The Breastplate of Righteousness - SERMON NOTES

Below are Pastor Ben's sermon notes from this past Sunday, in case they may be helpful for further study. To listen to the sermon, click the link above.

Intro: (1) series recap (2) “righteousness” -- God is the standard of right and always does right

Righteousness in Concept

1. Righteousness as a breastplate: (1) a metal piece covering the front of the body -- designed to protect the vital organs (2) perhaps what we most commonly associate with “armor” (3) perhaps what is most commonly associated with Christians (cf. thugs in dark alley) (4) “heart guard” (cf. Prov. 4:23) -- seat of our will/emotions (cf. Mt. 6:21)

2. Righteousness in the OT: (1) Isaiah 59 -- backdrop of Isaiah (2) v.1-2, 9 -- human condition
(3) v.14-17 -- God’s answer to the human condition (4) God not only forgives sin, he opposes it with all his might (cf. Scout, screen door) (5) note God’s desire to address our unrighteousness through redemption rather than judgment (6) “intercede” in v.16 = 53:12

Righteouseness in Christ

1. The innocent became guilty: (1) Isaiah 53:5-6 (cf. Romans 3:23) (2) every person falls short of God’s righteousness and are unable to create their own righteousness (cf. fig leaves) (3) 2 Cor. 5:21 -- the righteousness of Christ was stripped off of him and he was treated as one who bore all of our guilt (cf. Mt. 27:46) (4) when Jesus died our unrighteousness died with him (cf. scapegoat)

2. The guilty become innocent: (1) 2 Cor. 5:21b -- other half of great exchange (2) Rom. 3:21-26 -- God’s righteousness referred to six times (3) Philipp. 3:7-9 -- quitting on our own righteousness, receiving God’s through Christ, as well as his power to live in it (4) first seen in garden (5) our record doesn’t count against us, Christ’s counts for us

Righteousness in Practice

1. How Satan attacks: (1) tactic #1 -- you’ll never be good enough, you are so much better than everyone else (2) tactic #2 -- no failure will ever prevent God from loving me, sin still must be taken seriously (3) application to biblical community -- all of these point to the care we must take with each other (cf. 1 Thess. 5:14)

2. How we feel: (1) we often feel “un-right” -- learning to “stare at grace” (cf. OCD exercise)
(2) confused vs. guided (3) broken vs. whole (4) afraid vs. loved (5) guilty vs. forgiven (6)
wounded vs. healed (7) frozen vs. freed (8) ashamed vs. confident (9) small vs. protected (10) weak vs. strengthened (11) the importance of self-talk (cf. psalms)

Conclusion: custom fit of ancient breastplates -- shepherd imagery