Sermon Notes-"I Fought the Law" based on Matthew 5:17-20
Introduction: The title for today’s sermon comes from a song recorded in 1966 by Buddy Holly and the Crickets and then the Bobby Fuller Four. It basically repeats this line over and over “I fought the law and the law won.” It was a song about rebellion. In today’s passage we see Jesus explaining our relation to the law. We typically respond to the law in one of two ways: work really hard to keep it (old brother in the parable) or rebel against it (younger brother) which leads to either pride or despair. As older brothers, we think we are pulling it off and/or judge others who are not as spiritual as us OR as younger brothers, we acknowledge we can’t do it based on our past or repeated mistakes and just give up. Jesus provides a third option that is great news.
Complete (vs. 17-18)
·
Law (The Torah
or first five books of the Bible) or the Prophets (Major & Minor)
o
Basically a description
of the entire Old Testament
o
We understand
the Old Testament better as we see it’s fulfillment in Christ.
§ Moses-John 1:17-“For the law was given through
Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
§ Priests-“Since then, we have a great high priest…”(Hebrews
4:14)
§ Kings-On his robe and on his thigh he has a name
written, King of kings and Lord of lords.” (Rev. 19:16)
§ Sacrifices-Jesus as once and for all sacrifice
(Hebrews 9:26)
o
Every Old Testament text must be viewed in
light of Jesus’ person and ministry and the changes introduced by the new
covenant he inaugurated.[1]
·
Abolish vs.
Fulfill
o
Not get rid of
or throw out, not ignore, not even achieve
o
But Jesus achieves
what we cannot
o
Jesus himself fulfilled the law in several
ways: (1) by keeping it perfectly; (2) by fulfilling the Old Testament
messianic types and prophecies; and (3) by providing the way of salvation that
meets all the righteous requirements of the law.[2]
·
Heaven and Earth
pass away, Not an iota, not a dot until all is accomplished
o
Creation
testifies
o
The iota
was the smallest letter of the Greek alphabet[3]
o
Dot (least stroke-Hebrew yod-like our
apostophe- the
smallest detail
Compete
(vs. 19-20)
·
Law 101
o
The law tells us what to do, but does not
have to power to bring about change.
o
The law is good, right, and holy. God’s
way is best.
o
The law speaks not just to behavior but to
the heart (motives)
o
The law is absolute. Be perfect (Sermon on
the Mount) not just progress. (Matt. 5:48)
o
What is purpose of law? To crush us, point
us to need of a Savior (Gal. 3:19,21,24-25)
·
Relaxes-Least in
the Kingdom
o
Legalism in our
day is relaxing the law. Wait, what do you
mean? Legalist use the law to control and make people religious. It is relaxing the law. By making it about what we can control and
achieve: movies we watch or what games we play today to the Pharisees making
rules about what you can and can’t do on the Sabbath, etc.
§ Jesus
censures the religious leaders, not for taking the Law too seriously but for
failing to take it seriously enough[4]
·
Does Them and
Teaches Them-Great in the Kingdom
o
Most likely a
reference to what Jesus will teach in the rest of the Sermon on the Mount.
·
Righteousness
exceeds scribes and Pharisees
o
The scribes
were learned people, and the term could be used for a high official (Acts
19:35). Among the Jews it meant the experts in the law,[5]
o
The Pharisees put a tremendous emphasis on
the letter of the law,[6]
o
It would have shocked Jesus’ listeners,
because the scribes and Pharisees were considered the ultimate example of
righteousness.[7]
o
If the best that those who have the public
reputation of being outstanding law-keepers can do is inadequate, then simply
to reaffirm the Law will not be enough. Something further is needed.[8]
·
Will never enter
the Kingdom
o
He insisted that no person could be saved
by his or her own righteousness. This was something the law intended to
indicate all along,…The point was hard for the self-righteous to swallow no
one, not even the super law-keeping Pharisees, could enter into heaven. All
needed a Savior![9]
Closing: What
do I need to do in response to the law?
·
Ignore it-Holy Spirit, convict or remind
me.
·
Judgement-Holy Spirit, empower me to love
and show mercy.
·
Control-Holy Spirit, help me surrender and
submit to your control and leading.
·
Religion-Holy
Spirit, humble me, transform me.
·
Walk In It-Holy Spirit, write it on my
heart, change my heart, empower me.
[3]
Morris, L. (1992). The Gospel according
to Matthew (p. 109). Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B.
Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity Press.
[4]
Chamblin, J. K. (1995). Matthew. In Evangelical
Commentary on the Bible (Vol. 3, p. 729). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book
House.
[5]
Morris, L. (1992). The Gospel
according to Matthew (p. 111). Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester,
England: W.B. Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity Press.
[6]
Morris, L. (1992). The Gospel
according to Matthew (p. 111). Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester,
England: W.B. Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity Press.
[8]
Nolland, J. (2005). The Gospel of
Matthew: a commentary on the Greek text (p. 225). Grand Rapids,
MI; Carlisle: W.B. Eerdmans; Paternoster Press.
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