1. Jesus came to fulfill the law.

2. Don't relax on God's commands.

3. The kingdom of heaven is at stake.

“Jesus says our disposition must be right to its depths, not only our conscious motives but our unconscious motives. Now we are beyond our depth. Can God make me pure in heart? Blessed be the name of God, he can! Can he alter my disposition so that when circumstances reveal me to myself, I am amazed? He can. Can he impart his nature to me until it is identically the same as his own? He can. That, and nothing less, is the meaning of his cross and resurrection. (Studies in the Sermon on the Mount, Chambers, 19)

Sermon Discussion Questions

1. Does this passage seem difficult? Or do you see it as inspirational?

2. Why do you think Jesus put these 4 verses in his sermon? (How do they relate to the Beatitudes, being salt and light, and then the following words?)

3. What OT commandments have you thought of getting rid of? After looking at this passage, what do you think now?

4. How would you describe what it means that Jesus came to fulfill the law?

5. Does this passage lend itself to legalism? How do we stray away from that?

6. What is a command of God that you have relaxed on and need to obey?