Title: The Benefits Of Righteousness
Text: Psalm 40:4; Psalm 34:8; Psalm 84:12
Pray!!!
Read Text!!!
Psalm 34:8 says, “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him.”
Psalm 84:12 says, “O Lord of hosts, Blessed is the man who trusts in You!”
Psalm 40:4 says, “Blessed is that man who makes the Lord his trust, and does not respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.”
Introduction:
- One of the greatest challenges confronting believers today is to communicate the message of Christ in terms that everyday people can understand. Words like “Righteousness” (Rom. 1:17) have become unrecognizable to many in our culture, and even to many in the church.
- Yet it’s hard to talk about the bible—and certain part like the gospels, Romans without coming to terms with the word “righteousness”
- (Greek, dikaiosuna). The New Testament uses the term 228 times, at least 40 in Romans.
- What, then, does “righteousness” mean and how does the Bible reveal “the righteousness of God”
- The word “righteous” goes back to a base, reg, meaning “move in a straight line.” Thus, “righteous” (rightwise) means “in the straight (or right) way.”
- Used with reference to morality, “righteous” means living or acting in the right way.
- But what is the “right” way?
- In our society, people commonly say that everyone must determine what is right for oneself.
- However, Scripture offers a different standard—indeed, the ultimate standard of rightness or “righteousness,” is God Himself. God’s character reveals what is absolutely right. He is the measure of moral right and wrong. (Give examples)
- God is also the source of right living.
- God has done and is doing everything that needs to be done to restore things to the way He originally intended—to the right way.
- For example, He dealt with sin through Jesus’ death on the cross (5:6-11), and He transfers the righteousness of Christ to those who trust in Him (5:1-2). As believers, we can enjoy a restored relationship with God.
- That means that we can begin to live with righteousness, that is, in a way that pleases God and fulfills His purposes for us. We can do that because He gives us the ability to do it (8:1-17).
- Rather than trying to “prove” ourselves good enough for Him or live up to impossible moral standards, we can relate to Him in love, expecting Him to help us as we make choices about how to live.
- The gospel, then, is “good news” because it reveals God’s right way. It tells us that He is a good God who, in love and mercy, has done something about the wrong way that the world has taken.
- How have you responded to that good news of God’s righteousness?
Listen to this Story that will explain what I mean and answer the question for all of us:
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.
- This morning church God wants us to passionately pursue Right living or righteousness.
- God has set the standard in the Bible. All of life’s difficulties can be found in the Bible.
- God shows us how to walk blameless before Him so that we can be in right standing.
- Yes we are clothed with Righteousness from Jesus Christ, but in order to stayed clothed by Jesus, we must passionately pursue right living after we have giving our hearts to God.
- Because you can’t have the peace of God and be at war with God at the same time.
- You will either pursue God or pursue your own way, but the choice is ours.
- Chose Jesus, and when we chose Jesus, we are clothed with righteousness from on high.
- But once we have chosen Christ, and have chosen to love Him and live for Him, there are blessings to the believer for pursuing right living or righteousness that is found in Jesus Christ.
- So our text this morning says we are blessed if we make the Lord our trust, meaning our righteousness. So therefore there are benefits for pursuing righteousness with God.
- Lets look into the Word of God and discover the benefits of right living or righteousness with God.
Point 1: God Watches Over Us.
Psalm 34:15 says, “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their cry”
A little boy was eagerly looking forward to the birthday party of a friend who lived only a few blocks away. When the day finally arrived, a blizzard made the sidewalks and roads nearly impassable. The lad’s father, sensing the danger, hesitated to let his son go. The youngster reacted tearfully. "But Dad," he pleaded, "all the other kids will be there. Their parents are letting them go." The father thought for a moment, then replied softly, "All right, you may go." Surprised but overjoyed, the boy bundled up and plunged into the raging storm. The driving snow made visibility almost impossible, and it took him more than half an hour to trudge the short distance to the party. As he rang the doorbell, he turned briefly to look out into the storm. His eye caught the shadow of a retreating figure. It was his father. He had followed his son’s every step to make sure he arrived safely.
- What ever we do in life we can have the confidence that God is watching over us when we go through life’s storms.
- We may not see the Lord and think we are walking alone, but if we believe and have faith in God, He is there.
- Because we are righteous in God’s sight, because we have chosen to live our lives pleasing to God, God watches over us and takes care of us.
- Don’t fear but believe that God’s hand is upon you, leading you as you desire and strive to live for Him.
