Christ is the Laws Fufillment

Matthew 5:1–20 CSB

1 When he saw the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2 Then he began to teach them, saying: 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 Blessed are the humble, for they will inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs. 11 “You are blessed when they insult you and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of me. 12 Be glad and rejoice, because your reward is great in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you. 13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt should lose its taste, how can it be made salty? It’s no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. 14 “You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. 17 “Don’t think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or one stroke of a letter will pass away from the law until all things are accomplished. 19 Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commands and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever does and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.

Opening: Within evangelical Christianity there are two extreme factions forming. There is the “The woke movement” These are those who remove scripture from it’s original context and seek to reinterpret it through today’s societal norms. Which is nothing more than reinventing a God who accepts our current sinful culture. They live as if feelings and emotions reveal truth.

Then there is also a group that is steadily growing in number that elevates the O.T. Law as the means to reach God. This group is reactionary to today’s culture. In fact , in the Bible days, because of the growing influence of Hellenistic culture on the Jewish population, the Pharisees were formed. The culture at this time in Jesus day was a “anything goes culture” So the Pharisee positioned themselves to guard against the degrading morals of the culture by emphasizing the outward conformity to the Law.

Isn’t interesting that we have the same scenario unfolding before us today. We have culture that is quickly degrading that judges truth solely by what they feel is right. Today I feel like I am a girl. Tomorrow, I am non-binary. This foolishness has taken our culture hostage. As a result we have a group striving to return us to the O.T. Law. known as the “Hebrew Roots Movement”.

So if someone came to you today and told you that you needed to return to the O.T. Law how would you use scripture to prove otherwise. Which by the way Christ frees us from both of these extremes.

As we celebrate today our nations independence it is also important to recognize that the freedom that was purchased by the blood of the lamb is greater than the freedom given by the great eagle. It isn’t that we cant celebrate both like we have done today, but rather we need to recognize that the freedom we have in Christ is a greater freedom. All other freedoms are temporal, but His is eternal.

Intro: As we continue out study of the Sermon on the Mount I want to again emphasize that this sermon is not divided by a random ideas but rather each part of the sermon is interwoven and connected in a way that would have made sense to the original audience.

Throughout every time and culture there are systems of logic that were utilized so that information was presented in a way that would have followed the logical thought pattern of the culture. This sermon that Jesus preached is organized in this same way.

Matthew 5:17–20 CSB

17 “Don’t think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or one stroke of a letter will pass away from the law until all things are accomplished. 19 Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commands and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever does and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.

Trans: We first collide with a statement Jesus made that doesn’t seem to fit the rest of the sermon. As I mentioned last week, that should alert us to the importance of understanding it. So why did Jesus give an answer to a question that no one vocalized? So we will ask the question today.

I. Jesus didn’t come to abolish the Law

Q: Why would the Jewish audience assume that Jesus was abolishing the law and words of the prophets?

A: The key to understanding this possible conclusion is to look closely at the words had just spoken in the Beatitudes. (This is the importance of context)

To a devout Jew there was no higher pursuit then the pursuit of righteousness through the following of the Law. It was deeply ingrained into their society and way of thinking. You want to have God’s approval you follow the law and the prophets. God valued outward conformity to the law more than any other endeavor.

However, in the beatitudes, this earth shattering message proclaimed their was a different value system in the Kingdom of Heaven. In fact, in this entire message on what the king of heaven values there is no mention of the Law. This would have completely blown their minds.

In fact, in Jesus day if I were to host a seminar “entitled How to live in God’s approval . Those attending would have expected a thorough examination of the Torah. Yet Jesus didn’t even mention the Law even once.

Now that isn’t to say he didn’t repeat themes from the O.T. because he definitely did. If you look you can find many of these same ideas throughout the O.T. However, they were never emphasized in this way by any of their previous teachers.

Trans: Jesus than makes what would be considered by His audience another earth-shattering statement.

II. The Law and it’s usefulness will not pass-away

“I did not come to abolish but to fulfill”

A. By making this statement Jesus was assigning an extreme amount of significance to Himself. He was identifying Himself as the savior.

The word “fulfill” means to complete it. I think some confusion over this idea comes from the limitations of the English language.

The word “complete” in Websters dictionary has the following meanings:

1: to bring to an end and especially into a perfected state complete a painting

2a: to make whole or perfect

2b: to mark the end of

2c: EXECUTE, FULFILL

Q: So how do we know which definition Jesus was using?

Well he tells us in verse 18

Matthew 5:18 CSB

18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or one stroke of a letter will pass away from the law until all things are accomplished.

Does this verse sound to like to you that Jesus is saying that He is marking an end of the Law?

context dictates to us the correct definition. He has come “to make whole or perfect” the law.

B. Jesus was pointing the listeners to the culmination of the law. It was Him

Application: So then what is the difference between putting an end to the law making it null and void and making the law whole or perfect?

One definition suggest the law no longer serves a purpose. The Law is now null and void. While the other definition suggest a completed understanding.

The Phrase “until heaven and earth pass away” is not intended to be taken literally but rather it has figurative element to it. In fact Luke ‘s writing helps us to better understand what is being said.

Luke 16:17 CSB

17 But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one stroke of a letter in the law to drop out.

In other words all of creation can be destroyed yet God’s word will stand.

Trans: So then how are we to think about the Law?

III. The Law is to be valued

A. In the Law we see a picture of the Holiness of Yahweh

B. In the Law we see a portrait of our Sin

C. In the Law we see our own condemnation.

D. In the law we see a picture of the solution to condemnation through the sacrifice of the lamb without blemish

E. In the law we see the need for a final sacrifice and for atonement.

The Law of God will never lose its purpose or potency for with out it a person would never see their need for Christ.

This is why Jesus makes the following statement.

Matthew 5:19 CSB

19 Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commands and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever does and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Application: The law has not passed away but has been fulfilled. We are still to obey the Law....

We obey the moral law of the O.T. by living out the Ten Commandments both in our hearts and in our actions

We fulfill the obligations of ceremonial/religious law by turning in faith to the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

Now we can see with great clarity the meaning of verse 19. One commentator put it this way.

Matthew: An Introduction and Commentary iv. Jesus’ Attitude to the Old Testament (5:17–20)

The main points of vv. 17–20 may now be paraphrased as follows:

‘17I have not come to set aside the Old Testament, but to bring the fulfilment to which it pointed. 18For no part of it can ever be set aside, but all must be fulfilled (as it is now being fulfilled in my ministry and teaching). 19So a Christian who repudiates any part of the Old Testament is an inferior Christian; the consistent Christian will be guided by the Old Testament, and will teach others accordingly. 20But a truly Christian attitude is not the legalism of the scribes and Pharisees, but a deeper commitment to do the will of God

IV. Our righteousness is not enough to grant citizenship in the new kingdom.