Sermon Nuggets Week of April 18 The Place of the Law
Verses- Matt 5:17-20
17 "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.
18 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.
19 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.
20 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.
The Place of the Law
There is a great deal of discussion these days about the international laws of the Geneva Convention. With the unrest in the Middle East and dictators like Libya’s Colonel Muammar Gaddafi War is suppose to be fought with rules too. The dictator is being accused of breaking many of the international and may be brought to trial if he is arrested.
In the United States we vote for legislators to think of new laws for us. That is basically the purpose of the legislature to use their terms of office thinking up laws. One wonders how we get anything done. If we don't like the laws, we elect different legislators who can convince his colleagues to change their minds. Group pressures, votes and money help make laws and change laws.
Some people think God's laws are also up for vote. God does not rule the world by a democratic vote. Nor does He do what is best for the majority of people. We may follow his laws or we may go against them. But when we break them there are also consequences. There is but one lawyer or intercessor before God. His name is Jesus Christ. There are no loopholes or juries to determine our guilt or innocence. There is perfect justice done.
We cannot change the laws of God despite what we think or feel. We cannot have a vote and come before the Lord and say, "God we've been thinking and we have formed a little grievance committee and wish to issue a formal protest to some of the things that you have set down in Scripture. We think you are much too narrow minded and unfair in certain areas."
We cannot negotiate with God. God is God. The clay does not tell the potter what to do, the potter makes the clay into the shape and for the purpose that he had intended. Now if the clay is not pliable and moldable, God says he throws out that piece of clay and takes another and makes what he wants. There are consequences to breaking God's laws.
Jesus speaks to his audience about a matter for important to them. They are Jews so trained that righteousness comes by obeying the law. Throughout the sermon Jesus compares His precepts of righteousness compared to the law followed by the Pharisees. He teaches us more about the place of the law. That will be the subject of our devotions this week.
Which laws do you think no longer apply to Christians today? Which do? Why?
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Tues April 19 Fulfilled
Verse Matt 5:17 "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.
The Law is Fulfilled by Christ.
What is the relationship between Christ and the law? You know that he has already gotten into trouble with the Pharisees and religious teachers? (Mark 2:12-3:6.) Jesus was picking corn on the Sabbath. He wasn't following the ceremonial washing ritual set down by traditions. He healed a man with the withered hand which they said broke the law.
Wm Barclay in his commentaries explains the law is used in four ways by the Jews. When they speak of the law their first thought is the 10 commandments, which is the moral law of God given to Moses at Mt. Sinai. A second understanding is the first 5 books of the Torah, or the writing of Moses. The third understanding refers to a shortened form of what they call “the law and prophets” meaning all the O.T Scriptures.
Lastly the law could refer to the oral and scribal laws which became the traditions of the Jewish people. The Mishna for instance is the rabbinic teachings of the applied law of the Old Testament.
When we read the law of Moses we also see it is divided up into three parts: The moral law, the civil laws (how to handle grievances between one another, so they can live together in harmony) and the ceremonial laws, which involve details of sacrificial system and worship in the temple and tabernacle.
Where was Jesus in conflict with the law? Clearly, it was with the oral and scribal interpretations of the law. The classic example is how they treated the Sabbath. The word said, "Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy as unto the Lord." They weren't to do work on the Sabbath. What is work? Work is carrying a burden. What is burden? They defined a burden to mean food that is equal in weight to a dried fig, or carrying enough wine for mixing in a goblet, or enough honey to cover a wound, or to carry enough paper to write a deed, or enough ink for 2 letters of the alphabet. They got into long and involved arguments as to whether a man could lift a lamp from one place to another, or whether a tailor committed a sin if he went out with a needle in his robe. Where a woman is working if she is wearing a broach, or a man might go out on the Sabbath with artificial teeth or an artificial limb. It was considered improper to walk far from your home, but soon the Pharisees were taking down all the rules and interpretation as the law. Jesus didn't have much time for that nonsense, "The Sabbath as made for man, not man for the Sabbath."
Jesus was completely committed to the law, but the law as it is prescribed by God not by man. It was not his intention to do away with it, but to fulfill it. Jesus didn't come to just fulfill the law, but also the prophets. We can see in other verses how Jesus was made under the law, how he lived in obedience to the law, and how he was the type or a picture of many Old Testament passages thereby fulfilling the writings and the completion of the prophetic passages that spoke the coming and work of the Messiah. We see prophecies fulfilled in the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Scribe and Pharisee on the whole didn't have the foggiest idea of how Scripture was being fulfilled by the Son of God.
