Sermon for The Sixth Sunday after Trinity, 2024

Everyone desires to be righteous. Even those living in blatant sin seek to justify themselves, often with excuses or by comparing themselves to others. True righteousness, however, is not about outward actions but the condition of the heart. Time and again, Jesus condemned the Pharisees for their superficial righteousness, which focused on external compliance rather than genuine inner transformation. Sinful man’s efforts to achieve righteousness are inadequate, for God demands the perfect keeping of His Law. Thus, righteousness—true righteousness that is valid before God—must be found outside oneself—in Christ, who came not to abolish the Law but to perfectly fulfill it. This righteousness becomes ours through faith. Or, to put it another way, “People are freely justified for Christ’s sake, through faith, when they believe that they are received into favor and that their sins are forgiven for Christ’s sake.” Christ’s righteousness, comprehended by faith, always leads to a life of new obedience: a life of love and the desire to please God, not to merit righteousness but because God, through Christ, has made us righteous. God grant that we hold on dearly to Christ Jesus our Lord, the giver and source of our righteousness unto all eternity. 

Readings:

• Old Testament: Exodus 20:1-17

• Epistle: Romans 6:1-11

• Holy Gospel: Matthew 5:17-26

Sermon: