Open your Bibles if you would
to Matthew chapter 5. Matthew chapter 5. I have a close
friend in town here that always likes to call me on Saturday
night and wonders what I'm going to preach from. And he said,
well, being Thanksgiving this week, are you going to preach
on something about Thanksgiving? And I said, well, I always preach
on something. that brings thanksgiving to God's
people, because we preach Christ. And I said, yeah, I am gonna
preach on something that I believe will fill the believer with joy,
with great joy, great joy. The name of the message is Christ
came to fulfill the law. Christ came to fulfill the law.
This is of great importance. Christ came to fulfill the law.
Let's read Matthew chapter five. Verses 13 to 26, and this is
just for the context, the message will be in verses 17 to 20. Matthew 5, 13, he's finished
giving the Beatitudes and now in verse 13 he says to his disciples,
ye are the salt of the earth. But if the salt have lost its
savor, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good
for nothing but to be cast out and to be trodden under the foot
of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on
a hill cannot be hid. 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. Let your light so shine
before men that they may see your good works and glorify your
Father which is in heaven. Think not that I am come to destroy
the law or the prophets. I am not come to destroy, but
to fulfill. 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 it all be fulfilled. 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. 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. you have heard that it was said by them of old time
thou shall not kill and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger
of the judgment but I say unto you that whosoever see here the
Lord is now going to spiritualize the law look at this but I say
unto you that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause
shall be in danger of the judgment And whosoever shall say to his
brother Raka shall be in danger of the council, but whosoever
shall say thou fool shall be in danger of hellfire. Therefore,
if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest
that thy brother hath ought against thee, leave there thy gift before
the altar, and go thy way, first be reconciled to thy brother,
and then come and offer thy gift. Agree with thine adversary quickly,
whilst thou art in the way with him, lest at any time the adversary
deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the
officer, and thou be cast into prison. Verily I say unto thee,
thou shalt by no means come out thence till thou hast paid the
uttermost farthing. Now today we're going to look
at verses 17 to 20. I wanted to read that for us
to get the context of our verses. 17 to 20, we see our great savior,
God incarnated in the flesh, proclaim a wonderful truth, two
wonderful truth, well, multiples, but a wonderful truth, especially
in verse 17, especially in verse 17. Look what he says here. Think not that I am come to destroy
the law or the prophets. I am not come to destroy, but
to fulfill. What's brought forth here clearly
is the Lord shows us the unity of the Old Testament Scriptures
and the New Testament Scriptures. The unity. And this is very important because
this book is not two books, it's one. There's two Testaments, the Old
and the New, but it's one book, beloved. It's the Bible. God's Word. God's Word. In the Old Testament, what does
it do? It points to Christ, doesn't it? In types and shadows and
pictures, it points to Christ. Right to Christ. The saints in
the Old Testament, how were they saved? By faith, looking to Christ. Yeah. How are we saved in the
New Testament as New Testament saints? By looking to Christ,
by God-given faith. They received God-given faith
just like we did, beloved. They were born again by the same
Holy Spirit as we are, beloved. And they looked to the Lord Jesus
Christ. Who did they look to? The Messiah, the coming one. And we know from studying scripture
that that's Christ. That's Christ. So disregard those who falsely
say that the Old Testament doesn't matter. They say it doesn't matter,
it's not for Christians. And disregard any doctrinal system
that teaches you to disregard or ignore any part of the Holy
Scriptures. Disregard that. This is one book. And this book speaks of Christ.
It speaks of Christ. Some say, oh, the Old Testament,
it only applies to another age. It applies to the Jews. Well, I know for a fact that
this wonderful book is written to God's people. You do too,
right? It's written to God's people.
The Old Testament's written to us, and the New Testament's written
to us. Because it all points us to Christ.
