Lives that Produce Righteousness and Praise
Audio Recording
Sermon Outline
Speaker: Rev. Scott Strickman
Sermon Series: Come, Let Us Walk in the Light of the Lord
Isaiah 61:1-11 (ESV)
1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor;
he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
2 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor,
and the day of vengeance of our God;
to comfort all who mourn;
3 to grant to those who mourn in Zion—
to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;
that they may be called oaks of righteousness,
the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.
4 They shall build up the ancient ruins;
they shall raise up the former devastations;
they shall repair the ruined cities,
the devastations of many generations.
5 Strangers shall stand and tend your flocks;
foreigners shall be your plowmen and vinedressers;
6 but you shall be called the priests of the Lord;
they shall speak of you as the ministers of our God;
you shall eat the wealth of the nations,
and in their glory you shall boast.
7 Instead of your shame there shall be a double portion;
instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their lot;
therefore in their land they shall possess a double portion;
they shall have everlasting joy.
8 For I the Lord love justice;
I hate robbery and wrong;
I will faithfully give them their recompense,
and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.
9 Their offspring shall be known among the nations,
and their descendants in the midst of the peoples;
all who see them shall acknowledge them,
that they are an offspring the Lord has blessed.
10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord;
my soul shall exult in my God,
for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation;
he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress,
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
11 For as the earth brings forth its sprouts,
and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up,
so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise
to sprout up before all the nations.
Sermon Outline
What kind of life will produce righteousness and praise? (v11)
1. Righteousness
v3 “that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.”
v8 “I the lord love justice, I hate robbery and wrong”
v10 “priest… bride…”
v1-3 “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me… anointed me to bring good news to the poor…”
v10 “for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness”
v4 “they shall repair the ruined cities”
2. Praise
v10 “… my soul shall exult in God, for he has…”
v9 “an offspring the Lord has blessed”
v7 “they shall have an everlasting joy”
v3, 7 “instead of”
Prayer of Confession
Our just and merciful Father, our sins alienate us from you and from one another. We wander into places where we become entangled and trapped. Our desires, thoughts and actions evidence our weakness, our foolishness, our arrogance. If we were to reap what we have sown, our future would be dreadful. You are righteous and just, but also unimaginably merciful. We confess our sins and pray for forgiveness. We cannot justify what we have done, nor can we explain away what we have failed to do. Our justification is in Christ our savior, not our own deeds. Cover us with his righteousness. May the good news take root in us. May our lives root firmly in you. May your Spirit produce righteousness and praise. Amen.
Questions for Reflection
What outcomes would evidence that you lived your life well?
What is needed for a good life? Do you believe you can have a good life without God?
What from the planting/sprouting imagery can help you understand the nature of a spiritual life where there is growth, strengthen, fruitfulness?
Why do we try to justify ourselves? How do we do it?
What is the good news Jesus brings?
Why is our union with Christ so important? How are we clothed with a robe of righteousness?
How should Christians play a “priestly” role in the world? In what ways do Christians serve God and people? What roles do we have in the repairing of the world?
What in the Chrisitan message or experience produces praise in you? What are some things for which you are particularly thankful?
What is a wise expectation for Christian joy? When Christians endure long hard periods, how should they think about the praise of God?
How can you live as one who has been blessed by God? What does it look like in your day-to-day life to hold that mindset?
How can your life bless others? How can you bring the blessing of God to your relationships, workplace, neighborhood?
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