The Book of Matthew • Matthew 5:17-20

February 8th, 2026 • "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night." – Psalm 1:1-2

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Creators and Guests

Host

Beau Bradberry

Senior Pastor

What is Willow Ridge Sermons?

Sermon audio from Sunday services at Willow Ridge Church.

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So there's a couple of glitches that we're working through, but we do have our men's ministry has got a lot of things going on.

There's a lot of parts and opportunities for you engaging that. We want to encourage you to.

But I would like to encourage you, if you have your Bible, and I hope that you do, to join me in Matthew chapter 5.

A couple things really quick. If you're a first-time guest, there's a lot of you.

If you're a first-time guest, my wife and I will be back at the back here at our Connect table.

We would love for you to stop by there for one moment so that we could greet you and we could thank you for being here.

And then also, if you don't have a Bible, if you don't have a copy of God's Word, there's some free ones back there.

And so we want to encourage you to go back and to stop and to get one of those.

Now, as that song says, I got a long way to go and a short time to get there.

But praise God, it's not because of announcements, right? It's because of baptisms.

So I want to read for you. We will be in Matthew 5 today, but I want to read to you out of Psalm 1, verses 1 and 2.

It says,

Would you join me in prayer?

But his delight, his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.

Would you join me in prayer?

God, I thank you so much for this time that we could be here and that we could gather together.

Lord, as alive as your Word is, Lord, would it speak to us?

Would you work through the power of your Holy Spirit to draw us to you for your name and your glory?

And it's in Jesus' name we pray.

Amen.

Amen.

I want to ask you a couple questions as we get into, we're going to look at verses 17 through 20 here in just a moment.

But I want to ask you a question, each of us, different backgrounds, different reasons, different upbringing, different spiritual experiences, right?

Like there's a lot of similar in the stories that are here, but also a lot of differences that are here.

But I want to ask you to think within you of who you are as a person.

Number one, what does God's Word mean to you?

What does God's Word mean to you?

Is it authoritative?

Are you dependent on it?

Are you thirsty for it?

And then in a very similar mindset, what value, what value do you place on God's Word?

As followers of Jesus Christ, what we hold to and cling to is a great depth of value that this book is not just a book for us.

It's a precious letter written by God, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, the God, our means of salvation, our God, our perfecter of our salvation, our author of our salvation.

That this is God's letter, this is God's story to you and to I, where He tells us not simply moral stories, but His plan of redemption through the person of Jesus Christ.

We hold to this value as believers, or at least we should.

We should.

Jesus, as He's teaching on the Sermon on the Mount, as we're beginning to work our way through Matthew,

He comes as He's going to transition to a different part of His teaching,

and He does so, Jesus is going to share His view of Scripture, His view of the importance of and the value of God's Word.

So would you join me?

We'll read all the way through, 17 through 20.

Jesus speaks these words.

For do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.

I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them.

For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota or dot will pass from the law until all is accomplished.

Therefore, whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven.

For whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and the Pharisees,

you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Like I said, I've got a long way to go and a short time to get there.

In true transparency about this passage of Scripture,

each verse of the four verses are so packed with the truth of God.

We could take a week on each one of them.

But for the sake of today, as we continue to set the setting of what Jesus will say,

we're going to push them together as we seek to understand what Christ is telling us.

If you're curious, what do I believe or what should we believe about the Bible,

I want to explain to you some theological phrases that we use

and why we hold to these concerning the fullness and the truth of God's word.

Number one, we believe that the Bible is inspired.

And by inspired, we mean that this book has been breathed out by God.

It is God's very word.

And it was given to men to record, and they did so.

We believe that the Bible is inerrant.

There may be struggles with translations.

There may be confusion that comes from that.

But we believe that the Bible in its fullness is free from error.

We believe that the Bible is infallible.

God has done or will do all that is in God's word, all that it says, all that it promises concerning all things.

We believe that God's word is authoritative, that God gives us commands.

God calls us to obey.

And we do so as the power of His Spirit enables us.

We believe that the Bible is applicable, whether in the day of Moses, the day of Paul, the day of Augustine, the day of Martin Luther, or today.

Whether in India, Russia, Iran, England, Guatemala, or the United States, God's word can be applied to our everyday life.

