“Law and Prophets” represents all of God’s revealed will.

Kingdom living does not discard Scripture.

Faithfulness to Christ never leads to disrespect for God’s Word.

Application:

Following Jesus does not free us from God’s truth, but into it.

Being “different” never means being dismissive of Scripture.

Illustration: Renovation vs. Demolition

When an old, historic home is restored, the owner doesn’t bulldoze it.

They remove what is broken, reinforce what is weak, and preserve what gives the house its character.

Demolition destroys purpose.

Renovation honors design.

Connection:

Jesus did not come to tear down God’s Word but to restore its intended purpose.

Preaching Line:

“Jesus isn’t a wrecking ball to Scripture—He’s the Master Restorer.”

“If Jesus didn’t come to tear down God’s will, then the next question becomes: What exactly did He come to do?”

II. Jesus Came to Fulfill God’s Will (v. 17b)

“…I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”

Metaphor Point II – Fulfilled

Jesus doesn’t revise the Charter—He embodies it.

What was written becomes lived, explained, and completed in Him.

Line:

“The Charter was written in words; Christ fulfilled it in flesh.”

Key Truth:

Jesus completes what the Law anticipated.

Luke 24:44 (ESV)

“Everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.”

Why it fits:

Jesus Himself declares that fulfillment—not replacement—was His mission.

Romans 10:4 (ESV)

“For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.”

Why it fits:

“End” (telos) meaning goal or completion—Christ brings the Law to its intended purpose.

Teaching Points:

Fulfillment includes:

Prophecy fulfilled in Christ.

Purpose fulfilled through Christ.

Meaning fulfilled by Christ.

The Law points forward; Jesus brings it to completion.

Application:

Our obedience flows from Christ’s fulfillment, not self-effort.

Excellence in Christ begins with trusting what He has already accomplished.

Illustration: The Final Piece of a Puzzle

Imagine working a puzzle for weeks, but something always feels incomplete.

Then one final piece snaps into place—and suddenly everything makes sense.

Connection:

The Law pointed forward; Jesus is the missing piece that completes the picture.

Preaching Line:

“The Law was the outline; Christ is the finished image.”

“And if Jesus truly fulfills God’s will, then that fulfillment does not weaken God’s Word—it establishes its lasting authority.”

III. God’s Word Remains Authoritative (v. 18)

“Not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.”

Metaphor Point III – Still Authoritative

A fulfilled charter doesn’t expire.

It remains binding because the King remains on the throne.

Line:

“The authority of the Charter stands as long as the King reigns.”

Key Truth:

God’s Word is enduring because God’s purposes are enduring.

Isaiah 40:8 (ESV)

“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.”

Why it fits:

A classic Old Testament affirmation of permanence that aligns perfectly with Jesus’ claim.

1 Peter 1:24–25 (ESV)

“The word of the Lord remains forever.”

Why it fits:

Peter applies Isaiah directly to the gospel age, reinforcing continuity and authority.

Teaching Points:

Jesus affirms the precision and permanence of Scripture.

God’s truth is not temporary, cultural, or negotiable.

Heaven and earth are more likely to pass away than God’s Word to fail.

Application:

Cultural pressure must never outweigh biblical conviction.

Kingdom people trust God’s Word even when it’s unpopular.

Illustration: A Surveyor’s Benchmark

Surveyors place permanent markers—benchmarks—that do not move, no matter how much the land around them changes.

Roads shift.

Buildings come and go.

The benchmark remains.

Connection:

Culture shifts, but God’s Word is the fixed point by which everything else is measured.

Preaching Line:

“When everything else moves, God’s Word stays put.”

“When God’s Word is treated as permanent and authoritative, the only question left is how seriously we will live it out and pass it on.”

IV. Faithfulness Is Reflected in Practice and Teaching (v. 19)

“Whoever relaxes… and teaches others to do the same…”

Metaphor Point IV – Faithfully Lived and Taught

Citizens don’t rewrite the Charter to make it easier.

Leaders are judged by how faithfully they uphold and teach it.

