WEBVTT 00:00:02.799 --> 00:00:13.119 So we're in a summer series called Pastor's Choice, and I know I already spoke once, but the guys have given me the liberty of speaking twice during this series, so I appreciate that very much. 00:00:13.359 --> 00:00:18.879 So we're going to be looking at Micah chapter 6, verses 16 or 6 through 8, if you want to turn there. 00:00:19.359 --> 00:00:28.480 Each of the elders during this series are giving specifically speaking words that the Lord has given them for Trinity in this season at this time. 00:00:28.719 --> 00:00:42.159 And last week Scott did an amazing job of sharing a powerful testimony from his family experience and how God has used his daughter Jessica to help him learn and honestly to help all of us learn valuable faith lessons. 00:00:42.320 --> 00:00:43.520 Wasn't that impactful? 00:00:43.759 --> 00:00:46.960 If you haven't seen that yet, I encourage you to go back and listen to that. 00:00:47.200 --> 00:00:52.560 So today, like I said, I'm going to share a message from the Old Testament, from the book of Micah. 00:00:52.719 --> 00:00:56.560 And the title of the sermon is What God Wants From Us. 00:00:56.799 --> 00:00:58.799 What God Wants From Us. 00:00:58.960 --> 00:01:02.079 Let's read the word together, reading from the NIV. 00:01:02.320 --> 00:01:07.120 With what shall I come before the Lord and bow down before the exalted God? 00:01:07.519 --> 00:01:11.840 Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? 00:01:12.000 --> 00:01:17.760 Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with 10,000 rivers of olive oil? 00:01:18.000 --> 00:01:24.480 Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? 00:01:24.799 --> 00:01:27.680 He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. 00:01:27.920 --> 00:01:38.560 And what does the Lord require of you to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. 00:01:39.120 --> 00:01:40.879 Let's pray together this morning. 00:01:41.120 --> 00:01:43.359 Father, we thank you for your matchless word. 00:01:43.599 --> 00:01:47.359 We thank you, Holy Spirit, for what you've already done in this service. 00:01:47.599 --> 00:01:52.480 We give you glory and honor, Lord, for your heart, for your people. 00:01:52.799 --> 00:01:56.000 We say to you, Happy Father's Day, Heavenly Father. 00:01:56.239 --> 00:02:02.560 And we thank you that you have accepted us into your family, that you've chosen us to be your children. 00:02:02.640 --> 00:02:04.239 And we don't take that for granted. 00:02:04.400 --> 00:02:14.240 And Father, I pray that as we go through this message this morning, that you will speak words through me that you desire to speak to your congregation, to bring impact. 00:02:14.400 --> 00:02:20.560 And Father, we pray that you would transform our lives, transform our souls, and help us in every way. 00:02:20.719 --> 00:02:23.360 And we thank you for it in Jesus' name. 00:02:23.680 --> 00:02:24.319 Amen. 00:02:24.879 --> 00:02:29.919 So as tradition has it, on Father's Day, I tell a dad joke. 00:02:30.159 --> 00:02:32.800 And so I'm going to tell a dad joke this morning. 00:02:32.960 --> 00:02:35.439 And please don't boo until after the joke is over. 00:02:35.520 --> 00:02:36.960 I'd appreciate that, okay? 00:02:37.120 --> 00:02:47.759 So anyway, there was this country church, and there was the pastor who was preaching a sermon, and in that church there was a young family, and the young family had a young son. 00:02:48.080 --> 00:02:55.599 And the young son during the service was acting like young sons would, and was uh sort of interrupting the service. 00:02:55.759 --> 00:03:03.520 He was, you know, he was moving around, he was making noise, he was not completely interrupting, but he was distracting at least, right? 00:03:03.759 --> 00:03:09.680 And so in that distraction, uh the pastor was starting to sort of get distracted as well. 00:03:09.840 --> 00:03:20.879 And so he was trying not to look at the scenario and what was going on, but eventually he did look and he saw that the mom of the child leaned over to him and said something in his ear. 00:03:21.199 --> 00:03:25.840 And when uh when she said something in his ear, the child sat up straight. 