The Breastplate of Righteousness
Battle and Build • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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How was your week?
Here’s mine.
The car protected me. But really God protected me.
The Breastplate is the same.
Guard Your Heart
Guard Your Heart
Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.
Our hearts are sensitive and can get hurt easily.
A dart to the heart is a fatal blow.
3 things will help us guard our hearts
Recognize (vs. 16-17)
Recognize (vs. 16-17)
vs. 16 - Our Point Of View Must Change.
Paul’s view of Christ changed.
He acknowledged the historical Jesus, but saw him as a fraud and threat to Judaism
Road to Damascus.
He had information about Jesus, but this is not the same as believing in Him.
Paul has a different mindset regarding Christ.
How he saw Christ before His conversion and how He views Christ after.
Jesus was the Messiah.
Paul’s view of people changed.
Paul is highlighting that how we thought of people prior to coming to know Christ has to change
There needs to be more concern over saved and unsaved than Jew and Gentile.
Do not base your judgment on externals.
Gentile believers were his brothers in Christ
Unbelieving Jews needed to be saved
vs. 17 - If We Are In Christ, We Are A New Creation.
Ponder the new. Behold I make all things new.
And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.”
For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.
Everything Changes!
old things have passed away - slavery, guilt
Aorist tense and refers to a completed act in past time.
new things have come
Perfect tense and refers to a past completed act with abiding results.
kainos - qualitatively new.
This concept of new is part of OT terminology for the eshaton.
The OT prophets spoke of this new age.
New things, new covenant, new heart, new spirit, new name, new song, new heaven and new earth
tying in verse 16, one of the main things that has changed is our attitude towards Christ and other people.
Knowledge from a worldly point of view has given way to knowledge in light of the cross.
In Christ - under new management
How Does Recognizing These Things Protect Our Heart?
Change in Point of View
We are a New Creation
Reconcile (vs. 18-20)
Reconcile (vs. 18-20)
vs. 18 - Reconciled - to be made in right relationship.
To bring together that which was alienated.
Removing rebellious and sinful man’s enmity toward God.
reconciliation - not counting mans sin’s against them.
A relationship of peace is established. The Gospel of Peace.
sinners are now friends, even family.
Restoration - fellowship damaged in the Fall is made complete in Christ.
Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
Complete - This word expresses the perfection of man before the fall.
restoration to divine favor by bringing about a change in man.
Restoring in man what was lost at the Fall.
This is all from God. God did it.
God is putting Humpty Dumpty back together again.
vs. 18-19 - He gives us the ministry (service) of reconciliation (which includes restoration) and He gives us the word of reconciliation
The Word?
(entrusting to us) Having placed in us - He has placed that word (logos) within us.
Jesus is living inside of us.
The Holy Spirit is living inside of us.
You can be right with God.
God wants to make you right. God wants you to be whole again.
The Ministry?
If reconciliation is not counting men’s sins against them...
We are not to count men’s sins against us - forgiveness to others.
We are to share Christ’s forgiveness of our sins.
vs. 20 - We are ambassadors - representatives of Christ
we look and act like Jesus - or at least we are supposed to...
this is a high calling
If you are a Christian you ARE an ambassador.
the question is whether you are a bad one or a good one.
God wants to use us to be His messengers.
Be reconciled to God...
How Does Being Reconciled Protect Our Heart?
Right relationship with God
Restoration
Forgiveness
Ambassador
Righteousness (vs. 21)
Righteousness (vs. 21)
vs. 21 - He made Jesus who knew no sin to become sin on our behalf - the great exchange.
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”—
So that we might become that which we were not - the righteousness of God.
We became righteous!!!! It is something that is conferred upon us, given to us, transformed within us, and acted out of us.
Tsadeq - (OT) a right relation to an ethical or legal standard. Also connected with the word justice.
This standard must line up with a standard of truth.
Righteousness cannot be whatever I say is right. It must be that standard outside of ourselves that everyone measures up to.
The concept of righteousness was so important in the OT period that the community that housed the Dead Sea scrolls called their most prominent leader the “Teacher of Righteousness”.
Dikaiosune - conformity to the claims of higher authority and stands in opposition to lawlessness.
So that - subjunctive mood. A note of contingency.
It is a call to action. the purpose was to become righteous.
positional righteousness - justification.
This is being in the right
It is a righteous standing before God.
so that we might live righteously
progressive righteousness - sanctification.
doing what’s right
Righteous living for God.
If we are not walking in righteousness we are just betraying who we really are.
So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.
Righteousness provides order from chaos, and structure from confusion.
Righteousness points us in the right direction.
The 10 Commandments
a call to service
denial
holiness
“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Seek Him and He will begin to work all the physical things out in your life.
Seek God’s standards of truth and justice.
God’s law is an order of life that cannot be changed or challenged.
It is righteous because He is righteous. His ways are right. He can do not wrong.
Christ lived righteously because He was righteous.
My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;
How Does Righteousness Protect Our Heart?
Right Standing - I am a part of His forever family.
Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Right Living - When we’re doing what’s right we are doing what’s pleasing to God.
For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God.
Closing Song: Lord I Need You, Amazing Grace My Chains Are Gone