Like putting the last pieces of a puzzle together Jesus was fulfilling the revelation of the mystery of God.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Weds April 20, Completed
Verses Matt 5: 18 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.
The Law is Completed by Christ.
What was the purpose of the law? Galatians 3:19 says, "What then was the purpose of the law? It was added because of transgression until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come." There is no fulfillment of the law apart from communion with God, and no communion with God apart from the fulfillment of the law. The purpose of the law was to bring us to God and make us realize that we are sinners and until we come to God as sinners we cannot be saved. The law is to show us our sin and our weakness. Jesus lived without sin and in complete obedience to the Father in heaven. To fulfill the law and the prophets means that Jesus is bringing into completion God's promise.
Jesus completed the law by being the first and only one who was sinless. He did not sin in any way, even according to God's law. Not speaking of man's interpretation. Christ did not change the plan only their misunderstanding of it. It wasn't just the prophets that prophesied, but the entire Old Testament is pointing to God completing His plan. God had given Abraham the promise of the covenant relationship long before the law was set down. It was set by faith.
The Pharisees and Scribes failed to see that salvation was always based on faith. When one was in faith relationship with God then he sought to live a holy and sanctified life and when he could not, he was able to come to an all holy and righteous God and confess sin and seek heart felt forgiveness through the sacrifice offered by God. The moral law of God remains in force until the consummation of the world.
Jesus is not just fulfilling the law he is also preserving the law. Not a jot of tittle or as the NIV Translates it, until the smallest letter, or the least stroke of a pen. The jot was like comma, just a point. A tittle was the finishing of a letter such as crossing a t, or dotting an i. None of it will be discarded until all has been completed. Until God's complete plan is finally accomplished and we are in heaven with Him in glory.
We are not at this point talking about the civil law of the nation. The ceremonial laws of worship and sacrifice became fantastic types and pictures of the perfect Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. He completes the Old Testament and gives us greater appreciation and worship of an all wise God who culminates his plan in His Son to His glory. This is not a different understanding, but a fuller understanding. Not a replacement, but a completion. Someone said, “Not abolished, but polished so now you see it for its true intent. It is Jesus.
According to Jeremiah 31:31-34 the law and the prophets were fulfilled in Jesus when He said that will not longer be on paper and declared by priest, but in their hearts and in personal relationship with Jehovah.
In Ezekiel 36:25-27 “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you. I will remove form you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh, and I will put my spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws." Jesus didn't do away with the law, but changes our heart that wants more than anything to please and honor and glorify Him.
When a bud passes into the rose, the bud is not destroyed but fulfilled. Romans 3:21,23 “But now a righteousness from God apart from the law has been made known to which the law and the prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God."
If you want to understand the Scriptures you must understand them by looking at Jesus Christ. If you are to understand the Old Testament it makes sense to us when we look at the pictures that point to God's redeeming grace and work in the person of Jesus Christ. He completes the Law so that we might know indeed the true Character and love of God.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Thurs April 21 Law Illustrated
Verse: Matt 5: 19 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.
The Law is Illustrated by Christ.
Doesn't Jesus really go too far in saying that if we break one of the least of these commandments, or teaching others to do the same we will be called least in the kingdom? But if we practice them we will be called great. I mean aren't we really going back to the O.T. legal system trying to be perfect to be acceptable? Isn't this what Jesus was suppose to have saved us from? It doesn't appear that from this verse. For if the law does anything it is to show us that we can't possibly do it. In fact, when Jesus is trying to show the disciples is that there are many Pharisees that are doing the right things but for the wrong reasons.
The law today helps me by still realizing my selfishness, and my need for discipline, and self control. I still am in conviction of sin and need to realize that Christ's power isn't working in me as it ought to be.
When I put the law in proper perspective it is suppose to do something. First we should honor and respect the law; Christ is confirming not only the validity of the Scriptures, but also the authoritative inspiration of the Bible, not just the Bible as a whole, but the very smallest details of the Bible. Secondly, we will be careful to distinguish between what is the true law of God and what is man made rules.
One fellow came up to a Baptist minister and asked about the 5 Baptist laws? “What to you mean 5 Baptist laws?”
“You know- don't smoke, don't play cards, don't dance, don't go to movies, and don't drink.”
The Pharisees could promote laws similarly and by so fulfilling man made rules they were considered holy and righteous. We are not holy by keeping the law. The law does not make anyone holy. We are not holy because we do or don't do certain things, and Jesus was trying to make the point we are not holy because even if we break one little law, we are law-breakers. The law was meant to show that man is sinful and constrained to evil.
I must admit there are legalists that misunderstand this statement. Usually people have tendencies that want to measure spiritual growth by some objective system. If I go to church more than my neighbor I'm holier than he is, if I don't smoke and he does then God must think more of me than him. If I serve on three committee and teach S.S. then I'm more righteous than that person who only is on two committees and helps in the nursery ever third month. You see there are false standards, and Jesus wants us to look at God's standards.
On the suburbs of Chicago there was a citizens group surveying traffic offenses in a marked car and an unmarked car. In 3 hours the marked car observed 11 offenses, in the unmarked car they observed 47. Then they people traded cars lest some were more observant the other. The marked car now saw 38 and the other group 107. Conclusions are not surprising. When we think there are no police officers many drivers habitually break the traffic laws.
How are you when you are at some place when no one knows you and you are by yourself? Among Christian conferences the X rated movies available in motels increases with people staying by themselves in the privacy of their own room.
Are you the same when you are by yourself, with your family, or when the preacher comes to visit?
The Pharisees were content with external and formal obedience, conformity to the law, but Christ was calling for an inward righteousness, for the Lord looks upon the heart.
We discover a new law- the law of love that desires not to perform for others, but seeks to please the One we love most.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Fri April 22 Exceeded
Verse Matt 5: 20 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
The Law is Exceeded by Christ.
To enter the kingdom of heaven you must do better than the greatest of the law keepers. Now isn't that a contradiction? How can you do better than the Pharisee and scribes and teacher of the law? They spend their whole lives trying to prove what good law keepers they are? When a tailor won't even carry a needle on the Sabbath, how good can you be?
The problem isn't the law, it's the heart.
There was a man in Wisconsin who sold hamburger back in the 30s when there was no law in the land as to what you can put in hamburgers. He filled his hamburgers with sawdust so as to make more money. He was sinning because he was cheating the people. Then came the law. Now he didn't put sawdust in hamburgers, because it was inspected. Notice he didn't do anything illegal before the law was made. But the law pointed out his sin of cheating.
There is one left on the road beaten and hurt. One religious teacher may be concerned if he touches that person he might be sued for money. He isn't breaking any law by passing on the other side, but he might be breaking the law if the man was dead for if he touched him he might become ceremonially unclean. The Samaritan wasn't concerned about the religious rule games, he was concerned about a needy life. When the Samaritan helped and brought healing to that man Jesus said go and do likewise.
Did the Pharisee care about the hurt man? No, he was concerned about the law. The Pharisees were too afraid they might do something wrong and in their letter of the law mentality they broke God's law of love.
Therefore, we must be more righteous than the Pharisees.
Anthony Juke said, "Satan would have us prove ourselves holy by the law which God gave to prove us sinners." Paul tried to be the most zealous of the Pharisees when he wanted to show his strong devotion to the Lord by even killing people who followed Jesus, which he thought was a teaching promoting another god. He did not know he was rejecting the very one Moses was pointing to. But when he met Jesus, his whole life fell apart and now was free from the letter of the law, and his desire was to serve God with all his heart filled with love.
Soltezehsyn observed in our country out the court system is built not on morality but how lawyer might interpret it. Stealing is o.k. if they are caught and the police do not have a search warrant. Then he is treated as if he didn't do it.
We need something other than the law to point us to God. We need law to point us to our sin. But we need faith in Christ to forgive us of the heart that manipulates, is selfish, unloving, and judging. We need to trust in the one who provides entrance into the Kingdom based on His righteousness.
Grace is a gift that we can't be good enough to earn, we receive it by faith. Jesus warned that righteousness must exceed the scribe and
Pharisees introduced the law of love. We will see that loving God and others is more than dos and don’ts it is having the right heart and then you demonstrated a greater righteousness shown by loving your enemy, not even looking upon women lustfully, not to hate others, to want to give away that which we think is so important to us to those who really need it more.
What the place of the law for Christians? The law can reveal sin but only faith can remove it; the law can restrain us; only faith can free us; the law reminds us of our weakness; only faith can give us power.
To exceed the law is doing something the Pharisees didn't do-to love God with all your heart and mind and soul; and love your neighbor as yourselves for in so doing you fulfill all the law and prophets.
Pastor Dale
