Do You See What I See?
Do You See What Jeremiah Saw?
Jeremiah 23:1-6
December 7, 2003
Intro:
A. [Standard of Judgment, Citation: Craig Brian Larson, Choice Contemporary Stories and Illustrations (Baker, 1998), p.181; Brian Burrell, Words We Live By, (S&S Trade, 1997)]
In Words We Live By, Brian Burrell tells of an armed robber named Dennis Lee Curtis who was arrested in 1992 in Rapid City, South Dakota. Curtis apparently had scruples about his thievery. In his wallet the police found a sheet of paper on which was written the following code:
1. I will not kill anyone unless I have to.
2. I will take cash and food stamps—no checks.
3. I will rob only at night.
4. I will not wear a mask.
5. I will not rob mini-marts or 7-Eleven stores.
6. If I get chased by cops on foot, I will get away. If chased by vehicle, I will not put the lives of innocent civilians on the line.
7. I will rob only seven months out of the year.
8. I will enjoy robbing from the rich to give to the poor.
This thief had a sense of morality, but it was flawed. When he stood before the court, he was not judged by the standards he had set for himself but by the higher law of the state.
Likewise when we stand before God, we will not be judged by the code of morality we have written for ourselves but by God’s perfect law.
1. Just what that Law is, is our question for today.
2. How do we know if we are right and acceptable in God’s eyes?
3. Today I hope you will be able to see what the OT prophet Jeremiah saw.
B. Jeremiah 23:1-6 (NIV), "Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of my pasture!" declares the LORD. 2 Therefore this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says to the shepherds who tend my people: "Because you have scattered my flock and driven them away and have not bestowed care on them, I will bestow punishment on you for the evil you have done," declares the LORD. 3 "I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and will bring them back to their pasture, where they will be fruitful and increase in number. 4 I will place shepherds over them who will tend them, and they will no longer be afraid or terrified, nor will any be missing," declares the LORD. 5 "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.
C. Religion vs. Relationship
1. There is a huge difference between righteousness by religion and righteousness by relationship!
2. Righteousness means to be right or just in the eyes of God.
3. Are we right in the eyes of God by practicing a religion; that is by doing good things?
4. Or are we right in the eyes of God by being in a relationship.
5. Jeremiah lived under the Old Covenant and during that time they were made right by practicing the rules and regulations of a religion.
6. But Jeremiah prophesied the coming of a King from the house of David and the tribe of Judah who would reign wisely and do what is just and right and His name would be The Lord Our Righteousness.
7. Jeremiah prophesied that this coming King would be our righteousness.
8. Jeremiah prophesied the end of righteousness by religion and the beginning of righteousness by relationship.
9. Unfortunately, even though the Babe of Bethlehem has been established as that King that Jeremiah prophesied, Satan has convinced millions upon millions of people to continue to practice a religion.
10. Let’s see if we can tear down some of his strong holds today…
I. Righteousness is accepting Christ’s righteousness.
Romans 3:10 (NIV), As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one;
Isaiah 64:6 (NIV), All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.
A. Religion says, “I will find a way to make myself righteous enough to be accepted by God.”
Relationship says, “I will accept the Lord Jesus as my righteousness.”
B. Too often when we ask folks if they are saved, they will say something like, “I think so” or “I certainly hope so.”
1. When we ask them why should they be saved, they launch into their “list.”
2. The apostle Paul had a list of what he thought would make him acceptable to God.
3. He had what would be considered in their day a very enviable list of qualifications that should get a person into heaven.
4. Philippians 3:3-6 (NIV), For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh-- 4 though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless.
5. In that day, that was a very impressive list of qualifications to get a person into heaven.
6. Today folks have similar lists…
“I am a pretty good person…I’m certainly a better person than my neighbor over there. I don’t cheat on my spouse. I don’t drink too much. I don’t do anything that is really bad. I’ve certainly never murdered anyone. I’m a lot better than Charles Manson.”
7. It’s amazing how many times Charles Manson appears on someone’s list of their qualifications to get them into heaven.
8. Church folks have their own list…
“I went to church for 35 years! I gave money nearly every Sunday. I taught the Jr. High Boys’ Sunday School class for 3 months.”
9. Jesus told a story one time that said that lists don’t get it.
10.Matthew 7:21-23 (NIV), "Not everyone who says to me, ’Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ’Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ’I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
11.It’s impossible for us to be righteous; to get ourselves into heaven!
C. [Lucado Says God’s Standard Is Perfection, Citation: Max Lucado, Traveling Light (Word, 2001)]
Author Max Lucado writes:
All of us occasionally do what is right. A few predominately do what is right. But do any of us always do what is right? According to Paul we don’t. "There is none righteous, no, not one" (Rom. 3:10, NKJV).
