2. A Radical Call to Fulfill the Law
The Sermon on the Mount Series [11]
Matthew 5:17-20
© January 10, 2016
Pastor Paul K. Kim 2

3. THE STRUCTURE OF THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT
Christian
Righteousness:
“DOING”
5:17-7:12
Christian Character:
“BEING”
5:3-12
Intro-duction
5:1-2
Con-clusion
7:28-29
Christian Choice:
“OBEDIENCE”
7:13-27
Christian Influence:
“ROLE”
5:13-16

4. CHRIST AND THE LAW [THE OLD TESTAMENT]
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 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. (vs )
Christ came NOT to abolish the Old Testament (v.17a).
The difference in Jesus’ attitude toward the OT Law was apparent.
But, this difference is not about Jesus’ rejection of the Law but about his acceptance of the true meanings of the Law.
Christ came to FULFILL the Old Testament (v. 17b).
Jesus fulfilled the prophetic teaching of OT by embodying it in his person—Jesus’ threefold office: Prophet, Priest, & King.
Jesus fulfilled the requirements of the OT Law and lived a perfect righteous life that the Law demands in all ways.

5. CHRIST AND THE LAW [THE OLD TESTAMENT]
Jesus fulfilled the moral teaching of the OT by drawing out its radical implications.
Six examples (vs ): “You have heard… but I say to you.”
21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder… 22 But I say to you…”
27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you…”
31 “It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32 But I say to you…”
33 “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ 34 But I say to you…”
38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I say to you...
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you…

6. CHRIST AND THE LAW [THE OLD TESTAMENT]
Jesus fulfilled the moral teaching of the OT by drawing out its radical implications.
Six examples (vs ): “You have heard… but I say to you.”
He was not contradicting the Old Testament—if he did, he would’ve said, “what was written.”
He was contradicting the oral traditions of the OT teaching.

7. CHRIST AND THE LAW [THE OLD TESTAMENT]
Christ came NOT to abolish the Old Testament (v.17a).
Christ came to FULFILL the Old Testament (v. 17b).
Christ affirmed the enduring SUPREME AUTHORITY of the Old Testament (v.18).
He has the authority over the Law and the Prophets [the Old Testament].
He is the focus of both the Old Testament (concealed Christ) and the New Testament (revealed Christ).

8. THE CHRISTIAN AND THE LAW [THE OLD TESTAMENT]
19 Therefore whoever relaxes 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 does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.  20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds  that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. (vs )
Jesus’ Radical View on the Whole Counsel of God: we are to submit to the Old & New Testaments as God’s Word (v. 19).
To ignore or neglect any part of the whole counsel of God would mean to go against Christ’s view of Scripture.

9. THE CHRISTIAN AND THE LAW [THE OLD TESTAMENT]
19 Therefore whoever relaxes 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 does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.  20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds  that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. (vs )
Jesus’ Radical Charge to Fulfill the Law: being least or great in the kingdom of heaven (v. 19).
This is a question not on “entering the kingdom” [i.e., salvation] but on the quality of discipleship.

10. THE CHRISTIAN AND THE LAW [THE OLD TESTAMENT]
19 Therefore whoever relaxes 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 does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.  20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds  that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. (vs )
Jesus’ Radical Demand for Righteousness: righteousness that surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees.
The scribes & Pharisees calculated and kept 248 commandments prohibitions making 613 rules and regulations all together.
Christian righteousness is greater because it is deeper—the righteousness of heart.
It is inward “heart-righteousness” (Matt. 5:3-12).
It is only possible with new heart/new birth (John 3:1-15).

11. WHAT IMPLICATIONS DOES JESUS’ RADICAL CALL HAVE FOR US IN TODAY’S WORLD?
1) We are to avoid ANTINOMIANISM. —i.e., dismissal of the OT Law as useless and irrelevant because faith alone is necessary to salvation (Rom 6:14; 10:4).
We are NOT under the Law for justification (God’s acceptance); but we ARE under the Law for sanctification (God’s holiness).
The Law which condemns us drives us to Christ
to be justified; but when Christ justified us,
he sends us back to the Law in order to be sanctified.
Martin Luther

12. WHAT IMPLICATIONS DOES JESUS’ RADICAL CALL HAVE FOR US IN TODAY’S WORLD?
1) We are to avoid ANTINOMIANISM. —i.e., dismissal of the OT Law as useless and irrelevant because faith alone is necessary to salvation (Rom 6:14; 10:4).
We are NOT under the Law for justification (God’s acceptance); but we ARE under the Law for sanctification (God’s holiness).
Law, Spirit, Heart, and Righteousness all belong to together (cf. Ezek. 36:27, “My Spirit within you”; Jer. 31:33, “My Law within you”).
The work of the Christ on the cross and the work of the Spirit within every believer are for obedience to God’s moral laws.
3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh,  could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that  the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
Romans 8:3-4

13. WHAT IMPLICATIONS DOES JESUS’ RADICAL CALL HAVE FOR US IN TODAY’S WORLD?
2) We are to avoid LEGALISM. —i.e., attempt at salvation by merit of keeping the Law.
We must avoid slavish submission to rules and regulations for earning God’s acceptance.
We must deal with the subtlety of our motivation and thoughts:
Am I becoming self-righteous & self-confident or am I becoming more keenly aware of my spiritual poverty?
Am I becoming more like Pharisees or am I becoming more like Christ?

14. WHAT IMPLICATIONS DOES JESUS’ RADICAL CALL HAVE FOR US IN TODAY’S WORLD?
2) We are to to pursue HEART-RIGHTEOUSNESS by keeping the true meaning and spirit of God’s moral laws. —i.e., becoming more like Christ from the inside out.
It requires our higher view of God’s moral laws (the supreme authority and daily role of Scripture).
It requires turning from rationalization to facing the brokenness in our hearts.
It requires our intention to pursue holiness in our everyday life by living according to God’s Word.

15. Jesus’ Radical Call for Personal Holiness
In the last place, let us beware of supposing that the Gospel has lowered the standard of personal holiness, and that the Christian is not intended to be as strict and particular about his daily life as the Jew. This is an immense mistake, but one that is unhappily very common. So far from this being the case, the sanctification of the New Testament saint ought to exceed that of him who has nothing but the Old Testament for his guide. The more light we have, the more we ought to love God. The more clearly we see our own complete and full forgiveness in Christ, the more heartily ought we to work for His glory. We know what it cost to redeem us far better than the Old Testament saints did. We have read what happened in Gethsemane and on Calvary, and they only saw it dimly and indistinctly as a thing yet to come. May we never forget our obligations! The Christian who is content with a low standard of personal holiness has got much to learn.
— J. C. Ryle

16. THREE PRACTICAL QUESTIONS FOR OUR EVERYDAY LIFE
In what ways are you convinced more of your need for embrace and obey the whole counsel of God?
What would it mean for you to follow Jesus’ radical call to fulfill the Law as a Christ-follower?
What is one practical way for you to avoid both antinomianism and legalism in your everyday life?