It all points us to Him. It's written to God's people
through all the ages, and God's people hold firm to the Old Testament
and the New Testament, and to the unity of both testaments. One book, two testaments. In the Old Testament, someone's
coming, someone's coming. In the New Testament, He's come. He's come. He's died. He's risen. And He's coming again. He's coming
again. Turn if you would to Romans chapter
15. Just quick. Keep your finger though on Matthew
5 because we're going to be going back. Look what's written here
in Romans chapter 15. Romans chapter 15 verse 4. Actually, let's read verse 3
and 4. For even Christ, pleased not himself,
but it is written, it's written in the scriptures, the reproaches
of them that reproached thee fell on me. Now look at this
in verse 4. For whatsoever things were written aforetime, the Old
Testament. Alright. For whatsoever things were written
aforetime were written for our learning. Paul's right, the New Testament
saints. Those things were written for our learning, beloved. Old
Testament's written for us too. Oh yeah, for our learning. That
we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, because the
Scriptures bring us comfort, don't they? Because they point
to Christ. They point to Christ. Might have hope. Who's our hope
in? The same one that the Old Testament
saints hoped in. The Lord Jesus Christ. The Messiah. The Messiah. So those Old Testament
scriptures were written for our learning. The Word is written
for our learning, beloved. And what do they teach us of?
Christ. It's to unveil Christ, to reveal
Christ to us. My, it's wonderful. Let's go
back and read verses 17 to 20 together in Matthew chapter 5. Our Master, our Lord, God incarnate
in the flesh proclaims, think not that I am come to destroy
the law or the prophets. I am not come to destroy the
law, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till
heaven and earth pass, not one jot or one tittle shall in no
wise pass from the law till all be fulfilled. 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. 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. So we see very clearly here before
us in the text that the Lord Jesus Christ is setting before
us the reason of His coming. We know that He came to save
His people from their sins, don't we? But here's another reason
of His coming. Right here in the text, very
clearly. The reason of His coming into
this world to be the sinner's substitute Jehovah's Messiah
the sent one of God is to save his people from their sins and
also here we see Also, we see he came Not to destroy the law
of the prophets Not yeah, I I am NOT come to
destroy but to fulfill fulfill Listen to these words from our
Master in Luke 24, verse 44. These are the words which I spake
unto you while I was yet with you, that all things must be
fulfilled, which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets
and the Psalms concerning me. That's what he said to the two
on the road to Arimaeus. The Lord Jesus Christ came to
fulfill all the predictions of the prophets
about the Messiah, because He is the Messiah. He is the sent
one of God. And He came also to fulfill and
satisfy all the types of the ceremonial law, becoming the
great and only sacrifice for sin. Acts 10.43 says this, to Him
being Christ, gave all the prophets witness. They all spoke of Him. They all spoke of Him. That through
His name, whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission
of sins. Now look at that. Acts 10.43, that whosoever believeth
in Him shall receive remission of sins. Do you believe on Christ? If you believe on Christ, you've
received remission of sins, right? But if you haven't, you're still
dead in trespasses and sins. Outside of Christ. The scripture says this, for
Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust. The just. The perfect, sinless,
spotless Lamb of God. Suffering for who? The unjust,
the Scriptures declare in 1 Peter 3.18. That's every son and daughter
of Adam. The unjust. That He might bring us to God.
There's another reason why He came. Another reason why He left
the glories and splendor, that He might bring us to God, that
we might be reconciled to God. There's not one person on the
top side of this earth who's ever been born who can reconcile
themselves to God by anything they do, say, or think. That includes bowing your head
and repeating a prayer, or walking an aisle, or making a decision,
Thy people, the Scripture declares, shall be made willing in the
day of God's power. He makes us willing, and then
we run to Christ, we flee, we look to Him and we live. And salvation is of the Lord,
we know that from beginning to end, in everything in between,
isn't it? He is the Alpha and the Omega
of our salvation, beloved. He's the beginning and the end.