Point 2: God Orders The Steps Of Righteous People
Psalm 37:23 says, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in His way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholds him with His hand.”
- God’s leading can bring us into situations that make us rely on Him more.
- God’s leading is not always to a field of roses, but rather in the valley’s where God uses those situations to see what we are made of.
- Why should the righteous be concerned for the future? If a man lives righteously, that is, if he is a good man and has committed his way unto the Lord, the steps which lead to his inheritance are designed by the Lord.
- The righteous man is never dealt a fatal blow by the wicked of this world, because the Lord upholds us with His hand.
- It doesn’t mean that we will not go through hard times, it means that God will sustain us through those hard times and continue to lead us.
- I chose to trust the Lord!
- So if God orders the steps of a righteous person, then allow God to lead you.
- How do I know it’s from the Lord? Does it line up with scripture? If it does trust God that He will lead you. You can’t steer a ship that’s not moving.
- Follow the desires of your heart, God put them there. Not for wickedness, but for His glory.
- Let me continue with point 3
Point 3: God Upholds The Righteous
Psalm 55:22 says, “Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall.”
Pro 12:21 says, “No harm befalls the righteous, but the wicked have their fill of trouble.”
Pro 18:10 says, “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.”
A construction crew was building a new road through a rural area, knocking down trees as it progressed. A superintendent noticed that one tree had a nest of birds who couldn’t yet fly and he marked the tree so that it would not be cut down. Several weeks later the superintendent came back to the tree. He got into a bucket truck and was lifted up so that he could peer into the nest. The fledglings were gone. They had obviously learned to fly. The superintendent ordered the tree cut down. As the tree crashed to the ground, the nest fell clear and some of the material that the birds had gathered to make the nest was scattered about. Part of it was a scrap torn from a Sunday school pamphlet. On the scrap of paper were these words: He careth for you.
- We are like those birds at times. Pressure is mounting on all sides in life but then God steps in and says to our circumstances not this tree.
- Why because like the birds we have learned the promise that God cares and upholds the righteous, even in difficult times.
- And when God sees that we have learned to fly, fly above our circumstances with God’s help and guidance then the tree is cut down.
- You are in God’s best interest, and when hard times come, look to God to uphold you and trust Him. He will teach what He wants you to know.
- Learn it quick by leaning on His everlasting arms.
Point 4: God Blesses The Home Of The Righteous
Prov 3:33 says, “The Lord’s curse is on the house of the wicked, but He blesses the home of the righteous.”
- If you want your home to be like the days of heaven on earth, pursue righteousness
- Continue to pursue righteousness because what you sow you will reap one day.
- Righteous living in the home, produces blessing in the home.
- Let it be your passion, and your pursuit in life to make your home a place where you live for righteousness in God.
Point 5: God Blesses The Righteous With Joy
Prov 10:28 says, “The prospect of the righteous is joy, but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing.”
Men have pursued joy in every avenue imaginable. Some have successfully found it while others have not. Perhaps it would be easier to describe where joy cannot be found:
Not in Unbelief -- Voltaire was an infidel of the most pronounced type. He wrote: "I wish I had never been born."
Not in Pleasure -- Lord Byron lived a life of pleasure if anyone did. He wrote: "The worm, the canker, and grief are mine alone."
Not in Money -- Jay Gould, the American millionaire, had plenty of that. When dying, he said: "I suppose I am the most miserable man on earth."
Not in Position and Fame -- Lord Beaconsfield enjoyed more than his share of both. He wrote: "Youth is a mistake; manhood a struggle; old age a regret."
Not in Military Glory -- Alexander the Great conquered the known world in his day. Having done so, he wept in his tent, before he said, "There are no more worlds to conquer."
Where then is real joy found? -- the answer is simple, in Christ alone.
- You see church it’s not wicked to want to succeed in life. It becomes wickedness when God is excluded from the equation and when we think we have accomplished these things without God.
- God gives us the power to become successful, not ourselves. He gives us the talents, for He has created us. So therefore God gives the righteous man or women joy when they make decisions that God intended for them to make for there lives.
Point 6: God Listens To The Prayers Of The Righteous
Prov 15:29 says, “The Lord is far from the wicked but He hears the prayer of the righteous.”
- Why are some prayers answered and others not? I John 3:21-22 says, “Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from Him anything we ask, because we obey His commands and do what pleases Him.”
- John declares that an effective prayer life is related to our devotion to God.
