Sermon Cloud

intro./opening:

One of the chief marks of our fallenness is our rebellion to authority. Men want to be free, autonomous, our own person, follow own agenda, pursue own goals. The idol of American culture is individuality.

Fallen man kicks at authority, because *Authority assumes *Accountability.

Generally people are fine talking about God in generic terms, but when the issue of His absolute authority comes up - things change.

Jesus, in 5:17-20, in absolutely unequivocal terms is establishing the absolute authority of the Word of God and His own Person.

In verses 17-18, we have seen that Jesus establishes the authority of the Word in three ways:

(1) Stands in judgment of false religion

(2) It is fulfilled in the Messiah

(3) It is permanent

Now, 19-20, Jesus will establish the authority of the Word by declaring our accountability to it: (1) Accountable to its prescriptions (2) Accountable to its Righteousness.

READ: Matthew 5:17-20.

[Pause: distinguish between God’s Words and mine]

(19) “therefore” - (only ESV captures “therefore” NIV misses it altogether). The Lord is now applying the previous two verses, and particularly the final statement. That is to say, because not the smallest letter or stroke will pass away, each person is accountable to the smallest marking or stroke. The point is: Every word of God has inherent authority, and authority mandates accountability.

II. Accountability to its Prescriptions

(A) Notice first that the Lord is speaking to those who are in the kingdom of heaven. Lord is talking about position in the kingdom not possession of the kingdom.

Some have seen the reference to “least” as referring to those who are rejected from the kingdom. However, that simply doesn’t fit either the context or the language of the Lord. The will address that issue beginning v. 20 and again at the end of the sermon, but that is not His point here in v. 19.

Notice with me, the use of prepositions (“In the kingdom of heaven … in the kingdom of heaven … into the kingdom of heaven”) suggest that those being called least, or great are those who are truly in the kingdom, because “into” suggest an inside/outside reality. The Lord is addressing two different groups: 19 is referring to those in the kingdom. 20 is referring to those who are yet outside the kingdom and have yet to enter in.

Secondly, I want you to notice that He is referring to a person’s rank within the kingdom of heaven.

“shall be called least … greatest”

The simple meaning is: there are those in the kingdom who will be least and those who will be greatest. Some of you in this room will have a higher rank in the kingdom than others. Some of you will have a lower rank in the kingdom.

Matt. 11:11 alludes to this same reality: “Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”

Different term for “least,” however, the principle of degree of honor is the same, otherwise the Lord’s comparison does not make sense.

God clearly reveals that there are both varying rewards and various ranks, or divisions of honor within the kingdom of heaven. While each person in the kingdom will experience perfect joy, satisfaction, and worship; the capacity in which they will do that, and their experience of those blessings will vary in degree.

(3) There will be a future judgment for all believers.

“Shall be called …” [passive voice] that is, shall be called by God. This is not a reference to the opinion of men but to the evaluation of God.

(b) This is in the future tense, referring to a future event when all believers will be called to five account for their life in Christ.

But, what judgement is He referring to?

There are a variety of specific judgements mentioned in Scripture, however, their are essentially two categories of judgments, which encompass all men: A) Judgement of Unbelievers and B) Judgement of Believers

(A) Unbeliever. The judgement of the unbeliever was mentioned last week. Every sinner outside of Christ will stand before Him as their Judge. Every sin every committed is recorded and will be read against them and they will be eternally punished. (Rev. 20:11-15).

(B) Believer. This is the judgement the Lord is referring to here.

No believer will ever suffer judicial punishment for their sins; the penalty for those sins (past, present, and future) was fully meet and God’s wrath fully satisfied on the cross. John 5:24 “He who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment.” (Rom. 8:1 “No condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”).

All believer’s will stand before the risen Christ and give an account for their life. This judgement is not to determine salvation, but reward and rank in the kingdom of heaven.