00:03:26.000 --> 00:03:32.960 He got very quiet, and he even for the rest of the service said a couple of amens in the appropriate places. 00:03:33.199 --> 00:03:39.599 And so this preacher at the end of the service, he was first of all, he was blown away by the transformation within this child. 00:03:39.680 --> 00:03:42.879 And so he went up to the mom and said, I've got to know. 00:03:42.960 --> 00:03:49.360 I mean, I've been in ministry a long time, I've never seen this kind of parenting within the church service. 00:03:49.520 --> 00:03:51.520 I just have to know what you said to your son. 00:03:51.599 --> 00:03:52.960 Do you mind sharing that with me? 00:03:53.120 --> 00:03:54.319 She goes, I don't mind. 00:03:54.479 --> 00:03:59.199 I just told him that if he didn't stop, you were gonna start the sermon over and didn't finish it. 00:04:03.039 --> 00:04:06.479 So hopefully, is that all right? 00:04:06.719 --> 00:04:07.759 Now, here's the truth. 00:04:07.919 --> 00:04:09.120 Can I give you the truth? 00:04:09.439 --> 00:04:14.719 Somebody from within our church, and you know who you are, shared that with me this week. 00:04:14.879 --> 00:04:17.279 And so I did not come up with that on my own. 00:04:17.360 --> 00:04:18.879 I had some help from a friend. 00:04:18.959 --> 00:04:25.360 So anyway, hopefully you won't need uh to you won't need for us to start this the sermon over, right? 00:04:25.519 --> 00:04:27.839 We're just gonna go through it once this morning. 00:04:28.000 --> 00:04:29.439 But we are in the book of Micah. 00:04:29.600 --> 00:04:38.959 Micah was a minor prophet from the Old Testament before Jesus, and he was a prophet that spoke on God's behalf to the people of God, right? 00:04:39.360 --> 00:04:48.000 And if you read through the Old Testament, there are many of these prophets, and there was sort of sort of a pattern to what they spoke on behalf of God. 00:04:48.160 --> 00:04:56.079 The first thing was that they would usually communicate is the love that God had for his people, and then they would communicate something about a warning. 00:04:56.240 --> 00:05:11.279 So, for example, because of disobedience and because of rebellion, and because God is a holy God and a righteous God, that there was going to be some form of punishment that was going to come on the people unless they repented, unless they changed, right? 00:05:11.439 --> 00:05:17.839 So there was a warning, but there was also always, I think, uh within these books, there was also hope. 00:05:18.000 --> 00:05:19.279 And what was the hope? 00:05:19.519 --> 00:05:30.000 The hope was that there was something futuristic, something that was going to happen in the future that was going to uh kind of create uh things whole again or going to make things right again. 00:05:30.079 --> 00:05:32.079 And that's the example that we have here. 00:05:32.319 --> 00:05:42.959 The hope in this book was based on their eventual return to their land and also a future hope which we have experienced on this side of the cross of Jesus. 00:05:43.120 --> 00:05:53.519 And that would that is that there would be another king like David who would come and that his reign would never end, and that he was going to make everything right again. 00:05:53.759 --> 00:05:55.199 And who is that king? 00:05:56.399 --> 00:05:57.920 Yes, that is the right answer. 00:05:58.000 --> 00:05:59.040 I try not to trick you. 00:05:59.120 --> 00:06:01.040 I'll tell you if it's a trick question, right? 00:06:01.199 --> 00:06:03.360 So that king is Jesus. 00:06:03.600 --> 00:06:09.600 And so they were going, there was a warning because they had rebelled against God, because they had turned to other idols. 00:06:09.759 --> 00:06:31.519 There was going to be enemy armies that were going to come and uh and basically take them as captives and take them out of their land, um, and that they were going to be punished because of their rebellion, but that in the future that God was going to cause them to return, and eventually, like I said, that there was going to be a new king, a new leader that was going to come forth. 