-
The Righteousness Of God Preserves A Sinful People
Contributed by Jessie Manuel on Feb 7, 2025 (message contributor)
Summary: A Nation on the Edge
Introduction: A Nation on the Edge
My brothers and sisters,
We stand at a crossroads, much like Judah in the days of the prophet Jeremiah. A nation filled with promise yet drowning in rebellion, a people chosen yet blind to their calling, a land meant for righteousness, now polluted by sin.
Jeremiah stood in the streets, warning, pleading, and crying out, "Turn back! Repent! Seek the Lord while He may be found!" But did they listen? No, they hardened their hearts. They trusted in kings, power, rituals, and empty words, forgetting that the God of justice was watching.
And so judgment came. Babylon swept in like a storm. The temple was torn down. The people were exiled. But hear me today—judgment was not the final word! Because even in wrath, God remembers mercy. Even in discipline, He preserves a remnant.
God’s righteousness—His unwavering holiness—will not allow sin to go unpunished, nor will it forsake those who turn to Him.
Today, let us hear the prophet's words anew. Let us wake up, stand up, and return to God's righteousness!
The Power of Sin to Defile a Nation
"When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan" (Proverbs 29:2).
Judah groaned under wicked kings. They had laws but no justice. They had temples but no truth. They had rituals but no righteousness.
And here we are today, my friends—2025.
The headlines scream of deception. Leaders boast of prosperity while nations crumble. Planes crash, cities burn, earthquakes shake the ground. Promises made, promises broken. Chaos reigns, and yet the people turn a blind eye.
Is this not the deception Jeremiah spoke of?
Is this not the warning God gave?
A nation that turns from righteousness turns towards ruin. A people that forgets God invites disaster.
But hear me—God is still watching. His righteousness does not sleep. His justice does not slumber. He will move, He will act, and He will judge!
The Justice of God in Confronting Sin
We love to hear of God's love. We sing of His grace. But let us not forget—He is also a God of justice.
"Do not be deceived; God is not mocked. For whatever a man sows, that he will also reap" (Galatians 6:7).
Judah sowed rebellion and reaped destruction. They called evil good and good evil. They justified sin and silenced truth.
And today—
We see the same patterns repeating.
The same blindness, the same arrogance, the same rejection of righteousness.
People cry out, "Where is God? Why does He not act?" But the truth is—God has already spoken.
Habakkuk cried out, "Your eyes are too pure to behold evil!" He questioned why God would let the wicked prosper. But God was not ignoring sin—He was preparing to move.
And beloved, He is preparing even now.
This world is not spiraling out of control—it is being positioned for judgment and redemption.
The Righteousness of God in Preserving His People
But hear this—judgment is never the final word!
God is righteous, and His righteousness is not only about judgment but also about preservation.
"It is because of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, for His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness!" (Lamentations 3:22-23).
Judah was exiled but not abandoned. The temple was destroyed, but the covenant was not broken because God had a plan—a new covenant written not on stone but on hearts.
And that covenant, my friends, is Jesus.
Jesus—the righteousness of God revealed.
Jesus—the fulfillment of every promise.
Jesus—the only hope for a sinful people.
America may be divided. The world may be in turmoil. But in Christ, there is hope.
In Christ, there is restoration.
In Christ, there is preservation for all who turn to Him.
The Call to Repentance
So today, I ask you—where do you stand?
Will you choose deception or truth?
Will you choose sin or righteousness?
Will you choose judgment or grace?
Because the righteousness of God is calling. It is calling a remnant to rise up. It is calling a people to turn back. It is calling you—to repentance, to faith, to Jesus.
"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23).
Today, the invitation remains open.
Turn from sin. Trust in the righteousness of God. Choose Christ.
Because judgment is coming.
But so is salvation.
Which one will you receive?
Final Call: Choose Today!
This is not just another sermon.
This is not just another Sunday.
This is not just another message to be forgotten.
This is a call to action.
Choose today whom you will serve.
Because God's righteousness will preserve a sinful people—but only those who turn to Him.
The time is now.
The door is open.
Will you step in?
Amen.