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Intro: When we commit our lives to follow the Lord Jesus Christ, he makes 3 exclusive claims on us
He makes a claim on our identity (Rom 1:6— “called to belong to Jesus Christ)
He makes a claim on what we do—our living, walk, behaving
He makes a claim on how we think
The text for today hits on all all three of these.
As a reminder the theme of this is “Deep Discipleship”
We are entering into the thick of the SOM starting next week;
This text is in a sense thesis statement for what’s ahead
It prepares us for being truly rooted disciples
1. Rooted means we know how Jesus relates to the law (17-18)
Now in thinking back to when I was a new believer, I had no clue how Jesus related to the OT—I was naive and thought the NT was about Jesus, the OT about Israel history.
Jesus begins by challenging disciples to check their thinking (v17)
So many missteps, errors, even false gospel comes from a wrong view of the law—throughout church history and in the early church
Usually when we think of Law, we may think mainly of 10 Commandments; but it’s much broader; law encompasses all the Old Covenant (Mosaic Law).
As Jesus refers to “Law and Prophets” he is talking the whole OT
As so many were and are drawn to Jesus’s teaching, the lingering question:
"What is your view of the Law?
Are you into that OT things, or bringing an entirely new teaching, a new law?
Are you completely new teacher, with a radically new teaching?”
**It’s also critical b/c Jesus will say often in the sermon: “You’ve heard….but
I tell you”
So our Lord clarifies (v17): “I have not come to abolish the law, but fulfill.
He makes is very plain that all his teaching is in complete harmony with God’s revealed will in the OT.
Jesus teaching does not contradict the OT; it does not replace outdated
Two key words in v17:
1. Abolish
That word “abolish” is a word often used to describe the demolition of buildings (e.g Mt 24:2);
Jesus did not come to demolish the OT—or specifically Mosaic Law;
His message was not of destruction or deconstruction
2. Fulfill
It essentially mean to carry out something.
Think of a promise fulfilled.
How?
—First, we begin with
Every promise of God in the OT finds fulfillment in Christ.
(Gen 3:15, or Mt 2:15) —this is also true with foreshadowing and “types”
ML-J “We cannot go into this fully, I’ll let you work out the details for yourself”
—We also think of Jesus fulfilling specific OT prophecies (IS 53; Ps 22)
—Gal 4:4 tells us that Jesus was born under the law; he submitted to God’s law entirely, offered up full and perfect obedience to it.
Yet, this is the thesis statement about Jesus’s teaching.
I think a key verse has to be the promise in Dt 18
Jesus becomes the sole authoritative voice—the voice we listen to and trust
Let me illustrate it this way.
I’ve heard a lot of people say recently—who do you trust?
There is so much misinformation out there?
So many self-appointed experts.
Endless voices to listen to?
Back in Jesus day, things were not too much different.
Many teachers, schools of opinion and interpretations—many debates.
The question then, and just as relevant today: who will you trust?
It’s a vital one because The one you trust is the One whose authority you will sit under.
And the whose authority you follow is the one you worship.
Do you see how massive a claim this is that Jesus makes?
It calls for faith and worship.
Apply: And listening to Jesus was vastly different than all the other voices:
The next verse gives us the reason the law is not abolished—due to it’s own permanence
Things made today are so cheap basically, there is a short shelf life.
We bought a LED light for our living room, and the instructions said you cannot replace the bulbs, supposedly they last 20 years, so you just throw the thing out and get a new one.
Q—How many of you still have you very first cell phone?
The point being—we are used to things hold permanance, do not last.
Apply:
**V18 makes a bold claim about the Law—it abides, endures.
It does not evolve, or change.
--God’s law does not get more progressive or adapt itself to the culture
--It’s not fluid or flexible.
The Law has a permanence —until heaven and earth pass away (=the end of this age)
Note that it’s down to the smallest details
CSB: not the smallest letter, or one stroke of a letter
Jesus was referring to the Hebrew letter yod, which looks like an apostrophe—and the smallest stroke of a pen—small flare that disguises a certain letter
In other words, Jesus holds to the highest view of biblical authority.
He believed in the absolute authority of the Bible!
Why do I believe in the doctrine of inerrancy?
Jesus
Jesus held the highest view of the OT, and strongest confidence in Scripture as the Word of God
Apply: So being rooted in Christ
It’s also means holding to the authority of the OT—especially the moral and ethical force of God’s Commands .
**The fulfillment of JC does put an end to the sacrificial system, the food laws, the priesthood and temple
But the high ethical and moral standards of God’s Law do not change
I wonder if having the first part of God’s Word with the title “OLD” hurts us some in our thinking.
Old things often get put on the shelf, or in the closet.
We sometimes forget they are there—they have not real use.
You pull out an old shirt or dress you’ve not worn in years—it becomes forgotten
Hear the warning from ML-J
“The moment you begin to question the authority of the OT, you are of necessity question the authority of the Son of God himself, and you find yourself in endless trouble and difficulty.”
Apply: Let’s be ever so careful we do not disconnect, downplay or drive a wedge between Jesus and God’s Law
2. Rooted means we practice true righteousness (19-20)
Sadly, its not just disconnecting the OT and NT---
There can be a disconnect between the head and the heart—so Jesus reminds us of the who purpose of diligent study: personal application
“Therefore”—result, consequence
Apply: Brother and sisters—I thank God for churches that still hod to a high view of Scripture.
But there are consequences to what we believe..
The consequence of having a high view of the Law should be personal application
This comes in the form of warning: whoever relaxes.
It’s the standard word in Greek to loosen; to unbind something.
Apply: I see there is a real temptation, especially in the early stages or immature discipleship to drink so deeply of God’s grace, and downplay the radical call to righteous
Then there is a temptation once we are in for a while to become lenient on ourselves, or just complacent—we know God forgives
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness”
The Puritan William Gurnall said we are to study 3 things.
The Scripture, our own heart, and Satans schemes.
**The consequence of holding a high view and studying the scripture is to the study our own heart
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