Life for Righteousness (part 3)
Isaiah 60 describes life under Jesus. One of the most interesting descriptions is this:
I will make your overseers peace and your taskmasters righteousness. (Isa 60:17)
Review: Bosses and Directors
Overseers are the Big Bosses in our lives and in our hearts—the ones who tell us we’re good or bad. The Taskmasters are Directors—they tell us where to go and how to get there.
Our Big Bosses tells us that we need to do more, we’re not doing enough. And our Directors tells us we need to do it right, we’re doing it all wrong.
But then, when we try to do more, is it enough? Not quite. And when we try to follow their directions, is it right? Not quite.
That’s the game, isn’t it? Standards, judgment, assessment, pressure, pressure, pressure… Fail.
Review: Peace
But when Jesus comes into our lives, He becomes the New Boss. What’s that like? That’s like having the person in charge be named, “Peace.”
How do you please “Peace”? As we saw last week: We… enjoy… it.
The main question Jesus has for those who’ve put their faith in Him is, How’re you liking it?
His main question is not, How much did you accomplish today? Nor is it, What percentage perfect are you? Nope. His question is, To what extent are you enjoying the victory and freedom I purchased for you by my sacrifice and accomplishments, my friend?
It’s a whole new kind of Kingdom—Thanks be to God!
Righteousness
But that’s not all. Peace is the new Boss. And Righteousness is the new Director.
What does it mean for “Righteousness” to be our Director? What’s now expected of us? What’s it like working for “Righteousness”?
Not That
Now—hold on!—don’t get this twisted. It’d be easy to think that this means WORKING UNCEASINGLY FOR GOD’S UNOBTAINABLE STANDARDS OF PERFECTION IN ALL THINGS FOREVER.
In fact, there are many Christian who will tell you that that’s exactly what God wants. But that just ends up looking like the hypocritical-Pharisaism which fought Jesus’ entire ministry! So instead of “all things” we pick a “few things,” and instead of “God’s perfect standard,” we set the bar at “The standard I can reach pretty easily but others struggle with, which makes me feel better than them.”
So, not that.
But This
When Jesus comes into our lives, He becomes the New Director too. What’s that like? That’s like having the person on-site, leading and guiding, be named, “Let’s Do What’s Right Together Now,” or “Now That You’re Mine, What Good Should We Do Together Today?”
When Christ’s Righteousness is our Director, well, it’s a whole new way of life—new direction with a new objective.
Now our objective is: to see come into the world the heart that Christ has put within us, to do what is right, for God’s glory.
To do what’s Right. For God’s Glory. As Christ did. Which is what we truly want to do.
Because We Have New Hearts
Instead of our objective being more money or apparent success or any of the other “Directors” that the world gives us, we have a new heart.
Our heart is no longer filled with selfishness, greed, insecurity, need, pride, fear, and so forth. Our heart is full. Our heart is filled with Christ’s love, with His promises to us, with His example and with hope.
Now when we look out and ask ourselves, Which way should I go? We are answered with the freedom of the love of God. Our heart says to us, What has the LORD put on your heart, to bring Christ’s love into the world?
Christ’s heart in us—The Love of Christ directs us—that’s our Director. (2Cor 5:14)
It’s a heart to do what’s right, according to God’s Word, in love for others, to the glory of God’s Name. This is what we now have in us, and that’ where we want to go.
We want, “Your will being done on earth as it is done in heaven.” That’s righteousness. That’s our prayer and our hope. And that’s what the Spirit of Jesus is calling us toward.
Conclusion
Now that we live under Peace, we’re finally free to do what’s Right. (Rom 6:19-20)
“Free indeed,” Jesus says.
That is, first, we’re free. Freed from what had us wrapped up tight. But now Peace is our Boss. We’re free.
But, second, free indeed. That’s the second step of freedom—when freedom changes from an unshackled shuffle into a joyous and leaping jog. That’s when freedom becomes joy, when we get to do what’s actually right, with Christ, by His Spirit, for His glory.
No longer enslaved to selfish appetites; no longer afraid of all the fears. Freed and at peace—freed indeed, for righteousness.
This is what Jesus has done for us. This is His Kingdom. This is your life.
Prayer
LORD God, we pray with the Psalmist, “Create in us clean hearts, O God; Renew right spirits within us…” And so You have done. By Your grace, You have filled us with Your love, given us new lives, make us new creations, and filled us with Your Spirit. We pray and we truly desire to see Your will be done on earth.
It is a joy, Father, to be able to work for that which You truly desire, and to find that it is our heart too. We hunger and thirst for righteousness, that all may see our good works and give You glory. You have shown us what is good: to love mercy, do justice, and live in continual dependence on You. So may it be.
Fill us, we pray, with Your heart. And give us courage to follow. In Jesus’ Name and for His glory, Amen.
Photo by Artem Balashevsky on Unsplash