00:06:31.680 --> 00:06:37.600 Um, so when we look at this passage this morning, think about it like in a courtroom setting, okay? 00:06:37.839 --> 00:06:44.639 Um, everything, all of the evidence has been put out, and now the judge is about ready to give sentencing. 00:06:44.720 --> 00:06:53.040 He's about ready to, he's already proven the guilt aspect of things, and he's about ready to tell them what the sentence is for the crimes that they have committed. 00:06:53.120 --> 00:06:58.240 And there's an interjection, like where the defense attorney stands up and says, Whoa, whoa, wait a minute. 00:06:58.319 --> 00:07:02.160 What about if we did this, or if we did this, or if we did this, or that? 00:07:02.319 --> 00:07:08.560 Is there anything that we can do to avoid the judgment or the punishment that's about ready to come our way? 00:07:08.800 --> 00:07:10.639 And that's sort of where we find ourselves. 00:07:10.800 --> 00:07:11.920 Does that make sense? 00:07:12.160 --> 00:07:14.079 All right, it will as we go forward. 00:07:14.319 --> 00:07:18.639 So let's start by asking ourselves the question, what God doesn't want? 00:07:18.800 --> 00:07:20.240 What does God not want? 00:07:20.399 --> 00:07:23.199 We're going to answer that question, what God doesn't want. 00:07:23.519 --> 00:07:28.399 He does not want religious stuff instead of obedience. 00:07:28.639 --> 00:07:32.399 He does not want religious stuff instead of obedience. 00:07:32.560 --> 00:07:38.720 This passage includes this rhetorical escalation of sacrifices for the sins of the people. 00:07:38.879 --> 00:07:40.240 Did you hear this when we read it? 00:07:40.319 --> 00:07:42.079 Did you understand what was being said? 00:07:42.319 --> 00:07:46.000 They said, Would it be enough if we sacrificed a young calf? 00:07:46.160 --> 00:07:49.279 Would that, would the blood of a calf cover our sins? 00:07:49.439 --> 00:07:51.600 Or how about thousands of rams? 00:07:51.759 --> 00:07:52.639 Would that be enough? 00:07:52.800 --> 00:07:57.680 If we slaughtered thousands of rams, or how about if we poured out rivers of oil? 00:07:57.920 --> 00:08:00.959 You see how this is growing in escalation? 00:08:01.040 --> 00:08:10.959 And then finally, uh they said, What about if we slaughtered and sacrificed our firstborn children for the sins that we've committed? 00:08:11.759 --> 00:08:15.360 Now you have to understand that this is what worshippers of Molech did. 00:08:15.600 --> 00:08:25.439 They would actually sacrifice their children to attempt to appease or to honor the God, this false God, Molech. 00:08:25.600 --> 00:08:32.320 They are offering God, the children of Israel are offering God the very thing that is causing their judgment. 00:08:32.559 --> 00:08:49.200 The fact that they have disobeyed him, that they have rebelled against him, that they have pursued other gods and other idols, and now they're saying, let's do the very same sacrifice that the others do that are involved in this witchcraft and false religion. 00:08:49.440 --> 00:08:51.600 Talk about not reading the room well. 00:08:51.840 --> 00:08:56.399 They didn't understand who it was that they were talking to well enough, did they? 00:08:56.639 --> 00:08:58.720 We see another example of this principle. 00:08:58.879 --> 00:09:01.919 Remember the story of King Saul, the first king of Israel? 00:09:02.159 --> 00:09:19.279 And he was sent out against the Amalekites, and God told him to eliminate from the face of the earth all everything that belonged to Amalek, everything that was a part of that civilization was to be ruined, was to be wrecked, was to be destroyed completely. 00:09:19.840 --> 00:09:22.639 And remember that most of that was done. 00:09:22.799 --> 00:09:23.919 But what did they keep? 00:09:24.080 --> 00:09:34.639 They kept the king alive and they brought him back, and they also kept the best of the sheep, the best of the goats, they kept some of the gold and some of the silver, and they brought all of this back. 00:09:34.720 --> 00:09:40.879 And all of a sudden, the prophet Samuel, another prophet from the Old Testament, came to talk to Saul. 00:09:41.039 --> 00:09:46.960 And he was asking Saul if he had obeyed everything that God had asked him to do concerning the Amalekites. 