He's the author and He is the finisher of our salvation. And
the Lord again, blood-washed child of God, says, Glory to
His name! Praise His mighty name for what
He's done for us. What a Savior! For by one man's
disobedience, many were made sinners. When Adam fell, we all
fell in Him, beloved. Every one of us. We were in Adam. And that's going to be important
as we read and as we look through this study that Christ fulfilled
the law. Who did he do it for? Oh my. Oh my. For his people, beloved. For his people. For by one man's
disobedience, many were made sinners. So by the obedience
of one, that's the obedience of Christ, who fulfilled the
law of God, right? Many shall be made righteous.
The unjust are made just. That's a miracle of God. That's
a miracle of God. The Lord Jesus Christ is God
manifest in the flesh. The Word of God. And He lived
perfectly as our representative. Perfectly as our substitute,
beloved. And He died. He died as a substitute
for our sins. for the sins of all His people. And His justifying righteousness
is given to us. Paul wrote this to the Romans,
Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that
they might be saved. For I bear them record that they
have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they, being
ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish
their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto
the righteousness of God. Actually, let's turn there. Let's
turn. Romans 10. And it goes on to say, For Christ
is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believe it.
But we're going to read it again. Romans 10. Look at this. This is so
important, this portion of Scripture. Romans chapter 10, verse 1. Romans
chapter 10. In light of what we're looking
at today, this is so important. 1 to 4, chapter 10. Brethren. So
he's writing to God's born-again people. Brethren, my heart's
desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be
saved. So Paul, like every preacher, oh we desire that the Lord would
move and save His people. We rejoice when it happens. We
rejoice with joy unspeakable. For I bear them record that they
have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. Now he's speaking
of the nation of Israel here. Look at this. And this is true
of every natural man and woman on this earth. This is true of
religious lost people and people who are just lost. Look at this.
For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, You don't hear
much about God's righteousness anymore. You do, because we preach about
it here. We speak about it. But most churches,
you don't even hear about the righteousness of Christ. But
look what it says here. For they being ignorant of God's
righteousness, how He's holy and perfect, and going about
to establish what? Their own righteousness. Their
own righteousness. have not submitted themselves
unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is what? The E.N.D. Oh my! He's the end of it all! For righteousness. Look at that. That's good news. That's something
to be thankful for. That's something to give thanksgiving
to God for, isn't it? Yeah? For Christ is the end of
the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth. There
you go. To everyone that believeth. He
is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth. Do
you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ? Oh, I pray God to make
it so if you don't. I pray he make it so if you don't. In all things the Lord Jesus
Christ magnified and satisfied and honored the law of God for
us all its precepts and its penalties. Remember the wrath of God that
was justly due to fall upon us? Fell upon our Savior. Fell upon
our Savior. Oh, what a wonderful Savior is
the Lord Jesus Christ. Turn, if you would, to the book
of Isaiah. Isaiah. Chapter 42, Isaiah chapter 42. Isaiah chapter 42. Look at verse 21 here. Look at this,
this is magnificent. In light of the scripture that
we're looking at today. The Lord is well pleased for
His righteousness sake. He will magnify the law and make
it honorable. And He did. He did. Here's a threefold fulfilling
of the law by Christ. Christ proclaimed that He came
to fulfill the law. In his teaching, as we've seen
here in verse 17 of Matthew chapter five, he proclaimed that he came
to fulfill the law. He proclaimed that he came not
to destroy the law or the prophets, but that he came to fulfill the
law. And then number two, Christ fulfilled the law in his life
by his own personal unbroken obedience to it before God in
the place of his people. And then Christ fulfilled the
law also by his suffering and death before God in the place
of his people, a threefold fulfilling of the law by Christ. He came
to call sinners to repentance. He says, I'll have mercy and
not sacrifice. I'm not come to call the righteous.
