Jesus Christ; The Law of God Fulfilled

 Matthew 5:17-20  Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.  (18)  For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.  (19)  Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.  (20)  For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

INTRODUCTION:           We see in this part of “The Sermon on the Mount” that this particular portion of scripture deals with Christ and the Law. 

              How are we, under grace, to relate to the Law? 

Is the Law void today under grace?  

              This is not a message on how to be saved, but how saved people should live righteous lives.

Seven Things to Remember.

I.            THE LAW OF GOD IS UNCHANGEABLE.

Hebrews 1:12  And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.

Hebrews 13:8  Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

James 1:17  Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

A.              God Founded The Universe

1.           Upon law in the physical world in relation to nature and to man in particular.

2.           This is true both

i.                Morally and

ii.               Spiritually.

3.           When we break God’s laws -

i.            We suffer God’s judgment.

4.           We break man’s laws,

i.            We suffer man’s punishment.

ii.           We have an innate (Built in) sense of right and wrong.

B.           God Communicated His Laws Through His Chosen People.

1.           In the Old Testament, we have Abram, Moses, Joshua, and Joseph.

i.            They each (and many more) were given God's Word.

ii.           The communication was through man from God.

2.           All the laws expounded by Jesus are built upon the Mosaic Law.

3.           Jesus came to fulfill - not to destroy. (v 17)

4.           The laws of God do not change because God doesn’t change. 

Malachi 3:6   For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

II.           THE LAW OF GOD IS UNIVERSAL.

Isaiah 45:22   Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.

Romans 10:12-13   For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.  ¹³ For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

              A.           It Applies To All Mankind.

B.           It Is God’s Will For Man In Written Form.

III.         THE LAW OF GOD IS ALL EMBRACING.

Romans 3:28-31   Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.  ²⁹Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:  ³⁰Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith. ³¹Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

TEXT:   Matthew 5:17   Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

A.              It Not Only Covers All Men,

1.               But All Life.

B.              We Cannot Be Right With Others

1.               If we are not right with God.

C.              We Cannot Be Right With God

1.               If we are not right with others.

D.           God Demands Both Inward And Outward Righteousness. 

Psalm 51:6                  Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

IV.         THE LAW OF GOD IS BENEVOLENT.

Proverbs 22:9   He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.

Matthew 5:42   Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

A.           It Is Designed For Our Highest Good And Greatest Happiness.

B.              If God Prohibits

1.               It is because it is harmful to us or others.

C.           We Don’t Have To Sin To Be Happy -

1.               That’s the devil’s lie.

Psalm 128:1-2          Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways.  ²For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.

V.           THE LAW OF GOD HAD PURPOSE.

Galatians 3:24  Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

Romans 3:20   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.

A.           It Set God’s Standard Of Requirements.

              B.           It Is Holy, Just And Good.  (Romans 7)

              C.           It Exposes Sin.

Romans 7:7-8     What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.   ⁸But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.

D.           It Is Our Schoolmaster To Bring Us To Christ.  

Galatians 3:24-25  Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.  ²⁵But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

VI.         THE LAW OF GOD IS FULFILLED IN JESUS CHRIST.

Matthew 5:18   For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

A.              The Mosaic Law Was Two-Fold: 

1.           Ceremonial and

2.               Moral. 

i.                Jesus satisfied both.

B.              Jesus Kept The Divine Law And Became Sin For Us. 

1.           God accepted this.                         

VII.        THE LAW OF GOD IS FULFILLED IN THE SPIRIT-FILLED BELIEVER.

A.           The Law Has Obligations,

1.           Which Jesus fulfilled.

B.           He Puts His Spirit In Us

1.           So we can walk in His statutes. 

Ezekiel 36:27   And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.         

C.           The Law Of God Sets The Standard and

1.               Exposes sin,

i.                But it cannot deliver.

D.              The Law Can Condemn,

1.           But it can’t absolve.

CONCLUSION:               The First Question Is:      Which Law are you under?     

The Devils?    or   Jesus Christ's?  The Devil condemns.        He joys in your falling.

Christ absolves (takes away) sin. 

              He, Christ, joys in your joy.

What we are trying to see is; What are we going to do? 

              God definitely requires our willing, believing faithful heart.    He doesn’t want you doing because you feel you must do whatever God has called you to do.

              He wants willing believers, not rebellious cold-hearted believers.   Some tell us because we are Baptist we are legalists; we apply the Law, God’s Law to stringently. 

              That is what God’s Law was intended to do, direct us in a path, not give us salvation but teach us the way to salvation.