May 28, 2017 Morning Service

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF MANCHESTER On the other hand… 12 THE SERMON THAT JESUS PREACHED Romans 7:12 (CSB) So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and just and good. MATTHEW 5:21+ Romans 7:16 (CSB)16 Now if I do what I do not want to do, I agree with the law that it is good. A GLIMPSE AT And James can say: REATER IGHTEOUSNESS James 2:10 (NIV)10 For whoever keeps the whole G R law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of PASTOR DAVID SAYLOR MAY 28, 2017 breaking all of it. Matt. 5:21-23; 27-32 What’s the deal? Also, have you noticed that we Christians of any AIM AT A TARGET… stripe (Baptist, Orthodox, whatever) do not even • Shoot guessing where target is follow major sections of the Old Testament Mosaic • Shoot at known target law: o How many missed the target badly on the • Ceremonial Laws of the Old Testament….(temple, first one? sacrifices, offerings, etc) o How many hit the target or came much • Civil (judicial laws) of Israel…. closer because they knew where the target Again, what’s the deal? Didn’t Jesus say it’s not was? abolished? Yes. But he also said he fulfilled it - and In this part of Jesus’ Sermon, He gives us 6 that takes a little more explanation. examples of the Greater Righteousness that His followers should exhibit in their lives. Those who are 1. In some senses the law is no longer transformed by the power of Jesus who “hunger and binding/(practiced the same way) because thirst after righteousness” will show evidence of that christ has fulfilled it. transformation by living this way… [2. BUT IN ANOTHER SENSE IT IS STILL But that’s scary isn’t it? Because when we raise the BINDING] standard even higher and then say that we are meant to aim for that…it means I will fail even more! I want to v. 17 – Jesus fulfilled the “Law and the Prophets”. help us understand that and actually be able delight in Just as prophecies of his coming are fulfilled (v. 17), the law of God (Rom. 7:22) in the end. and now we no longer look for a Savior to come. It’s fulfilled in Jesus. In a similar way, the parts so the Law As I said, this is like sipping from a fire hose, and that pictured/foreshadowed Christ no longer apply the it’s impossible to take it all in at once, so hang in same way they did then – they’re fulfilled in Jesus. there…. That affects: I. THE LAW – BINDING OR NOT? a. The Civil/Judicial Law But before we jump in, let’s consider one other thing The whole judicial/civil system and it’s laws were about the Law that Jesus fulfilled and clearly said he only good as long as Israel was God's people. Designed did not come to abolish. to keep Israel separate from other nations, it contained, As most of you know, there are a number of verses for example, different dietary and clothing regulations. in our New Testament that “seem” to say something But that difference was abolished when Christ different. They don’t, but I want you to see why. created the church. When they were set aside, that On one hand…. system was over. Romans 6:14 (NIV)14 For sin shall not be your b. The Ceremonial Law … (temple, priesthood, master, because you are not under law, but under sacrifices….) grace. Mark 15:38 —And the veil of the temple was torn in Romans 10:4 (NIV)4 Christ is the end of the two from the top to the bottom." This miraculous event \everyone who believes. symbolized that the ceremonial law was over. Galatians 5:18 (NIV)18 But if you are led by the The Ceremonial/sacrifical system and it’s laws were Spirit, you are not under law. only practiced until the final sacrifice came, and when it came,_ their practice stopped because the ultimate anyone say “Amen!”) fulfillment has come. 3) Romans 10:4 (CSB)4 For Christ is the end of the Two weeks ago you may remember the seemingly law for righteousness to everyone who believes, endless list of way that Jesus was the fulfillment of the The law has ended in the sense that He paid the ceremonial system of Israel. penalty and we are not under its curse. Now we are • Priesthood fullend in Jesus Christ the Great High measured by His Righteousness, not ours. PTL! Priest The stinger is gone…. • Passover Lamb fulfilled in Jesus Christ as the Lamb 4) Galatians 5:18 — Galatians 5:18 But if you are of God that takes away the sins of the world. led by the Spirit, you are not under law. If you possess • And on and on. the Spirit of God, and the Spirit is operating through c. The MORAL LAW your life, then you are giving evidence of having been That leaves only one element of God's law abiding born again, which means that you have been taken out still — the moral law, the part which undergirded from under the curse of the law. But in an additional everything else. This law (summary is the 10 sense, you can literally fulfill the law by the energy of Commandments) was also fulfilled in Jesus - but as it the Holy Spirit. is a prefect reflection of the character of God - it will Some people say, "The gospel overthrows the law." be with us forever! No, the gospel exalts the law because in order for c. With One HUGE Exception! [– the Penalty is Christ to save you, He had to fulfill the whole penalty gone!] of the law for every person who ever lived. And the The Epistles even teach that the moral law is no person who trusts in Christ's sacrifice is no longer longer binding in one sense. This is great! under the condemnation of the law.. 1) Colossians 2:14 — Christ's death on the cross 2. Yes, in some senses the law is fulfilled and was effective in Colossians 2:14 “having canceled the not binding in the way is was before, BUT IN written code, with its regulations, that was against us ANOTHER SENSE IT IS STILL BINDING and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing Such that Jesus in