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LOST RIVER CHURCH OF CHRIST | |||||||
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Sermon On The Mount X: Jesus & The Lawby Lawrence Kelley INTRO: The character of kingdom citizens has been described (vv 3-12) their influence on the world declared (vv 13-16), and now Jesus addresses their conduct (vv 17-20). But first, He finds it necessary to clear up a misunderstanding. One of the things that teachers must do regularly is challenge certain assumptions in religious people’s thinking. When this is done it is generally supposed that the teacher is assaulting the scriptures themselves. Even Jesus was not immune to this problem, and so He says, “Do not think that I came to destroy the law...” But, Jesus not only defends Himself, but returns fire upon His accusers, warning them and everyone that, “Unless your righteousness exceeds the Scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom.”
JESUS AND THE LAW. Here is an amazing thing. The only man to ever keep God’s law perfectly was relentlessly accused of undermining, breaking and trying to destroy it. He was accused of blasphemy (Matt 26:65). He was called a glutton and wine bibber (Matt 11:19). He was repeatedly charged with Sabbath breaking. He regularly differed with the rabbis about the meaning and application of scripture. But in our text, Jesus makes it clear that He actually held the highest possible view of the Law and denounces those who would break it or teach others to do so.
JESUS FULFILLS THE LAW. Here is a staggering claim, I came to fulfill the law. How does Jesus fulfill the law? First, He fulfilled the O.T. predictive prophecies. There are somewhere in the neighborhood of 330 O.T. prophecies that Jesus fulfilled such as (Deut 18:15; Psalm 22; Micah 5:2). Second, He fulfilled the O.T. ceremonial system of sacrifice and temple worship. However as someone has said, it was only the use of them that was abolished, for their meaning was more fully confirmed. Third, He fulfilled the O.T. ethical precepts or moral demands. He did this in two ways. He explained their true meaning, thus rescuing them from popular distortions and He embodied them perfectly. Last, the purpose of the Law was to guide the infant world to its Great Teacher who leads us on to full maturity, Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ...(Gal 3:24). It is important that all of this be understood. Jesus did not merely match some prophecies, but embodied the very meaning and purpose of the whole law.
THE OLD TESTAMENT is therefore a book for Christians and must be regarded by Christians as being about Jesus. You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me (John 5:39). Then He said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?" And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself (Luke 24:25_27). (See also Acts 3:18; 18:28; 26:22-23; 1Cor 15:3-4; 2Tim 3:15). This means when we open our O.T. we should begin with the prayer, “Open our eyes Lord, we want to see Jesus.” When I read about the seed of woman crushing the head of the serpent, I want to see Jesus. When I hear God promise to bless the nations through Abram’s seed, I want to see Jesus. When I see Joseph betrayed for silver, I want to see Jesus. When I see thirsty Israel drinking from the rock, I need to remember that that rock was Christ. When I read all the details of the animals sacrificed at the tabernacle, I want to see Jesus. When I read of David slaying the giant, I want to see Jesus. When I read story after story of people falling into sin, I must remember our need for a deliverer and a redeemer. When I read about one bad king after another I need to remember the world’s need for a true king. When I see Israel going astray to the right and the left I should to see the need for a shepherd who leads His flock in the ways of righteousness.
EXCEEDING RIGHTEOUSNESS is required to enter the kingdom. This was a jolt to the people of Jesus day. The Scribes & Pharisees were considered super righteous. They had meticulously broken down the O.T. into its 248 positive commands and 365 prohibitions and made keeping them their top priority. They studied the law with such care that they knew what was the middle letter of the O.T. And then, when HE whom the whole law was about, actually appeared in their midst, they didn’t recognize Him. We will not surpass their righteousness by doing more of what they did. Our righteousness must be of a different quality not quantity. We must understand that true righteousness can never be attained by human performance. One famous Pharisee finally came to understand this, I have suffered the loss of all things,(including his self-righteousness) and count them as dung, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith (Phil 3:8-9). |
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