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Following is an excerpt of "Above and Beyond (3 of 12)" by Keith Krell added on 10/23/2009.
This content is part of a series.
Above and Beyond (3 of 12)
Series: Counter-Cultural Christianity
Keith Krell
Matthew 5:17-20

Do you remember the old Star Trek television series? It captured the imagination of an entire generation when it first came out. The crew of the starship USS Enterprise endeavored on a five-year mission—"to boldly go where no man has gone before." "Go beyond!" That was the mission of the starship Enterprise and its crew. And each episode recounted their experiences as they boldly went forth.

Perhaps you've wished to live a Sci-Fi life. Work, school, church, and even your marriage and kids are a bit monotonous. There's part of you that would like to embark on a Star Trek-like adventure. Yet, you realize this is fictitious. (It is fictitious, right?) Closer to our galaxy, have you ever longed to go beyond the natural realm? Do you aspire to live a supernatural life above your present circumstances? If so, the Bible has a definitive word for you. In Matthew 5:17-20, Jesus urges you and me to boldly go where we have never gone before. In these four verses, Jesus helps us understand how the commands of the Old Testament apply to our lives. In short, Jesus says, "We must go above and beyond."

1. Fulfill the Law through Jesus (5:17-18). In this first section, we are called to recognize that Jesus has fulfilled the Old Testament. In 5:17, Jesus begins by saying, "Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets [the Old Testament ]; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill." This verse is one of the most important verses in the Bible. For here Jesus explains one of the reasons that He came to earth—He came to fulfill the entire Old Testament. Jesus' first words are: "Do not think." Being the world's greatest teacher, Jesus liked to clear up possible misunderstandings. Jesus is responding to the erroneous view that He came to "abolish" the Old Testament. Obviously, this is utter nonsense! The Old Testament was the Bible of the early church and it remains the only way that we can properly interpret the New Testament. Instead of abolishing the Old Testament, Jesus says, "I came" or "I have come" to point to His mission to fulfill the Old Testament. God's Word was essential to the personal mission of Jesus' life. Is this true for you as well? What role does God's Word play in your goals, perspectives, and convictions? Do you run your life through the grid of the Scriptures?

Jesus states that He did not come to "abolish" the Old Testament. "Abolish" (kataluo) is a very strong word. In its other three usages in Matthew, the verb is used of demolishing a temple. Jesus says, "I didn't come to demolish the Old Testament"; instead, I came to "fulfill" it. The question is, "What did Jesus mean by the word fulfill?" This is one of the most debated questions in the New Testament. Yet, three points flesh out Jesus' meaning.

Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah. The word "fulfill" (pleroo) occurs numerous tim ...

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