The Ladder That Leads To Grace

TEXT:

Matthew 5:1–2 KJV 1900

1 And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: 2 And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,…

🌿 FATHER’S DAY INTRO:

UNMASKED: A Father’s Heart Behind the Law:

This morning, I want to ask a simple question:

Why did God give us the Law in the first place?

Because a lot of people—maybe even some of us—have misunderstood it for a long time.

And before we talk about commandments… I want to pause and recognize something important today.

👉 It’s Father’s Day.

And for some of us, that word brings gratitude.

For others, it brings memories that are complicated.

And for some… it brings questions that were never really answered.

But whether your experience with an earthly father was strong, absent, or somewhere in between…

👉 every one of us has a deep need for a father who is steady, truthful, and good.

Most people hear “Ten Commandments” and think:

"Wonderful."

Ten rules.

Ten ways to disappoint myself.

Ten reminders of how far I fall short.

Or maybe this is how you grew up:

If I keep these commandments...

God will love me.

“If I obey enough…

God will accept me…

If I get it right…

I can earn His approval…

But here's the problem...

If the Ten Commandments are a ladder... nobody makes it to the top.

Because nobody keeps them perfectly. And maybe that's the point.

And maybe that’s the point.

The Ten Commandments are not a ladder we climb.

They're a wall we crash into.

A holy wall.

A perfect wall.

And eventually every person slams into that wall and says:

"I can't do this."

And that is not the end of the story. That is the beginning of grace.

Because the Law was never given so we could prove ourselves to God… 👉 it was given so we would stop trying to save ourselves… and trust the Father who saves us.

And that brings us to Jesus.

Because when we want to understand the Law rightly…

we don’t go first to Moses.

We go to Jesus.

I want us to see the commandments... the same way Jesus saw them.

The Sermon on the Mount.

Matthew 5 begins what we call:

The Sermon on the Mount.

And here's what's fascinating:

Jesus walks up a mountain...

sits down...

and begins teaching the Law.

Does that sound familiar?

Because Moses went up Mount Sinai...

received the Law...

and brought it down to the people.

But Jesus is greater than Moses.

Jesus doesn't just explain the Law...

Jesus fulfills the Law.

Matthew 5:17 KJV 1900

17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

And today, on Father’s Day…

we’re going to see something deeper than rules.

We’re going to see the heart of a Father…

who tells the truth about us…

so He can lead us to the grace of Jesus.

PRAY:

LORD, this morning we come before You as our Heavenly Father.

We ask You to UNMASK us.

Show us who we really are—not to shame us, but to heal us.

Hold up the mirror of Your Word to our hearts and our lives.

Reveal what we cannot see on our own.

And remind us how deeply we need Your grace every single day.

Father, for those who had strong earthly fathers, we thank You for that gift.

For those who had absent or difficult experiences, we ask that You would meet them today as the perfect Father.

And for all of us—draw our hearts back to You.

So as we open Your Word, don’t just inform us…

transform us.

Don’t just correct us…

comfort us.

And don’t just expose us…

lead us to Jesus.

We ask all these thing in the name of Your only begotten Son, AMEN

I. THE LAW IS… NOT A LADDER

Main Thought:

God never intended the Law to be something we climb.

Key Points:

Most people think:

"If I obey...

God accepts me."

"If I try harder...

God loves me more."

"If I fail...

God is disappointed in me."

But nobody can climb perfectly.

The Ten Commandments were never meant to be a ladder.

The Law shows us we all fall short.

Because ladders assume you can climb. And Scripture says you can't.

Scripture:

Romans 3:20 KJV 1900

20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Nobody.

Not Moses.

Not David.

Not Peter.

Not me.

Not you.

TED TALK LINE

The Law isn't a ladder. It's a wall. And eventually every person crashes into it.

And cries: "I can't do this."

And God says: Now you're finally ready for grace.

Illustration

The MRI Machine

You don't go into an MRI machine hoping it fixes you. You go because you want the truth.