When we believe that God's word is sufficient, that everything that you and I need to know concerning salvation and growth in our salvation and obedience to God can be found in God's word.

Now, when we look at God's word, and we look at specifically who we are reading from in the words of Christ in the Sermon on the Mount,

I want to begin to create a little bit of tension in your life.

That your theology of the living word being Jesus,

so what you believe about Jesus and the written word, the Bible, need to go hand in hand.

What do I mean by that?

Well, Jesus is God.

And the Bible is the word of God.

They go hand in hand.

Jesus is sinless.

And the Bible is free of error.

They go hand in hand.

Jesus did and will do what He has said.

And God will fulfill all that is in His word.

They go hand in hand.

That Jesus isn't just the Savior.

That Jesus also is the Lord.

The King that Matthew has been describing to us.

And as the King is authoritative, so is God's word.

They go hand in hand.

Jesus speaks truth into real life, everyday circumstances.

And the Bible carries with it the same level of daily application.

They go hand in hand.

Jesus Christ is the only means of salvation.

He is the way, the truth, and the life.

And the Bible teaches us all that we need for salvation.

So when we look at the Sermon on the Mount, as we have over the last several weeks, we see that Jesus has this group that has come to Him.

Some are followers.

Some are followers.

Some are not.

Some are curious.

Some have just been invited.

Maybe that describes the group that we have here today.

And Jesus, so far, in Matthew 5, has done something as He looks out over this oppressed, beaten, tired group.

And He defines for them what it means to be blessed.

And then He challenges them, those that are His followers, to go and impact the world for God.

He says, be the salt of the earth.

Live a life that points people to Jesus and carries with it the evidence and the fruit, the taste of the gospel.

He says to be the light of the world, to be that not just who lives, but who shines light in the darkest places, to share the message of the gospel.

All with a goal in mind.

The goal in Matthew 5, 16, in the same way, let your light shine before others so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

It's the actions of every individual who came forth.

It's not what they have done.

It's what Christ has done.

And so we applauded, not their bravery, but the goodness of God.

But Jesus is going to do something.

We'll begin next week and see this.

That is huge.

Jesus is going to do something that is controversial.

Jesus is going to do something that's going to cause the religious elitists of the day to say,

do you believe what He just said?

Jesus is going to go forth in a group of statements, and He's going to begin each of them by saying,

you have heard that it was said to those of old, you shall not murder, and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.

Jesus quotes the Old Testament.

Jesus speaks to the law.

Now remember, this is the New Testament we're looking at.

It hasn't been written.

It's being lived.

So He speaks to their scripture.

And then Jesus will say, after each one of these, I believe, six statements,

but I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment.

You've heard it said you should not commit adultery,

but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful interest has already committed adultery in his heart.

You have heard that it is said to those of old,

you shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what is sworn.

But I say to you, do not take an oath at all.

Jesus is going to establish Himself in light of scripture,

in the fullness of what scripture is doing and pointing to.

And that's what we see found here in Matthew 5, 17 through 20.

Oh, the fullness of what Jesus is saying.

As He will build on the truth of what is in God's word,

not by the ways of the world, but by who Christ is.

So Jesus is going to point us to four things that we can take today

and apply for the truth of God's word in our life.

All right?

Number one, number one, God's word is necessary.

God's word is necessary.

Look back with me at verse 17.

Do not think that I've come to abolish the law or the prophets.

I've not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them.

Jesus says, listen, I don't come to destroy God's word,

but instead I come to fulfill it.

You see, the fullness of scripture is not found in a moralistic reading.

The truth of scripture finds their fulfillment, their goal, their purpose

in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ.

That when we read scripture, what we find is scripture is pointing us not to something,

but all of scripture in the fullness of it is pointing us to someone being Jesus.

And so he stands before these people.

He says, I'm not here to destroy it.

I'm here to fulfill it.

And so he fulfills the law by his complete and perfect obedience.

He fulfills the prophecies, each detail spoken about who he is by living his life.

He fulfills the sacrificial system that is laid out for Israel to follow

by himself becoming the sacrificial lamb and his death on the cross.

Jesus will say in John chapter 5, verse 39,

you search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life.

And it is they that bear witness, Jesus says, about me.

