Introduction: 

For the past few weeks, we’ve been walking through the Sermon on the Mount, spending time reflecting on the Beatitudes. We’ve explored what it means to be poor in spirit, to mourn over sin, and to hunger and thirst for righteousness; each building upon the other to shape us for a life that reflects the Kingdom of God. Today, we’re moving into another key part of Jesus’ sermon, where He addresses His relationship to the Old Testament Law.

Now we must make a few things abundantly clear from the start. Jesus didn’t follow Pharisaic traditions about the Sabbath, fasting, or ceremonial rules, and He spent time with sinners and outcasts. As a result, many accused Jesus of lawbreaking, but breaking with the traditions and taboos of the Pharisees was not the same as breaking the Old Testament Law. Though Jesus was often accused of being a law breaker, in truth, Jesus never once broke or dismissed the Law; He was restoring it to its true purpose, to love God and others. He called people to look beyond outward rule-keeping to a righteousness that flows from the heart. Today, as we listen to Jesus’ words, let’s see how He reveals the beauty of God’s Law and invites us to live in its fullness. So let us begin by reading from God’s Word: 

Scripture Reading: 

Matthew 5:17-20; 27-37, ESV

“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.”...

“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. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.

“It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

“Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.

Jesus’ Call to Higher Righteousness (Matthew 5:20)  

In Matthew 5:20, Jesus makes a startling statement: “Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” To His audience, this must have seemed impossible. the Pharisees were known for their meticulous religious devotion. But Jesus was calling for something deeper than outward compliance.  

He exposed the Pharisees’ hollow righteousness, warning in Matthew 6:1, “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them.” Their piety was a performance, not true devotion. In Matthew 23:27, He calls them “whitewashed tombs” appearing holy but inwardly corrupt. God is not impressed by appearances; He desires hearts transformed by love.  

Jesus raises the standard, not by adding more rules, but by reaching into the heart. He calls us to root out anger, not just avoid murder (Matthew 5:21–22), to confront lust, not just abstain from adultery (Matthew 5:27–28), and to love even our enemies (Matthew 5:44–45). The Pharisees treated the Law like a checklist, but Jesus reveals its true purpose: “Love the Lord your God… and your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37–39). True obedience flows joyfully from a transformed heart, just as a healthy tree naturally bears good fruit (Matthew 7:17–18).  

Now here’s some good news. This righteousness isn’t achieved by human effort—it’s a work of God’s grace. He promises in Ezekiel 36:26–27, “I will give you a new heart… and put My Spirit within you.” Philippians 2:13 affirms, “It is God who works in you… for His good pleasure.”  The commands Jesus sets before us isn’t to discourage, but to draw us closer to Him. Make no mistake, as His Spirit works in us, our lives will bear the fruit of true righteousness, a life overflowing with love, joy, and the beauty of a heart transformed.

Jesus’ Teaching on Adultery and Divorce (Matthew 5:27–30)

Now I want to start by saying something about the Pharisees of Jesus day. Many people think that their error was that they took the Law of God, as recorded in the Old Testament, too seriously. This is not true. Many people also make the mistake of thinking that Jesus freed people from the overly burdensome Old Testament laws and gave us a new way to live. That’s only half-true. 

The Pharisees’ error was not that they took the Law too seriously, but that they failed to take it seriously enough. They stripped God’s commands of their depth and reduced them to a superficial checklist of dos and don’ts, focusing only on outward behavior while ignoring the motives and desires of the heart. Their approach turned God’s holy Law into a means of self-justification rather than a call to love and holiness. For example, they limited the sin of adultery to the physical act alone. As long as they avoided committing that act, they considered themselves righteous. But Jesus shattered this shallow understanding by revealing that sin begins long before outward actions manifest.

In Matthew 5:28, Jesus declares, “Everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Sin originates in the hidden recesses of our minds and hearts, taking root in a thought, a glance, or a lingering desire. This wasn’t a new teaching. Proverbs 4:23 reminds us to “guard your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.” The heart is the source of our actions, words, and thoughts, and if left unguarded, it can lead us into sin. Jesus underscores the seriousness of sin with striking imagery: “If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away... And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away” (Matthew 5:29–30). While I believe that Jesus was being intentionally hyperbolic here, His words convey the urgency of dealing with sin decisively. Anything (whether a relationship, habit, or environment )that tempts us or draws us into sin must be removed or avoided without hesitation, no matter how painful or costly the sacrifice may seem.