I don't he didn't come to call those those who who thought they
were already good enough to make it to heaven. Oh, he says, I
didn't come to call the righteous. No, but sinners to repentance. Praise God for that verse, because
I'm a sinner saved by grace. Oh, is it so for you? My. He didn't come to call the righteous,
but sinners to repentance, that's good news. That's something to
be thankful for, and it is he came to save the lost for the
son of man has come to save that which was lost and we were lost. We were wandering around in the
world, weren't we? He found us. We didn't find Him. No, He found us. Remember Paul, he's
on his way to kill Christians. And the Lord arrested him in
his tracks, didn't He? Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou
me? He's persecuting Christians.
Christ is the head, we're the body. Oh my. Paul had a divine appointment
that day and he was never the same, was he? He's born again
by the Holy Spirit of God saved by the grace of God in Christ
and the one who wasted the church now preach Christ My that's a
miracle of grace beloved He came to give his life a ransom
the scripture declares even the Son of Man came not to be ministered
unto but to minister to give his life a ransom for many to
pay everything that God demanded and You see, God's law has a
rightful claim on you and I. It does. Every person on the
top side of this earth, God's law has a rightful claim on us. Oh, and it says, the soul that
sinneth it shall die. And the wages of sin is death,
isn't it? It is. Oh, my. But Christ came to fulfill
the law. to satisfy the law of God in
our place. We see that in the text we're
looking at today. He was sinless. He's spotless. This is good news for sinners. He came to give eternal life
to His sheep. The thief cometh not, but for
to steal and to kill and to destroy. I come that they might have life.
He came that those who are dead and trespasses and sins might
have life. Life. Life eternal. And that they might have it abundantly.
John chapter 10, verse 10. Our Lord came here to save his
people from their sins, to fulfill the law of God in our place,
and destroy the power of death and the power of the devil. Scripture
declares, for as much then as the children are partakers of
flesh and blood, and also himself likewise took part of the same,
that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death,
that is, the devil. He's the promised seed of the
woman, beloved. He's the promised seed of the
woman who would crush the serpent's head. He came, he was manifested
that he might destroy the works of the devil. Now let's look
at our text again, verse 17, look at this. Think not that
I am come to destroy the law or the prophets. I am not come
to destroy, but to fulfill. Now, just glancing over these
words, we know that. That this is speaking of Christ's
incarnation, isn't it? Look at this, think not that
I am come to destroy the law of the prophets, I am not come
to destroy, but to fulfill. It speaks of his incarnation.
And take note of the authority of which our king speaks, take
note of the authority of what he speaks. Now there may have been some
murmurings that Christ was taking up a position of antagonism to
Mosesim, which means the system of laws and the rituals established
by Moses, a devotion to the Mosaic laws, but, and this would explain
the words at the beginning and middle of this verse when he
says, think not that I am come to destroy the law of the prophets.
He didn't come to destroy the law of the prophets. And remember,
Christ knew the hearts and minds of everyone. He knew the hearts and minds
of those whom he was speaking to, and he knew the hearts and
minds of those who had been murmuring against him. He's God incarnate
in the flesh. And he'd known that some of them
had taken up prejudice in their minds against him. Therefore,
he says, think not. Look at that, think not. He knew
the objections that men were forming in their minds. He's
God. And he says, think not. Think not. He knew the objections that they
would be thinking against Him being the Messiah. He knew their minds, He knew
their thoughts, and therefore prevents them from saying these
things by saying, think not that I am come to destroy the law
or the prophets. And note the authority which
He speaks with. And the humility with the words, look at these
three words here, I am come. Look at that in the text. Think
not that I am come. Now, we were born into this world.
He came into this world, willingly. We had no choice about our birth,
did we? No. But he willingly came. He says, I am come. I am come. So we see a swift
transition from the first of this chapter with the beatitudes
to speaking of himself in the meaning of his work, in the meaning
of his work. in the fact that he is the Messiah,
the long expected one. He declares, I am come. He is the coming one. He's the one that all the prophets
and all the Old Testament saints look for. Look for his coming. And he came into this world willingly.
