To Make it So!
Journey through Matthew • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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With that all being said let’s jump into todays message.
If you are new to our church today, it would be helpful for you to know that we practice a form of preaching called “Expository Preaching”.
What that means, is we believe the Bible is best taught by taking books of the Bible and then breaking them down from beginning to end, chapter by chapter, verse by verse. Our goal, to better understand not only what God’s Word says, but what it means in our lives today.
That being said, if you’re new to our church, we are currently walking through the NT book of Matthew.
And so if you haven’t been with us, I would encourage you to go online to YouTube or any Podcast service where you can watch or listen to messages leading up to today.
If you have your Bibles please turn with me to the Book of Matthew.
I want to start out today by back tracking a little bit.
I want to give some points of Clarity.
I have been studying from both Christian Commentaries and Messianic Commentaries. For two reasons.
I want a clear an accurate view of the Book of Matthew ....Written by Jews to Jews.......Probably should understand the culture a little better.
I want to orate a clear picture of Why Matthew was writing to who he was writing.
This can not be done without understanding the history of what was going on at the time Jesus came.
As we look at this you also need to understand the enemy was not the Pharisees or Scribes.
The Pharisees were one of 31 sects of the Jewish People now living in their country that is occupied by Pagans.
The Ark has now been missing for over 1000 years. The Ark symbolized the presence of God on Earth.
It has been 300 years since they have heard the voice of God.
The Presence of God has been missing 1000 years and the voice of God has been silent for 300 years.
The enemy has and always will be the Satan the deceiver. He is the the one who has always attempted to misdirect God’s people.
What is sad is that his most common tool is religion and this is the exact purpose of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount.
He is trying to recenter his listeners to the truth of what it is to be a part of the Kingdom of God.
Jesus is the Messiah King and with him is his Kingdom.
The Presence of God and the Voice of God is in their midst.
So let’s dive into today’s Scripture.
17 “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.
18 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.
19 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.
20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Let’s begin to break this down because honestly I myself have never heard this preached before and it has always be something that I glazed over.
17 “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.
Jesus is answering a question that all of his listeners are asking:
Did you come to bring a new Word?
If we step back and look at this opening line we have to step away from the idea the the Law is bad, Grace is Good!
Honestly that is where most Christians go and it is why the church is in the state of being that is in today.
Is the Law bad?
Is the Law bad?
I believe that like most of you I have been taught to view the law as something Jesus came to set us free from instead of something that allows me to live in Freedom with Jesus.
I am going to step off in something which will probably get me in trouble again.
The Bible was translated to English. If you ask anyone who speaks another language besides english they will tell you that English is a difficult language because we have a limited vocabulary. We use that same word over and over but with different meanings.
That being said let’s look at this first line from a Messianic translation.
17 “Don’t think that I have come to abolish the Torah or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to complete.
What is the Torah and The Prophets? It is the the Word of God.
Again I believe Jesus is trying to refocus the disciples and those listening away from the Oral Law ie The Mishnah and refocus them to the Word of God.
Jesus is flat out saying right here.
“Do not think I have come to Give and incorrect or opinion of the Torah and The Prophets, I have come to give you the correct interpretation.
I have come to make it full.
I have come to make it full.
The Word Complete here comes from the Greek word plerao which is understood to mean reaching a goal.
Paul uses the same word in Ephesians 5:18
Ephesians 5:18 (ESV)
18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,
As I have studied this week one of the challenges that was ask of me was to find one of the 613 laws found in the Torah as bad or too weighty.
I googled them and honestly there isn’t a bad one.
The idea of the Law was set up so that the Jews would Live Long and Prosper in the Land.
In reality the Torah is an amazing guide to living a life of Positional Righteousness.
By Positional Righteousness I mean living a life that is right before God.
Matthew is showing his reader The Messianic Jew how they can be faithful to Moses’ teaching through Jesus.
18 Yes indeed! I tell you that until heaven and earth pass away, not so much as a yud or a stroke will pass from the Torah—not until everything that must happen has happened.
Jesus is referring to the smallest letter in the Hebrew Language and the little tag on some letters in the Hebrew language that can change the entire meaning of the word.
Jesus is telling us exactly where He stands when it comes to the inspiration of Scripture.
All Scripture every letter is directly from God.
19 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.
Matthew Presents Yeshua, King Messiah (A Messianic Commentary) Yeshua and the Torah 5:17–20
He goes on to uphold the relevance of Torah by warning that whoever disobeys its message will be called the least in the Kingdom. The concept of heavier and lighter commandments is a common theme in the rabbinic understanding of Torah. For example, a lighter commandment would be freeing a mother bird in nature, whereas a heavier commandment would be to honor one’s parents (cf. Tractate Kiddushin 61b).
There were heavier and lighter acts of righteousness.
23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.
This isn’t about successfully keeping all of the rules it is about living out these acts of righteousness as a sign of being sanctified that you have been made Righteous.
20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus is showing his disciples how to live out the Halacha.
Halacha- The Way
The Torah- Is the Way
What is the the Way?
What is the the Way?
Following Jesus is the Way!
Following Jesus is the Way!
The beauty of Act of Righteousness
Sin complicates life!
Following His Ways actual makes life easier
29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
Therefore Right Living is a Gift!
Therefore Right Living is a Gift!
Jesus is going to wrap up his Sermon with teaching us how to pray!
9 Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
There are 1050 commandments given to us in the New Testament.
Our goal as followers of the Way should be to create spaces where God’s Presence can dwell here on earth.
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