That all the scriptures point to him.

You see, the scriptures are necessary because the scriptures tell us who Jesus is.

All of them.

So let's look at the Old Testament.

Right, Bo?

Well, Jesus isn't born until the New Testament, right?

This is how this happens, but we believe in the eternal nature of Christ.

The divinity of Christ.

And God is not calling us to a moralistic reading of scripture.

He's inviting us to understand and know fully who God is.

So three stories.

While Joseph in the Old Testament be applied to how you and I are called to live and to forgive others,

even in our innocence,

it points to how Jesus is perfect and completely innocent.

And he is the one who can and serve a sentence that he did not deserve and forgive those who placed him under that sentence.

We see the story of God.

We see the story of David.

We see specifically the story of David and Goliath.

And how we can apply the truth of that story is how you and I can overcome fears by trusting God.

And we can.

We can.

We can overcome the matters before us in obedience of living and following him.

How afraid you are to witness will do it in the power of Christ.

How afraid you are to worship will do it in the power of Christ.

There's a greater story.

And the story is pointing to Jesus about how Jesus came to defeat the giant.

The one giant that we can't kill.

The one giant that we can't slay.

That Jesus came and he slayed the giant of sin.

And only that can be done by God.

We see Moses.

And Moses can be a plot in our life of what it looks like to lead a group of rebellious people

and to remind them over and over and over again of God's faithfulness.

But we see Jesus as a greater Moses.

Who came to set a people enslaved by sin.

And only that can happen by God.

You see, we need scripture because scripture points us to we need Jesus.

He came to fulfill.

Number two.

Number two.

We see that God's word is perfect.

God's word is perfect.

For truly I say to you, verse 18, for truly I say to you until heaven and earth pass away,

not an iota, not a dot will pass from the law until all is accomplished.

God's word is true.

Jesus questioned the skeptical theology of the day.

Jesus was quick.

We'll see this to point out from the Pharisees and the Sadducees and the scribes their misinterpretation of the theology of God's word.

But Jesus never, not one time, questioned the historical accuracy of the Bible.

In fact, over the course of history, there are four biblical stories that have been questioned more than others to if they are historically true.

And creation with Adam and Eve, the flood with Noah, Sodom and Gomorrah, and Jonah.

And people say, well, I'm not sure that really happened.

Well, here's what we believe about the perfection of God's word and the perfection of Christ and the perfection of Christ's teaching.

Jesus referenced all four of these, not as an illustration of a story to tell, but the historical accuracy.

You see, to believe in the perfection of Christ is to believe in the perfection of God's word.

C.S. Lewis said it best, that Jesus is either a liar, a lunatic, or Lord.

You can't cling to the perfection of Christ and believe that God's word is less than.

He is Lord and His word is perfect.

The third, God's word must be obeyed and taught.

God's word must be obeyed and taught.

Verse 19, therefore, whoever relaxes one of these commandments,

or I'm sorry, let me start all the way over.

Therefore, whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments

and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven.

But whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

God's word is to be obeyed and taught.

In the relationship with Christ, Jesus says, if you love me, you will keep my commandments.

John 14, 15.

It's very important that Jesus does not say, if you keep my commandments, you will love me.

Jesus doesn't start from the external and work inward to the internal.

Your love for Christ will not come out of obedience to the law.

But your love for Christ should stir within you through the power of the Holy Spirit,

the obedience who comes from the one who you profess.

If you love me, if you love me, you will keep my commandments.

God's word must be the instruction of our life and the means of our ministry.

It's why when we gather here, whether it be a small group,

it's why we gather when it's a men's group or a women's group,

when we gather in a discipleship study,

when we gather in kids' ministry,

when we gather in student ministry,

when we gather in young adult,

when we gather in adult,

when we gather in senior ministry,

when we gather in worship today,

it's why these aren't the thoughts of Bo or the thoughts of Joel

or the thoughts of Dave,

the thoughts of Don,

the thoughts of you.

It's the truth of God's word.

And we're to obey.

And when we fall short,

we cling to the grace of what God gives us.

And then lastly,

lastly,

God's word is internal and eternal.

Verse 20.

For I tell you,

unless your righteousness

exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees,

you will never

enter

the kingdom

of heaven.