(Turn To) 1) 2 Cor. 5:10 [true motivation, 5:9 is that of “pleasing Him”] 2) 1 Cor. 3:10f (4:2 - based on faithfulness; 4:5 - based on motive of the heart)

Trans: The fact that you will, not possibly, but will stand before the risen Christ fully exposed before His glory, should be a constant motivator to you and me. First thing to notice is the standard by which we are judged: His Word.

(4) Standard of the future Judgement is faithfulness to the Word of God.

“Should annul one of the least of these commandments and so teach men” -

What are “these commandments” - The nearest antecedent is His previous statements regarding everything in the Law, down to the very jot and tittle. Not even the most seemingly insignificant aspect of God’s revealed Word is without consequences. God is not capricious in His revelation, therefore He is exacting in His judgement.

“Whosoever annuls … teaches … keep … teaches” - Both statements assume the one being spoken of is teaching the Scripture. Therefore, this is specifically directed at the teachers of the Law.

This is aimed specifically at teacher and so would encompass the warning of James 3:1 “Let not many of you become teachers my brethren, knowing that as such you will incur a stricter judgment.”

However, the warning extends beyond just the teachers, every Jew understood that it was incumbent on them to both obey and rightly teach the God’s Word.

Every aspect, however, of the Law was to be ingrained on the hearts and minds of His people and taught to each generation:

Deut. 6:6 “These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. You shall rite them on the doorposts of your house and your gates.”

So, the direct address is to the teachers, but the principle applies to all, and they would have understood this; and you understand (all teach others: children, family, friends, co-workers, etc.)

So, what is it that makes one least or great? The contrasting element is those who “annul … teach” and those who “does … teach”

(1) The “least” - “annuls” - Also translated: “relaxes”, “break,” “ignore”, and “set aside”.

Because it is set in contrast to those who “do” what the Law commands, the idea would be that of disobedience, getting out from under the authority of.

The Scribes and Pharisees had broken the Law down into two groups: the first 248 were positive commands; second were 365 negative commands. They further broke these down by categorizing what was the most or least significant.

Jewish literature commonly held that Deut. 22:6-7 was the least of the OT commandments (do not carry of a birds nest with mother & egg).

While the Pharisees and Scribes had taken the distinction to the empt degree Jesus does also acknowledge that there were varying degrees of weight within the OT Law:

Matthew 22:35-40 [Turn to] the Lord willingly enters into a discussion with a Scribe regarding the greatest commandment.

23:23 “Woe to you Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others.”

God always places those things that reflect the inner attitude of brokenness as the greater part of the Law.

Notice, He is not saying there are unimportant aspects of the Law, only that there are some parts that are weightier than others. Every letter and mark comes from God, bears a penalty, is designed to display His holiness, and has inherent authority.

(Point): those are considered least in the kingdom who have the least sense of reverence for God & His Word. Those who in anyway minimize, or teach as unimportant even the smallest part of God’s Law

(2) The “great” is the one who “does”

Obedience to God’s Word is the ultimate expression of faith and love for God. Notice He did not say, “Great is the one who has really strong emotions toward God’s commandments,” or “Great is the one who knows a lot about God’s commandments,” or “Great is the one who talks a lot about God’s commandments,” but the the one who “does” His commandments.

18:1-4 You can’t even enter the kingdom until you are humbled before God as a child. Matt. 20:26 - humility is the path to greatness in the kingdom.

(A) Doing the commandments cannot refer to meritorious obedience.

(1) Would contradict Scripture (Gen. 15:6; Rom. 3:19 “By the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified in His sight”).

(2) Can’t even “enter into the kingdom of heaven” unless you have a righteousness greater than the Scribes and Pharisees.

(3) “poor in spirit” - mark of being in kingdom: spiritual bankruptcy.

(B) Doing God’s commandments must be seen in relation to faith. These are those whose lives reflect the character of faith and trust in God (6:33).

The standard of evaluation is one’s faithfulness to the word of God. This is a strong encouragement and warning to us and individual Christians and as a church. God is evaluating us based on how faithful we are to knowing, obeying, and teaching His Word.

