Sermon at First Presbyterian
Church Lockhart
by James Greene
The title of today’s sermon is “Lord, Our Righteousness.” It is the central theme of our readings today. It does, require us to understand the Old Testament
understanding of Righteousness. It is a focus
on right relationships. It is the relationship between God,
and people, and people and each other.
Righteousness is the fulfillment of the demands of a relationship. It is also understanding the multitude of relationships that make up the social environment around us. It is the covenant
of King – people (where the powerful
take care of the powerless), Judge – complainants, Priest – worshipers, community – alien,
individual – community, individual
– family, and All – God.
God’s Righteousness is one of the major elements of
God’s person and character, as revealed in His actions. It
is in his fulfillment of
the demands of the relationship that
exists between God and His people
In the reading in I Kings we
see the story of Ahab and Jezebel. It is a story and example of unrighteousness. Ahab is the son of Omri one
of the great political kings of
Ahab demonstrates the
worst of relationships. It is the violation of the covenant between subject and King, and the right relationship between people.
It is against the character of God, and what is required of the character of God’s people. Because of his unrighteousness it will bring disaster upon his sons.
This example can apply to
us today and is seen in our current culture
of never being satisfied, or being discontent with what we have or who we
are. Discontentment is a sin that is its own
punishment. It makes the spirit
sad, the body sick, and all enjoyments a sorrow. It
is a heaviness of the heart and a rottenness of the
bones. We see this played out in our politics of today, in
the greed of the markets, where ‘more’ is always better. Where once we have achieved what is considered
the “greatest goal” – like the player
on a team that wins the Super Bowl, and the
realization of “is that all there
is?” It leaves us with an empty
cup, and unsatisfied because it is only “half full”
In Psalm 5 we see David’s solemn address
to God. It is an example of calling
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upon God, in his Righteousness, and how God hears
our prayers, and gives us
reason to hope. David’s appeal to God mirrors Christ’s dependence upon The Father -in that “right-relationship” – in that righteousness with The Lord and with those around us. The Lord blesses the
righteous, because they are in right relationship. He surrounds
them with his Love.
In the Galatians, we see the dynamic of righteousness when it is revealed to us when
we only live in Christ (in that “right relationship”) and
Christ lives in us.
It is not about fulfilling the letter of the law, and
the commandments from God, it is about living in the spirit
of the law and that righteous relationship.
God-people, people-people.
What is being said, here in Galatians, is that if
we look to salvation by the means of following the Law of Moses, then we make the death of Jesus needless. If we focus upon works
righteousness then we are focusing
on only crossing the ‘T’s and dotting the ‘I’s in our relationships with God and with our fellow man. It must be a ‘justification’ our righteousness, this ‘right-relationship’ by faith in Jesus that we are saved.
Because, Jesus does love us, and gives himself for
us, in His righteousness.
It is not by our own
justifiable works, but by faith in Christ, who is, the Lord our Righteousness, that we are saved.
But it is, as followers of Christ, that we must reflect the qualities of
Christ. We must be righteous in
our relationships, not
because we have to but because it
is an essential part of our character and part of our
being. This is when we let Christ live
‘in’ us.
Otherwise, (as it says in the reading) “Christ died for nothing.”
In Luke we also see, this factor of right relationship.
Simon, who is his host,
didn’t offer Jesus - water to
wash his feet, - a greeting kiss per
the custom in treating guests, or - anointing his head with oil.
Simon, (the Pharisee –
an individual steeped in The
Law) who is a leader and reader of The Law, had Jesus over for dinner, but he did not fulfill this
in the context of
relationship.
It would
be like asking someone to dinner, and then letting
them get their own silverware, and their own
drink. He didn’t care, or take care in his
relationship. It reminds you of the old phrase “I feel for you but I just can’t find you.” He
knew better in the way he
treated people; like the woman at Jesus’ feet.
Just as Jesus displays righteousness, in
rebuking Simon “in love’ by addressing
him in a better manner, and does the same with the woman when she displays the quality of her real character, in that ‘she loved much’, and cared enough to fulfill the customs of
hospitality. He shows us in His righteousness. We need to remember, that in righteousness – that right relationship – we need to demonstrate the increased ability and capacity
to love, and how that love, covers a
multitude of sin.
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In our journey
Through this life
We
carry God’s Law
Of love, -
Of
mercy, -
And peace
In
our heart;
So
we may walk
In
The Way
Rooted
and fed
In the Name of … the Father, the Son,
and the Holy Spirit. Amen
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