When we were expecting our second son, we were wondering what name to give. And I came to this text in Psalm 40 verse 9 in my devotional reading and decided that his name will be based upon this text. And that is "I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest." I saw this phrase "I have preached righteousness" and so we decided that for our second son we will call him "Yi Yang" which means to preach righteousness, to proclaim righteousness. And righteousness is a beautiful thing because righteousness is of God, it's wholesome, it's right, it's beautiful.

The contrary, the antithesis, the opposite of righteousness is sinfulness. Sinfulness is ugly, it is destructive, it hurts, it harms. Righteousness is good, it's beautiful, it's wholesome, it's healing. And what a wonderful message we can preach today, the righteousness of God. God is righteous, and it is beautiful, it is wholesome, it is right.

And let me tell you what is even more beautiful, than that. And that is when God is righteous and when we are not, God gives righteousness. And so when we preach righteousness, we preach the righteousness of God and we preach the righteousness from God in Jesus His Son. God gave Jesus that we may have righteousness in Jesus. And so when we say we preach righteousness, we preach a message of hope, of love, of joy, of peace, because God gives us His righteousness.

So let us go preach righteousness because there is a great congregation who needs it. Let's not refrain our lips as Psalm 40 verse 9 would say, but boldly proclaim.

By the way, as I've shared with you Psalm 40 verse 9, we share it as if it is us, you and I, who will be preaching righteousness, but the great encouragement is, if you look at Psalm 40 verse 9, it is Jesus who preaches righteousness. Jesus is preaching the righteousness of the Father and He is preaching the righteousness that He gives to you.

Would you today believe in Jesus? Jesus says, "I've preached righteousness. I've preached the righteousness of my Father, I've preached my righteousness which I would give you, if you would believe in me."

So this is the message of the Bible. Believe in Jesus, you will be made righteous, you will be made right with God, He will see you no more as a sinner, but He will accept you as a son. Come and believe in Jesus, because in Him is the righteousness of God. God bless.

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