Line:

“How we handle the King’s Charter reveals how seriously we take the King.”

Key Truth:

Our treatment of God’s Word affects others.

James 1:22 (ESV)

“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”

Why it fits:

Supports Jesus’ warning against relaxed obedience without adding legalism.

Ezra 7:10 (ESV)

“For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, and to do it and to teach his statutes…”

Why it fits:

A beautiful Old Testament parallel to “doing and teaching” faithfulness.

Teaching Points:

Two dangers:

Relaxing obedience

Lowering expectations for others

Faithfulness is both personal and instructional.

Influence increases responsibility.

Application:

How we live teaches—even when we’re silent.

Excellence in Christ calls us to model obedience with humility and consistency.

Illustration: The Thermostat vs. the Thermometer

A thermometer only reflects the temperature.

A thermostat sets the temperature.

Connection:

Disciples don’t merely reflect the culture around them—they set a spiritual climate through faithful living and teaching.

Preaching Line:

“Kingdom people don’t just register obedience—they regulate it.”

“Faithfulness to the King is never private—it is revealed in how we live, what we teach, and the legacy we leave behind.”

Conclusion

Closing Metaphor Illustration

When citizens ignore a king’s charter, the problem isn’t the document—it’s their loyalty. The charter didn’t fail; the people abandoned it.

Jesus didn’t come to loosen God’s expectations or lower the standard. He came to fulfill the Charter and call us to live as faithful citizens of His kingdom.

So the question is not whether the Charter still matters. The question is whether we will live under it—trusting the King who fulfilled it and honoring Him with lives that reflect His authority.

Conclusion (Metaphor Resolution)

Kingdom difference is not lawlessness.

It is joyful loyalty to a fulfilled Charter under a reigning King.

Closing Line:

“Blessed are the different—not because they reject the King’s Charter, but because they live faithfully under it.”

Kingdom difference is not rule-breaking but King-honoring faithfulness.

Jesus fulfills God’s will so we can live aligned with it.

A faithful disciple treats God’s Word seriously—because they take Christ seriously.

Closing Thought:

Being different in the kingdom means living under Christ’s authority, trusting His fulfillment, and honoring God’s Word without compromise.

Illustration: A Uniform and Authority

A uniform doesn’t create authority—but it represents allegiance.

Wearing it carelessly dishonors the one who gave it.

Connection:

Obedience doesn’t earn salvation, but it reflects loyalty to the King.

Final Line:

“We don’t obey to become Christ’s—we obey because we already belong to Him.”

True / False

1. True or False:

Jesus taught that following Him requires setting aside the Law and the Prophets in favor of a new spiritual standard.

Answer: False

2. True or False:

According to Jesus, God’s Word remains authoritative until heaven and earth pass away.

Answer: True

Multiple Choice

3. According to Matthew 5:17, Jesus’ purpose in relation to the Law and the Prophets was to:

A. Replace them with grace

B. Simplify them for modern audiences

C. Fulfill them

D. Abolish them

Answer: C. Fulfill them

4. In the sermon’s “King’s Charter” metaphor, the Law and the Prophets represent:

A. Religious traditions that no longer apply

B. The founding document defining the Kingdom’s values and authority

C. Rules meant only for Israel

D. A temporary guide until the church was established

Answer: B. The founding document defining the Kingdom’s values and authority

5. What does Jesus emphasize in Matthew 5:18 about God’s Word?

A. It must be adapted to culture

B. It applies only spiritually

C. It remains precise and permanent

D. It will fade as the Kingdom grows

Answer: C. It remains precise and permanent

6. According to Matthew 5:19, a person is called “great” in the kingdom of heaven when they:

A. Know the commandments well

B. Enforce the law on others

C. Do the commandments and teach others to do the same

D. Avoid teaching altogether

Answer: C. Do the commandments and teach others to do the same

7. The sermon teaches that being “different from the world” primarily means:

A. Rejecting cultural values completely

B. Following rules to earn God’s favor

C. Living faithfully under Christ’s authority

D. Separating from society

Answer: C. Living faithfully under Christ’s authority