The Call to Righteousness: Matt. 5:17-30

Series: "The Good Life: Learning to Live in a Complicated World" Preached at Growing Faith Church, Liberty, NC April 19, 2026 1. Your Sin Still Matters (vv. 17-19) 2. Your Sin is Worse than You Think (vv. 20-22, 27-28) 3. Deal with Your Sin Quickly (vv. 23-26) 4. Deal with Your Sin Drastically (vv. 29-30) Jesus teaches that while we're saved by grace, sin still matters deeply in our daily lives. He didn't come to abolish the Old Testament law but to fulfill it, showing us that true righteousness goes beyond external rule-following to heart transformation. The Pharisees focused on keeping rules perfectly, but Jesus reveals that anger is like murder and lust is like adultery in God's eyes. We must deal with sin quickly and drastically, taking whatever measures necessary to remove temptation from our lives. This isn't about earning salvation but about experiencing the abundant life Jesus offers when we stop casually flirting with sin.