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What Does The Lord Require (Micah 6:6-8)

What Does The Lord Require (Micah 6:6-8)

6 "With what shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?

7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, 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?"

8 He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

I think all of us would like to know just what the Lord requires of us in order to get to heaven.

However, answering that question is not as easy as giving a list of rules — "Thou shalt...and Thou shalt not."

The Old Testament prophet, Micah, gives us an inspired answer to this most important question.

Let's examine this question together.

I. God Wants More Than Externals

A. (Micah 6:6-7). 6 "With what shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?

7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, 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?"

B. (Isaiah 1:13-15 - Bring no more vain offerings; incense is an abomination to me. New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations- I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly. 14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates; they have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them.

15 When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood.

Amos 5:21-24- 21 "I hate, I despise your feasts, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies.

22 Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; and the peace offerings of your fattened animals, I will not look upon them.

23 Take away from me the noise of your songs; to the melody of your harps I will not listen.

24 But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

25 "Did you bring to me sacrifices and offerings during the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?

C. External actions without the involvement of the inward man are useless

(Matthew 15:8-9 8 "'This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;

9 in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'" ;

1 Corinthians 13:1-3 - 1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

II. God Wants Us To Practice Justice

A. (Micah 6:8).

B. To do justice is to act righteously toward all men — not just some.

C. How do you treat enemies, the poor, and the sick?

D. (Romans 12:17) Provide things honest in the sight of all men.

III. God Wants Us To Love Mercy

A. (Micah 6:8).

B. Not just show mercy; but to love it.

C. (Matthew 23:23 ."Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.

D. How different would our outlook on life be if we sought out opportunities to be merciful?

E. (Matthew 18:21-35 21 Then Peter came up and said to him, "Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?"

22 Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.

23 "Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants.

24 When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.

25 And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made.

26 So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.'

27 And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt.

28 But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, 'Pay what you owe.'

29 So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you.'

30 He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt.

31 When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place.

32 Then his master summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me.

33 And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?'

34 And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt.

35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.".

Blessed are the merciful for they will receive mercy.

F. (James 2:13 For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.).

IV. God Wants Us To Walk Humbly With Him

A. (Micah 6:8).

B. (Amos 3:3) Can two walk together except they be agreed?

C. (James 4:10) Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord...

D. (Matthew 5:3) Blessed are the poor in spirit...

As you examine your life, are the above qualities the things that jump out at

you?

2. If your neighbor summed up your life, what would he say of you?

3. If your God were to sum up your life right now, what would He say?




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