Jesus Completing the Scriptures

Introduction

In Samuel 15 you read the encounter with King Saul in which God instructed Him to strike Amalek, put Him to death, women, children and even the animals.
But you read that Saul kept Agag alive and kept the best sheep, and oxen. God sent Samuel to confront Saul.
Saul’s excuse, for disobeying God was that the people took the spoil and planned to sacrifice them to Yahweh.
We see how in his thinking Saul tried to lower God’s standards to align with his supposed good intentions.
Like Saul you and I can be tempted to lower God’s standards to make ourselves feel comfortable with our disobedience.

God’s word to Saul. – 1 Samuel 15:22–23 LSB
One of the most insidious aspects of the your own human heart is the tendency for it to reduce God’s perfect standards to your own self-made standards.

Proverbs 21:2 LSB
You want God’s blessings.
But you water down what God expects of you.
You want His favor, you excuse sin.
Our passage this morning operates into that condition of the heart, that drops God’s standards for human standards both in salvation and sanctification.
Both in how you’re saved as well as your walk.
Some background information.

Historical Background

Jesus had predicted. – Matthew 5:17 LSB
In Matthew 5:21-48 Jesus take six important Old Testament Scriptural commands and fulfills / completes them.
He does so by revealing that keeping God’s commands are more than simply keeping the outward actions but also includes obedience in the heart.

The six commands Jesus elaborates on include the areas of:

1. Murder vs 21-26
2. Adultery vs 27-30
3. Divorce vs 31-32
4. Making false vows vs 33-37
5. Vengeance vs 38-42
6. Hating your enemies- vs 43-48

These commands were sandwiched with Matthew 5:20 and Matthew 5:48 revealing that to even enter God’s kingdom your righteousness should be far superior to the scribes and Pharisees. It should be perfect.
Jesus was completed his disciples lack of understanding the depth of the righteous standards God required with regard to the command about murder.

We will look at the other five examples in future sermons.

Passage

Matthew 5:21–26 LSB

Proposition

3 ways Jesus completes the Scriptures so that you see the value of the gospel.
1. The Command vs 21
2. The Center vs 22
3. The Conflict vs 23-26