Jesus begins his exposition on the right use of the Law of God by confronting the Pharisees’ permissive view of divorce. This was another example of their desire to keep the letter of the law, but failing to grasp the heart of God’s law. In Matthew 5:31–32, He rebukes their misapplication of Deuteronomy 24:1, where they allowed divorce for almost any trivial reason. There are records of theological debates among Jewish teachers of this era over whether a certificate for divorce can be granted if the woman was a bad cook. 

By twisting the intent of the Law, they cheapened marriage, treating it as disposable rather than as the sacred, covenantal union God designed. Jesus reminds them of God’s original purpose for marriage in Creation: “What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate” (Matthew 19:6). Marriage is meant to reflect God’s faithful and unbreakable covenant love with His people. To treat it as anything less is to dishonor God and harm His design for human flourishing.

At the same time, Jesus acknowledges the reality of sin’s devastation in relationships. He permits divorce in cases of sexual immorality (porneia), recognizing the betrayal and relational damage caused by unfaithfulness (Matthew 5:32). Even so, divorce should never be approached lightly or as a first resort. God’s heart is always inclined toward forgiveness, reconciliation, and restoration. 

Now divorce is one of my least favorite topics to preach on for two reasons. Firstly, the divorce rates are very high in this country, so it would be shocking to preach about divorce in any church in America and not step on someone’s toes. Secondly, it is impossible to accurately assess all the “what if” questions that come up. 

What if there is an emotional affair, but it never gets physical? Is pornography adultery? What if it was a one time moral failing? What if there is no adultery, but my spouse is just neglectful of me? What if my spouse packs their bags and abandons me? What if they are physically abusive and I don’t feel safe in my own home? What about emotional abuse, if they don’t physically hit me but every day I am being shouted at and belittled and it’s destroying me from the inside out? What if we are both just miserable together. Should we just stay miserable until one of us dies? What if one of us wants to reconcile, but the other is unwilling?

I get it, there is a lot to consider. I also think that Jesus was speaking here about purity and about honor and reverence for marriage, not every possible contingency that might happen in a marriage. Ironically, when we play a million what-if-scenarios in our heads then we are doing what Pharisees often did, bringing hypotheticals to Jesus to try to catch him in a mistake or get him to change what he said, as if we had any right to question the Son of God. Still, I know for many of us these are not hypotheticals. For some of us these are lived realities and we need clarity, so I’ll do my best to be biblical and concise in what I say. 

The New Testament only lists two grounds for divorce that are acceptable in God’s eyes. Jesus says while divorce is never good, it is permissible in cases of adultery (Matthew 19:9). Likewise, the Apostle Paul wrote that abandonment, meaning one spouse leaves the other and refuses to return or reconcile under any circumstances, then the abandoned one is no longer bound to their marriage (1 Corinthians 7:15). 

But what about abuse? We know that scripture calls for the protection of the vulnerable (Psalm 82:3-4; Proverbs 22:3), and in cases of serious abuse, separation is necessary for safety. We also know that an abuser who continually harms their spouse is in sin, and if an abusive spouse remains unrepentant in spite of being confronted through church discipline and called to repent, then they are to be counted as an unbeliever (Matthew 18:15-17), and I believe that one could argue that their spouse may not be bound to the marriage (1 Corinthians 7:15).

Here’s the thing. Being overly concerned with the letter of the law and not the heart behind it is what Jesus is really trying to address here. I do not believe that Jesus was condemning those who have fought and prayed for their marriage, but who ultimately could not save it. I believe he is condemning those who divorce to avoid doing the hard work of reconciliation and restoration. He condemns those who turn to scripture looking for loopholes or ways to justify selfish desires. His focus is on the heart—on pursuing purity, faithfulness, and reconciliation in all our relationships. 

For those considering marriage, I would strongly encourage you to enter into it with a mindset that divorce is off the table. Imagine that once you said “I do” there was never any way to take it back, and if that scenario gave you pause I would say do not marry until you can say “I do” with total devotion. For those who are married, this teaching is an invitation to guard your heart, nurture your covenant, and rely on God’s grace to sustain and strengthen your union. Marriage is not easy, but it is a sanctifying gift that points us to Christ’s unwavering commitment to His Bride, the Church. For any who are wrestling with thoughts of divorce, Jesus invites you to seek healing, counseling, and reconciliation where possible, trusting that His grace can restore even the most broken situations. And for those who have experienced the pain of divorce, Jesus does not offer condemnation but grace, healing, and the hope of redemption. In Him, broken lives and relationships can be made new.

