1. I have not come to abolish the Law (17-18)

Jesus came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets. He believed the Bible and lived by it. The Old Testament points to him. Without Jesus, the Old Testament is a story without a climax, a book without a point. His life as the suffering servant fulfills the words of the prophets (Isa 53). Jesus, Messiah and King, fulfills the promises made to Abraham and David and reiterated by the prophets. His sacrifice on the cross as the Lamb of God and his glorious resurrection give the sacrificial system (part of the Law) meaning. He taught us to love God and to love each other--and he showed us how to do it by his example.

2. You must be better than the Pharisees (19-20)

The Pharisees studied the Bible and thought they lived righteous lives. But Bible study must lead men to repent and come to God. It leads us to Jesus. The Pharisees did not repent and they did not come to God. They rejected Jesus. They lived before men and became self-righteous and proud.

Application: Lord, help me to live by your word and come to you with a repentant heart.
One Word: Jesus fulfilled the Law and the Prophets