MATTHEW 5:20
HOW RIGHTEOUS ARE YOU?
#1 - SERMON ON THE MOUNT
Please turn to Matthew 5:20.
God is righteous! Whatever He does is right!
Psalm 116:5 - Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful.
Psalm 129:4 - The Lord is righteous: he hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked.
Psalm 145:17 - The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.
Psalm 119:142 - Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth.
God is righteous! God wants men and women to be righteous.
Psalm 7:11 - God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.
Psalm 11:7 - For the righteous Lord loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright.
Psalm 92:12 - The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
Proverbs 10:30 - The righteous shall never be removed: but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth.
Proverbs 14:32 - The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous hath hope in his death.
God is righteous! God wants men and women to be righteous.
SO HOW RIGHTEOUS ARE YOU?
I usually don't ask for silent meditation in the middle of a sermon, but I will this morning.
In your mind please review your week.
What did you do that God would call righteous?
What did you do that God would call unrighteous?
SO HOW RIGHTEOUS ARE YOU?
THE PROBLEM WITH RIGHTEOUSNESS
Christian, you know what I am going to say.
We have no righteousness! We are unrighteous!
Isaiah 64:6 - But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
Romans 3:10-12 - As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: [11] There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. [12] They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
But, Christian there is more to consider.
Matthew 5:20 - For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
That statement would have really shocked Jesus' hearers.
The scribes and Pharisees were known for being religious and for keeping the letter of the law. The scribes and Pharisees added laws to the law and expected men to keep them as well!
Jesus is telling us that the way we live should be more righteous than the scribes and Pharisees if we expect to see Heaven!
And look at Matthew 5:17-19.
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. [18] For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. [19] Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
SO HOW RIGHTEOUS ARE YOU?
¨ Christian, how right is your attitude towards other Christians?
¨ How right is your attitude towards your family members?
¨ How right is your behavior on the job or in school? How about the home?
¨ How right is your language on the job or in school? How about the home?
¨ Christian, are you honest on the job, in school, and at home?
¨ Christian, do you fantasize about sleeping with other women or other men?
¨ Christian have you stolen something from someone, or at a store, or on the job or at school?
¨ Christian have you lied about someone else, or stretched the truth to make someone look bad?
¨ Christian, do you worry and fret? How righteous is that?
SO HOW RIGHTEOUS ARE YOU?
Rev. 21:7-8 - He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. [8] But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall
have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
THE PROBLEM WITH RIGHTEOUSNESS
THE PROVISION OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
Please turn to Romans 5.
Romans 5:6-9 - For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. [7] For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. [8] But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. [9] Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
2 Corinthians 5:21 - For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Christ has provided righteousness for those who have a problem with righteousness. That's all of us!
Romans 5:1 - Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
When a person comes to Christ, and admits his own unrighteousness and helplessness and unworthiness and turns to Christ in faith as his or her only hope for forgiveness and a place in Heaven, then salvation takes place.
That's when a person is saved or justified. To be justified is to be "declared righteous".
God looks down at a poor lost sinner who has trusted Jesus as Savior and sees a righteous man or woman.
What does God expect of you, Christian, once you have been declared righteous and looking forward to Heaven?
HE EXPECTS YOU TO LIVE RIGHTEOUSLY!
1 Peter 1:15-17 - But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; [16] Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. [17] And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:
Christian, although we do not fear condemnation, we must realize that we will give account to God for our behavior as Christians.
2 Corinthians 5:10 - For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
We still have a problem with righteousness.
We did not have power within ourselves to live righteously before we came to Christ.
We do not have power in our own strength to live righteously now!
The good news is that Christ is providing power for living righteously.
Please look at Romans 5:17 - For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
Let's think about this verse for a moment.
By one man's offense death reigned.
Because of Adam's sin, death entered the world.
And until Jesus comes, nobody escapes death.
And this death is not only a physical death, but a Spiritual one as well. Ephesians 2:1 tells us that before a person is saved he is "dead in trespasses and sin". He has no hope of eternal life.
But God has something better for those who receive "abundance of grace".
