Righteous

Holiness has to do with character
Righteousness has to do with behavior

The holiness of God is revealed in everything that He does - righteously

Isaiah 5:16

Our unholiness is revealed by our own rebellious actions

But In the same way that we are made Holy in Christ, where he changes our nature

We can also be made righteous

we are law breakers, Jesus was the law keeper,

We know we aren’t righteous but we have been made righteous and the righteousness of Jesus is given to us

Romans 4:22-24

our behavior flows from our nature - if you have received Christ, been born again, you have new ability to pursue righteousness

Seek Righteousness

Matthew 6:32-33
Seek the Kingdom
SHIFT: every moment is a Kingdom moment
* God doesn't want to be a thing we check off a list and move on from...he wants to be the foundation of every moment

Seek Righteousness
CHOOSE: every moment has a choice

No Sleepwalking

not just doing things because they are easy, or popular, or natural, or expected

mindless and uninvolved vs intentional and committed

To seek righteousness is to take interest in the reason you make the choices you do and to understand the consequences (or benefits) of those choices [ backwards and forwards looking]

aware of what's happening; being in the moment
night basketball

Being able to stand up and say "that's not for me, that's not my scene"
2 Quick things about Righteousness
1) Christ IS our righteousness
2 Cor 5:21
1 Cor 1:30

Having been made new, He will use us as His witnesses

God advances the Kingdom through us as He advances His righteousness in us

2) Christ leads us in righteousness
We live lives that honor God BECAUSE he loves us not so that he will love us
Of all the things you could occupy your time with / choose this
Look at what the Good Shephard does:
Psalm 23:3
"He leads me in paths of righteousness"
Seeking righteousness is about choosing to say "Lord lead me, I want to know and do that which is best in this moment”