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MATTHEW 5: 21

"YE HAVE HEARD...BUT I SAY"

I. JESUS AND THE LAW.
        A. Must never think of' Him in conflict with law.
                1. "I came not to destroy, but to fulfill."
        B. In conflict with the way the scribes and Pharisees were interpreting the law to the
           people.
                1. Law written in Hebrew.
                2. People could not read Hebrew.
                3. Depended on scribes to tell them.
                4. Today people do much the same and throw Greek at you "In the original
                   Greek..."
        C. Scribes and Pharisees were interpreting law to them.
                1. This is what God said, but this is what God meant.

II. BASIC FLAW WITH THEIR INTERPRETATION.
        A. Emphasized outward observance.
                1. Obedience was physical thing only.
                2. Pushed letter of law.
        B. Effect of their interpretation.
                1. They were able to keep the Iaw, and claim obedience to it.
                2. They became smug and self-righteous.
                3. The purpose of the law thwarted.
                        a. "To make whole world guilty before God." (Rom.3:19..
                        b. "To give knowledge of sin." (Rom, 3:20).
                4. Resting in false righteousness.
                        a. "Law made nothing perfect." (Heb. 7:19..
(Gal, 2:21. b. "If righteousness came by the law, then Christ died in vain." 
                5. They weren't being driven to God by despair.
                        a. "Law a school master to drive us to Christ." (Gal. 3:24..
                        b. They felt righteous not sinful.
                        c. They failed to attain the righteousness. (Rom. 9:30).

III. "BUT I SAY UNTO YOU"  THIS IS WHAT WAS MEANT BY GOD WHEN HE GAVE LAW.
        A. It is spirit of the law that matters most.
                1. Spirit of law often violated when letter kept.
                        a. Example of law of murder.
                        b. Have you hated, said inflammatory things, have you been angry?
                        c. Law of adultery.
                        d. Have you desired, thought about it?
        B. Obedience to law should never be thought of in terms of actions only.
                1. The thoughts or attitudes that lead to the actions to be judged.
        C. The law must not be considered in terms of negatives. 
                1. Not doing evil is not enough.
                2. God demands positive actions of good.
                        a. Love your enemies, bless those who curse you.
                3. True righteousness not demonstrated by refraining to do evil things.
                        a. I don't drink, dance, attend theater, smoke.
        D. Law meant to bring you to full relationship with God.
                1. At end of day I don't sit down in self-righteousness and say, "Well I 
                   didn't kill anyone today."
                2. The real question, has God been supreme in your life today?
                        a. Has Christ been magnified through you?
                        b. Have you exemplified Him in your actions and attitudes. 
        E. Effect of His true interpretation.
                1. I am driven to God.