Laws of a Righteous Kingdom

Kingdom of God Series, Part 3 of 6

  1. The Spirit of the Kingdom
  2. Heroes of the Kingdom
  3. Laws of a Righteous Kingdom
  4. Kingdom Exploits
  5. Kingdom Priorities
  6. Worship the King of the Righteous Kingdom

September 18, 1988

Matthew 5:17-20;43-48

Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass away from the Law, until all is accomplished.

Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and so teaches others, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

For I say unto you, that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.

(43) You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor, and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you in order that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax-gatherers the same? And if you greet your brothers only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the Gentiles the same?

Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Introduction:

The Sermon on the Mount is a keynote speech for the kingdom of God. It sets forth the principles on which Jesus Christ has founded His church.

  1. The spirit of Christ's kingdom is set forth in the Beatitudes: poor in spirit, godly sorrow for sins, purity of heart, gentle— in short the spirit of Christlikeness.
  2. The heroes of Christ's kingdom are those willing to be persecuted for righteousness' sake. Following in Christ's example, with His spirit, will bring conflict with the values of this world.
  3. But Christ's kingdom is more than a spirit, and more than heroic followers. Christ's kingdom is a kingdom of clear and definite LAW. There is no authentic kingdom without some kind of law. Without law there is anarchy.

(transition) And in the opening paragraphs of this great Sermon Jesus shows how His kingdom relates to Law. He shows how His kingdom (I.) is the old testament law fulfilled; and how in His kingdom (II.) the spirit of the law surpasses even the keeping of the letter of the law; and how, in His kingdom (III.) the heart of the LAW is revealed as perfect love.

I. THE OLD TESTAMENT LAW FULFILLED

(Verse 17 Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill.")

  1. Jesus did not come to bring anarchy, which is what freedom from the Ten Commandments would mean. Jesus came to set us free to be able to KEEP this Law-code, which is good and holy. (see Romans 7:12)

    The Ten Commandments have never been erased. Do you know them? Do you keep them?

    1. No other gods before Jehovah God
    2. No idols/ no worshiping of man-made things
    3. Reverence for the Name of God (and His Person)
    4. A day of special significance before God
    5. Honor father and mother
    6. Respect LIFE/ do no murder
    7. Respect intimacy/ no sexual infidelity
    8. Respect property/ do not steal
    9. Respect truth/ do not bear false witness
    10. Respect integrity/ do not break the commandments in the privacy of your heart!
  2. Jesus did reveal His authority over the Old Testament Law by boldly stating: "This is what you have come to understand ... But I declare to you ..." And then Jesus proceeded to show that the law could be "kept" in a legalistic way that did not satisfy the demands of His kingdom. Jesus wanted the love of the LAW implanted within His people's hearts!

    And later, Jesus summarized the O.T. Law, the Ten Commandments, by saying:[in Matthew 22 and Luke 10] "Thou shalt love the Lord with all your being..and your neighbor as yourself." THIS IS THE FULFILLMENT OF ALL THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS.

  3. But Jesus lifted this "law of love" to an even higher plane when He gave His life for us, and He calls us to that same self-giving love with His "New Commandment" [John 13:34 A new commandment I give you, that ye love one another as I have loved you, that ye also love one another!"] The "Golden Rule" is an Old Testament rule; Jesus said: "Love as I have loved you!"

[Transition: Not only was the Law fulfilled— the letter of the law was to be surpassed in this kingdom Christ was founding:]

II. THE LETTER OF THE LAW SURPASSED BY THE SPIRIT

(Verse 20 For I say unto you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.)

  1. WE DARE NOT TAKE THE LAW LIGHTLY! Jesus said: "Whoever annuls (ignores, breaks) one of the least of these commandments, and so teaches others, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven."

    What Jesus was saying is: WE LIGHTLY INTERPRET THE LAWS OF THE KINGDOM TO OUR OWN GRAVE PERIL! An attitude of glib interpretation is a dangerous position. "Oh, this is what that commandment means! Surely the Sabbath is strictly an Old Testament concept! "Why should I worry about the covetousness of my heart? "I really don't bow down and worship my color T.V.— I just spend 20 hours a week respectfully bowing down before it!"

  2. JESUS COMMENDED THE SERIOUS STUDY AND OBSERVANCE OF THE LAWS OF THE KINGDOM. Jesus also said: "Whoever keeps these commandments and teaches them will be BIG in the kingdom of heaven. I see this as an attitude of serious attention to the written Word of God. A willingness to live by the revealed will of God.
  3. THESE LAWS ARE MORE THAN JUST RULES AND REGULATIONS.[It may be well and good to look for loop-holes and every legitimate deduction when filling out your income tax. That is what the government expects. But this is NOT the spirit with which we approach the holy LAWS of the kingdom of God. We are to DELIGHT in them! We are to LOVE TO KEEP THEM! They represent God's love and concern for us!] Jesus said: Keeping the law has to be more and better than just the scrupulous outward observance! You have to surpass the scribes and the Pharisees!

What sort of law-keepers where they?

They were very good at keeping the letter! But THEY WERE (1) SELF-CENTERED; they kept the law in order to save their hides, not because they loved the Lawgiver. And THEY WERE (2) SELF- RIGHTEOUS. Blind to the fact that they were breaking the first commandment and the last, they revelled in the fact that they knew the ins and outs of Jewish law and could get around the letter of the law with impunity. Being (3) SELF-SATISFIED, THEY COULD NEVER KNOW THE SATISFACTION OF REALLY PLEASING GOD. There was very little warm love in their religious faith. [... and so ...]

III. THE HEART OF THE LAW REVEALED AS PERFECT LOVE

(Verses 44 and 48 But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you ... THEREFORE YOU ARE TO BE PERFECT, AS YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER IS PERFECT.)

  1. Jesus spent a good part of the Sermon on the Mount showing where the "letter" of the law, in and of itself, would not suffice in His holy kingdom. "You have heard ... but I say!"
  2. He made it clear that the heart of the good and holy law was to make us like God. Jesus wanted us to see that God LOVES us. He wants to make us like Himself so He can have fellowship with us "(v 45)in order that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good..."
  3. So He closes the first part of His Sermon with the startling statement, actually a command: BE PERFECT! WHAT CAN THIS MEAN?

    Certainly not 'perfect' in the sense of never being wrong, never making mistakes, never needing forgiveness. But 'perfect' here means complete, or mature, or having come to the adult stage of development. Conclusion:

Jesus came to fulfill the Old Testament. He is Lord and Master of the revealed Word of God.

If we will plunge into the written word of God... beginning now, where we are, spiritually; and if we will take the Law and the Prophets seriously, realizing they are intended to show us how to seek and to find in them the spirit of Jesus Himself, the Bible will be like a good schoolmaster, bringing us to the knowledge of the deeper truths of the spirit of Christ's kingdom, and into the personal knowledge of the King Himself!

#311 I Love Thy Kingdom, Lord