00:09:47.039 --> 00:09:49.039 And Saul said, Oh, yes, of course. 00:09:49.279 --> 00:09:51.200 I absolutely obeyed all of that. 00:09:51.360 --> 00:09:55.200 And then Samuel asks a really uh amazing question. 00:09:55.360 --> 00:10:01.519 He said, What is the sound of the bleating of sheep that I hear in the background? 00:10:01.919 --> 00:10:06.399 And Saul all of a sudden finds religion in the middle of this conversation with Samuel. 00:10:06.720 --> 00:10:07.679 Oh, yes, yes, yes. 00:10:07.840 --> 00:10:13.519 We kept the best sheep and we kept the best oxen, we kept the best goats. 00:10:13.679 --> 00:10:20.960 And they've been out, he didn't say this part, but they've been out in the fields breeding with our stock so that we can improve the quality of all of ours. 00:10:21.120 --> 00:10:29.440 And then we're going to we're going to offer them as a sacrifice to God because he's the one that gave us this victory. 00:10:29.919 --> 00:10:34.720 Sounds like, I mean, that sounds like he kind of worked his way out of a problem, right? 00:10:35.279 --> 00:10:35.759 Nope. 00:10:36.000 --> 00:10:40.960 Listen to what the what Samuel says in 1 Samuel 15, 22. 00:10:41.200 --> 00:10:48.879 Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord? 00:10:49.600 --> 00:10:55.840 Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. 00:10:56.320 --> 00:11:06.720 You see, God doesn't want us to make sacrifices and outward shows of religion to try to make up for other areas of our lives where we are disobeying Him. 00:11:06.960 --> 00:11:09.759 He wants to deal with those areas of our heart. 00:11:10.000 --> 00:11:18.240 He wants to bring about transformation and change in the rebellious areas of our lives, doesn't he? 00:11:19.279 --> 00:11:27.039 Someone might say, I cheated someone in business, and so I'm going to give a large offering to the church, because that's my religious stuff. 00:11:27.279 --> 00:11:32.720 Others might say, I partied too much on Friday night, so I better go to church on Sunday. 00:11:33.600 --> 00:11:44.480 And then I'm sleeping with somebody that I shouldn't sleep with, and so I'm going to go visit people in the nursing home and uh bless them and pray for them and things like that. 00:11:44.720 --> 00:11:46.399 Now it's not wrong to give. 00:11:46.559 --> 00:11:47.440 In fact, we should give. 00:11:47.519 --> 00:11:49.120 It's not wrong to attend church. 00:11:49.279 --> 00:11:51.759 It's not wrong to visit those in need. 00:11:52.639 --> 00:11:59.600 But it doesn't, we shouldn't want to do those things to try to make up for willful disobedience in our lives. 00:11:59.840 --> 00:12:08.159 Now, I promise you we're going to get to good news in this sermon, but sometimes we have to start with the bad news before we can get to the good news, right? 00:12:08.480 --> 00:12:11.840 So God isn't interested in religious trap entrapment. 00:12:12.080 --> 00:12:15.279 God is not interested in us sounding a certain way. 00:12:15.440 --> 00:12:19.840 Sometimes we pray as if we're in the 16th century. 00:12:21.200 --> 00:12:32.240 Oh God, will thouest, and again, if that is your act, if that's the way you speak like to everybody else, then please feel free to pray to God that way. 00:12:32.399 --> 00:12:35.279 Um, but if not, I mean, let's get real. 00:12:35.759 --> 00:12:44.639 Just talk to God like He loves you and like you love Him, like you're related to Him, like He wants to hear from you, right? 00:12:45.759 --> 00:12:46.960 So, what does God want? 00:12:47.120 --> 00:12:50.960 We know what He doesn't want, but what does God actually want from us? 00:12:51.360 --> 00:12:55.279 And it says here that He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. 00:12:55.519 --> 00:12:57.840 And what does the Lord require of you? 00:12:58.000 --> 00:12:59.279 Is this optional? 00:13:00.159 --> 00:13:02.320 Does it sound like this is optional? 00:13:03.279 --> 00:13:07.039 Require has a certain connotation to it, doesn't it? 00:13:07.279 --> 00:13:09.039 It doesn't sound like that's optional. 