He left the glories and splendors of heaven and came to this world. He says, I'm come. Where'd he
come from? Heaven. Heaven. As I said, we're born into this
world. He came. He came. Willingly. He's the coming one. And he states
here before us with an absolute decisiveness the purpose of his
coming, beloved. He states it so clearly. He's
God incarnate in the flesh. And he knows the purpose of his
coming. He already knows that. I remember
somebody telling me one time, well, he learned why he came.
That's just, just stop. That's just wrong. He knew. He's God incarnated in the flesh. My, what people will come up
with sometimes. But he knew, he knew, he knew,
he knew. He knew the purpose of His coming.
He knew the work which was set before Him that He had to accomplish.
And we see here then that this opening declaration in verse
17, as one commentator said, is composed of blended humility
and majesty. Humility and majesty. I'm come. Humility in the fact that He
willingly came. He willingly came. He was sent by the Father, but
He willingly came, didn't He? He willingly came. He came to
lay down His life for His people. Oh my, He left heaven to come
into this world. Thus the words that our Redeemer
speaks here, Oh what great humility, I am come. I am come. And the declaration
I am come is also full of majesty. People have a wrong conception
of who God is. They think, well, God's my buddy.
No, he's not. No. God is holy. God is righteous. God's ways are not our ways. And the Scripture declares that
He is a sovereign, majestic King over all things. And these words of our Savior,
who is Emmanuel, God incarnated in the flesh. Oh, what majesty
they're also spoken of. I am come. I'm come. The majesty expressed in this
statement is clear because only God can satisfy His own law. Not one of us here can satisfy
one law of God. Not one. In thought, in word,
or in action. I remember one time talking to
a fellow and he said, Well, the scripture says we should love
the Lord God with all our heart, mind, and soul. He says, I got
the first two down, I just put my head down and went, oh my
gosh. No. We only do that in Christ. In Christ, we love God with all
our heart, mind, and soul, beloved. We can't do that, because we're
sinners. We who are the redeemed of the
Lord are saved sinners, aren't we? We love the Lord, yes, we
love Him. Yes, we love Him with our mind
and with our heart, don't we? But we're still sinners, aren't
we? We're still sinners. But Christ, He fulfilled the
law of God in that He loved God with all His heart, mind and
soul for us! For us, beloved. Oh my! So what majesty is here expressed
in this statement? Because only God can satisfy
His own law, and only God can satisfy His own justice. In the
Word of God, the majestic, sovereign Son of God comes not to destroy
the law of God, but to fulfill the law of God in the place of
His people. In the place of His people. See,
God's law is unbending, isn't it? Again, it says, the soul
that sinneth it must die. It's unbending. So Christ, the
sinless substitute, dies in our place. Our sins are imputed to
Him. The perfect, spotless Lamb of God dies in our place before
God's law and before His justice. And God is satisfied. Satisfied. So these words speak to the uniqueness
of His coming, beloved. The uniqueness also of His coming,
and it being His own act. I am come. These words speak
of it being His own act. I am come. This is an act of divine love,
isn't it? It's an act of divine love. It's an act of divine mercy. His love has been set upon His
bride for eternity. And He will redeem her with His
own precious blood. Therefore, He says, I am come. Oh, we have lots to be thankful
for, beloved of God. Turn, if you would, to Matthew
chapter 3. Matthew chapter 3. Matthew chapter 3. We'll read verses 13 to 17. Then cometh Jesus from Galilee
to Jordan unto John to be baptized of him. But John forbade him,
saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me. Now remember our Lord, he said
he came, think not that I am come to destroy the law, right,
but to fulfill the law. Look what he says to John here.
And Jesus answered and said unto him, suffer it that be so now,
for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. Oh, my. And then, let's read further
down. Then he suffered them. He baptized them. And Jesus,
when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the waters.
