Righteous Living
Audio Recording
Sermon Outline
Speaker: Rev. Tim Chang
Sermon Series: Come, Let Us Walk in the Light of the Lord
Isaiah 56:1-8 (ESV)
1 Thus says the LORD:
“Keep justice, and do righteousness,
for soon my salvation will come,
and my righteousness be revealed.
2 Blessed is the man who does this,
and the son of man who holds it fast,
who keeps the Sabbath, not profaning it,
and keeps his hand from doing any evil.”
3 Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say,
“The LORD will surely separate me from his people”;
and let not the eunuch say,
“Behold, I am a dry tree.”
4 For thus says the LORD:
“To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths,
who choose the things that please me
and hold fast my covenant,
5 I will give in my house and within my walls
a monument and a name
better than sons and daughters;
I will give them an everlasting name
that shall not be cut off.
6 “And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD,
to minister to him, to love the name of the LORD,
and to be his servants,
everyone who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it,
and holds fast my covenant—
7 these I will bring to my holy mountain,
and make them joyful in my house of prayer;
their burnt offerings and their sacrifices
will be accepted on my altar;
for my house shall be called a house of prayer
for all peoples.”
8 The Lord GOD,
who gathers the outcasts of Israel, declares,
“I will gather yet others to him
besides those already gathered.”
Sermon Outline
1. What is righteous living? (v.1)
1 Thus says the LORD:
“Keep justice, and do righteousness,
for soon my salvation will come,
and my righteousness be revealed.
2. Who is righteous living for? (v. 3-6)
[4] For thus says the LORD:
“To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths,
who choose the things that please me
and hold fast my covenant,
[6] “And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD,
to minister to him, to love the name of the LORD,
and to be his servants,
everyone who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it,
and holds fast my covenant—
[3] Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say,
“The LORD will surely separate me from his people”;
and let not the eunuch say,
“Behold, I am a dry tree.”
3. How do we live righteously? (v. 4-8)
[4] For thus says the LORD:
“To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths,
who choose the things that please me
and hold fast my covenant,
[5] I will give in my house and within my walls
a monument and a name
better than sons and daughters;
I will give them an everlasting name
that shall not be cut off.
[7] these I will bring to my holy mountain,
and make them joyful in my house of prayer;
their burnt offerings and their sacrifices
will be accepted on my altar;
[7] for my house shall be called a house of prayer
for all peoples.”
[8] The Lord GOD,
who gathers the outcasts of Israel, declares,
“I will gather yet others to him
besides those already gathered.”
Prayer of Confession
Gracious God, you call us to keep justice and do righteousness, but we often put ourselves first than our neighbors. We make it more difficult for others to enter your kingdom, and we lose sight of how you graciously welcomed us despite our sins. Thank you for the righteous life of Jesus who ended our fears, gathered us to your family, and invites us to live righteously so that more may taste heaven. Amen.
Questions for Reflection
1. What connected with you from the sermon or the passage?
2. In your own words, how would you describe righteous living after reading Isaiah 56:1?
3. When did you receive or experience someone else’s righteous living?
4. Our passage tells us that foreigners and eunuchs, once considered outsiders, are now fully welcomed by God. Why do you think this would have been surprising and challenging for the original listeners?
5. Why is the practice of Sabbath so central in this passage?
6. How does Jesus show righteous living differently than we might typically think about it?
7. If righteous living means following Jesus and continuing his ministry, what’s one small but meaningful way you can live righteously this week?
8. What do you sense God calling you to do from this passage?
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