- Obeying, loving and pleasing God are needed conditions in order to receive what we ask for in prayer.
- A blessing for living righteously before God is that God hears our prayers and answers.
- Therefore pursue righteousness so your prayers will be heard and answered.
(Tell the story of the Newspaper article that said prayers not answered on behalf of patients the reason why: Because it was not all Christians praying, they were from all different kinds of religions).
- God hears the prayers of the righteous, that’s you and me. But we need to keep pursuing God, because we can lose it also. We can slip away from God and not even realize it.
- We can become so bitter, that bitterness can consume us and not God.
- Pursue right living and submit to God, so God will hear your prayers.
Point 7: God Brings Security To The Righteous
Prov 10:25 says, “When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm forever.”
- I want you to notice a few things: a. All people go through storms in life
B. Wicked people are swept away
C. Righteous stand forever
- What does that mean?
- First we all go through problems and situations, but because you are righteous you have developed in you an attitude of praise through any situation. Psalm 140:13 says, “Surely the righteous will praise the your name and the upright will live before you.”
- The writer of the Psalm is assuming something, that righteous people have learned the importance of praise. The question is have you?
- We will all go through storms in life, and we will need to praise Him through it or we could be swept away.
- What does it mean to be swept away? It means emotionally, physically, and spiritually.
- We worry and it will destroy us mentally, but also physically. Spiritually it will drive us away from God, because we are not trusting Him like we should. We are trusting in the circumstance.
- If have learned to praise Him, and do it in our problems the Bible says, we will stand forever. Because we have placed our faith in Him and the fruit of that is praising Him.
Point 8: God Keeps Righteous People From Trouble
Prov 11:8 says, “The righteous man is rescued from trouble, and it comes on the wicked instead.”
- As a general principle, righteous living results in less problems than wicked living (vs 3-9) - This does not mean that those who follow God will never have any problems. But the righteous may be assured that when they are afflicted, they will ultimately be delivered in God’s own time.
The photographer for a national magazine was assigned to get photos of a great forest fire. Smoke at the scene hampered him and he asked his home office to hire a plane. Arrangements were made and he was told to go at once to a nearby airport, where the plane would be waiting. When he arrived at the airport, a plane was warming up near the runway. He jumped in with his equipment and yelled, "Let’s go! Let’s go!" The pilot swung the plane into the wind and they soon were in the air.
"Fly over the north side of the fire," yelled the photographer, "and make three or four low level passes."
"Why?" asked the pilot.
"Because I’m going to take pictures," cried the photographer. "I’m a photographer and photographers take pictures!"
After a pause the pilot said, "You mean you’re not the instructor?"
- I thank the Lord He delivers us in His own timing.
Point 9: God Assures The Righteous Of Life Everlasting
Prov 11:18-19 say, “The wicked man earns deceptive wages, but he who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward. The truly righteous man attains life, but he who pursues evil goes to his death.”
- Those who know and follow God’s ways will lead others into the full life given by God.
- The Spirit living in the believer is regarded as a source of living water.
- As the living water flows through the believer, it brings eternal life to others.
- We need to pray as believers that the Holy Spirit will enable us to carry out that great and awesome task.
Prov 10:11 says, “The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked.”
- Righteous people will not pursue wickedness. God has decreed penalties for actions that violate His laws.
- The unrighteous will ultimately pay for their sins and their disregard of God and others.
- Small sins or choices we make have big eternal consequences.
- Chose right living, that is found in accepting Christ and living for Him.
Conclusion:
- Now let me put it all together this morning.
- In order for you to have the blessings of righteousness that are found in Jesus Christ we have to pursue right living or righteousness in God.
- How do we do that? We need to understand how God wants us to live, or we will limit ourselves to the blessing of God.
- Meaning: How does God want me to live as a husband? Or wife? Or as a teenager?
- How does God want me to spend my money?
- What does God require of me? When I find those things out, then I can start claiming the blessings of God that come with Right living or living righteously.
- Then I can start claiming that God watches over me, and upholds me, will bless my home, give me the desires of my heart, order my steps, bless me with joy and peace, I can claim that God will listen to my prayers, bring security, keep me from trouble, and God will assure me of everlasting life. Why?
- Because I am living the righteous life, I am pursuing God and His righteous standard for my life and not my own.
- There is blessings to living the righteous life. Have you claimed for your life and are you living in the blessing of Righteousness?
Lets Pray!!!
