It is hard to imagine people who strove so mightily (outwardly) to be righteous as the Jews. They knew the Law of God and believed that they had to make themselves righteous by keeping the Law. But Jesus issues a very stern warning to them and to us – it wasn’t enough. Under the Law we have to be more righteous than the Pharisees if we hope to enter the kingdom of God. Indeed, our righteousness must be absolute perfection if we are to enter the kingdom of God on our merits. But the Law makes abundantly clear, we are wholly unrighteous. Even the very best of what we produce is filthy when held before the holiness of God. The Law condemns. We will never find righteousness in looking at what we have done. We will only ever find death. If we are to have such righteousness it will have to be given to us freely as a gift. And that is exactly what God does for us in Christ. He bestows upon us in Holy Baptism the very righteousness of God Himself. He makes us holy even as He Himself is holy. And He continues daily through the Christian Church to cleanse and purify us through Christ. I look forward to seeing you this coming Lord’s Day.
Pastor Ulmer