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Week 4: The Fulfillment of the Law
Two principles to help us understand the Sermon on the Mount:
Jesus doesn’t always mean what he says. Jesus means what he means.
The historical and cultural background helps us understand what Jesus means.
1. Jesus is the fulfillment of the law.
Matthew 5:17-20
"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 tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven."
Matthew 22:36-40
"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment of the law?"
Jesus replied. "Love the Lord, your God with all of your heart and all of your soul and with all of your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it. Love your neighbor as yourself. All of law and the prophets hang on these two commandments."
It is impossible to understand the laws of God, what they mean, and how they are applied without love.
Every sin against God’s law is a sin against yourself
Jesus is not talking about behavior modification. Jesus is looking for life transformation. Trusting Jesus involves all of you. What you love will be reflected in what you do.
God knows what you need better than you do
2. Love cures hate.
Matthew 5:21-26
“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift. “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny."
It isn’t a sin to feel angry. Sin happens when we follow it and indulge it.
Hate is first a sin against yourself and God before it is a sin to the object of your hate.
Hate never heals; it always divides.
Being right is not enough.
Love requires that you listen. The people that oppose your or your beliefs need to feel heard before they will ever consider change.
3. Love kills lust.
Matthew 5:27-32
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.
It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery."
Malachi 2:16
“The man who hates and divorces his wife,” says the Lord, the God of Israel, “does violence to the one he should protect,” says the Lord Almighty. So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful.
4. Love works better than manipulation.
Matthew 5:33-37.
“Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one
Jesus wants to transform you into the kind of person that gets to experience genuine connection and trust with others."
5. Love frees you from resentment.
Matthew 5:38-47
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?"
When Jesus says, turn the other cheek, it’s actually nonviolent defiance. This action embodies both love for yourself (not being abused) AND love for your opposer (seeking restoration without violence)
6. You can’t do it without God’s help
Matthew 5:48
"Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
When you fight back your own temptations for lust and greed, and hate and anger, you open the door for God’s love to flood your life and set you free from that bondage.
There is one way to be perfect like God is perfect, and that is to love like He loves.
View all episodes
By Union ChapelTwo principles to help us understand the Sermon on the Mount:
Jesus doesn’t always mean what he says. Jesus means what he means.
The historical and cultural background helps us understand what Jesus means.
1. Jesus is the fulfillment of the law.
Matthew 5:17-20
"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 tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven."
Matthew 22:36-40
"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment of the law?"
Jesus replied. "Love the Lord, your God with all of your heart and all of your soul and with all of your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it. Love your neighbor as yourself. All of law and the prophets hang on these two commandments."
It is impossible to understand the laws of God, what they mean, and how they are applied without love.
Every sin against God’s law is a sin against yourself
Jesus is not talking about behavior modification. Jesus is looking for life transformation. Trusting Jesus involves all of you. What you love will be reflected in what you do.
God knows what you need better than you do
2. Love cures hate.
Matthew 5:21-26
“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift. “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny."
It isn’t a sin to feel angry. Sin happens when we follow it and indulge it.
Hate is first a sin against yourself and God before it is a sin to the object of your hate.
Hate never heals; it always divides.
Being right is not enough.
Love requires that you listen. The people that oppose your or your beliefs need to feel heard before they will ever consider change.
3. Love kills lust.
Matthew 5:27-32
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.
It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery."
Malachi 2:16
“The man who hates and divorces his wife,” says the Lord, the God of Israel, “does violence to the one he should protect,” says the Lord Almighty. So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful.
4. Love works better than manipulation.
Matthew 5:33-37.
“Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one
Jesus wants to transform you into the kind of person that gets to experience genuine connection and trust with others."
5. Love frees you from resentment.
Matthew 5:38-47
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?"
When Jesus says, turn the other cheek, it’s actually nonviolent defiance. This action embodies both love for yourself (not being abused) AND love for your opposer (seeking restoration without violence)
6. You can’t do it without God’s help
Matthew 5:48
"Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
When you fight back your own temptations for lust and greed, and hate and anger, you open the door for God’s love to flood your life and set you free from that bondage.
There is one way to be perfect like God is perfect, and that is to love like He loves.