From the Pastor |
The Prophet Micah, like the other prophets of old, warned the people that God was not pleased. They had broken their covenant with God and God was bringing charges against them. So the people of Israel wanted to know, what can they offer to placate God and make things right again?
They were still bringing their offerings and sacrifices... should they bring better offerings... bigger and more expensive gifts? They wanted to know exactly what God wanted from them... What gift could they bring? Micah says: “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” This passage is does not tell us to STOP making offerings to God, but it DOES tell the truth that no offering we could give is perfect… no offering is enough. We cannot “buy” God’s blessings! Instead we are told, very plainly, what we must do… what is required… “To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” This is the lesson we, as a society and as Christians really need to learn as well! But what exactly does that mean? To Act Justly - Justice is rooted in the very nature of God. God IS the defender of the poor and oppressed and his care is universal… not simply offered to a select few. Justice provides vindication, deliverance and the creation of community. You see… it is making sure everyone in the community has enough… that basic needs are met. This includes land and the means to produce from the land… and the needs that are essential for a person’s physical existence and wellbeing: food, clothing, and shelter. PLEASE NOTE: I am not advocating supporting those who CHOOSE not to work and earn enough... those who are lazy and "deadbeats". But there are so many people in our nation and around the world who are simply not able to make ends meet... who DO NOT have enough no matter how hard they work or how hard they try. The Bible tells us that those in need are to always be the recipients of justice: widows, orphans, strangers, the poor, the prisoners, the sick... Each of these groups has specific needs which keep its members from being able to participate in aspects of the life of their community. Sometimes, even life itself might be threatened. Justice involves meeting those needs. Injustice is depriving others of their basic needs or failing to correct matters when those needs are not met, and injustice is a sin whether it is through our actions or our inaction!. To act justly is to actively work to stop oppression and meet the needs of everyone; restoring all people to community, and Micah tells us that pursuing justice is worth more than religious rituals and sacrifices. To Love Mercy: Mercy means “loving-kindness”. It is acting with love, loyalty and faithfulness… compassion and caring. It is closely associated with justice because to have mercy is to act in a behavior that is appropriate to bringing a right and good relationship with others. God , through Christ, has shown us great mercy by offering salvation when what we really deserve is judgement and condemnation for all the things we have done wrong and we are to do the same for others.To walk humbly with our God: Humility means to stay within one’s social status… to not brag or be boastful… It means to avoid being prideful and arrogant in our behavior or words; although, not self-deprecating... there is a difference. Humility means not to declare or think of yourself as better than others. Not striving for honors or glory for yourself. To walk humbly with God means to remember… always… that we are not above God. We are to be obedient to whatever God commands of us. God has shown us what is right and good and our salvation comes from God’s grace and mercy… not our own actions. This means that we need to always remember to put our hope and trust in God alone… not ourselves. Micah tells us that these are the things that God requires of us… to act with justice… and mercy… and to walk humbly with God. Then, in order to fully demonstrate to us how we can fulfill these requirements… Jesus… Emmanuel… God with us…. Came to show us the way! Through his words and actions, Jesus fully embodied justice, mercy and humility. In other words... Jesus lived these requirements. In a world that prizes power, wealth and social status… Jesus teaches that God’s favor… his blessings… are granted, not to the rich and powerful, but to those who put their hope and trust in God… not in themselves or the things of this world... instead God rewards those who remain faithful to him… those who act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with God. The choice, as always, is ours: Scripture says “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life…” [Deut. 30:19] We have been assured that God will bless those who choose to follow his way: Those who act justly and love mercy and walk humbly with our God. So let us set aside our differences and work to make this world a better place for all. We MUST work so justice is universal... not just for some... We MUST treat one another (even those we do not like or those we disagree with) with mercy, love, compassion and caring... and always... everyday... put your trust in God. Chose Life!
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Yeon Shin
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