August 15, 2010
Evening Service

Matt. 5:13-19

 

Review:

1.       This morning we looked at the Beatitudes.  Blessed are they, theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven, they shall inherit the earth, many wonderful promises for a blessed people.  We noticed that these people were kind, meek, gentile, humble, persecuted, peacemakers, these are the characteristics of people that are going to be blessed of God.

2.      I mentioned this morning that in these next 3 chapters Jesus teaches His disciples, and that is you and I, along with Peter, Andrew, James, and John.

 

Isa. Prophesied concerning this coming Messiah, Isa 42:21  The LORD is well pleased for his righteousness' sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honorable.

 

 We will see it is very clear, as we study, how He magnifies the law, and makes it honorable.

THE SIMILITUDES:

Mat 5:13-16  Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. 

• Christian we are to be to the world like a good taste.  We should make a difference wherever we are.  We should make our surroundings pleasant, and Godly.
• For Jesus says “if we don’t we might as well be cast out, and done away with.”

(14)  Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. 

• You should stand out in a crowd, because of your attributes.  Not because you are loud, and boisterous, but because you possess the Spirit of God.

(15)  Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.  (16)  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

• We have sang the song, “this little light of mine.”  People should enjoy being around you.  Jesus is saying, “Christian, it is up to you to show people the way to live.”
• Your light shining means good works are being done, and Jesus says let men see your works, that they may glorify your Father which is in Heaven.

Jesus fulfills the law:

Mat 5:17-19  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.

• Now notice,  He came to fulfill the law.  And not one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, TILL ALL BE FULFILLED.  And He just told us He came to fulfill it.  And He did.
• One of the main sacrifices that He fulfilled was the Passover Lamb sacrifice.  Paul said;

1Co 5:7  Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:

 

 

 

 

 

The Hebrew writer says it like this:

Heb 9:7-28  But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:  (8)  The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing:  (9)  Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;  (10)  Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.  (11)  But Christ being come a high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;  (12)  Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.  (13)  For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:  (14)  How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?  (15)  And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.  (16)  For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.  (17)  For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.  (18)  Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood.  (19)  For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people,  (20)  Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.  (21)  Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry.  (22)  And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.  (23)  It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.  (24)  For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:  (25)  Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;  (26)  For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.  (27)  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:  (28)  So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

 

We will see at His death the curtain in the temple rent in to:  Mat 27:51  And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;

 

Fulfilling the laws demand for a blood sacrifice.  Hebrews explains this very well.

 

• When on the cross He said “it is finished,”  it was.  Paul says it best: 

Col 2:1-23  For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;  (2)  That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;  (3)  In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.  (4)  And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.  (5)  For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.  (6)  As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:  (7)  Rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.  (8)  Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.  (9)  For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.  (10)  And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:  (11)  In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:  (12)  Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.  (13)  And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;  (14)  Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; “it is finished.”  (15)  And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.  (16)  Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a holy day, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: ( these things were in the law ) (17)  Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.  (18)  Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshiping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,  (19)  And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.  (20)  Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,  (21)  (Touch not; taste not; handle not;  (22)  Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?  (23)  Which things have indeed a show of wisdom in will-worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honor to the satisfying of the flesh.

• We have found by our studying the Word of God that the Christian Jews, even after the birth of the church, was expected to continue to keep as much of the law as possible.
• But the gentiles, were never expected to keep the law that was given to the Jew.  At the first council meeting, Acts 15.   It was told there what was expected of the gentiles.

 

WE ARE COMPLETE IN HIM.