3 Things Jehovah seeks (Micah 6:6-8)
3 Things Jehovah seeks (Micah 6:6-8)
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6. |
Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the high God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? |
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7. |
Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? |
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8. |
He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? |
Intro)
This content is in Socrates' story 'Apple' one day disciples asked Socrates 'what is life?' and Socrates took disciples to apple tree forest. Socrates let them pick one apple throughout the forest, but in on condition, which is 'if you choose one you can't change it.'
Disciples walked and carefully examined apples to choose the biggest and the best. At the end Socrates asked disciples "everyone picked the best one?" Disciples did not answer just comparing their apples to each others. Socrates asked again “what’s wrong, you didn't like the apple you've picked?" Disciples replied “let us choose one more time. Disciples waited until last moment to pick apple, because they thought better apple would show up. Socrates replied "No! This is life, you choose once and that is it. In life we have to make many decisions, you have one opportunity to make a choice, and you have responsibility on your decision although you regret on your decision.
2. Indeed, if we choose wrong decision we have to bear the outcome comes with the choice. However, as long as we are with Jesus Christ and follow God's words we will be walking path of victory, and happiness.
3. As we believe in God we question 'how can we please God?' the most, and 'I believe in Jesus, but I do not know this is the way he wants.’
4. Like we read today's text prophet Micah and people of Israel had same question which is in Micah 6:6-7
|
'6. |
Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the high God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? |
|
7. |
Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?' |
Prophet Micah asked himself ' what should I bring to worship, my highness God..And he gives answer as he represents people of Israel.
(Let's learn about what God seeks by 3 components.)
A) To do justly
Micah 6:8 says
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'8. |
He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?' |
First thing is Justice. Many think giving something in great value would please him, but what he really wants is justice. He wants us to do things justly, because he is the source of Justice.
2 Amos 5:24 says ' 24 But let justice roll on like a river,
righteousness like a never-failing stream!' It means public good and doing things justly like a stream was more important than formal sacrifice. It is because there was corruption in justice in Israel, such as Freud leads trial to the wrong punishment, conning in businesses, and powered people plunder the weak.
Therefore, God meant his Justice rain to dry land of Israel and the rain form a stream of justice.
3. when I was in middle school teacher told me that Korean exported ginseng to middle east, but they were trying to fool the weight of ginseng, Korean put large nails in between ginseng, and got busted and ruined Korea's reputation.
Some people mix lime in tofu to put more weight, and some other people puts pesticide to bean sprout to look fresh. Isn't this terrible? These evil things were happening so much when I was young.
4. Also Jesus told people who commit crimes in Matthew 7:23 “23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!"
Matthew 7:21 21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
What God really want from us? Performing justice.
B) To love mercy
1. Other thing Jehovah wants from us is sharing love. Kjv= to love mercy –
In book of Hosea 6:6 says “For I desire mercy, not sacrifice,
and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings. “
2. in Matthew22:37
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
2. What God wants for us is, showing effort to love your brother and sister, weak, poor, neighbor, and animals.
C) To walk humbly with thy God
1. This means being obedient to God's word.
Samuel said in 1 Samuel 15:22~23
22 But Samuel replied:
“Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
as much as in obeying the Lord?
To obey is better than sacrifice,
and to heed is better than the fat of rams.
23 For rebellion is like the sin of divination,
and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the Lord,
he has rejected you as king.”
These verses mean God wants us to be obedient to his words than giving sacrifices to him.
2. If then, what is the biggest requirement from our God? What is his order and wish?
Believe in Jesus our father Lord sent. Neither money or sacrifice.
Let’s take a look at John 6:28~36
28 Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”
29 Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”
30 So they asked him, “What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? 31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.”
32 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
34 “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.”
35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 36 But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe.
Therefore, today believing Jesus is first step to be obedient to God. If there is someone have not believe in Jesus? Decide to believe from today! I will help.
Con)
Let's conclude today's sermon, what are the things God asks us?
1. Do justly 2. Love mercy 3 walk humbly with thy God
When we gladly offer what God wants and enjoy, when we need his help God will gladly help us too.