Day 15 - Righteousness

Day 15 – Righteousness

JOHN 7:15-19

The Jews were amazed and asked, “How did this man get such learning without having studied?”

Jesus answered, “My teaching is not My own. It comes from Him who sent Me. If anyone chooses to do God’s will, he will find out whether My teaching comes from God or whether I speak on My own. He who speaks on his own does so to gain honor for himself, but he who works for the honor of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him. Has not Moses given you the law? Yet not one of you keeps the law.Why are you trying to kill Me?” (John 7:15-19)

Jesus was the living Word. He understood the Bible better than the scholars. This was very difficult for the Judean leaders to accept. When He taught them about God, they rejected His teaching. When He taught them about the law that God gave Moses, it troubled them. Jesus said that He was righteous (there is nothing false about Him). His words and actions confounded the scholars of Israel.

Reflection

1. Is it difficult for you to learn new things about God?
2. How do you think you would have responded to Jesus?
3. How do you tell a person something they don’t want to hear?

AMOS 5:21-24

I hate, I despise your religious feasts; I cannot stand your assemblies. Even though you bring Me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Though you bring choice fellowship offer­ings, I will have no regard for them. Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps. But let justice roll on like a river, righteous­ness like a never-failing stream (Amos 5:21-24).

Sometimes God tells us that He is not happy with our behavior. He does this because we are missing fundamental truths that He is endeavoring to reveal to His children. This pas­sage does not mean that the Lord doesn’t want us to assemble and celebrate His Name. It means that God wants us to live righteous lives. He is more concerned with our walk of integrity than our outward worship of Him. Without humility, there is no honor before God.

Reflection

1. What are you learning about righteousness?
2. Is righteousness the same thing as “right versus wrong”?
3. What do you need to change to be righteous before God?