Note: this greatness is “In the kingdom of heaven” - not here in this world. As a matter of fact here you will be despised, rejected, ridiculed, hated, persecuted (cf. 5:10-12).

(1) Those who minimize doctrine, compromise truth, and in any way lessen the sufficiency, authority, and priority of God’s Word in the church, will be held accountable. (Hebrews 13:17).

God issues a strong incentive in the prophets where He equates His Word with His Name. Your attitude toward God’s Word directly reflects your attitude toward God.

(2) If you, or I as individuals, or as a church seek the approval of men; if we judge success by man’s standards rather than God’s we are self-deceived. “Woe to you when all men speak well of you” (Lk. 6:26); (Lk. 16:15 “That which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God”).

Success in God’s eyes is not activity, emotions, or greater numbers, it is faithfulness to His Word.

Is. 66:2 “But to this one I will look, to him who is humble and contrite of spirit, who trembles at My word.”

Those who have been broken by the Law of God & yielded their heart, mind, and will to Christ in faithful submission to His Word. Who like “newborn babes long for the pure milk of the Word.”

How does this relate to us? What is the relationship between the OC Law and the NC believer?

Remember, Jesus Christ did not come to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it. Now the Law, was a unity in that is was all given under the OC to Israel, all of it was to be obeyed.

However, it contained different aspects. That is the Law was in a general sense given to govern the nation of Israel as God’s people and a theocratic nation. Thus, in that sense the law was fulfilled in Christ and is no longer a valid means of expressing faith in God.

For the Christian the Law no longer has threat of condemnation.

However, the Law also as a moral aspect that was reflective of His character. Those who deny this distinction and say that there is absolutely no relationship of law to Christ, fail to understand the promise of the NC - “law written on the heart,” or the fact that 9 of the 10 commandments are repeated in the NT (directly or by inference) as given as the foundation for NT commands. Only the Sabbath is excluded because it is fulfilled in Christ.

The NC believer, a Christian, is governed by the “law of Christ” evidenced by obedience to Christ’s commands, to His Word, to the NT.

The evidence of belonging to Christ is keeping His commandments. This simply refers to all that Jesus commands, which begins with loving one another and encompasses all the commands of Christ during His ministry and after His departure (14:15, 21; 15:10, 12). I.e. the commandments that would come through the revelation given the apostles by the ministry of the Holy Spirit (2 Pet. 3:2).

1 Cor. 14:37 Paul states that his commandments to the church are actually the “Lord’s commandments.”

It is all the commandments of Scripture are the commandments of Christ; they all reflect the moral law of God; all are incumbent upon Christ’s church, His people, to know proclaim, and obey.

The Church shows submission to Lordship of Christ, to the degree she is submitted to His Word.

So, what do the Lord’s Word’s mean to you? How are you to apply this to your life? How are we to the life of the church?

We are commanded to teach it:

Matthew 28:20 “Make disciples of all the nations … teaching them to observe all that I commanded you”

The picture of faithfulness on the part of the church, is teaching others to obey all His commandments.

Pursue sound doctrine and the knowledge of God’s Word

*Doctrine has become a four letter word in our culture: many think that doctrine hinders one’s experience of the Jesus and the journey of faith. This is both foolish and heresy.

1 Tim. 4:6, 15 “In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine with you have been following ... pay close attention to your life and your doctrine [same term in v.6]; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you.”

2 Tim. 2:15 “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who is not ashamed, handling accurately the Word of Truth”

(3) God’s Word is the means of His work of salvation

James 1:18 “In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the Word of truth”

1 Peter 1:23-25 “For you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God … this is the Word which was preached to you.”

(4) God’s Word is the means of His work of Sanctification

John 17:17 “Sanctify them in truth, Your Word is truth”

We have no message apart from the Word of God. It is the means of our salvation, sanctification, protection, and growth in Christ and it is our faithfulness to this Word that we will be held accountable when at last we stand before the risen Lord Jesus Christ.