Matthew 5:17 – 20 (NLT)

17 “Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose.

18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved.

19 So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.

20 “But I warn you—unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!

Matthew 5:20 (KJV) 20 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.

• Galatians 3:6 (ESV) 6just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”?

Our righteousness must:

1. come from what God does in us, not what we can do by ourselves
2. be God-centered, not self-centered
3. go beyond keeping the law to loving God who gave the law.

Jesus was speaking about the attitude of the heart, the righteousness found on the inside when God works in a person. The purpose of the law was not to show what to do in order to make oneself acceptable, but to show how utterly sinful and helpless all men are in themselves.

• Real Righteousness

Jesus was saying that his listeners needed a different kind of righteousness altogether (love and obedience), not just a more intense version of the Pharisees’ righteousness (legal compliance).

Summary of Pastor Will’s Sermon

Pastor Will begins his sermon by discussing Matthew 5:20, where Jesus warns that unless one’s righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, they cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. He uses this as a starting point to explore the concept of true righteousness.

Key Points:

1. Pharisees’ Superficial Righteousness: He explains that while the Pharisees appeared righteous outwardly (fasting, giving to the poor, attending church), they had internal problems.
2. Understanding vs. Memorization: Using a math problem analogy, Pastor Will illustrates that the Pharisees had memorized the “answer” (righteous behavior) without understanding the process (true righteousness).
3. Rules vs. Heart: He emphasizes that Jesus was looking for people who understood how to arrive at righteousness, not just those who could perform righteous acts.
4. Music Analogy: Pastor Will shares a personal story about learning piano, comparing memorizing songs to the Pharisees’ approach to righteousness, and learning to read music to truly understanding God’s laws.
5. Three Components of the Law: He explains that the law consisted of civil, ceremonial, and moral components.
6. Purpose of the Law: He states that the law was meant to show people their need for Jesus, not as a means to achieve righteousness on their own.
7. Love-based Relationship: Pastor Will emphasizes that God always intended for the relationship with Him to be based on love, not rules and regulations.
8. Vertical and Horizontal Righteousness: Using a right angle diagram, he illustrates that true righteousness involves both loving God (vertical) and loving others (horizontal).

Conclusion

Pastor Will concludes by stressing that one cannot RIGHTLY claim to love God without also loving and treating others well. He emphasizes that God’s goodness should be reflected in how we treat one another.