00:13:09.200 --> 00:13:14.960 It sounds like this is something that we must do or that he asks of us, that he wants us to do. 00:13:15.120 --> 00:13:21.600 So Micah here, the prophet Micah gives us three things that the Lord requires of his people. 00:13:21.759 --> 00:13:24.639 It's interesting when the original Ten Commandments were given. 00:13:24.799 --> 00:13:26.159 I just gave you a big hint. 00:13:26.399 --> 00:13:27.600 How many were there? 00:13:28.159 --> 00:13:28.399 Ten. 00:13:28.799 --> 00:13:29.120 Okay. 00:13:29.440 --> 00:13:36.879 And then the religious leaders took those Ten Commandments, and how many rules did they find to surround those Ten Commandments with? 00:13:37.519 --> 00:13:39.120 613, wasn't it? 00:13:39.360 --> 00:13:40.399 613. 00:13:40.639 --> 00:13:45.120 And uh and here in Micah, God sort of reduces it down to three. 00:13:45.200 --> 00:13:48.879 And then remember when Jesus was asked, he reduces it to what? 00:13:49.840 --> 00:13:54.480 One, or you could say two, love God and love people. 00:13:54.960 --> 00:13:57.360 Love God and love people, right? 00:13:57.840 --> 00:13:59.120 So let's look at this. 00:13:59.279 --> 00:14:01.679 Uh let's ask ourselves what is required of us. 00:14:01.840 --> 00:14:07.279 The first thing, according to this this verse, these verses, is to act justly. 00:14:07.679 --> 00:14:09.600 To act justly. 00:14:10.320 --> 00:14:20.080 Simply stating, acting, acting justly is doing what is right for the right reasons, even when others aren't watching. 00:14:20.960 --> 00:14:33.360 All of us could say, I can I can feel justified or I can feel like I'm doing the right thing as long as when I'm in public, when I'm around other people, especially on Sunday mornings. 00:14:33.600 --> 00:14:38.159 On Sunday mornings, I'm the best behaved person that I know. 00:14:38.879 --> 00:14:39.519 Right? 00:14:40.000 --> 00:14:44.879 And and there's a lot of people that could say that, although we could rewind the tape, right? 00:14:45.039 --> 00:14:54.080 And if there were a camera in each of our cars on the way to church, especially those with young families, what might that car ride sound like? 00:14:54.320 --> 00:15:01.120 Uh beautiful, I'm sure, but there may be some uh some reasons to talk about it, at least, right? 00:15:01.600 --> 00:15:04.960 Uh this so we are to act justly. 00:15:05.120 --> 00:15:10.159 This includes the way that we live our lives and the way that we treat others. 00:15:11.120 --> 00:15:15.200 Act justly in the way that we live our lives and in the way that we treat others. 00:15:15.279 --> 00:15:23.840 We should follow the golden rule, which is what yeah, do to others as you would have them do to you. 00:15:24.080 --> 00:15:29.440 There's a new version of that, which is I will do to others what they do to me. 00:15:32.000 --> 00:15:33.519 See how that's different? 00:15:35.440 --> 00:15:40.639 As Americans, we have an icon that helps us to sort of understand what it means to act justly. 00:15:40.720 --> 00:15:43.919 And we're gonna show a picture here of Lady Justice. 00:15:44.080 --> 00:15:50.080 And Lady Justice, as you see, is depicted in statues and paintings as being blindfolded. 00:15:50.159 --> 00:15:51.759 Why is she blindfolded? 00:15:52.720 --> 00:15:58.799 Because she's not supposed to pay attention to the uniqueness of the individual in the wrong way. 00:15:58.879 --> 00:16:01.840 She's not supposed to be prejudiced in any way, right? 00:16:02.080 --> 00:16:05.600 She's blindfolded, holding scales in one hand and a sword in another. 00:16:05.759 --> 00:16:15.519 In other words, it doesn't matter who the person is, justice is the same regardless, or it should be the same regardless of who the person is. 00:16:15.759 --> 00:16:18.320 That is what God is commanding us here. 00:16:18.720 --> 00:16:22.639 That we live justly, that we act justly. 00:16:22.879 --> 00:16:25.519 We should do what is right for all people. 00:16:25.679 --> 00:16:28.000 We should do justice for all. 00:16:39.279 --> 00:16:43.279 So let's talk for a few minutes about how Christians should handle injustice. 