Fulfillment of the Law: Jesus' Transformative Teachings

 

Summary

In our exploration of the Sermon on the Mount, we delve into Jesus' profound teaching on the Law, as recorded in Matthew 5:17-20. Jesus clarifies that He has not come to abolish the Law or the Prophets but to fulfill them. This fulfillment is not about discarding the Law but about bringing it to its intended completion. The Law, given through Moses, was a guide for living but lacked the power to transform hearts. Jesus emphasizes that the Law remains significant, serving as a spiritual litmus test for true discipleship. It is not to be ignored or dismissed, as it continues to play a vital role in the life of a believer.

Jesus' fulfillment of the Law is multifaceted. Firstly, He embodies the Law's moral requirements, living a life of perfect obedience where humanity has failed. Secondly, He bears the penalty for our transgressions, offering Himself as the ultimate sacrifice, thus fulfilling the ceremonial aspects of the Law. The sacrificial system pointed to the need for a Savior, and Jesus is that Savior, the one true sacrifice that takes away sin.

Moreover, Jesus' coming marks the end of the Law's application to a single nation, Israel, and opens the way for an international community of believers. The Christian life is no longer bound to a specific geographic or cultural context but can be lived anywhere, reflecting the universal nature of God's kingdom.

Finally, Jesus shows us how the Law operates in the life of a believer. He calls for a righteousness that surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, a righteousness that is not about external adherence but about internal transformation. Through the Holy Spirit, the Law is written on our hearts, enabling us to live in obedience out of love for God. This is the true fulfillment of the Law—living in the freedom and power of the Spirit, delighting in God's will.

Key Takeaways:

1. The Law's Continuing Significance: Jesus affirms the ongoing role of the Law in the Christian life. It serves as a guide and a test of true discipleship, reminding us that the Law is not abolished but fulfilled in Christ. This fulfillment empowers us to live in a way that reflects God's kingdom. [05:07]

2. Jesus as the Fulfillment of the Law: Jesus fulfills the Law by living a life of perfect obedience and by being the ultimate sacrifice for sin. His life and death complete the Law's requirements, offering us forgiveness and freedom from guilt. [14:29]

3. The Universal Nature of the Gospel: Jesus' fulfillment of the Law extends the reach of God's kingdom beyond Israel, making the Christian life an international reality. This universality underscores the inclusivity of the gospel and the global nature of God's redemptive plan. [20:56]

4. Righteousness from the Heart: True righteousness surpasses mere external adherence to the Law. Through the Holy Spirit, the Law is written on our hearts, enabling us to live in obedience out of love for God, reflecting a deeper, heart-level transformation. [22:24]

5. Empowerment by the Spirit: The Holy Spirit empowers believers to fulfill the Law at a deeper level than the scribes and Pharisees. This empowerment leads to a life of joyful obedience, rooted in a relationship with God as our heavenly Father. [23:13]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:32] - Introduction to the Sermon on the Mount
- [01:06] - Jesus and the Law
- [01:49] - Life Under the Law
- [02:38] - The Pharisees' Interpretation
- [03:23] - The Law's Limitations
- [04:11] - Paul's Perspective on the Law
- [05:07] - The Law's Ongoing Role
- [05:53] - Jesus Fulfills the Law
- [06:45] - The Law as a Litmus Test
- [07:29] - Exceeding Pharisaic Righteousness
- [09:00] - A Parable of Fulfillment
- [11:09] - Empowerment by the Kingdom
- [12:03] - Jesus' Fulfillment Explained
- [14:29] - The Sacrificial System Fulfilled
- [16:51] - The End of Old Testament Rituals
- [20:02] - The International Christian Life
- [21:47] - The Deeper Righteousness
- [23:13] - Conclusion and Reflection

Study Guide

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
- Matthew 5:17-20
- Romans 8:3-4
- Jeremiah 31:33

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#### Observation Questions
1. What does Jesus mean when He says He has come to "fulfill" the Law and the Prophets? [00:32]
2. How does Jesus describe the ongoing role of the Law in the life of a believer? [05:07]
3. What is the significance of Jesus stating that our righteousness must exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees? [07:29]
4. How does the sermon describe the Pharisees' approach to the Law, and why is it insufficient according to Jesus? [08:16]

