I’ve recently been reading through Jeremiah. He is known as the weeping prophet. He endures some pretty tough persecution from his own people. (Proclaiming that enemies will come and burn Jerusalem and take people captive doesn’t win you many fans.) He witnessed the destruction of Jerusalem and the fall of the southern Kingdom. In the midst of the sobering prophesies that he declares over the people of Judah, I was struck by some words of hope.
In Jeremiah chapters 23 and 33, the “righteous branch of David” is referred to. The prophecy stated that days were coming when the Lord would raise up a King in the line of David who would execute justice and righteousness. He would be our righteousness. At Christmas time, that King arrived. His name is Jesus. And he is our righteousness. 1 Corinthians 1:30-31 says, “you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, ‘Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.’” Similarly, in 2 Corinthians 5:21 we see this great exchange of our sin for his righteousness, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
We could never produce our own righteousness. There is nothing we have that we can boast in. Jesus alone is our righteousness. We live in the days where this prophecy from Jeremiah has been fulfilled. This Christmas, I’m celebrating Jesus, the Lord, our righteousness.
See you Sunday!
Pastor Kyle