Jesus Didn't Abolish the Law, He Fulfilled It: Matthew 5

 

As we continue our journey through Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount, let's take a moment to see where we've been and where we're headed.

Jesus began this famous sermon by describing the life of a person who is truly blessed, happy, and joyful. We call these the Beatitudes, but I think we should call them the "BE-Attitudes," because this is what we are to BE as followers of Christ.

·         Blessed are the poor in spirit

·         Blessed are those who mourn

·         Blessed are the meek

·         Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness

·         Blessed are the merciful

·         Blessed are the pure in heart

·         Blessed are the peacemakers

·         Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness

·         Blessed are you when people insult you for His sake

After setting this foundation, Jesus gives us two powerful identities that flow from these attitudes.

1.      We are the salt of the earth. We are here to bring God's flavor to the world and to be a preserving influence that stops the decay.

2.      We are the light of the world. We are here to shine brightly so that others can see the way to the Father and give Him praise for the good works they see us doing.

These aren't secret identities. They are public identities that impact everyone around us.

 Jesus's Main Theme: Fulfilling the Law

This brings us to the main theme of Jesus's teaching. He knows what people are thinking—He's been performing miracles, healing the sick, and teaching with a new authority. Many are wondering if He's here to throw out everything they've ever known.

Jesus addresses this head-on:

"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them." (Matthew 5:17)

Jesus establishes His purpose clearly. He wasn't there to provide free healthcare and free lunches. He was not there to tell people to stop learning the Law and the Prophets.

·         Some in the crowd hoped He would abolish the Law because it was too difficult to obey.

·         Others feared He would abolish the Law and were against Him, protecting their man-made traditions.

Jesus was targeting a religion that had become all about external rules, while their hearts were far from God. As the prophet Isaiah said:

"These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with theirlips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men." (Isaiah 29:13)

Jesus's purpose was to be the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets in human form. The Old Testament is not done away with; it's where the gospel is in the "bud." In the New Testament, we see it in "full flower."

 Why We Still Need the Law

So, if Jesus fulfilled the Law, what is its purpose for us today? The Law acts like a mirror. It shows us God's perfect standard and, in doing so, shows us that we have all fallen short.

Paul explains this perfectly in his letter to the Romans:

"So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous, and good. Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! But in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it produced death in me through what was good, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful." (Romans 7:12-13)

Since you and I cannot keep this Law perfectly, it proves we are sinners. It shows us our desperate need for a Savior.

 Not One Jot or Tittle

Jesus places such a high value on the Old Testament that He gives this incredible statement:

"I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished." (Matthew 5:18)

A "jot" (or yod) is the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet, looking much like an apostrophe. A "tittle" is even smaller—it's a tiny pen stroke that distinguishes one letter from another (like the difference between an 'O' and a 'Q').

Jesus's point is that God's Word is permanent, precise, and will be perfectly accomplished. 

 The Messiah was promised. He came. We celebrate this at Advent. 

The Messiah would die for our sins. He did. We celebrate this at Easter. 

The Messiah will come again to judge the world. This has yet to happen.

Do we believe it? Everything else has happened exactly as planned. Why would this be any different?

 The Standard for God's Kingdom

Because the Law is so important, Jesus gives this serious charge and a contrasting promise:

"Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:19)

We must not be tricked into thinking we are not "teaching." You are teaching every day by the life you live. Your attitude, your actions, and your speech are all lessons to the world around you.

Then, Jesus draws a line in the sand. He sets a standard that must have shocked everyone listening:

"For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:20)

Can you imagine hearing that? The Pharisees were the "super-Christians" of their day. They were the most meticulous, outwardly-obedient, "righteous" people anyone knew. Jesus was telling the average person they had to be better than them.

Heads must have exploded. "Really, Jesus? Forget about it!"

 The Only Way to Surpass the Pharisees

This standard seems impossible—and it is, if we try to do it on our own. This isn't a call to "try harder" or follow a new, better checklist.

So, what is the answer? The crowds later asked Jesus this very question:

"Then they asked him, 'What must we do to do the works God requires?'

Jesus answered, 'The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.'" (John 6:28-29)

This is the key. The righteousness that surpasses the Pharisees is not a righteousness we achieve; it's a righteousness we receive by faith in Jesus Christ.

But this belief isn't just a simple, one-time "I believe." True, saving belief in Jesus Christ changes everything. It fundamentally impacts our attitudes, our actions, and our speech.

 How Shall We Then Live?

This brings us full circle. It's not about being "better" than someone else; it's about our own faithfulness.

You are the salt of the earth.

You are the light of the world.

The question for us today is, what are we doing with that identity?

·         What are you doing to bring flavor to the world you live in?

·         What are you doing to stop the world you live in from getting worse?

·         What are you doing to shine the light so that others will find their way to the Father?

You want to do it better? The answer is simple, even if the walk is not.

Find out what pleases the Lord... and then go and do it.

Originally delivered 2025.01.26