Jesus’ Fulfillment of the Law and Its Meaning Today

Devotional

Day 1: Jesus Fulfills the Law and Calls Us Higher

Jesus taught that He did not come to abolish the Law or the Prophets, but to fulfill them, and He challenged His followers to a righteousness that surpasses even the most devout religious leaders. This means that our relationship with God is not about legalistic rule-keeping, but about living out the heart and spirit of God’s commands. Jesus’ fulfillment of the law invites us to a deeper, more authentic obedience—one that is rooted in love and transformation, not just outward compliance. As we reflect on His words, we are called to examine whether our faith is about appearances or about a genuine pursuit of God’s will. [04:44]

Matthew 5:17-20 (ESV)
“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. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

Reflection: In what area of your life are you tempted to settle for outward rule-keeping rather than seeking the deeper transformation Jesus calls you to?

Day 2: The Law Reveals Our Need for a Savior

The law was given to show us what sin is and to reveal our inability to achieve righteousness on our own. It acts as a mirror, exposing our shortcomings and pointing us to our need for grace and a Savior. Without the law, we would not recognize our need for forgiveness or understand the depth of God’s mercy. This realization humbles us and prepares our hearts to receive the gift of salvation that Jesus offers, reminding us that our hope is not in our own efforts but in Christ alone. [10:01]

Romans 7:7 (ESV)
“What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, ‘You shall not covet.’”

Reflection: When was the last time you recognized a sin in your life because of God’s Word, and how did that realization draw you closer to Jesus?

Day 3: Jesus Is the Ultimate Sacrifice

The ceremonial laws of sacrifice are no longer required because Jesus, through His death and resurrection, became the final and perfect sacrifice for our sins. His once-for-all offering means that we are made holy not by rituals or repeated offerings, but by trusting in His finished work. This truth frees us from the burden of trying to earn God’s favor and invites us to live in gratitude and assurance of His grace. We can rest in the knowledge that Jesus’ sacrifice covers all our past, present, and future sins. [12:52]

Hebrews 10:8-10 (ESV)
“When he said above, ‘You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings’ (these are offered according to the law), then he added, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will.’ He does away with the first in order to establish the second. And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”

Reflection: How does knowing that Jesus’ sacrifice is complete and final change the way you approach God today?

Day 4: The Moral Law Reflects God’s Character

While ceremonial and civic laws were specific to Israel’s context, the moral law—summed up in loving God and loving our neighbor—remains relevant because it reflects God’s unchanging character. Jesus affirmed and even elevated these commands, teaching that all the law and prophets hang on them. As followers of Christ, we are called to embody these principles in our daily lives, not out of obligation, but as a response to God’s love and holiness. Living out the moral law is about letting God’s character shape our actions, relationships, and attitudes. [18:11]

Matthew 22:37-40 (ESV)
“And he said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.’”

Reflection: Who is one person you can intentionally show Christlike love to this week, especially if it’s difficult?

Day 5: All Scripture Points Us to Jesus

Both the Old and New Testaments are essential for understanding God’s story and His plan for redemption. The laws, the prophets, and the teachings of Jesus all point us to Him as the fulfillment of God’s promises and the source of our salvation. We are encouraged not to dismiss the Old Testament, but to read it in light of Christ, seeing how every part of Scripture draws us closer to Him and reveals God’s heart for restoration. Let the whole Bible shape your faith, deepen your understanding, and lead you to worship Jesus as the center of it all. [24:19]

Luke 24:27 (ESV)
“And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.”

Reflection: As you read the Bible this week, how can you look for ways that each passage points you to Jesus and His work in your life?

Sermon Summary

This morning, we explored the profound relationship between Jesus and the law, especially as it relates to how we, as followers of Christ, engage with the Old Testament. For centuries, the Israelites lived under the law—moral, civic, and ceremonial—using it as the lens through which they viewed every aspect of life. The Pharisees, as spiritual leaders, not only upheld these laws but added to them, creating a complex system of rules that governed every detail of daily living. Yet, when Jesus arrived, He challenged even the most righteous by declaring that their righteousness must surpass that of the Pharisees to enter the kingdom of heaven.

The law, as Paul explains in Romans, was never meant to save but to reveal our need for a Savior. It exposes our sinfulness and our inability to meet God’s perfect standard on our own. The ceremonial laws—sacrifices and temple rituals—were fulfilled in Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice on the cross. No longer do we need to offer animal sacrifices; Christ’s death was once and for all, covering every sin, past, present, and future.

The civic laws, designed to set Israel apart as a holy nation, no longer bind us in the same way, as the gospel has now gone out to all nations. These laws were contextually specific, and to try to keep them today would be both impractical and unnecessary. However, the moral law remains. It reflects the very character of God and is woven throughout the New Testament. Jesus did not abolish these moral commands but rather fulfilled and deepened them, summarizing them in the commands to love God with all our heart and to love our neighbor as ourselves.

