Friday May 1, 2015

Read Jeremiah 5

Imagine being in Jeremiah’s sandals. Jeremiah is challenged by God to look for just one person in Jerusalem who is righteous. He is challenged to find just one person who deals honestly and seeks the truth. God promises that if Jeremiah finds such a person then He will forgive the entire city. Where would you look? What would you do?

So Jeremiah scours the city but to no avail. He cannot find one righteous person. But, he reasons to himself, ‘These are only the poor and the foolish.’ He decides that he will seek out the righteous among the elders, the leaders of the city. Surely there’ll be at least one righteous person there. Verse 5b shows that sadly, they too had joined in the wholesale rejection of God.

Before we become too proud and think that the job today would be far easier, let us recall Romans 3:23. This verse sums up what Jeremiah found to be true.

...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…

Mankind has not changed since the Old Testament and, thankfully, neither has God. God still offers us His righteousness but not by finding one righteous person. There are simply none to be found. Rather, He has sent the only pure and perfect righteous one, His Son, into the world. This righteous one, Jesus, lived a perfect life and even so, still died on the cross. He died on the cross rejected by man and God. He died carrying the punishment for our sins and rebellions and our lack of righteousness. Jesus died under a curse for us, all of us, who deserved to be cursed. 

God assures us that anyone who repents and believes in Jesus has eternal life not condemnation. John 3:16 says

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.

When we believe in Jesus personally, our sins and unrighteousness is transferred to His account and is dealt with at the cross. His righteousness is transferred to our account and God promises to freely and fully forgive us for everything needing forgiveness. He promises to love us freely and to adopt us as His beloved children.

The wider context of our earlier Romans quote shows just how loving and gracious God really is.

Romans 3:21–24 (NIV84)

21 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 that came by Christ Jesus.

The full magnitude of the situation is clearly presented. The Law or Torah could not make any one righteous. It testified to the One who could make people righteous - Christ Jesus. He came and gave His very life as the sacrifice for our sinfulness and unrighteousness. He died so that we might live! Through Jesus’ perfect sacrifice we are given the righteousness of God and we are assured that judgement, our judgement, has been paid in the full at the cross. What awaits us is love, pure unadulterated love.

Prayer Points:

Using today’s Bible passage and reading notes spend time in adoration, confession, thanks and supplication.

Adoration:

Confession:

Thanks:

Supplication:

· Ask the Lord to bless the work of CMTC (ChristLife Ministry Training Centre) as it seeks to equip people for ministry and service and as the teams go out to various churches on the 4th Sonday of each month.

· Pray that God would enable each person in your congregation to receive and comprehend the righteousness of Christ given to each person by faith in Jesus.

 Discussion Questions For Families and Groups

1. Why is it important to understand the righteousness of God and how it’s transferred to us?

2. If the love of God is continually preached without judgment and without this righteousness of God, what will be the end result?

3. Does preaching the righteousness of God require the preaching of the judgement of God? Explain your answer.