Saint Luke's Reformed Episcopal Church

EXPOSITIONS OF THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT-XIII
“Not to abolish, but to fulfill”
Matthew 5:17-20 August 26, 2007

INTRODUCTION
We must manifest His glory so that others may be brought to glorify Him. Christians are to manifest the characteristics of the People of God. And we do that by living lives of righteousness. Everything the Lord Jesus teaches is in absolute harmony with the Old Testament, and in utter contradiction to the teaching of the Scribes and the Pharisees.

I. THE IMPORTANCE OF THE LAW FOR BELIEVERS
By the word “Law” the Lord Jesus is referring to the entirety of the Old Testament Scriptures. He doesn’t speak about Law-keeping, but about hungering and thirsting after righteousness. What is the place of the Law in the lives of Christians?
                1) The Law expresses the character of God & His will for our lives.
                2) The Law reveals God and teaches us our true character.
                3) The Law teaches us the character of salvation.
In the Law we see His holiness, our lack of holiness and the goal of Christian living. The Lord Jesus comes to fulfill this Law, to give us His righteousness. Through the life of the Lord Jesus we understand that the Law goes hand in hand with the Gospel.

II. JESUS FULFILLS THE LAW IN HIS LIFE
                1)            In His teaching and doctrine.
                2)            In His deeds and life style.
                3)            In His death.
                4)            In His disciples. Jer. 31. Gal. 5. Rom. 8. Rom. 13. Jn 14. I Jn.
The Law of God gives us freedom to move in a God-ward direction, through the power and strength of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. If it is the desire of our hearts to obey Christ, we know the Holy Spirit is at work in us.

III. JESUS FULFILLS THE PROPHETS.
He does this by fulfilling all of the Old Testament prophecies. Gen. 3:15. The Lord Jesus is teaching us that our attitude toward Him and toward the entirety of the Law of God is an index of the state of our souls.

IV. JESUS’ RIGHTEOUSNESS EFFECTS OUR SALVATION.
Salvation is by Christ’s righteousness alone and nothing else.
Do you understand that you cannot save yourself? That you cannot effect your own salvation? That you can merit or earn heaven by your own righteousness? Augustus Toplady said it best in his hymn “Rock of Ages Cleft for Me.”