Christ And The Commandments Series

Do you ever get distracted and end up not paying attention? I can’t imagine that ever happening during a sermon. A couple weeks ago I was in the drive-through at Taco Bell and placed my order. As I pulled up to the window, I handed the bubbly worker my debit card. With a smile, she rang me up, handed me my card back...and I proceeded to drive away.

Just before pulling onto 38th Street, I realized I didn’t wait for my food. I sheepishly looked in my rearview mirror, put my trusty Cobalt in reverse, and went back to the window.

As I pulled up, I could see all the employees laughing hysterically. With her hand over her mouth because she was guffawing, the young woman handed me my food. I asked her if they were all laughing at my expense. With her eyes filling with tears, she said, “Yes, that was really funny.”

I was reminded of Proverbs 17:22 which says, “A happy heart is good medicine.” I’m glad I could do my part in spreading happiness and good health in our world.

As we wrap up our series on the 10 Commandments, it’s my hope none of us get distracted and lose focus because God has a good meal for us today.

Let’s review the summary statements we’ve been using.

1. One God

2. No idols

3. Revere His Name

4. Remember to Rest

5. Honor Parents

6. No murder

7. No adultery

8. No stealing

9. No lying

10. No coveting

Here’s how we summarized the tenth commandment last weekend: The key to not coveting what others have is to be content with what you already have. Our focus today is on how Christ considered the commandments. Here’s our main idea: Because Jesus fulfilled the commandments, we must put our faith in Him and follow His commands.

I see six ways Jesus interacted with the commandments.

1. Jesus completely fulfilled all the commandments. Matthew 5:17: “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.” The word “abolish” can be translated as “dissolve or destroy.” Instead of abolishing the commandments, Jesus “fulfilled” them, which means, “to accomplish.” Galatians 4:4 says Jesus was “born under the law” and Matthew 3:15 declares He “fulfilled all righteousness.” 1 Peter 2:22 goes a step further and says, “He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in His mouth.”

Philip Ryken adds, “We are not capable of keeping even a single commandment with perfect integrity. But Jesus kept them all, down to the last detail, and He did it on our behalf. If we are joined to Him by faith, then God regards us as if we had kept the whole law perfectly. For Christ was crucified ‘in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fulfilled in us.’ (Romans 8:4a).”

2. Jesus deepened the commandments by applying them to the heart. In Matthew 5:21-22, Jesus shocked self-righteous people who believed they were living moral lives: “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment...”

Drop down to verses 27-28: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

Because Jesus fulfilled the commandments, we must put our faith in Him and follow His commands.

3. Jesus distilled all the commands into two. One day an expert in God’s laws, came up to Jesus, and tried to trick Him by asking this question in Matthew 22:36: “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” Listen to His stunning answer in verses 37-40: “And He said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.’” We’ve pointed out the first four commandments represent love for God, while the final six call us to love our neighbors.

Galatians 5:14 says, “For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” Chris Bruno writes, “Everything else that God asks of His people is impossible if they do not love God with everything and love their neighbors as themselves.”

4. Jesus paid the penalty we deserve for breaking the commands. One of the purposes of God’s Commands is to show how short we fall of His holy standards. We miss the mark of His perfection. If you claim to keep all the commandments, then you’re breaking the 9th Commandment about lying!