Grace is God's unmerited favor.
Grace is God giving me what I don't deserve.
Grace has been called God's Riches at Christ's Expense.
God's grace is abundant, enough to save anyone who comes to Christ by faith.
Ephesians 2:8-9 - For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: [9] Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Not only have we received abundance of grace, but the gift of righteousness.
When we accepted Christ as our Savior, He justified us, or declared us righteous.
It, like grace, was a gift we accepted when we put out faith in Christ.
I haven't always thought of righteousness as a gift, but it is. I did nothing to earn it.
For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
This verse is promising a reign in life.
And I believe that reign in life starts now.
Instead of being defeated, we can be victorious.
Instead of acting in an unholy manner, I can act in a holy manner.
Instead of living unrighteous lives, we can live righteous lives.
What's the practical secret for living a holy life now?
The secret in this verse is two fold.
First we have the abundance grace. God continues to pour out his favor upon us when we ask, trust, and obey.
Romans 6:10-14 - For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. [11] Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. [12] Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. [13] Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. [14] For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Going along with abundant grace is the second thought, the gift of righteousness. Just as Christ provides the gift of righteousness for eternal life. He provides the gift of righteousness for daily living. All I have to do is accept it.
Galatians 2:20 - I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
What are you doing that's unrighteous?
First confess it.
1 John 1:9 - If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
After you confess the sin, forsake it by asking the Lord Jesus to be victorious over that sin through you. Accept His gift of righteousness to give us victory.
Philippians 4:13 - I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
THE PROBLEM WITH RIGHTEOUSNESS
THE PROVISION OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
THE PRACTICE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
Matthew 5:6 - Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
You and I need to have a continual appetite and thirst for righteousness.
It should be a goal of our lives.
"In the Antarctic summer of 1908-1909, Sir Ernest Shackleton and three companions attempted to travel to the South Pole from their winter quarters. They set off with four ponies to help carry the load. Weeks later, their ponies dead, rations all but exhausted, they turned back toward their base, their goal not accomplished. Altogether, they trekked 127 days.
"On the return journey, as Shackleton records in The Heart Of The Antarctic, the time was spent talking about food—elaborate feasts, gourmet delights, sumptuous menus.
As they staggered along, suffering from dysentery, not knowing whether they would survive, every waking hour was occupied with thoughts of eating.
"Jesus, who also knew the ravages of food deprivation, said, 'Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for RIGHTEOUSNESS.' We can understand Shackleton’s obsession with food, which offers a glimpse of the passion Jesus intends for our quest for righteousness. Source Unknown http://www.bible.org/illus/r/r-73.htm#TopOfPage
So where do we go to satisfy our hunger and thirst for righteousness?
We need to go to the Word of God.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 - All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: [17] That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
Jeremiah 15:16 - Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts.
Many of you live on a starvation diet.
You hear the word preached once a week at best.
And you don't bother to read the Word of God at home.
With Christ's help we need to follow his admonition found in
Luke 11:28 - But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.
Psalm 119:9 - Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.
When you hunger and thirst after righteousness you will make every effort to be in Sunday School, Morning Service, Evening Service and Prayer Meeting where the Word of God is taught.
Now I have brought this message with a purpose.
It is actually an introduction to a series of messages, and a challenge for the year 2003.
The challenge is that each one of us would strive to live righteously in 2003.
The series of messages is on the Sermon on the Mount, which we have quoted a few times this morning.
The Sermon on the Mount shows us how to live more righteously than the Scribes and Pharisees of Jesus' day.
The Sermon on the Mount is a practical presentation of how to live righteously on a daily basis.
It is impossible to obey the Sermon on the Mount perfectly, just as it is impossible to obey the Ten Commandments perfectly.
As we learn what the Sermon on the Mount means and as we trust Christ for the provision of abundant grace and the gift of righteousness to obey, we will see ourselves become more righteous than we are now.
Let's make it a goal as a church to live righteously in Christ in 2003.
THE PROBLEM WITH RIGHTEOUSNESS
THE PROVISION OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
THE PRACTICE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS