Clothed in His RighteousnessA terrible thing took place when Adam disobeyed God, which has done tremendous damage to everyone who was born in the flesh even up to this very second. The damage is so deep, that every person is so deeply marred by it that it is truly hard to face up to the depth of human depravity which touches every thread of the human fabric. Listen to this message from our teacher, Pastor Landis Fisher, as he exposes the way God feels about the fall of man and learn how beautiful it is when we come to learn what it truly means to be “Clothed in His righteousness”.
Old Testament Scripture Reading: Isaiah 61:1 – 3 (KJV)
Isa 61:1 The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
Isa 61:2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;
Isa 61:3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.
New Testament Scripture Reading: Luke 4:14 – 24 (KJV)
Luke 4:14 And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.
Luke 4:15 And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.
Luke 4:16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.
Luke 4:17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,
Luke 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
Luke 4:19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
Luke 4:20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.
Luke 4:21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.
Luke 4:22 And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph’s son?
Luke 4:23 And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country.
Luke 4:24 And he said, Verily, I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country.
Transforming Power Statements:
1) Since the fall of man, all human beings have been born with the tendency to provide themselves with some form of self-made covering based on their own works or achievements and therefore, prove their own spiritual blindness which is the result of the spiritual death acquired from Adam and is reinforced by pride, which is the sin of self sufficiency apart from a need for God, and even in defiance of God even though God did not change as a result of the fall.
2) All who abandon all hope of self-righteousness and completely embrace Christ Jesus as Savior and LORD, can have the settled assurance that Jesus is willing and able to present them without a spot or blemish in the sight of God and keep them until the day of judgment, because the ones who are meditating in the Law of the LORD are like a tree planted beside the rivers of waters.
3) The covering of God was lost in the Garden of Eden when sin entered the world and man has needed to be covered by other means every since, usually making wrong decisions about an appropriate covering and attempting to cover himself, rather than seeking to restore the covering of God which was lost.