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#### Interpretation Questions
1. In what ways does Jesus fulfill the moral and ceremonial aspects of the Law, and how does this impact believers today? [14:29]
2. How does the sermon explain the transition from the Law being applicable to Israel to its universal application through Jesus? [20:02]
3. What does it mean for the Law to be written on our hearts, and how does this change our approach to obedience? [22:24]
4. How does the empowerment of the Holy Spirit enable believers to live out the Law in a way that surpasses the Pharisees' righteousness? [23:13]

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#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your understanding of the Law's role in your life. How does knowing that Jesus fulfills the Law change your perspective on obedience? [05:07]
2. Jesus calls for a righteousness that surpasses that of the Pharisees. What specific areas in your life require a deeper, heart-level transformation? [07:29]
3. The sermon mentions the universal nature of the gospel. How can you contribute to making the Christian life an international reality in your community? [20:56]
4. Consider the ways in which the Holy Spirit empowers you to live in joyful obedience. What practical steps can you take to rely more on the Spirit's guidance? [23:13]
5. How can you ensure that your understanding and application of the Law align with Jesus' teaching, avoiding the pitfalls of legalism? [06:45]
6. Identify a specific commandment or teaching of Jesus that you find challenging. How can you seek the Holy Spirit's help to live it out more fully? [22:24]
7. Reflect on a time when you felt bound by cultural or religious expectations. How does the freedom found in Christ's fulfillment of the Law offer you a new way to live? [20:02]

Devotional

Day 1: The Law's Enduring Role in Discipleship
The Law, as given through Moses, was never meant to be discarded but fulfilled in Christ. Jesus emphasizes that the Law remains significant, serving as a spiritual guide and a test of true discipleship. It is not to be ignored or dismissed, as it continues to play a vital role in the life of a believer. The Law's ongoing role is to remind us of God's standards and to point us towards a life that reflects His kingdom. Jesus' fulfillment of the Law empowers us to live in a way that honors God and aligns with His purposes. [05:07]

"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." (Matthew 5:18, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you allow the Law to guide your daily decisions and actions, ensuring they align with God's kingdom values?


Day 2: Jesus' Perfect Obedience and Sacrifice
Jesus fulfills the Law by living a life of perfect obedience and by being the ultimate sacrifice for sin. His life and death complete the Law's requirements, offering us forgiveness and freedom from guilt. Jesus embodies the Law's moral requirements, living a life of perfect obedience where humanity has failed. He also bears the penalty for our transgressions, offering Himself as the ultimate sacrifice, thus fulfilling the ceremonial aspects of the Law. This fulfillment is not about discarding the Law but about bringing it to its intended completion. [14:29]

"For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified." (Hebrews 10:14, ESV)

Reflection: How does understanding Jesus' perfect obedience and sacrifice change the way you view your own struggles with sin and guilt today?


Day 3: The Gospel's Global Reach
Jesus' fulfillment of the Law extends the reach of God's kingdom beyond Israel, making the Christian life an international reality. The coming of Jesus marks the end of the Law's application to a single nation, Israel, and opens the way for an international community of believers. The Christian life is no longer bound to a specific geographic or cultural context but can be lived anywhere, reflecting the universal nature of God's kingdom. This universality underscores the inclusivity of the gospel and the global nature of God's redemptive plan. [20:56]

"And many nations shall join themselves to the Lord in that day, and shall be my people. And I will dwell in your midst, and you shall know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you." (Zechariah 2:11, ESV)

Reflection: How can you contribute to the global mission of the gospel in your own community or through supporting international efforts?


Day 4: Righteousness from Within
True righteousness surpasses mere external adherence to the Law. Through the Holy Spirit, the Law is written on our hearts, enabling us to live in obedience out of love for God, reflecting a deeper, heart-level transformation. Jesus calls for a righteousness that surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, a righteousness that is not about external adherence but about internal transformation. This is the true fulfillment of the Law—living in the freedom and power of the Spirit, delighting in God's will. [22:24]

"I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people." (Jeremiah 31:33, ESV)

Reflection: What steps can you take today to cultivate a heart that seeks genuine righteousness and transformation through the Holy Spirit?


Day 5: Empowered by the Spirit for Joyful Obedience
The Holy Spirit empowers believers to fulfill the Law at a deeper level than the scribes and Pharisees. This empowerment leads to a life of joyful obedience, rooted in a relationship with God as our heavenly Father. Jesus shows us how the Law operates in the life of a believer, calling for a righteousness that is not about external adherence but about internal transformation. Through the Holy Spirit, the Law is written on our hearts, enabling us to live in obedience out of love for God. [23:13]

"And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh." (Ezekiel 36:26, ESV)

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you need to rely more on the Holy Spirit's empowerment to live in joyful obedience to God?

Quotes

“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. 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. 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.” [00:32:04]

“The Law can tell us what to do, but the Law does not have the energy to enable us to do it. You remember how Paul puts this in Roman 8:3-4, ‘What the law could not do God did through his Son sending Him in the likeness of the flesh of sin and to be a sacrifice for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.’” [00:51:32]

“Paul was adamant that rather than destroy the Law, the gospel gives us the power to fulfill the Law and makes the Law our delight, and he learned that from the teaching of the Lord Jesus because this is what Jesus is saying here, and I want you to notice several things that He has to say about the relationship between the Christian and the Law.” [00:59:28]

“Where the Law is despised or ignored, or where people say we can jettison the Law because we are New Testament Christians, then you say, ‘Wait a minute here, how you think about the Law and its ongoing role in the Christian life is actually a litmus test of how you think about Me and how you think about Christian discipleship.’” [00:21:24]

“Does that mean that we must fulfill the Law in ways that they don’t? And that is exactly what Jesus means. But you see what He wants to say is, ‘The path the Pharisees have chosen will never lead to the fulfillment or the fullness of the Law in their lives. But the path of the gospel will always produce that fill-full-ment.’” [00:50:03]

“Jesus wants to emphasize, no Christians do not dispense with the role of the Law, but they understand that the filling full of the Law in our lives takes place not out of our own strength but only because the kingdom of God has broken in and given us new affections and empowered us in new ways.” [00:11:00]

“Jesus has said this astonishing thing, ‘Unless your righteousness is greater than the righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisees, you will have no part in the kingdom.’ And of course his hearers are asking the question, ‘How can that possibly be the case? You know, we have always looked to these Pharisees and their intimidating obedience to God’s Law, and we thought I can never get up that high, and now He is telling us we are going to get up higher.’” [00:13:07]

“Jesus enables us to fulfill the Law of God at a much deeper level than the scribes and the Pharisees, and because He enables us to keep the Law of God at that much deeper level. You remember the promise of Jeremiah, ‘God will come by His Spirit, and He will write the Law right down into your hearts, and so obedience will arise from your heart.’” [00:22:24]

“Jesus fulfills not only the moral dimension of the Law in our place but Jesus is the one who fulfills all these Old Testament pictures that the people were given that pointed them to how their sins would eventually be forgiven through one great sacrifice made by a high priest after the order of Melchizedek, not a high priest after the order of Aaron.” [00:16:51]

“One can put it this way, being an Old Testament Jew worked only in one country in the world, did it not? Why? Because the sacrifices were in Jerusalem, the feasts were in Jerusalem. If you were an Old Testament Jew somewhere else, you had to come back to this one country, this one nation, but no longer.” [00:18:30]

“Now of course, there are many things that our societies can learn from the different ways in which God’s Law was applied to civic life in terms of justice as the Westminster Confession says, in terms of the general equity of the Law, but you see what Jesus is saying? He is saying, ‘I not only filled the Law full in your life, but I filled the Law full because I am the one to whom the Law was pointing.’” [00:19:54]

“Jesus shows us how the Law of God operates in the life of the Christian believer, and that is actually what the rest of Matthew chapter 5 is taken up with. Jesus has said this astonishing thing, ‘Unless your righteousness is greater than the righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisees, you will have no part in the kingdom.’” [00:21:47]

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Transcript
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