The MRI doesn't heal.

It reveals.

It exposes.

It says: "Here's the problem."

That's what the Ten Commandments do.

They don't make sinners. They reveal sinners.

And once you know the diagnosis... you stop trusting yourself... and run to the Great Physician.

Pause.

Look around.

Then say slowly: "The Law doesn't say: 'You almost made it.'

The Law says: 'You need Someone else.'

And His name...

is Jesus."

The Law ends self-confidence

II. THE LAW IS… A MIRROR

Main Thought:

The Law reveals what is already wrong in us.

Key Points:

The Law doesn’t create sin

It exposes sin

It unmasks us

Scripture:

Romans 3:20 KJV 1900

20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

The Law shows us who we are.

Illustration:

I don't know anybody who walks into the bathroom, looks in the mirror, sees dirt on their face, and starts scrubbing themselves with the mirror.

The mirror can't clean you. It can only reveal the problem.

Application:

First Commandment exposes our idols (anything we trust or love more than God)

The Ten Commandments are a mirror.

The First Commandment says:

"Thou shalt have no other gods before me."

And immediately we think:

"I don't worship idols."

Really?

What do you worry about most?

What do you trust most?

What controls your peace?

What are you afraid to lose?

Because whatever owns your heart... is your god.

And suddenly... we all stand guilty.

The Ten Commandments don't expose bad people.

They expose all people.

Including this preacher.

III. JESUS DID WHAT THE LAW COULD NEVER DO

Main Thought:

Jesus did what the Law demanded… perfectly… and gives it to us by grace.

Key Points:

Jesus didn’t destroy the Law

He fulfilled it completely

He lived the obedience we failed to live

Scripture:

Matthew 5:17 KJV 1900

17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

“I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil”

Jesus kept every commandment.

Perfectly.

John 8:29 KJV 1900

29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.

Jesus always pleased the Father.

Always.

Every thought.

Every word.

Every action.

And then...

the One who obeyed perfectly...

died for those who never could.

2 Corinthians 5:21 KJV 1900

21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

He became sin for us

Contrast:

And this is where Christianity becomes beautiful.

Religion says:

"Become worthy."

Jesus says:

"I became sin for the unworthy."

Religion says:

"Do more."

Jesus says:

"It is finished."

Religion says:

"Climb."

Jesus says:

"Rest."

ALTAR CALL

And maybe…

that’s exactly where some of us are this morning.

Because we’ve spent years trying to be good enough.

Trying to fix what’s broken.

Trying to earn love that we could never fully earn.

Trying to measure up.

Trying to hold it all together.

And Jesus steps right into that place and says:

“You can stop.”

“I already did for you… what you could never do for yourself.”

Main Thought:

Stop trusting yourself.

Start trusting Jesus.

Key Movements:

So let me ask you:

What are you trusting in?

Your goodness?

Your church attendance?

Your effort?

Your morality?

Your religion?

Or are you trusting Jesus?

Because one day,

Every ladder we climb will fall.

Every excuse will run out.

Every effort to prove ourselves will come up short.

But Jesus never fails.

Gospel Invitation:

Lost

You cannot save yourself

Jesus already finished the work

Maybe today...

for the first time...

you need to stop trying...

and start trusting.

And Christian...

maybe you've turned your walk with God into another checklist.

Pray more.

Do more.

Try harder.

And today Jesus is inviting you back to grace.

Not:

"Look what you've done."

But:

"Look what I've done for you."

FATHER’S DAY LOOP BACK

And on a day like today…

that matters even more.

Because every earthly father is limited.

Some were strong.

Some were absent.

Some were faithful.

Some were broken.

But we all share one need…

a Father who never fails us.

And Jesus is showing us today…

“This is what your Heavenly Father is like.”

Not demanding that you climb your way to Him…

but sending His Son to bring you to Him.

Close slowly: The Ten Commandments were never meant to show you how strong you are. They were meant to show you how good your Father is… and how much you need His grace. And that... is where freedom begins.