Through out this series we have seen that God as Redeemer gave the law as a basis for a free society. The people to whom God gave the law accepted it with joy yet were quick to discover that it was not easy to live by. They also struggled as to why God had given them the law. By the time we get to Jesus the Israelites one generation after another saw the law as the means by which they were accepted by God. They were no different than any other people group trying to behave well enough to be accepted by their particular deity. This is the reason why when Jesus began His ministry so many thought that His teachings were an effort to get rid of the law.
The reality and the main point of this message is that Jesus fulfilled the law by filling it with meaning. In other words Jesus filled up what would otherwise be empty. To understand this point, please consider the words of Jesus as recorded by Matthew in Matthew 5:17-20. Here Jesus says, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have not come to abolish them bu to fulfill them. 18 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass way, not an iota, not 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 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 by no means enter the kingdom of heaven." From Jesus word here I would like to share with you four thoughts concerning how Jesus filled the law with meaning.
1. Jesus fulfilled the law and the prophets by showing us that their meaning goes further that we first believe. This fact is found in verses 17 and 18. Here Jesus means that He is filling up what has been empty. The law itself of full of meaning and Jesus was going to bring that to the heart and mind of His hearers. Matthew records Jesus doing just this in verses 21-48 of this same chapter.
2. Jesus also fills the law with meaning as He identified proper teaching concerning the law as greatness in the kingdom of heaven. This is very important in our day because so many Christian see Jesus as one who lets them off the hook in regards to obedience. This misunderstanding leads many to believe that Jesus fulfilled the law so it is permissible for me to fall short. This has led to a misapplication of freedom. We tend to behave as though Jesus set me free from the ramifications of sin, when in fact Jesus has set us free from sin itself. We are now free from sin, not free to sin and get away with it.
3. Jesus as Messiah is fulfilling what the Israelites believed based on the words of Moses in Deuteronomy 18:17-20. " The LORD said to me, They have spoken well. 18 I will raise up a prophets from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to the mall that I command him. 19 It shall come about that whoever that whoever will not listen to My words which he shall speak in My name, I myself will require it of him. 20 But the prophet who speaks a word presumptuously in My name which I have not commanded him to speak, or which he speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die." Here recognize again that Jesus is fulfilling the law and holding all those who speak for Him and about Him accountable of speaking only that which God commands us.
4. Lastly Jesus fulfilled the law by calling His people to an inward righteousness. In verse 20 Matthew records Jesus saying, "For I tell you the truth, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the Scribes and Pharisees you will by no means enter the kingdom on heaven." Here Jesus is referencing the outward focus of obedience that the Scribes and Pharisees exemplified and called others to follow. Their righteousness failed to understand the heart of the commands of God. This again is why Jesus teaches what he does in verses 21-48. What is found there, is the heart of the law to which Jesus' followers must make their goal. This is the work of the Holy Spirit that follows our ful surrender to the Lordship of Jesus.
The challenge for us becomes not to exchange God's law for our ideas about what is good. God has laid those out for us and as we live in this post-Christian world we cannot give in to the temptation the disregard the laws of God and live life based upon what is acceptable. When we understand this, we will use the law in such a way that brings freedom to those in the bondage of sin. Bondage is the result of choosing our own definition of right and wrong. May you accept the laws of God as Jesus has fulfilled them. And May we all life in the freedom of that law.
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