We cannot dismiss the Old Testament or its moral imperatives simply because they challenge us or feel uncomfortable. Instead, we are called to see how all of Scripture points to Jesus, the fulfillment of the law and the prophets. The Old Testament was the Bible of Jesus and the early church; it is foundational to our faith and understanding. As we read both Old and New Testaments, we see a unified story that leads us to Christ, who restores our relationship with God and calls us to live out His love in the world.

Key Takeaways

1. The Law Reveals Our Need for Jesus The law was never a means of salvation but a mirror, showing us our inability to meet God’s standard and our deep need for a Savior. It exposes the reality of sin and points us to Christ, who alone can fulfill the law’s demands and offer us grace. This understanding humbles us and keeps us dependent on Jesus, not our own righteousness. [10:45]
2. Jesus Fulfilled, Not Abolished, the Law Christ’s sacrifice ended the need for ceremonial and civic laws, but He affirmed the enduring relevance of the moral law. His life and teaching show us that God’s character and standards remain, but now we live them out through the power of His Spirit, not mere rule-keeping. This calls us to a deeper, heart-level obedience rooted in love. [16:52]
3. Love is the Fulfillment of the Moral Law Jesus summarized the entire law in two commands: love God and love your neighbor. When we truly live out these commands, we naturally fulfill the moral requirements of Scripture. This is not a lowering of the bar but a raising of it, calling us to a life of sacrificial, Christlike love that goes beyond external compliance. [18:11]
4. The Old Testament Remains Foundational We cannot discard the Old Testament; it was the Scripture of Jesus and the early church. Its stories, laws, and prophecies all point to Christ and deepen our understanding of God’s redemptive plan. To neglect it is to miss the richness and continuity of God’s revelation and the fullness of what it means to follow Jesus. [23:22]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:10] - The Challenge of Physical Bibles
[01:52] - Wrestling with Inadequacy
[02:38] - The Pharisees and the Moral Ladder
[03:44] - Reading Matthew 5:17-20
[05:17] - Jesus and the Law: Setting the Scene
[07:03] - Three Types of Old Testament Law
[08:15] - How Do We Relate to the Law?
[09:33] - The Law’s Purpose: Pointing to Jesus
[10:45] - The Law Reveals Sin
[12:01] - The End of Ceremonial Sacrifice
[14:00] - Civic Laws and Being Set Apart
[15:35] - The Enduring Moral Law
[16:52] - Jesus Changes Our Relationship to the Law
[18:11] - Love as the Fulfillment of the Law
[19:54] - The Challenge of Keeping Moral Laws
[21:40] - Jesus: The Ultimate Sacrifice
[23:22] - The Old Testament as Scripture
[24:48] - Closing Prayer

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Matthew 5:17-20 (ESV) — > “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. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

Observation Questions

According to Jesus in Matthew 5:17-20, what is His relationship to the Law and the Prophets? What does He say about abolishing or fulfilling them? ([03:44])
The sermon described three types of Old Testament law: moral, civic, and ceremonial. What are the main differences between these types, and which ones does the speaker say still apply to us today? ([07:03])
What does the sermon say was the original purpose of the law, according to Paul in Romans 7:7? ([10:01])
How did the Pharisees relate to the law, and why did Jesus’ teaching challenge them? ([02:38])

Interpretation Questions

Why does Jesus say that our righteousness must surpass that of the Pharisees and teachers of the law? What does this mean for us today? ([03:44])
The sermon says the law acts as a mirror, showing us our sin and need for a Savior. How does this understanding change the way we view our own efforts to be “good enough”? ([10:45])
The speaker explains that Jesus fulfilled the ceremonial and civic laws, but not the moral law. Why is it important to understand which laws still apply, and how does this affect our daily lives? ([16:52])
Jesus summarized the law in two commands: love God and love your neighbor. How does this summary help us understand the heart behind the moral law? ([18:11])

Application Questions

The sermon said the law reveals our need for Jesus and exposes our inability to meet God’s standard on our own. Can you think of a time when you realized you couldn’t “measure up” spiritually? How did that experience point you to Jesus? ([10:45])
The Pharisees were known for keeping rules but missed the heart of the law. Are there areas in your life where you focus on “rule-keeping” rather than heart-level obedience? What would it look like to shift your focus? ([02:38])
Since Jesus fulfilled the ceremonial and civic laws, we don’t have to follow those specific rules today. Are there “old rules” or traditions you still feel pressure to keep, even though they aren’t required? How can you find freedom in what Jesus has done? ([14:00])
The moral law is summed up in loving God and loving your neighbor. Think of a specific relationship or situation where it’s hard for you to show this kind of love. What is one step you could take this week to move toward Christlike love in that area? ([18:11])
The sermon emphasized that the Old Testament is still foundational for our faith. How often do you read or study the Old Testament? What might help you engage with it more, seeing it as pointing to Jesus? ([23:22])
The speaker mentioned that sometimes we want to ignore parts of the Old Testament that make us uncomfortable. Is there a particular command or story in the Old Testament that challenges you? How can you wrestle with it honestly while still trusting God’s goodness? ([19:03])
Jesus calls us to a deeper, heart-level obedience rooted in love, not just external compliance. What is one area of your life where you sense God calling you to go deeper—not just “do the right thing,” but to do it out of love for Him and others? ([16:52])

