Sermons on Matthew 5:20:

The Greater Righteousness - Matthew 5:20-21 Series

Contributed by Darrell Ferguson on Aug 3, 2024

How can Jesus say anger is equivalent to murder? Killing a human being has such greater consequences and is so much more extreme. This message will show how the two sins have the same DNA and will expose how even our best efforts to obey God’s Word can degenerate into legalism.

Matthew 5:19-26 Anyone who breaks 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 practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:20-21

More Righteous Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Aug 16, 2024

Why would Jesus seemingly praise the Pharisees saying our righteousness should exceed theirs? Why would I need to compare my righteousness to that of men that Jesus despised?

A man was telling about being a student at the University of Southern California, and he and his friends worked hard to earn their PhDs, because they wanted to be would allowed to hold the coveted title of “doctor”. Then, one day one of their professors told about a friend of his who’d called his ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:20-48

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Be Ye Separate

Contributed by Phillip Smith on May 4, 2024

Christians are to be readily recognizable. They are to be seperate from worldly persons. However, it is most difficult to identify one in a crowd in the modern world. Why?

In western culture and its influence upon all the rest of mankind, depicting Christians from the rest of the world is most difficult today. The only differences we see come from diverse groups who outwardly show differences in their dress and chosen culture. Outward differences among all others are ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:13-16, 1 Peter 1:15-16, Matthew 5:20, 2 Corinthians 6:15-18, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-12, Colossians 4:6  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Anger And Reconciliation.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Jun 6, 2024

The universal law against murder.

ANGER AND RECONCILIATION. Matthew 5:20-26. MATTHEW 5:20. The disciples were warned that if their righteousness does not exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees, then they will not enter into the kingdom of heaven! This is emphatic. Mere outward conformity will never suffice (cf. 1 Samuel ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:20-26

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Whitewashed Tombs And Exposing The Hypocrisy . Series

Contributed by Shaila Touchton on Dec 15, 2024

Hypocrisy is a pervasive problem that can affect anyone....

In Matthew 23:27, Jesus pronounces a scathing indictment against the scribes and Pharisees, saying, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men's bones and all ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:20, Matthew 23:27

Fulfilling The Law

Contributed by Delray Lentz on Dec 17, 2024

The Great Chicago Fire

Around 8:30 pm on October 8th 1871, a fire broke out in a small barn in Chicago. Within a few hours it became one of the most devastating fires in American history. Over 2.5 square miles were totally destroyed. 17,000 structures Around 300 lives lost 1000,000 left homeless, which at the time, was ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:17-20

Living The Kingdom Life Series

Contributed by Dean Courtier on Jan 10, 2025

The Sermon on the Mount, found in Matthew chapters 5 to 7, reveals the heart of kingdom living. Jesus calls us to live differently — to embrace values that are countercultural, radical, and life-giving.

Living the Kingdom Life Introduction Today, we are diving into one of the most profound and transformative teachings of Jesus: The Sermon on the Mount. Found in Matthew chapters 5 to 7, this sermon reveals the heart of kingdom living. As we explore this message, we will see how Jesus calls us to ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:3-12, Matthew 5:13-16, Matthew 5:17-20, Matthew 6:25-34, Matthew 7:24-27, Psalm 34:18, Colossians 4:6, Ezekiel 36:26-27, Philippians 4:6-7, James 1:22  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Pentecostal

We Are Not Minimalists Series

Contributed by Allan Quak on Feb 17, 2025

Jesus gives six examples to demonstrate how a “righteousness that surpasses the Pharisees and teachers of the law” is a righteousness that avoids minimalism.

You can listen to this sermon at https://npbc.org.au/podcasts/media Matthew 5:17-48 “We Are Not Minimalists” There is a group of people in the Bible known as the Pharisees. If you have been a Christian for a while you would know that Jesus didn’t have a lot of good things to say about the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:17-48

Denomination: Baptist

Old Testament Law To New Testament Love

Contributed by Jeremy Long on Mar 3, 2025

A brief walk through the scripture to prove God's Law ultimately showed us God's Love.

