I am a Jesus pusher!!! God placed His entire redemptive plan in the hands of one man’s response. If Joseph did not listen to the angel’s instructions and obey, the life of the Messiah was at risk. Joseph must set aside his concept of righteousness learned from the Old Testament and embraced the new call. This became clearly defined again and again in the ministry of Jesus to Israel. Jesus could not survive the sacrificial system of the Old Testament. The leaders of Israel were so entrenched in their ceremonies. The fingers of these ceremonies reached into the financial structure of their culture. Millions of dollars revolved around the offering of sacrificial lambs. Position, power, and political offices were dependent upon the Old Testament righteousness. If the leaders of Israel were to embrace Jesus they would need to surrender the Old Testament sacrificial system now fulfilled in Jesus. Embracing Jesus would be to embrace a new righteousness.
Our righteousness of “doing” fits comfortably into the Old Covenant righteousness. It feeds our egos, massages our pride, and gives us value. We can overcome our depressions; we can even control our anger by soothing it with a sense of pity for those who are not as good as we are. If Jesus becomes my righteousness, it will change everything. My righteousness will be found only in Him not my accomplishments. Can I make such surrender? I am a Jesus pusher!!!