Pastor Tony Kobak at Hanover Lutheran Church, Cape Girardeau, Missouri, preaches on Jesus words " If salt looses its saltiness what good is it?" Do you love the law or do you hate it? Our opinion changes when we think the law is in our favor we are quick to jump on board. Sermon on the Mount = gift of life, "righteousness." Blessed are those who hunger and thirst, for righteousness, for they will be filled." Jesus is saying righteousness will be given to those who hunger and thirst. first belong to the giver -- that's the Lord. Whose is it? we need righteousness that at least surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law. tall order!. Why? At the time they thought no one was more righteous than the Pharisees and the teachers of the law. Are the disciples more righteous than them? Garden, Adam& Eve desired to posses God's righteousness Satan's trick by believing could be like God if they take fruit and eat it. Righteousness we want to earn it! lack of trust in the Lord results in "self-reliance" a "self-righteousness" even when the Lord promises to take care of us. Beloved in the Lord, "Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven." All those, "Look at what I can dos," and "Look at what I have done," is exactly what Jesus is talking about right here. The Pharisees were righteous in and of themselves. "Look at me," is what they would say. So Jesus, with His words of law in the Sermon on the Mount would ask, "So, whose righteousness is it? Is it yours or is it mine?" Of course the Savior is talking about the righteousness that only belongs to the Lord that is gifted to you by grace through faith. We cannot be self-righteous and have salvation. There is no way we can be righteous enough in ourselves. Jesus goes on to show how easy it is to breathe out murder even if you have never shed blood. He says, "...anyone who murders will be subject to judgment. But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment." Self-righteousness cannot satisfy such things. Only one kind of righteousness can. This communion is special. IT IS ALL ABOUT ME, BECAUSE HE DIED FOR ME! we receive his righteousness through the forgiveness of our sin. that forgiveness comes in spite of my failure. that forgiveness comes in spite of what I have done and I am thankful for that! That righteousness belongs to the Lord, is gifted to you, and now belongs to you. Don't forget where it comes from. It's yours, but it's not from you. It's His -- from Him only. The righteousness of God is yours -- right there from the altar this morning. It was poured out to you. Right there from the font used to baptize your child or grandchild. the Lord's righteousness. In life's beginning, there is God's righteousness. In life's end --thank God -- there is God's righteousness. It's God's. Live and act like it belongs to Him. To Him be the glory, the honor, the praise, for the life He gives. It's mine. It's yours. It's the Lord's . Amen