Some may beg to differ. "I’m not perfect, Max, but I’m better than most folks. I’ve led a good life. I don’t break the rules. I don’t break hearts. I help people. I like people. Compared to others, I think I could say I’m a righteous person."
I used to try that on my mother. She’d tell me that my room wasn’t clean, and I’d ask her to go with me to my brother’s room. His was always messier than mine. "See, my room is clean; just look at his."
Never worked. She’d walk me down the hall to her room. When it came to tidy rooms, my mom was righteous. Her closet was just right. Her bed was just right. Her bathroom was just right. Compared to hers, my room was, well, just wrong. She would show me her room and say, "This is what I mean by clean."
God does the same. He points to himself and says, "This is what I mean by righteousness."
1. We cannot be righteous enough to earn our way into heaven.
2. The Bible says there is none righteous.
3. The only way we can be saved is to accept Christ’s righteousness.
4. Jeremiah said this Baby would be called The LORD Our Righteousness.
5. Do you see what Jeremiah saw?
II. Righteousness is accepting Christ’s nature.
2 Peter 1:3-4 (NIV), His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
A. Religion says, “I will overcome my own sinful nature.”
Relationship says, “I will accept Christ’s nature in order to overcome my sinful nature.”
B. Romans 3:23 (NIV), for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
1. There are many who hear this verse and know that it is true, but then they somehow think they can overcome this obstacle.
2. There are many who hear and understand that all have sinned and fallen short.
3. But then they mistakenly think they can be a good person for the rest of their lives and make the balance between their good deeds and bad deeds tip in the right direction in order for God to accept them.
C. Unfortunately, they don’t understand that this is not possible…
1. Romans 6:23 (NIV), For the wages of sin is death,
2. If we have sinned, we must die.
3. And that means that we die and go to hell and are eternally separated from God.
4. Notice that the Scripture does not say, “For the wages of sin is death, unless one can find a way to tip the scale in the other direction.”
5. Do you sin that sin disqualifies us from the prize? Period!
6. If there is sin, there is hell! Period!
7. That is God’s Law. Period!
D. There is a remedy for sin, but it is not trying to get the scale to tip the other way…
1. Romans 6:23 (NIV), For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
2. It is impossible for us to overcome our sinful nature and somehow cause ourselves to both stop sinning ever again and to tip the scale in our favor.
3. But God has made a way for us anyway and this is simply to accept Christ’s nature as our own.
4. I will accept Christ into my life and allow Him to overcome my sin.
5. You see maturity in Christ is learning how to let Christ rule in our lives.
6. Maturity is learning to allow Christ to do what He wants in our lives and not what our sinful nature wants.
7. Does that mean we stop sinning? No, but it does mean that we will be accepted by God anyway.
8. When we admit that we are helpless to overcome our sinful nature and accept Christ’s nature, God accepts us just as we are!
9. Does that mean we can continue to sin?
10.Romans 6:1-2 (NIV), What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?
11.If we accept Christ’s nature, we no longer purposefully sin.
12.If we accept Christ’s nature, we want Him to increase in our lives and ourselves to decrease.
13.If we accept Christ’s nature, we allow Him to overcome more and more sin in our lives as we mature in Him.
14.If we accept Christ’s nature, we are accepted by God.
15.Jeremiah prophesied that this Baby would be called The Lord Our Righteousness.
16.Do you see what Jeremiah saw?
III. Righteousness is accepting Christ’s work.
Titus 3:4-5 (NIV), But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,
A. Religion says, “I am going to do everything I can in order to earn God’s favor.”
Relationship says, “I am going to be content and secure in what Christ has done for me.”