And, lo, the heavens were opened unto him. And he saw the Spirit
of God descending like a dove and light upon him. And, lo,
a voice from heaven saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I
am well pleased. Oh my, the sinless, spotless
Lamb of God has come to fulfill all righteousness in the place
of His people. That's why He said, that's why
He said these words. Suffer it now, suffer it to be
so now, for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. My. And God, we see, we see, look
in verse 17 too. This is my beloved Son in whom
I am well pleased. Well pleased. God, if God is pleased with Christ,
then He's pleased with those in Christ, isn't He? Oh my. And He's pleased with
those in Christ. And note the kingly style in
his words as he speaks with one that has authority. He begins
the beatitude as he teaches his disciples, bringing forth how
blessed his people are, how blessed his people are, and we know it's
in and through him, in him alone. And then note the kingly statement
in verse 12, he proclaims, rejoice, and let's go back to chapter
five. He proclaims in chapter five, verse 12, Rejoice and be exceedingly glad,
for great is your reward in heaven. For so persecuted they the prophets,
and the prophets spoke of him which were before you." Oh my. Only God incarnate in
the flesh can make a statement like this. Rejoice and be exceedingly
glad, for great is your reward in heaven. Only God incarnate
in the flesh can make a statement like that. He speaks and it's
done, isn't it? He speaks and it's done. He commands
and it stands fast. There's nothing else in the world
like Him. No one else in the world like
Him. And He speaks with authority. And He overlooks the whole world
as a sovereign King. And let us not forget that Christ
in us is the hope of glory. Christ in us is the hope of glory.
You know why believers are the salt of the earth? Because of
Christ in us. It's nothing we do. It's Christ
in us, beloved. The hope of glory. How do we know that? Well, because
in John 15 he says, without me you can do nothing. How are we
to be lights in the world without Christ? We can't. But in Christ we can be. Look at verse 17 again. He has
come. He who is the fountain of knowledge
and the source of all life, he proclaims in verse 17, think
not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets. I am
not come to destroy but to fulfill. And we see it's Christ and Christ
alone who fulfilled all the types and requirements of the law,
all the promises of God. What the prophets spoke of was
Him. And all the promises of God are
in Christ, yea and amen, in Him. He fulfilled all the Old Testament
prophecies, all the types of the ceremonial law, And all the
requirements of the moral law is our mediator and is our substitute. That's what He did, beloved.
In all things He magnified the law of God. We can never magnify
the law of God, not in one jot or tittle, can we? Because we're
sinners. But He who is the sinless one
magnified the law of God. Magnified the law of God. and
made it honorable by His obedience and death as our substitute.
So what comfort this brings to the heart of the believer in
Christ. Behold your Savior. Behold your Savior. Behold Him. The Son of God. It is He who
is our law surety. Right? Because He was in our
place. And it is He who is our law fulfiller. because He did
that in our place as well. He is the Lord our righteousness,
and as we saw over there in Romans, He is the end of the law for
righteousness to everyone that believe it. Now in no way do
God's people, in no way or in manner do God's people despise
or disregard His holy law, no. No, in fact, we rejoice that
Christ is the end of the law for righteousness for us, don't
we? We rejoice in that fact. We rejoice that we are free from
the penalty and the punishment of the law of God. We rejoice
in the fact that in Christ we are free from the law. Free from
the law. The scriptures plainly declare
that believers are not under the law. They are free from condemnation
before God. They are free from the curse
of the law. They are told by Paul, by inspiration of the Holy
Spirit of God, stand fast therefore, stand fast in the liberty, in
the freedom wherewith Christ had made you, made us free. And
be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Don't let people,
don't let people put chains of religion on you. Don't let them
do that. No, we're free in Christ. We who are the people of God.
