Yahweh Our RighteousnessDecember 16

What do you think?

• What or who do you think sets the standards for right or wrong in our society?

• What do you think gives God the right to set the real standards for right and wrong, for righteousness?

• Today we study how God reveals His righteousness– How He makes us righteous also

Listen for attributes of the King that God would raise up

Jeremiah 23:5-6 (NIV) "The days are coming," declares the Lord, "when I will raise up to David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. [6] In

his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be

called: The Lord Our Righteousness.

God Promises Righteousness

• What characteristics do you see listed of the King God promised to send?

• Both Judah and Israel had suffered under poor leadership. How would these kinds of promises make people feel?

• What do you think the phrase “Our Righteousness” communicates to people both then and now?

God Promises Righteousness

• What is our role in this coming to pass – our being righteous?

• How does our celebration of Christmas fit with this promise?

Listen for what this passage says about righteousness.Romans 3:21-26 (NIV) But now a righteousness

from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets

testify. [22] This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, [23] for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, [24] and are

justified freely by his grace through the redemption

Listen for what this passage says about righteousness.

that came by Christ Jesus. [25] God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins

committed beforehand unpunished-- [26] he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those

who have faith in Jesus.

God Reveals Righteousness

• What are some phrases in this passages that speak about righteousness?

• What do you think are some ways that Paul (who wrote the letter to the Romans) would have recognized that “God’s righteousness has been revealed”?

• How does the average person respond to the statement in verse 23, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”?

God Reveals Righteousness

• On the other side of the issue, why do some people object to the idea that God has offered forgiveness to every person, even the worst sinners?

• What is justification?• According to this passage, how do we become

justified?

God Reveals Righteousness

• What do you see in this passage as to why God offered forgiveness this way – free?

• How should my boasting and bragging about my relationship to God be different when I realize it is by faith alone?

Listen for how Paul wanted to see the zeal of the Jews be changed.

Romans 10:1-4 (NIV) Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that

they may be saved. [2] For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. [3] Since they

did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did

not submit to God's righteousness.

Listen for how Paul wanted to see the zeal of the Jews be changed.

[4] Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes. … [9] That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus

is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. [10] For it is with your heart that you believe

and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

We Receive Righteousness

• What was good, what was bad about the zeal of the Israelites?

• How can a person in today’s world have great zeal for God or religious activities and yet be misguided?

Good Aspects of Zeal Bad Aspects of Zeal

We Receive Righteousness

• Agree ordisagree?

• Why do you think both are necessary?

Confessing “Jesus is Lord” is more important than believing in Jesus’

resurrection

Application

• Both for the Israelites and for us … even in bleak times, the Lord works to fulfill His plan and purpose– God promised a “righteous Branch of David,” a

King of Righteousness– He has provided deliverance and safety for His

people– This Christmas season, celebrate the coming of

Jesus, the fulfillment of God’s promise

Application

• God’s righteousness has been fully revealed and demonstrated in Jesus Christ– Those who believe in Jesus are justified,

redeemed, reconciled to God– This week, do a word study on what these terms

mean – See if you can describe their meanings so that a 5th

grader could understand

Application

• All attempts to establish our own standards of righteousness will fail. They are inadequate and incomplete.– Know that you must submit to God’s

righteousness … to His accomplishment of it in our lives

– When you don’t feel righteous, know that God declares you so … when you put your faith in what He has done.

Yahweh Our RighteousnessDecember 16