Sermon Clips

And to understand the law, to understand how the Israelites lived, we can roughly separate the law into three kinds of areas. We've got the moral law. So that's how the Israelites should live morally. Thou shall not kill. A good law to start with. We have the civic law. That was how the nation of Israel was to interact with the surrounding territories and the people there. And then we had the ceremonial law, which is all around the sacrifices and temple worship. Now this isn't an exact science, but for ease of our understanding, it's a good way to look at the area of law. [00:07:15] (51 seconds) #UnderstandingGodsLaw

So initially, the law was there to show people, to say to people, Look, actually, we are sinners. There are boundaries. There are rules that we have to interact with. And so, Paul here in Romans 7 is predominantly talking about that bit that we call the moral law. And we're going to come back to that in a few moments. But let's address the other two aspects of the law. Because they are perhaps the easier aspects to address. The ceremonial law. I guess, actually, if you are, not that you are, but if you are now, if you are a cow or a sheep or a dove, this is really good news for you. [00:10:45] (45 seconds) #CeremonialLawEnded

Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice for us. He paid the price for our sins, It's thus ending the need for us to be practicing those ceremonial laws of sacrificing animals. He was the final sacrifice. He covered past, present and future sin. And so that's why we don't practice animal sacrifice. Jesus did it all. He paid the price for our sins. So let's go on to the civic laws. These were the laws that governed how the Israelites should live and interact with neighbouring nations. The pure aim of the civic laws that were given to the Israelites was to keep them set aside as a pure, holy nation. [00:12:52] (59 seconds) #CivicLawSetApart

Now, the problem we have as 21st century Christians is that Jesus came and paid the price. And then encourages us to live in ways that maybe don't interact with the law as we would have understood it if we were a Jew. Hebrews 7, 11 to 12 says the following. If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood and indeed the law given to the people established that priesthood, why was there still need for another priest to come, one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Adam? For when that priesthood is changed, the law must be changed also. [00:16:01] (43 seconds) #GreatestCommandments

Jesus came and changed our relationship with the moral law. But I want to be really, really clear. The moral laws in the Old Testament reflect the character of God. Nowhere in Scripture will we see a place where it says the moral laws were scrapped. That just wasn't there. It's just not there. And in a few weeks' time, next week Brian's preaching on something slightly different, but the week after, we're going to look at how actually Jesus came and took some of the instructions from the Old Testament laws and raised the bar on them, so to speak. [00:16:46] (45 seconds) #OldTestamentStillApplies

So we cannot, must not, come into the 21st century and say, the Old Testament doesn't, the Old Testament moral laws do not apply to us. Because sometimes it would be attractive for us to be able to say that. Because we don't like some of those laws. We don't like some of those instructions. But we cannot throw them out. Jesus warns us against doing that. Jesus, when he was born, as Rob said, fulfilled the prophecies. Many of the prophecies were fulfilled. So that's what he, when he was saying, I've come to fulfill the law and prophets, that was what he was saying. [00:18:50] (47 seconds) #JesusPaidThePrice

``But when you go and say to somebody, well, hey, okay, we're a Christian country, you used to call yourself a Christian, do you keep the law that says love your neighbour as yourself? Oh, that doesn't apply in this situation. Wrong. It does apply. We cannot throw out the moral laws. We have to keep to them. We've got to take the essence of them and follow them through. We'll be glad, you know, the penalty for adultery was effectively to be stoned to death. Let's be glad we don't keep that law anymore. [00:20:19] (42 seconds) #CulturalContextMatters

We don't need to keep that law because of what Jesus has done for us. To say that Jesus did away with the morals of the Old Testament would be foundationally and fundamentally wrong. All of this points us to Jesus. The Old Testament, the prophets, as I said earlier, point to Jesus. And that's where I want us to finish this morning, to dwell this morning. That Jesus paid the price for our sins. The ultimate sacrifice. If the law was designed as it was to point out that we are all sinners, that we couldn't keep the law and that we deserve the punishment for that. [00:21:01] (50 seconds) #OldTestamentLens

We can rest assured that if we've accepted Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, he has paid the price for our sins. He has been the ultimate sacrifice. And that is what scripture is about. It's about pointing us back to Jesus. About restoring our relationship with God. We shouldn't be scared of the Old Testament. But we need to be aware of the context of the Old Testament. We need to be aware of that moral, civic and ceremonial laws. Not an exact science, as I said earlier. But we need to be aware of those. [00:21:51] (42 seconds)

They had the letters to the Ephesians. They had Corinthians. They had Revelation. They didn't. When Jesus was walking on the earth. They had the Old Testament. That was their Bible. That was their scripture. So we can't throw it out. When you read the New Testament, many of the phrases, many of the words are quotes from the Old Testament. And speaking to things that the Jews and other nations would have known from the Old Testament scriptures. [00:23:16] (37 seconds)

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