‘Let us bow in prayer together, let us pray. In the quietness of this and other Lord’s Day evening, we come to open up your most holy word, our God. We come to speak again of the wonders of your love and grace, to be pointed by thy Spirit unto the Lord Jesus, the only Saviour of sinful mankind. We ask that all that is said, thought and done here in these moments that remain may be pleasing to our Saviour, may result in blessing to the unsaved, and may bring comfort and strength to your children. We ask these things through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.’

My text for this evening is based on the book of Isaiah chapter 32 and verse 17:

‘And the work of righteousness shall be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness, and assurance forever.’

We might ask the question first this evening, what is righteousness? What is righteousness? It is to live a life conforming to God’s perfect law and character. If we were to be righteous in our own life and lifestyle, we would need to fit into this category. It is to live a life conforming to God’s perfect law and character. Immediately as we reflect upon the law of God, we would each feel this evening condemned by the fact that none of us have ever kept God’s righteous law. Also as we reflect upon the lovely and wonderful life that our Lord Jesus Christ lived here on earth, we would have to bow our heads in shame and to say how unlike him we are.

So we need to explore in these moments we have together this evening the righteousness of which we are reading in this verse.