"Follow Your Heart" And 5 More Lies… Work for it

"Follow Your Heart""Follow Your Heart"

And 5 More Lies…And 5 More Lies…Work for itWork for it

Marathon Marathon

Hungry for same thingHungry for same thing

The cravings of pregnantThe cravings of pregnantAnd nursing momsAnd nursing moms

Righteous=Righteous= dikaiosune dikaiosune

In right-standing with GodIn right-standing with GodDeclared free from guiltDeclared free from guiltThe debt is paid in fullThe debt is paid in full

Because God is justBecause God is just

We were madeWe were madeFor righteousnessFor righteousnessFor freedom from guiltFor freedom from guilt

And we crave itAnd we crave it

We want and seek We want and seek Righteousness Righteousness outside of outside of ChristChrist

In all sorts of waysIn all sorts of waysWithout realizing itWithout realizing it

Easiest and hardest job everEasiest and hardest job ever


- You are righteous- You are righteous- Your God delights in you- Your God delights in you

Last weekLast week

Gift for:Gift for:God's Purposes and his gloryGod's Purposes and his glory

Result: Their benefit & your joyResult: Their benefit & your joy


- You are righteous- You are righteous- Your God delights in you- Your God delights in you

It's about you, but JesusIt's about you, but Jesus

Accepting this truthAccepting this truthHonorsHonors our King our King

You will never be more righteousYou will never be more righteousLoved and accepted by GodLoved and accepted by God

Than you are right nowThan you are right now

““He made Him who knew no sin He made Him who knew no sin to be sinto be sin on our behalf, so that on our behalf, so that we might become we might become the the righteousnessrighteousness (dikaiosune) of (dikaiosune) of God in Him” God in Him” - 2 Cor. 5:21- 2 Cor. 5:21

A A terrible payment terrible payment was madewas made

The basis of our righteousnessThe basis of our righteousnessIs Jesus- and nothing else…Is Jesus- and nothing else…

““For I am not ashamed of the For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the gospel, for it is the powerpower of God of God

for salvation to everyone who for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and believes, to the Jew first and

also to the Greekalso to the Greek

For in it the righteousness of God For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘But it is written, ‘But the righteous the righteous man shall live by man shall live by faithfaith’” ’” -Romans 1:16-17-Romans 1:16-17

UnashamedUnashamedNo guiltNo guiltNo disgraceNo disgrace

The righteous live by faith…The righteous live by faith…

Who shall bring any charge Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God against God's elect? It is God who who justifiesjustifies

Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at that, who was raised—who is at

the right hand of God, who the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for usindeed is interceding for us

- Rom. 8:33-34- Rom. 8:33-34

The only One who is in The only One who is in A position to condemnA position to condemn

Is busy even now Is busy even now Standing on our behalfStanding on our behalfAgainst the AccuserAgainst the Accuser



For his sake I have suffered the For his sake I have suffered the loss of loss of all thingsall things and count them and count them as as rubbish rubbish (negative significance) (negative significance) in order that I may gain Christ in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him…and be found in him…

……not having a righteousness of not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of comes from God on the basis of faith”faith” - Phil. 3:9 - Phil. 3:9

"I became a Christian. And I "I became a Christian. And I cleaned up my language and cleaned up my language and cleaned up my life…"cleaned up my life…"

No! Just…no.No! Just…no.

We praise our Christ We praise our Christ Not our transformationNot our transformation

Our righteousness is JesusOur righteousness is JesusNot us or our behaviorNot us or our behavior

What I do to be righteousWhat I do to be righteousOutside of trusting JesusOutside of trusting Jesus

Has negative impact Has negative impact In my spiritual lifeIn my spiritual life

Therefore Therefore no one no one will be declared will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the righteous in God’s sight by the

works of the law; rather, through works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious the law we become conscious

of our sinof our sin

But now the righteousness of But now the righteousness of God has been manifested God has been manifested apart apart from the law,from the law, although the Law although the Law and the Prophets bear and the Prophets bear witness to it…witness to it…

……the the righteousnessrighteousness of God of God through faith in Jesus Christ for through faith in Jesus Christ for all who all who believebelieve- Romans 3:20-22- Romans 3:20-22

IF you know Jesus: IF you know Jesus:



- You are righteous- You are righteous- God delights in you- God delights in you

Let those who delight in my Let those who delight in my righteousness shout for joy and righteousness shout for joy and

be glad and say evermore, be glad and say evermore, “Great is the Lord, “Great is the Lord, who delightswho delights

in the welfare of his servant!”in the welfare of his servant!”- Psalm 35:27- Psalm 35:27

““The Lord your God is in your The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will midst, a mighty one who will save; save; he will rejoice over you he will rejoice over you with gladness”with gladness”- Zephaniah 3:17- Zephaniah 3:17

““Because your steadfast love is Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips better than life, my lips

will praise you”will praise you”- Psalm 63:3- Psalm 63:3



A daddy who adopts and loves?A daddy who adopts and loves?

Or a judge who only acceptsOr a judge who only acceptsBecause he has to?Because he has to?

If you start thinkingIf you start thinkingAbout your behaviorAbout your behavior

You missed the pointYou missed the point

God is not begrudgingly God is not begrudgingly Accepting you because of JesusAccepting you because of Jesus

He sent Jesus and won you, Adopted He sent Jesus and won you, Adopted you, cares for youyou, cares for youBecause he loved you- Because he loved you- even even when…when…

Not some past versionNot some past versionNot some future versionNot some future version

You- right nowYou- right nowWith all your baggageWith all your baggage

Important…Affects:Important…Affects:

How/if I approach GodHow/if I approach God


The motives behind my actionsThe motives behind my actions


It keeps me from seeking It keeps me from seeking righteousness outside gracerighteousness outside grace

We want and seek We want and seek Righteousness apart from ChristRighteousness apart from Christ

In all sorts of waysIn all sorts of waysWithout realizing itWithout realizing it

Justification via Facebook:Justification via Facebook:

"They lied. They're mean. I'm "They lied. They're mean. I'm hurt. I'm innocent. The good hurt. I'm innocent. The good ones always get hurt the most!"ones always get hurt the most!"

Justification via Facebook: Justification via Facebook:

"You're one of the good ones!""You're one of the good ones!""How dare they! You're so "How dare they! You're so sweet. They weren't worthy of sweet. They weren't worthy of you!"you!"

Old Testament:Old Testament:

False Prophets who refused to False Prophets who refused to point out sin so that people point out sin so that people could repent and see changecould repent and see change

It's a false standard- It's a false standard- The praise of men- The praise of men- And it cheats me out of growthAnd it cheats me out of growth

Law-Based andLaw-Based andComparison-Based Comparison-Based RighteousnessRighteousness

He also told this parable to some He also told this parable to some who who trusted in themselves trusted in themselves that that they were righteous, they were righteous, and treated and treated others with contempt:others with contempt:

When we see ourselvesWhen we see ourselvesAs righteous by our actionsAs righteous by our actions

We become arrogant towardWe become arrogant towardThose we deem unworthyThose we deem unworthy

““Two men went up into the Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee temple to pray, one a Pharisee

and the other a tax collectorand the other a tax collector

The Pharisee, standing by The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus:himself, prayed thus:‘God, I thank you that I am ‘God, I thank you that I am not not likelike other men, extortioners, other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collectorthis tax collector

Standard of comparison?Standard of comparison?

Standard of comparison?Standard of comparison?

"At least I'm not:"At least I'm not:IntolerantIntolerantJudgmentalJudgmentalAn adulterer"An adulterer"

I fast twice a week; I give I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get’tithes of all that I get’

Righteousness in "what"Righteousness in "what"Righteousness in "who"Righteousness in "who"

In what he doesIn what he does

In who he is compared to…In who he is compared to…

And yet, you gotta admit…And yet, you gotta admit…

But the tax collector, But the tax collector, standing far standing far off,off, would not even lift up his would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his eyes to heaven, but beat his

breast, saying…breast, saying…

‘‘God, be merciful to me, God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’a sinner!’

Nothing to offer GodNothing to offer GodNadaNada

ZipZipZeroZero

(Except wickedness)(Except wickedness)

Who is righteous?Who is righteous?