our text in Matt. 5 and that the it to the cross.” Every time you broke the moral law, Apostle Paul can say that he delights in the law of God kept a record (written code) of the broken laws. God (Rom. 7:22) and that believers can fulfill the But do you know what God did with all of those? Put law of God through the Spirit (Rom. 8:4). them on Jesus, He nailed them to the cross and let His Son pay the penalty. Now, in that sense alone the law Beloved, that is the message the Lord was giving in 19 isn't binding on you. If you are united to Jesus, you Matthew 5:19 (NIV) Anyone who breaks one of the are no longer under the penalty of the law, so you least of these commandments and teaches others to do will not suffer the consequence of your sin in terms the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, of its ultimate penalty. but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. Understand this and it opens a door of understanding for so many verses in the New "Fulfill God's law, and don't break even the least of Testament. His commands.” 2) Romans 6:14 — "For sin shall not have I don't know about you, but I don't want to be the dominion over you; for ye are not under the law but least in the Kingdom, do you? What kind of life should under grace." Does Paul mean that you don't have to we be living in response to the One who has given live a moral life anymore in obeying God? No. He everything for us? means that you are no longer under the power of the penalty of the law. It can't kill you anymore because II. GREATER RIGHTEOUSNESS you can only die once. When Christ died on the cross Now I can start what I want to start today. and you by faith died in Him, your penalty was paid As I said before, starting with v.21, Jesus gives us 6 and the law had no power to slay you. The law had a examples of the Greater Righteousness that His penalty, "For the wages of sin is death . . ." (Rom. followers should aim to exhibit in their lives. Those 6:23a), but Christ took upon Himself that penalty. (Can who are transformed by the power of Jesus who Page 2 of 5 “hunger and thirst after righteousness”(v.6) and who precept in the Old Testament, He was talking about far are persecuted for righteousness sake (v.10) will show more than the deed itself, which is what Jesus wants evidence of that transformation by living this way… them and us to understand. Let me show you what I AND as we come to this passage in Matthew 5:27- mean by discussing .. . 32, we need to recognize that it is a very fitting word II. THE SUMMARY OF GOD'S LAW for the society in which we live. Let us discover what it is teaching about .. . The basic revelation of God's message to man came I. THE STANDARD OF GOD'S LAW through Moses who authored the Pentateuch (five), which essentially is the core of the Old Testament. A. Lowered By The Jews God revealed His basic requirements in what we call the Mosiac Law in the Pentateuch - then it was Let’s take the first topic as our example. Matthew elaborated on in the Prophets and the Writings, and 5:21–22 (NIV)21 “You have heard that it was said to completed in Jesus Christ, who did not come to change the people long ago, ‘Do not murder, and anyone who the Law, but to bring them back to it’s original murders will be subject to judgment.’ 22 But I tell you meaning.. that anyone who is angry with his brother will be Now, the essence of the law of Moses is subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his Expressed in Deuteronomy brother, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But In Deuteronomy, the fifth and last of the five books anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the of Moses. I believe that Deuteronomy is the most fire of hell. important book in the Old Testament. It was the Now legalists, like the Pharisees had this view. They reiteration of the law (hence, its Greek name which had many rules, but they divorced their actions from means "second law"). It served as a summarization of what went on in their heart. They felt that because they all the standards for living in God's Kingdom. didn't murder, they were righteous; they thought they'd The centrality of the book of Deuteronomy is go right into the Kingdom and have the chief seats. supported by the fact that the Ten Commandments (Ex. Maybe you're like that. Maybe you say to yourself, 20) are repeated in the fifth chapter, and that Jesus and "I'm not so bad. I've never murdered anyone or the New Testament writers quoted this book more than committed adultery on my spouse, etc." any other from the Old Testament. Essentially of the But Jesus is saying that the Law doesn’t begin with Old Testament that follows it, comments upon the external actions, it begins at the internal attitude behind Pentateuch, of which Deuteronomy is the summary. act. So if you ever were angry (there is a righteous In fact, I believe that the summary of the entire Bible anger of course) or if you ever looked on a woman to is contained in Deuteronomy 6:5 says, Love the LORD lust after her, that's enough to damn you to hell forever. your God with all your heart and with all your soul and Outward acts of sin begin in the mind. with all your strength. “Sow a thought, reap an action; sow an action, reap 1. Deuteronomy, stresses the importance of a habit; sow a habit, reap a character; sow a character, THE RELATIONSHIP OF LOVE reap a destiny.” ― Ralph W. Emerson or Charles Reade Our self-confidence is shattered here, because what That principle, LOVE GOD, which is the pinnacle happen on the outside is not enough to meet God's of the whole Bible, is complemented with a secondary standard, because God looks at the heart (1 Sam. 16:7). principle also conveyed in Deuteronomy, though more He takes your heart attitude into account. explicitly