Clothed in Righteousness: The Gift of God
Summary
Today, we gathered to reflect on one of the most profound names of God revealed in Scripture: Jehovah Sid Canu—The Lord Our Righteousness. We began by acknowledging our deep need for God, not just in the big moments of life, but in every hour, every breath. Our journey took us through Jeremiah 23, where God rebukes the leaders of Israel for their evil deeds and promises a coming Righteous Branch who will reign with justice and righteousness. This is not just a lesson about God’s character, but a mirror held up to our own hearts, exposing our inability to be righteous on our own.
We explored the story of the Emperor’s New Clothes, recognizing how easy it is for us to pretend, to cover our shame and sin with morality, religion, or comparison to others. Yet, like the emperor, our efforts are exposed as empty when confronted by the truth of God’s Word. The Bible does not soften the reality of our condition: we are not merely victims or people who make mistakes—we are transgressors, iniquitous, and sinners to the core. David’s confession in Psalm 51 gives us language for our brokenness: we cross the line willfully, we bend the line to suit ourselves, and we fall short of the standard God has set.
But the good news is that God does not leave us in our mess. Through the prophetic promise in Jeremiah and the vivid vision in Zechariah 3, we see that God Himself provides the righteousness we lack. In Christ, Jehovah Sid Canu, God takes our filthy rags and clothes us in His own righteousness. This is not a self-help program or a moral checklist, but a divine exchange: our sin for His righteousness, our shame for His acceptance.
For those who have already trusted in Christ, the call is to daily clothe ourselves with Jesus, intentionally putting on His righteousness and returning to Him whenever we stumble. When the accuser reminds us of our failures, we stand firm in the finished work of Christ, knowing that His faithfulness covers us again and again. The invitation remains open for all: will you receive the righteousness that only God can give, and walk in the freedom and confidence of being made right with Him?
Key Takeaways
- True righteousness is not something we can manufacture or earn; it is a gift from God alone. Our best efforts at self-improvement or moral living are like the emperor’s new clothes—ultimately empty and unable to cover our shame. Only by receiving the righteousness of Christ can we stand justified before God. [16:37]
- The language of Scripture does not allow us to hide behind excuses or victimhood when it comes to our sin. We are not merely products of our environment or circumstances; we are willful transgressors who have crossed, bent, and fallen short of God’s standard. Honest confession, like David’s in Psalm 51, is the first step toward healing and restoration. [21:15]
- The story of Zechariah 3 powerfully illustrates the gospel: God removes our filthy garments and clothes us in His own righteousness. This exchange is not based on our merit, but on the finished work of Jesus, who became sin for us so that we might become the righteousness of God. Our acceptance before God is secure because it rests on Christ, not ourselves. [27:13]
- The Christian life is a daily practice of intentionally “putting on” Christ. Just as we choose our clothes each morning, we must choose to walk in the identity and righteousness that Jesus provides. When we stumble and get “dirty,” we return to Him for cleansing, trusting in His faithfulness to forgive and restore us. [32:44]
- When the enemy accuses us and reminds us of our failures, we do not argue our own case or point to our own goodness. Instead, we point to Jesus, our advocate and righteousness. Even when we feel unworthy, we rest in the truth that where He is, we will be also, because He has covered us completely. [38:10]
Youtube Chapters
[00:00] - Welcome
[01:10] - Opening Prayer and Gratitude
[03:45] - Series Introduction: A Name Above All Names
[05:30] - The Need for God’s Righteousness
[07:20] - The Emperor’s New Clothes: Our Pretending Exposed
[12:51] - Reading Jeremiah 23: The Lord Our Righteousness
[16:37] - What Jehovah Sid Canu Means
[17:54] - Our Mess: Evil Deeds and Honest Assessment
[19:07] - The Danger of Playing the Victim
[21:15] - David’s Confession: Transgression, Iniquity, and Sin
[23:17] - Crossing, Bending, and Falling Short of the Line
[25:26] - Relabeling Sin and Cultural Compromises
[27:13] - The Futility of Self-Righteousness
[32:44] - God Cleans Us Up: Zechariah 3 and the Gospel
[38:10] - Daily Clothing Ourselves in Christ
[41:30] - Responding to Accusation and Living in Grace
[44:00] - Invitation to Receive God’s Righteousness
Study Guide
Small Group Bible Study Guide: Jehovah Sid Canu—The Lord Our Righteousness
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### Bible Reading
Jeremiah 23:1-6 (ESV)
> “Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” declares the Lord. Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who care for my people: “You have scattered my flock and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for your evil deeds, declares the Lord. Then I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, declares the Lord. Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’”
Psalm 51:1-4 (ESV)
> Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.