Now the law of God is still in place. It's still in place. And in verse 18, look at verse
18, Matthew chapter 5, we see that not a cross, not a jot or
a tittle, not a cross of a T or a dot of an I shall be taken
from God's law. Look at this. 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. Its requirements
will always be the same, immediately fixed and never abated, by so
little as one jot or one tittle. Now for those of you who are
outside of Christ, you will be judged according to God's law. According to God's law. And you
will be weighed and found wanting. You will be weighed and found
wanting. If God leaves you dead and trespasses the sins, you
will be weighed and found wanting. You will be declared guilty before
the sovereign God of the universe and the judgment and wrath of
God will fall because the justice of God must be satisfied and
you will spend eternally in torment. For those in Christ, here's the
good news. For those in Christ, The wrath
and judgment that was due us, that was due us, rightfully,
we earned it, that was due us, fully fell upon our substitute. Fully fell upon him. In the law of God that we had
broken, He fulfilled in our place. In his precious blood. That was
shed at Calvary's cross. Paid the ransom price for our
redemption, beloved. Paid the ransom price for our
redemption. Because we know without the shed in the blood, there's
no remission of sin. And every born-again blood-washed
believer delights in God's holy law, as the law of God is the
measure, the only measure, of right and wrong. What does the
law of God do? Turn, if you would, to Galatians
chapter 3. What does the law of God do?
Look here in Galatians chapter 3. Galatians chapter 3. Verses 19 to 21. 19 to 21. Wherefore then serveth the law?
It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to
whom the promise was made, and it was ordained by angels in
the hand of a mediator. Now a mediator is not a mediator
of one, but God is one. Is the law then against the promises
of God? God forbid. For if there had
been a law given which could have given life, verily, righteousness
should have come by the law. But the Scriptures hath concluded,
all under sin. See, the law of God proclaims
everyone guilty before God in our natural state. Why? promised by faith of Jesus Christ
might be given to them that believe. Oh, praise God. Oh my. Let's go back to Matthew chapter
5. We'll read verses 19 and 20 together now. 19 and 20 together. Whosoever therefore shall break
one of the least of these least commandments and shall teach
men, so he shall We see here in verse 20 that our Savior brings
forth the necessity of a meritorious substitute. the necessity of Christ for sinners. The scribes and the Pharisees
were in their day the most highly respected and admired leaders
in all the world. People held them in awe. People
held them in awe. And we see that our Lord Jesus
says to his disciples, except your righteousness shall exceed
the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no
case enter into the kingdom of heaven. You see what our Master's
bringing forth here? He's bringing forth that it's
utterly impossible for any man or woman to gain favor with God
on the basis of their own personal righteousness. That's what he's
bringing forth. He's bringing it so clearly forth,
isn't he? Every child of Adam is born a
sinner. Every one of us in this room is born a sinner. There's never been a child of
Adam upon this earth, good enough or supposedly righteous enough
or supposedly holy enough to enter, to inherit or inhabit
the kingdom of heaven. And there never shall be. Because we're all born sinners,
we have no righteousness of our own before God. And we have no ability to produce
a righteousness that will satisfy God, the holy God of the universe. God will only accept the righteousness
of Christ. And we saw over there in Matthew
3 that God is pleased with no one else but His Son. This is
my son in whom I'm well pleased. Therefore, everybody in Christ,
he's pleased with. Why? Because he fulfilled the
law. He didn't come to destroy the
law. He came to fulfill it in our place. It's wonderful. It's
wonderful. It's wonderful news for sinners.
Absolutely wonderful news. He's the sinless one, the spotless
one. He says, I come. I am come to do this. Glorious! To do that which is
impossible with man, right? But it's possible with God. Oh
my! It's possible with God. And the
Lord Jesus Christ, by His obedience, to God as our representative,
as our substitute, by his sacrificial, by his substitutionary life,
and also by his sacrificial death as our substitute, he has established
and bought in everlasting righteousness for God's elect. For God's elect. And that's given to us. He's
made us righteous in God's eyes. He fulfilled all the law that
we could never fulfill. It's done. He cries, it is finished. He gives up the ghost and God
raises him from the grave for our justification, beloved. What
a glorious Savior. What a glorious Savior. Now this
is every believer's hope right there. That man, the Lord Jesus
Christ, the God man, God incarnate in the flesh, he's the believer's
hope. And thank the Father and thank the Lord Jesus that he
came, that he came and that he fulfilled all things for us. Glory to his name.