Whose debt is paid?Whose debt is paid?Who's guiltless?Who's guiltless?

I tell you, this man went down to I tell you, this man went down to his house his house justified,justified, rather than rather than the other. For everyone who the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself but the one who humbles himself will be exalted”- Luke 18:9-14will be exalted”- Luke 18:9-14

What did the PhariseeWhat did the PhariseeHave to offer God?Have to offer God?

There's nothing you can give There's nothing you can give That you did not first receiveThat you did not first receive

Religions says God will love us if Religions says God will love us if we change. If we're better than…we change. If we're better than…

The gospel says God will change The gospel says God will change us because He loves usus because He loves us

We seek righteousnessWe seek righteousnessBy consent of friends/FBBy consent of friends/FB

But how can But how can The consent of the unrighteousThe consent of the unrighteousMake us more righteous?Make us more righteous?

We seek righteousnessWe seek righteousnessBy comparison to bad peopleBy comparison to bad people

But since when can we say,But since when can we say,"I may have stolen a car, sir"I may have stolen a car, sirBut I never killed anyone"?But I never killed anyone"?

We seek righteousnessWe seek righteousnessBy our worksBy our works

But how can giving a nickelBut how can giving a nickelMake up for billions in debt?Make up for billions in debt?

We seek righteousnessWe seek righteousnessBy our causesBy our causes

But how can caring But how can caring About the environmentAbout the environmentPay for our sins?Pay for our sins?



You are righteous- nowYou are righteous- nowChrist delights in you- nowChrist delights in you- now

Sets us freeSets us free

We don’t have to spend our lives We don’t have to spend our lives earning the approval of others earning the approval of others

Jesus has already earned Jesus has already earned God’s approval for us God’s approval for us (Tchvidjian)(Tchvidjian)

"The gospel tells me my identity "The gospel tells me my identity and security is in Christand security is in Christ

This frees me to give everything I This frees me to give everything I have because in Christ I have have because in Christ I have everything I need"- Tchividjianeverything I need"- Tchividjian

So I can do whatever I want?So I can do whatever I want?

Sin so that God's grace Sin so that God's grace Will abound?Will abound?

““He himself bore our sins” in his He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, body on the cross, so thatso that we we might die to sins and live for might die to sins and live for righteousnessrighteousness- 1 Peter 2:24- 1 Peter 2:24

We are forgivenWe are forgivenSet freeSet free

To find lifeTo find lifeNot rediscover deathNot rediscover death

If I can continue in sinIf I can continue in sinAnd not sense convictionAnd not sense conviction- A grieving of his Spirit - - A grieving of his Spirit - And experience disciplineAnd experience discipline

I don't belong to himI don't belong to him

All righteousnessAll righteousnessOutside of Christ's righteousnessOutside of Christ's righteousness

Is a lieIs a lie

The lie:The lie:I'm a good person because…I'm a good person because…- They say I am- They say I am- Compared to- Compared to- Of what I do- Of what I do- My causes are good- My causes are good

What I do to be righteousWhat I do to be righteousOutside of trusting JesusOutside of trusting Jesus

Has negative impact Has negative impact In my spiritual lifeIn my spiritual life

Leads to holier-than-thouLeads to holier-than-thouHiding and ImmoralityHiding and ImmoralityWaiting to receive love Waiting to receive love Never just resting in his loveNever just resting in his love

Christ-righteousnessChrist-righteousness- Freed to follow out of gratitude- Freed to follow out of gratitude- Running - Running toto God God- Humility- Humility- Rest- Rest- Experiencing love- Experiencing love

I'm hungry for I'm hungry for Righteousness outside of JesusRighteousness outside of Jesus

When I neglectWhen I neglectThe righteousness of my KingThe righteousness of my King

Blessed are thoseBlessed are thoseWho thirst and hunger for Who thirst and hunger for righteousnessrighteousnessFor they will be filledFor they will be filled- Jesus- Jesus

Meditation MomentMeditation Moment

Questions, CommentsQuestions, CommentsDisagreementsDisagreements

Next Week…Next Week…

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"Follow Your Heart" And 5 More Lies… Work for it