Matthew
Introduction: Jesus has begun to explain His attitude and
thinking toward the Law. He had not come
to destroy it, but to fulfill it, verses 17-19.
Now He explains that the Law is not the way to enter the kingdom of
heaven, verse 20.
I. The kind of righteousness had by the
scribes and Pharisees.
A. Theirs was a righteousness by the Law.
1.
They were strict followers of the Law, at least
they thought they were.
(They actually broke the Law in
many ways).
2.
They were strict to follow the letter of the Law.
a. Wherein the Law said, “thou shalt not
bow down to any graven image,” they did not
bow
to any image.
b. Wherein the Law said, “thou shalt not
kill,” they did not murder.
c. Where it said, “thou shalt not steal,”
they did not.
d. Wherein the Law said, “tithe,” they tithed.
e. They kept the Sabbaths and observed
the holy days.
f. Men performed all the required
ceremonies.
3. They
were strict to follow the interpretations of the Law.
a. They fasted. (Often)
b. They prayed. (Often and long)
c. They sang the great hymns. (Beatitudes)
B. They were the
most righteous of the righteous.
1.
2. The
scribes and Pharisees were the most righteous of the nation.
3. Thus
they were the best of the best.
II. The failure of the scribes
and Pharisees.
A. Jesus said that
the scribes and Pharisees failed. (Except
one have a righteousness that exceeds of the
scribes and
Pharisees he cannot enter the Kingdom of heaven).
B. They had an
outward righteousness, but not an inward one.
1.
They had a show of righteousness, but not a genuine righteousness.
2.
Theirs was before men, but not before God.
C. They were
nothing more than hypocrites, Matthew 23:25-27.
D. They were like
III. People trying to go to
heaven with righteousness like the Pharisees.
A. They hope to go
by their own deeds of righteousness.
(Join
the church, get baptized, eat the Supper, give tithes, give to poor, sing hymns,
do church
work, live morally
clean, be honest, have good reputation.
B. They may be as
good as the scribes and Pharisees, but they are not good enough.
C. They can never
be good enough by their own effort.
IV. The kind of righteousness
required and how to get it.
A. It will take
perfect righteousness. (100%)
B. Jesus fulfilled the Law; He kept it 100%.
C. You can get it
like I got the money to buy a new car.
1.
Picked out a new car to buy, but I did not have the money.
2. I asked
the banker and he took his money and added it to my account.
(Legally it became my money).
3. If
you will trust Jesus to save you, He will take his righteousness and credit it
to your account.
(It will legally become your righteousness
and you will have 100% righteousness).
Conclusion: 1. You must first recognize that you do not have it and that
you could never have it on your own.
2. You must ask Jesus to save.
3. You must trust Jesus to save.
Preached at