Matthew 5:17-20 (English-KJV)

17. Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.
18. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
19. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the Kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20. For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

1. The Law of God is absolute and eternal . . . "till heaven and earth pass"(v.18).
   1. Everyone falls under God's law . . . "whosoever shall break one" (v.19)
      Some people may consider God's laws silly or stupid . . . (Illustration: ticket). (First table: Love God fully ---- Second table: Love your neighbor completely). You may choose not to obey, but "The wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23).
   2. Jesus Christ did not come to destroy the law . . . "think not" (v.17).
      Some people think that the Bible displays two Gods --- an O.T. and a N.T. Not so, there is one God and "I am the Lord, I change not" (Malachi 3:6). The Holy God of the Old Testament that punished and destroyed lawbreakers lives.
2. The Lord of Glory came to fulfill the law . . . "I am come . . . to fulfill" (v. 17).
   "Fulfill" means to "carry out, or accomplish.". Christ fulfills all the law and the prophets.
   1. His Birth . . . the time, the place, the circumstances of His birth prophesied.
      Christ fulfilled every one of the O.T. prophecies concerning the coming Messiah. (Micah 4:2, Isaiah 7:14, Psalm 72:10, Jeremiah 31:15, Hosea 11:1, etc . . . )
   2. His Life . . . made under the law of God, Christ Jesus perfectly obeyed the law.
      "He did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth" I Peter 2:22.
      Whether it was the ceremonial, civil or moral law, Jesus fulfilled it to the letter. At the end of His life, no one could find any fault in Him. He was blameless.
   3. His Death . . . Christ fulfilled the law on the cross of Calvary by receiving punishment for the sin of man.
      The law says, "the wages of sin is death" and Christ fulfilled it. God's grace is not God deciding not to exact the punishment He has decreed, God's grace is God punishing His Son in the place of sinners --- fulfilling the law.
3. The Law and Gospel are both of God . . . "except your righteousness exceed..."(v.20).
   The scribes and the pharisees were very zealous in the religious observances. An old Jewish proverb, "If two men were to enter heaven, the one would be a scribe, the other a Pharisee." What kind of righteousness did the scribes and the Pharisees have?
   1. They had wise heads . . . these people were some of the smartest in all of Israel.
   2. They had willing hands . . . they would go over oceans in order to make a convert, and would do whatever it took to insure they did not miss a ceremony.
   3. They had wicked hearts . . . as Jesus said, "You are white-washed tombs."
   1. The right use of the law is to bring a sinner to brokenness . . .
   2. The right use of the gospel is to heal the broken sinner. . .
      When a broken sinner turns to a sovereign Saviour, there is true healing.
   3. The righteousness of a believer does exceed the righteousness of the Pharisees. . .
      A righteousness obtained for me and imputed to me (through the obedience of Jesus).
      A righteousness imparted to me and in me through the Holy Spirit (II Peter 1:4).