Jesus’ Teaching on Oaths (Matthew 5:33–37)  

From marriage vows, Jesus turns His attention to the everyday words we speak and the vows we make. In the Old Testament, oaths were given as solemn affirmations of truth, often invoking God as witness to one’s sincerity (Deuteronomy 23:21). They were meant to emphasize the weight of truthfulness and the seriousness of fulfilling one’s word before God. But by the time of Jesus, the Pharisees had reduced oaths to a legalistic game of technicalities. They created a complex system of distinctions. Some oaths were binding, while others were not, depending on what was invoked. For example, swearing by the temple was considered non-binding, but swearing by the gold of the temple was binding (Matthew 23:16–22). Through these manipulative practices, they gave the illusion of truthfulness while leaving loopholes to break their promises.

Jesus utterly rejects this distortion of integrity. In Matthew 5:34–37, He teaches, “Do not take an oath at all… Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.” Now, I do not believe Jesus is not condemning all oaths. Scripture records God Himself swearing by His own name (Genesis 22:16; Hebrews 6:17), and Paul occasionally appeals to God as his witness (Romans 1:9; 2 Corinthians 1:23). Instead, Jesus is addressing the misuse of oaths as a tool for deception and self-justification. A person of true integrity doesn’t need elaborate vows to be believed. Their character speaks for itself. If our hearts are truthful and trustworthy, a plain “yes” or “no” should be sufficient.

I will admit that I am an absent minded person, and I forget things. I do work hard to keep calendars, set reminders, and to write things down so that I don’t forget to do the things I commit to do, but still things inevitably fall through the cracks. I make a great deal of effort not to forget anyone or anything, and when I do I try to make an effort to apologize and make it right if I can. I do this, not just because I want to be a dependable person, but also because I want to be a better reflection of the faithfulness of our heavenly Father, whose promises are “Yes” and “Amen” in Christ (2 Corinthians 1:20). I want to be living witnesses to a God who can be trusted in all things. 

However, the heart of Jesus’ teaching is a call to honesty. Proverbs 12:22 reminds us, “Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are His delight.” For the Christian, truthfulness is not optional; it is an essential reflection of God’s own nature. God is a God of truth. God cannot lie (Numbers 23:19; Titus 1:2). His Word is unfailingly trustworthy, and His promises never fail. As His people, we are called to reflect His character in our speech, becoming a light in a world so often darkened by deceit.

Jesus challenges us to examine not just our words, but the heart behind them. Do we speak truthfully, even when it is uncomfortable, inconvenient, or costly? Are we people who follow through on our commitments, or do we look for ways to excuse ourselves when it suits us? A heart ruled by truth will produce words that are genuine, dependable, and life-giving. This kind of honesty requires courage and humility. It means owning our mistakes when we fail, rather than hiding behind excuses or half-truths. It means resisting the temptation to twist words to protect our image or gain an advantage. 

In a culture where deception, spin, and empty promises are often the norm, Christ’s call to integrity is both countercultural and transformative. Truthfulness should permeate every area of our lives, not just in the promises we make, but in the casual words we speak, the stories we share, and even the thoughts we entertain. A life of truthfulness and integrity is not just about what we avoid (lies, manipulation, or empty promises); it’s about cultivating speech that builds trust, fosters peace, and glorifies God.

As followers of Christ, let us commit to being people of integrity, whose words reflect the sincerity of our hearts. When our “yes” means “yes” and our “no” means “no,” we honor the God of truth and shine His light in a world desperate for authenticity and faithfulness. Let every word we speak be seasoned with grace and grounded in truth, so that we might glorify our Lord, whose Word is always reliable and whose promises never fail.

Jesus’ Kingdom: A Change of Heart  

Time and again, Jesus highlights the difference between outward appearances and true, inward transformation. The Pharisees clung to external religiosity, but Jesus declared in Matthew 23:25–26, “First clean the inside of the cup… that the outside also may be clean.” Authentic obedience cannot be faked; it flows from a heart renewed by God’s Spirit.

In Matthew 5:27–28, Jesus pinpoints that sin begins in our thoughts and desires. He cares about the inward reality behind our actions. This is why He came—not to weigh us down with additional rules, but to give us a new heart. The prophet Ezekiel spoke of this in Ezekiel 36:26–27: “I will give you a new heart and… put My Spirit within you.” With this new heart comes the capacity to love God sincerely and obey Him joyfully.

Consider your own life: Do you rely on outward compliance, or do you invite God to transform you from within? Psalm 51:10 is our prayer, “Create in me a clean heart, O God.” When He purifies our motivations, our worship and actions become genuine, a reflection of His grace at work in us.

God seeks worshipers who will worship in spirit and truth (John 4:23). Answer that call, and let His love and truth direct your thoughts, words, and deeds. When we live this way—empowered by Christ’s grace—our righteousness becomes a testimony to His transforming power. May we be people whose hearts are wholly His, reflecting His love and bringing Him glory in all we do.