B. Do you see that you do not have to do anything in order to earn God’s favor?
1. Do you see that there is nothing you can do to make God love you more?
2. Do you see that there is nothing you can do to make God love you less?
3. God already loves you so much that He sent His only Son to die for you.
4. How many people do you know that love you enough to sacrifice their only son for you?
5. Do you see how much God loves you?
C. Do you understand who you are and what you have when you accepted Christ’s nature?
1. Larry Millemon is a former pastor who attends our church now.
2. Larry came up with this little list of what the Scripture says about us who have accepted Christ’s nature.
3. It is called “My Daily Confession of Who I am in Christ Jesus.”
I am free from the curse of the law—poverty, sickness, and death. (Deuteronomy 28:15-68)
Jesus was made the curse for me. (Galatians 3:3)
I am no longer under the bondages of Satan; I’ve been translated into the Kingdom of God. (Colossians 1:13)
Jesus is the Lord over me totally and completely, spirit, soul, and body and every circumstance that touches me. (1 Thessalonians 5:23)
I claim Jesus as Lord over my nation, my state, and my community. (1 Timothy 2:2)
I will myself to do my Father’s will for my life on earth. (Luke 11:2)
God has control over every detail of my life, I am in His perfect will. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)
I am the child of God—Jesus is in me and I am in Him. (John 17:22-23)
He that is in me is greater than he (Satan) that is in the world. (1 John 4:4)
I have God’s patience in me. God’s patience wears the devil out. (Galatians 5:22-23)
I have God’s love in me. I love everyone; most of all I love those who hate me. (Matthew 5:44)
The love that is in me is stronger than the hate of this world. I forgive all who have wronged me. (Mark 11:25)
I have the God kind of faith. My faith can remove mountains and whatever I pray for I receive. (Mark 11:22-24)
No weapon formed against me shall prosper. (Isaiah 54:17)
I am not of this world, but of the Kingdom of God. (John 17:16)
The fruit of the Spirit are in me: love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, obedience, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23)
I am righteous, wise, sanctified, and redeemed, in the eyes of God because of what Jesus did. (1 Corinthians 1:20)
I don’t have a care or worry in the world; I cast all my care over on Jesus for He cares for me. (1 Peter 5:7)
I do not lack for ability in my daily life. I do not lack for any good thing. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. (Psalm 23; 3 John 2)
I will not fear anything. God has given me the Spirit of love and of power and of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7)
I have no financial problems. My God supplies all of my needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19)
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13)
By Jesus’ stripes, my body is healed from sickness and disease. (1 Peter 2:24)
I receive forgiveness for sins. (1 John 1:9)
I have been redeemed, washed clean by the Blood of Jesus. (Ephesians 1:7)
4. Do you understand who you are and what you have when you accepted Christ’s nature?
5. Do you understand that you don’t have to do anything to receive God’s favor?
6. Do you understand that you simply need to be content and secure in what Christ has done for you?
7. Do you see that this Baby is the Lord Our Righteousness?
8. Do you see what Jeremiah saw?
IV. Righteousness is accepting Christ’s best.
John 3:16 (NIV), "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV), For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
A. Religion says, “I must give my best to God.”
Relationship says, “I will accept that God gave His best for me.”
B. Do you understand that God gave His best for you?
1. Do you understand that His Son Jesus is the very best gift that anyone could ever give you?
2. Do you understand that without His righteousness, you are eternally lost?
3. Do you understand that you don’t have the stress of constantly having to give your best in our to be accepted by God?
4. We don’t give our best in order to be accepted; we give our best because we have already been accepted!
5. We give our best because God gave His best!
6. We aren’t save by our good works, we are saved by grace; i.e. the righteousness of Christ!
7. Do you understand the freedom that this brings?
8. Do you see the freedom that comes from giving our best out of thanksgiving and not out of the burden of trying to earn acceptance?
9. Do you see the freedom that comes from this Baby?
10. Do you see that we are saved because of the righteousness of this Baby and that we don’t have to earn it?
11. Do you see that this Scripture does not say that we are saved by our good works so that some people will have something to boast about?
12. Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV), For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
10.Do you see that Jeremiah correctly prophesied that His name would be the Lord Our Righteousness?
11.Do you see what Jeremiah saw?
Conclusion:
A. Have you misunderstood righteousness?
1. Satan has deceived too many people into believing this garbage!
2. But Jeremiah was exactly right!
3. Jeremiah spoke in an era when righteous did have to be earned by following the Law, but he prophesied that all of that would end when Christ came and fulfilled the Law.
4. Do you understand that righteousness is a relationship and not a religion?
5. Romans 10:4 (NIV), Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.
6. Do you see what Jeremiah saw?
B. Do you have a relationship with the Babe of Bethlehem?
1. Do you recall this story I read to you earlier that Jesus told?
2. Matthew 7:21-23 (NIV), "Not everyone who says to me, ’Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ’Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ’I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
3. Did you hear that last statement? “I never knew you.”
4. Does Jesus know you? Do you have a relationship with Him?
5. Your religion can’t save you; only a relationship with the Babe of Bethlehem can save you.
6. Do you know that you are saved today?
7. Do you need to come today and accept Him into your life?
8. Do you need to receive His righteousness?
9. I don’t care who you are or how long you’ve been in church—if you don’t have a relationship with Jesus, you need to start it today!
10. Won’t you come to Him today?
