What Does God Want From Me? July 23

What Does God Want From Me? Excessive Righteousness | Matthew 5:17-20 Dr. Jimmy Jeffcoat · July 23, 2025 (Matthew 5:17-20) “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, not a 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, but 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 Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Hard-nosed Christianity – Matthew 12:30; Revelation 3:16 Sermon on the Mount The Law and Prophets Torah Nevi’im Kituvim 1. The Law and Prophets are rooted in love. (Matthew 22:35-40) “And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 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.” 2. The Law brings knowledge of sin – Faith brings righteousness. (Romans 3:20-22) “For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.” 3. A relationship with God is Built on a heart connection. (Romans 2:28-9) “For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.”