Old Testament Law to New Testament Love Well, how about we cover the entire bible today? You know, … cover to cover. We’ve got the time don’t we? We have the attention span for that right?? Genesis to Revelation. “In the beginning” to “Amen”. How about it. No? Ok. But we are gonna get to that, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:17-20, Genesis 1:1, Revelation 22:20

Denomination: *other

Decision Day--Don't Wait

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Mar 10, 2025

We don’t know when our termination date will be. It could be later today or tomorrow. We don’t get to decide.

Friday of the First Week in Lent 2025 Ask anybody of mature age what are the two most important dates of anyone’s life and you will get a potpourri of answers. The statisticians will say the dates of birth and death, because those dates control so many decisions and outcomes. The real answers, for ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 130:1-8, Matthew 5:20-26, Ezekiel 18:21-28

Denomination: Catholic

Called Into Righteousness

Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Mar 21, 2025

1) The Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees 2) The Righteousness God Requires, and finally, 3) The Righteousness God Gives.

Although we will just focus on Matthew 5:20, in Matthew 5, beginning in verse 17, Jesus explained God’s standard of Righteousness as embodied by the law of God. He said: Matthew 5:17-20.17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:20

Denomination: Other

The Love Behind The Law

Contributed by Esther Collins on Jun 16, 2021

This is an overview of the Ten Commandments

The Love Behind The Law (An overview of the Ten Commandments) The Background Beginning from creation as recorded in Genesis Chapter 1 right until the time when the people of Israel were delivered from their bondage in Egypt, there was no law that governed the people. As the Israelites wandered ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 5:3, Deuteronomy 5:6-21, Galatians 5:16-17, Ephesians 2:8, Romans 8:2, John 14:15, Galatians 5:4, Philippians 3:9, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Galatians 5:22-23, Galatians 2:16, Galatians 3:24, Matthew 22:34-40, Matthew 5:21-48, Matthew 5:20, Matthew 5:17, Exodus 32:15-16, Romans 3:20, Exodus 20:1-17  (view more)  (view less)

The Ten Commandments Series

Contributed by Scott Maze on Jun 18, 2021

When you appear before a holy God, you would no more approach Him than you would walk into shark-infested waters. When God appears in front of you and you tremble in awestruck fear, it is a wise thing to call for a mediator to stand between you and He.

Today we begin a new series entitled simply, The Ten Commandments. Today’s Scripture And God spoke all these words, saying, 2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 3 “You shall have no other gods before me. 4 “You shall not make for ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 20:1-21, Matthew 5:17-20, Exodus 19:7-25, Revelation 6:12-17

Denomination: Baptist

Jesus Endorses The Law

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Nov 26, 2023

When Jesus endorsed the law, and said that we are to be more righteous than the Pharisees, did He mean that we are to keep all 613 Old Testament commandments more rigidly, or in a completely different manner? Let's find out in Matthew 5.

Jesus condemned whoever sets aside the least of God’s commands. Does that mean that all 613 Old Testament commandments are still in force, like circumcision, Sabbaths and sacrifices? Let’s examine salt, light and the law in Matthew 5:13-20. Salt & Light What are Christ’s disciples? You are ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:13-20

Denomination: Baptist

To Fulfill The Law Series

Contributed by Mike Lewis on Mar 26, 2024

Every bit of Jesus’ previous statements in the Sermon on the Mount have been about the life and attitudes of his followers. How a disciple might act. What a believer seeks in his or her life. Today, Jesus makes some statements about himself and his purpose here on earth.

WELCOME & INTRODUCTION THE WEIRDEST LAWS IN EVERY STATE The United States is a large, vibrant and diverse country in which states and even cities have the power to pass their own laws. This makes sense in many cases because life is different from the East Coast to the West Coast and what needs ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:17-20, John 5:39, Luke 18:9-13, Mark 10:17-22

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