Zechariah 3:1-5 (ESV)
> Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. And the Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, O Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this a brand plucked from the fire?” Now Joshua was standing before the angel, clothed with filthy garments. And the angel said to those who were standing before him, “Remove the filthy garments from him.” And to him he said, “Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with pure vestments.” And I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the Lord was standing by.
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### Observation Questions
1. In Jeremiah 23, what does God say He will do about the shepherds (leaders) who have failed His people? What promise does He make for the future? [12:51]
2. According to Psalm 51, what three words does David use to describe his wrongdoing, and what do they each mean? [21:15]
3. In Zechariah 3, what is the condition of Joshua the high priest when he stands before God, and what does God do for him? [27:13]
4. The sermon compared our attempts at self-righteousness to the Emperor’s new clothes. What does this illustration reveal about how we try to cover our sin? [07:20]
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### Interpretation Questions
1. Why do you think God uses such strong language (“evil deeds,” “woe”) when addressing the leaders in Jeremiah 23? What does this tell us about God’s view of sin and leadership? [12:51]
2. David’s confession in Psalm 51 includes transgression, iniquity, and sin. How does understanding these different aspects of sin help us see our need for God’s righteousness? [21:15]
3. In Zechariah 3, why is it significant that God Himself removes Joshua’s filthy garments and clothes him in clean ones? What does this teach us about the source of true righteousness? [27:13]
4. The sermon says that pretending or comparing ourselves to others is like the Emperor’s new clothes—ultimately empty. Why is it so tempting to rely on our own efforts or image instead of God’s gift of righteousness? [07:20]
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### Application Questions
1. The sermon said that “our best efforts at self-improvement or moral living are like the emperor’s new clothes—ultimately empty and unable to cover our shame.” In what ways do you find yourself trying to “cover up” your sin or shortcomings? What would it look like to be honest before God instead? [07:20]
2. David’s prayer in Psalm 51 is a model of honest confession. Is there an area in your life where you have been making excuses or blaming others instead of owning your sin? What would it look like to confess that honestly to God this week? [21:15]
3. The story of Zechariah 3 shows God removing filthy garments and clothing Joshua in righteousness. When you think about your own life, are there “filthy garments” you are still holding onto? What would it mean for you to let God take those and clothe you in Christ’s righteousness? [27:13]
4. The sermon challenged us to “daily clothe ourselves with Jesus.” What are some practical ways you can remind yourself each day to put on Christ’s righteousness instead of relying on your own? [32:44]
5. When you stumble or fail, do you tend to run from God or return to Him for cleansing? What is one step you can take this week to return to God when you mess up, trusting in His faithfulness to forgive and restore you? [32:44]
6. The enemy (Satan) is called “the accuser” in Zechariah 3. When you feel accused or reminded of your failures, how can you point to Jesus and His finished work instead of arguing your own case? [38:10]
7. The invitation at the end of the sermon was to receive the righteousness that only God can give. If you have never done that, what is holding you back? If you have, how can you walk in greater freedom and confidence as someone who is made right with God? [44:00]
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Closing Prayer Suggestion:
Thank God for being Jehovah Sid Canu, the Lord our Righteousness. Ask Him to help you be honest about your need, to receive His gift of righteousness, and to walk each day in the freedom and confidence that comes from being made right with Him.
