Righteous by right rule

following?

Righteous: Morally right or justifiable,

virtuous.

Romans 1:17 (NIV) 17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”

Doesn’t your definition of

righteousness include some type of rule following?

Jesus came to bring the good

news—the good news that the righteous will live by faith.

Romans 3:22–23 (NIV) 22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Romans 3:24 (NIV) 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

Today, through the words of Jesus, we

are going to be challenged to think

about what you REALLY believe

about righteousness and how a person

becomes righteous in God’s eyes.

Matthew 13:9 (NIV) 9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.” The Story, page 335, middle of the page

What are the rules for

becoming a Christ

follower?

John 6:35 (NIV) 35 Then Jesus declared, “I am

the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go

hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

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John 6:40 (NIV) 40 For my Father’s will is that

everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have

eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”

Mark 4:9 (NIV) 9 Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

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Luke 15:1 (NIV) 1 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus.

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What makes a person a sinner

in your definition?

Luke 15:2 (NIV) 2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” p 337

“When you are with me do you

experience grace, or is our

relationship mostly about you keeping

my rules?”

Luke 15:4 (NIV) 4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? Page 337

Luke 15:5–6 (NIV) 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’

Luke 15:7 (NIV) 7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

Who do you celebrate in life?

People who have kept the

rules the best…or people who

are broken, humble, and express the

greatest need of God?

Who do people in

heaven celebrate the

most?

To a reorient your life to be

a heaven party starter.

Luke 15:29 (NIV) 29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.

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Luke 15:30 (NIV) 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’

Luke 15:31–32 (NIV) 31 “ ‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ ”

Luke 15:32 (NIV) 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ ”

Rule following doesn’t make

people righteous.

Luke 10:25 (NIV) 25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

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Luke 10:26–27 (NIV) 26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” 27 He answered, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

Luke 10:28 (NIV) 28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”

Luke 10:30 (NIV) 30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.

Luke 10:31 (NIV) 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side.

Luke 10:32 (NIV) 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.

 Luke 10:33 (NIV) 33 But a Samaritan,

as he traveled, came where the

man was; and when he saw him, he took

pity on him.

Luke 10:34 (NIV) 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him.

Luke 10:35 (NIV) 35 The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

Luke 10:36–37 (NIV) 36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” 37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

“When you are with me,

do you experience

mercy?”

Matthew 5:7 (NIV) 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

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Matthew 5:46 (NIV) 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?

Matthew 5:47 (NIV) 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?

Matthew 5:14–15 (NIV) 14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.

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Matthew 6:14 (NIV) 14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

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Matthew 6:15 (NIV) 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.