Now let me tell you,

this would have been striking words

for those in the audience.

A righteousness

greater than the scribes,

a righteousness

greater than the Pharisees,

the admired religious rulers of the day.

I don't know if you think

that you're a rule follower in life.

I'm married a rule follower in life.

And by nature,

I'm not a rule follower in life.

And God's working in me every day.

Let me tell you about these rule followers.

They followed 248 regulations.

They followed 365 prohibitions.

You think you've got a lot to worry about?

Imagine these guys.

And they,

in their own works,

were considered

the elite.

But Jesus says,

but there's a problem.

There's a problem that is going to happen within them.

And that what is taking place

is on the surface.

And it's not

impacted

to the heart.

Jesus is going to say,

you've heard it

said,

do this.

And then Jesus will build on that.

And say,

but it's going to begin

with

your

heart.

I'd like to call the band

up on stage

as we prepare

to go back into worship.

R.T. France

said this about

verse 20

in Jesus' words.

He said,

Jesus is not talking about

beating the scribes

and Pharisees

at their own game.

He's not talking

about being a better

rule follower.

But about a different

level

or concept

of righteousness

altogether.

And through the

testimony of Christ,

He will speak

of the

imparted righteousness

that comes

from Him

and that

penetrates

to the very

fabric

and being

not just

of what you do,

but of who

you are.

You see,

we say

and it's

true,

Jesus died

for your sin.

That's true.

That is so true.

And if you're here

today

and you've never

professed

Jesus Christ

as Lord and Savior,

let me tell you what.

every sin,

every fault,

every failure,

every sinful word,

every sinful action,

every sinful motive,

every sinful thought.

Jesus came

and He died

and He died

so that you

would be forgiven.

The Apostle Paul

talks about it

in his life.

The Apostle Paul

being the chief sinner

in what it looks like

in the forgiveness

of Christ.

And isn't that great?

That I don't care

how bad you are,

you can come

and lay it down

and Jesus forgives you.

That's part

of the story, folks.

That's not the fullness

of the gospel.

You see,

when you bring

Jesus your sin,

He gives you

something in return.

He gives you

something in your

spiritual standing

that He imparts

His righteousness

to you.

You see,

in your standing

before God,

you are not

holy and acceptable

because of the things

that you've done.

That in your standing

before God,

you are holy

and acceptable

because of what

Jesus has done.

In the fullness

of the truth

of this word

that He came

to fulfill.

So that in Christ

and in Christ alone,

when God sees you,

He does not see

your shortcomings

and your failures,

but He sees

the blood

of Jesus.

We prayed for you

this morning.

We prayed for each

and every one of you.

And it is our prayer

whether this is

your first time

or your thousandth time.

If you believe

that you can stand

in your own works

before God

and be found

acceptable,

you've believed a lie.

but if you come

today

professing Christ

as Lord and Savior,

laying down

your sin

and receiving

His righteousness,

then,

then,

you will have

a righteousness

that exceeds

that

of the scribes

and the Pharisees.

In just a moment,

we'll stand,

we'll sing

one last song

and then I'll come back

on the stage

and we'll partake

in the Lord's Supper

together.

We'll take

of the bread

that represents

the body of Christ.

The body of Christ

that took on

the punishment

that you and I

deserve.

Took on the fullness

of the wrath of God.

We will thank

that Christ did this

on our behalf.

And then we will

partake of the cup,

the new covenant

in Christ.

Our faith

and hope

placed in Him

and through His blood

we've been washed

and made clean.

If you're here today

and want someone

to pray with you,

there will be prayer

encouragers

on either side

of our auditorium.

All we ask

that you do

is respond

as the Spirit

of God

leads you today.

Would you pray

with me?

Lord,

we thank you so much

for who you are,

God,

and what you've done.

God,

may we respond

to you

as you call

and as you lead

for your glory

and your name.

It's in Jesus' name

we pray.

Amen.

That's it

for this week's message.

Be sure to check back

next week

for a new episode.

And in the meantime,

you can visit us online

at willowridgechurch.org

or by searching

for Willow Ridge Church

on Facebook,

Instagram,

and YouTube.

Thanks again

for listening.

and I'll see you next week.