stated in Leviticus 19:18: ‘… love your You see, because the standard of God's law had been neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD. lowered by the Jews to the externals, it had to be ... Now there you have the summary of all of God's truth and God’s Law.. B. Lifted Back Up By Jesus Jesus verified this Matthew 22:36–40 (NIV)36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the They had missed the whole point of the Old Law?” 37 Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God Testament, where God had said, "Thou shalt not with all your heart and with all your soul and with all commit adultery" (Ex. 20:14). When God gave any Page 3 of 5 your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest attitude. And the sad thing that happened in Israel was commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your that the Jews began to focus only on the external ritual neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets and their religious observance, so that morality and hang on these two commandments.” righteousness became a matter of what one did rather than a relationship of love. Thus they missed b. Explained the whole point of the law! So, by the time you get to Jesus' day, for centuries, The Old Testament is not building a relationship the standard had slipped by their own choice. They had on law; it is building a relationship on love. So many done away with the part they couldn't keep and stuck people do not understand this. They think the Old with the externals. Testament economy was an economy of law—it wasn't. It was an economy of love. It is a relationship 1. ITS PURPOSE – to Regulate and Define Love based on love that God is after. This is made clear all Now you ask, "What is the purpose of the Ten throughout Deuteronomy, where God continues to say, Commandments and the Moral Law?" That's easy. The "I want you to love Me. I want a wholehearted Ten Commandments were simply a way to regulate commitment of true devotion." Then He says, “Here is love, that's all. Did you know the Ten my Law.” Commandments are just a definition of love? You Before God ever gave the law to Israel in the say, "I've heard the Ten Commandments are law: Thou form of the Ten Commandments and all the other shalt not do this or that . . . " No, they are primarily a statutes and regulations, He established a way to regulate the expression of love. relationship with them. So, the Ten Commandments are essentially nothing He first loved Israel, delivering them out of more than instructions about how to love God, and how Egypt. It was only after establishing a loving to love your neighbor. Did you know that the first four relationship with them and accomplishing commandments relate to our love for God, and the last redemption that He gave them the law. Therefore, six commandments relate to our love for our neighbor? the law was not the cause of the relationship; it was Remember, first, redemption preceded the giving the result of it. In other words, God first freed Israel of the Ten Commandments: Israel was first called out from Egypt, made them His people, and after that, gave of Egypt and redeemed and set apart as God's people. them His Law. Then, after God had set His affection upon them, came the moral code. Once the relationship was established, Supported the principles of behavior were laid out. The law did So, this is the sum of the whole Old Testament: not establish the covenant . . . love established the LOVE GOD. God has always wanted a heart covenant. relationship. He didn't approve of anyone in the Old The law merely regulated loving behavior within Testament who just mechanically kept the Ten that covenant. Commandments. The Ten Commandments (whole Moral Law) were only given to regulate a relationship that was based on love, and if the love POINT relationship wasn't there, the regulation didn't It is the inner attitude that has always been the issue mean anything. That's the point. with God, whether it's the Old or the New Testament The centrality of God's concern is the heart, not the that is in view. That's why Jesus could say, "I didn't externals. come to destroy the prophets or to set Moses aside. I didn't come to change one single thing ... only to put TO JESUS’ DAY the law back where it belongs. And unless you get up So the commandments that we find in Matt. 5, like, to that level, which is higher than the scribes and "Thou shalt not kill" and, 'Thou shalt not commit Pharisees, you will never under any circumstances adultery" are much deeper and broader statements than enter My Kingdom." the scribes and the Pharisees ever allowed for. They Of course, we realize (I hope you realize) that we were simply statements of law regulating a heart can't fully attain that standard -- and that forces us to Page 4 of 5 Christ. But that’s exactly what it is supposed to do! The Law represents a standard of love so high we can NEVER reach it. So God reached down in Jesus Christ and provided a perfect righteousness in HIM that we can have by faith. And that is where it all begins… But AFTER being redeemed by Christ, the Law becomes THE TARGET that we aim at to so we can LOVE GOD best….. instructions about how to love God, and how to love your neighbor. Andrew L. Webber – Jesus Christ Superstar I don't know how to love him What to do, how to move him Nina loves me….. (love language) Without a target we are sure to miss badly, but with one we will come closer than we ever could without it. “Thank you God, I delight in your Law. I cannot reach it perfectly, but I won’t lower it (don’t need to) but I can set my aim for it so I can love you according to your Love Language! When I fail, I will confess my sin, but then I’m forgiven and I pursue you again and again.” Let’s Pray… Page 5 of 5