Devotional
Day 1: The Lord is Our Righteousness—Jehovah Sid Canu
God reveals Himself as Jehovah Sid Canu, “The Lord is our Righteousness,” showing that He alone is perfectly just, true, and holy, and that He offers His righteousness to us who are broken and unable to make ourselves right. We cannot earn or manufacture righteousness on our own; instead, God graciously provides it as a gift, fulfilled in Jesus Christ, who stands in our place and restores what we could never fix. This name reminds us that where we have failed, God brings His innocence and rightness, freeing us from the need to pretend or strive for self-made holiness. [16:37]
Jeremiah 23:5-6 (ESV)
“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’”
Reflection: Where in your life are you still trying to “cover up” or pretend to be more righteous than you are, instead of receiving the righteousness that only God can give?
Day 2: The Depth of Our Sin—No One is Righteous
Scripture makes it clear that none of us are righteous on our own; we are all transgressors, iniquitous, and sinners who have willfully crossed God’s lines, bent His standards, and fallen short of His glory. Our culture may encourage us to play the victim or soften the language of sin, but God’s Word confronts us with the truth: we are perpetrators, not just bystanders, and we must own our evil deeds. Only by recognizing the full depth of our sin can we truly appreciate the beauty and necessity of the salvation God offers. [19:07]
Romans 3:10-12, 23 (ESV)
“As it is written: ‘None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.’ ... for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
Reflection: What excuses or labels have you used to minimize your sin, and how might honestly confessing your need for God’s righteousness change your relationship with Him today?
Day 3: Honest Confession and the Need for Cleansing
True confession means acknowledging the full reality of our sin—our transgressions, iniquities, and failures—without minimizing or relabeling them. Like David in Psalm 51, we are called to come before God with a broken and contrite heart, recognizing that our problem is not just bad behavior but a broken soul. When we stop comparing ourselves to others and instead see ourselves in the light of God’s holiness, we are positioned to receive His mercy and cleansing. [21:15]
Psalm 51:1-4 (ESV)
“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.”
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to stop relabeling or excusing sin and instead bring it honestly before God for His cleansing?
Day 4: God’s Gift of Righteousness—A New Garment
Though we are filthy and unworthy on our own, God offers us a new garment of righteousness through Jesus Christ, who takes away our soiled rags and clothes us in His purity. Like Joshua the high priest in Zechariah 3, we stand accused by the enemy, but God Himself intervenes, removing our shame and declaring us clean. This is the heart of the gospel: Jesus became sin for us so that we might become the righteousness of God, fully accepted and loved beyond what we could ever hope. [29:45]
Zechariah 3:3-5 (ESV)
“Now Joshua was standing before the angel, clothed with filthy garments. And the angel said to those who were standing before him, ‘Remove the filthy garments from him.’ And to him he said, ‘Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with pure vestments.’ And I said, ‘Let them put a clean turban on his head.’ So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the Lord was standing by.”
Reflection: When you feel unworthy or accused, how can you remind yourself that God has clothed you in Christ’s righteousness and not your own efforts?
Day 5: Daily Clothing Yourself with Christ
Receiving God’s righteousness is not a one-time event but a daily practice of intentionally “putting on” Christ, choosing to walk in His purity and grace rather than our old ways. Just as we dress ourselves each morning, we are called to clothe ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, returning to Him whenever we get stained by sin and trusting that He is faithful to forgive and cleanse us. Even when the enemy accuses us, we can stand firm in the truth that Jesus has made satisfaction on our behalf, and we are secure in Him. [36:10]
Romans 13:14 (ESV)
“But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.”
Reflection: What intentional step can you take today to “put on” Christ—whether through prayer, confession, or a specific act of obedience—so that you walk in His righteousness rather than your own?
Quotes
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