PREPARE
Some people think that Jesus came to destroy the law given to Moses in the Old Testament. The Pharisees often accused Jesus of breaking the law, especially God’s commands regarding the Sabbath. Jesus was perfect, He did not come to dismiss the law, but to fulfill and free it from the Scribes and Pharisee’s wrong understanding of it.
Charles Spurgeon puts it this way;
“To show that he never meant to abrogate the law, our Lord Jesus has embodied all its commands in his own life. In his own person there was a nature which was perfectly conformed to the law of God; and as was his nature such was his life.” —Spurgeon
This week’s passage begins a long discussion where Jesus explains many points of the law. His explanations drive us all to Him for our justification as we realize how much of it we have broken. Remember, we are not made righteous by keeping the law, thanks be to God that Jesus offers us a different righteousness, one that He earned on our behalf through His perfect keeping and fulfilling of the Law and payment for our breaking it!
Prepare for this week’s message by reading Matthew 5-7 giving special attention to 5:17-20
ATTEND
Verses: Matthew 5:17-20
Main Point: Jesus fulfills and deepens our understanding of the Old Testament.
1. Fulfilling the Law: (Matthew 5:17-18)
2. Disciples and the Law: (Matthew 5:19)
3. True Righteousness: (Matthew 5:20)
REFLECT
1. What impacted you most from this week’s message? What challenged you or encouraged you? What did you learn about the character of God? How did this week’s sermon affect your perspective on God or your perspective on yourself?
2. How much time have you spent reading the Old Testament? Have you ever found it difficult to
read or understand? Name a few reasons the Old Testament is challenging to understand.
3. Read Matthew 5:17. What is the Law and the Prophets? What did Jesus mean when He said
he did not come to abolish the Law and the Prophets but to fulfill them? How did Jesus fulfill
them?
4. Read Matthew 5:18-19. What did Jesus say about Scripture in these verses? How long will
the smallest letter and the least stoke of the pen endure? What does this reveal about the
importance of the Old Testament?
5. What does it mean to set aside God’s commandments? What did Jesus say is the result of
setting aside God’s commandments and teaching others to do the same? In what ways do
people relax the requirements of God’s commands?
6. Read Matthew 5:20. How zealously did the Pharisees and the teachers of the law follow
God’s commandments? In terms of external obedience, what was their level of righteousness?
7. How is it possible to exceed the righteousness of the most externally righteous people? What
is the point that Jesus is driving at?
8. What is the requirement for entering the Kingdom of Heaven? What is the only way for humans
to meet that requirement? Why is this truth a source of hope for all who trust in Jesus?
ACT
- What is one specific thing you can do this week to put into practice what you learned in this message?
- How can you deepen your relationship with God and follow Him more closely this week?
- Who is someone you can share what you learned with?