The Hole in Our Holiness

Matthew 5:17-20

Summary
Jesus did not come to abolish God’s Law, but to fulfill it. In Matthew 5:17–20, he calls us to a righteousness that goes deeper than outward obedience and reaches the heart. The gospel does not make holiness unnecessary. Because Christ has fulfilled the Law for us, we are now free to pursue joyful obedience, not to earn God’s love, but because we have already received it.

Discussion Questions

1. When you hear Jesus say that he did not come to abolish the Law but to fulfill it, what do you think he means?
2. Why do you think Christians sometimes struggle to understand how God’s commands fit with the gospel of grace?
3. Jesus says our righteousness must exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees. How is the righteousness Jesus desires different from merely keeping rules outwardly?
4. Where are you most tempted to focus on appearing righteous to others rather than allowing God to change your heart?
5. The sermon described a possible disconnect between the passion of our hearts and the pattern of our lives. Where do you see that tension in your own life?
6. What commands of God are easiest for you to dismiss, minimize, or treat as less important? Why?
7. Jesus connects love for him with obedience to him. Why can obedience sometimes feel more like a burden than an expression of love?
8. Which of these most affects your attitude toward obedience: believing holiness is impossible, believing happiness can be found outside of God, or misunderstanding the relationship between law and gospel? Explain.
9. In what areas of your life are you tempted to believe that following God will keep you from something better?
10. How does knowing that Jesus perfectly fulfilled God’s Law change the way you approach your own failures and sins?
11. What is the difference between obeying God in order to earn his acceptance and obeying God because you have already been accepted through Christ?
12. What is one area where God may be calling you toward greater holiness or obedience this week? What would a concrete step of obedience look like?