00:16:43.519 --> 00:16:45.919 How Christians should handle injustice. 00:16:46.240 --> 00:16:51.840 We live in a broken, fallen, devastated world. 00:16:54.159 --> 00:16:55.120 Am I right? 00:16:55.759 --> 00:17:08.400 The things that are being discovered about the behaviors, behaviors of humanity on a daily basis are more and more troubling and to be honest with you, sickening. 00:17:11.200 --> 00:17:13.440 There are atrocities being committed. 00:17:13.599 --> 00:17:17.119 There are miscarriages of justice happening all around us. 00:17:17.279 --> 00:17:19.599 And this is not okay with God. 00:17:20.720 --> 00:17:25.759 Injustice is not okay with God, and it should not be okay with us. 00:17:29.839 --> 00:17:35.279 Christians should be passionately opposed to injustice. 00:17:35.599 --> 00:17:37.359 And we'd like to stop there. 00:17:37.920 --> 00:17:41.759 But let's go on, especially when we're the cause of it. 00:17:43.039 --> 00:17:51.759 Christians should be passionately opposed to injustice, especially when we're the ones who cause the injustice. 00:17:52.240 --> 00:17:57.519 It's the easiest thing in the world for us to point out the way that others are being unjust. 00:17:57.680 --> 00:17:59.759 We can do that all day long. 00:17:59.920 --> 00:18:02.000 How many of you are people watchers? 00:18:02.559 --> 00:18:12.319 Some of you could go to the mall and just sit there and just watch people all day long and secretly judge them and secretly wonder about their lives and all of those things. 00:18:12.400 --> 00:18:17.839 And you walk away and you feel good about yourself in comparison to those people, right? 00:18:19.839 --> 00:18:25.200 Don't worry, I've done the same thing, so I'm not trying to put myself above anybody else. 00:18:25.519 --> 00:18:26.240 All of us. 00:18:26.400 --> 00:18:35.119 In some ways, our society has descended into a proverbial blame game where everybody is a victim. 00:18:35.759 --> 00:18:42.559 Everyone is a victim of something, even when we ourselves aren't truly innocent. 00:18:45.200 --> 00:18:52.319 Scripture teaches us how to approach this false sense of justice in Matthew chapter 7, verses 3 through 5. 00:18:52.480 --> 00:18:56.000 Why do you see the speck that's in your brother's eye? 00:18:56.240 --> 00:19:00.000 But do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 00:19:00.480 --> 00:19:06.240 Or how can you say to your brother, let me take the speck out of your eye when there is the log in your own eye? 00:19:06.480 --> 00:19:15.359 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye. 00:19:16.160 --> 00:19:34.240 Again, it's so easy for us to identify injustice and atrocities and things that are horrible within this world, but sometimes we find it much more difficult to find those things within our own selves, in our own lives, in our own thoughts. 00:19:35.920 --> 00:19:54.799 Can you imagine if for one week's time there was a screen that was placed upon your forehead and everywhere in my forehead and everywhere that we went, every thought that we had was displayed in 3D color and in all and in audio and smell of vision even. 00:19:58.319 --> 00:20:00.960 By the end of that week, would we feel differently? 00:20:01.759 --> 00:20:08.160 Possibly feel differently about ourselves and about others in this world? 00:20:08.559 --> 00:20:09.759 I think we might. 00:20:10.319 --> 00:20:14.720 I know other people would feel differently about us, for sure, right? 00:20:15.279 --> 00:20:20.240 So after self-examination, there are other things that we can do to fight injustice. 00:20:20.480 --> 00:20:22.720 So let me give you just three things really quickly. 00:20:22.880 --> 00:20:24.799 Number one, we can pray. 00:20:25.359 --> 00:20:26.640 We can pray. 00:20:26.880 --> 00:20:31.920 Remember that the real villains of this earth are not flesh and blood. 00:20:32.559 --> 00:20:42.480 The real enemies of Christ and the real enemies of Christianity and the real enemies of justice and righteousness are not human beings. 00:20:42.960 --> 00:20:44.559 They are not flesh and blood. 00:20:44.640 --> 00:20:49.440 They are principalities and powers, rulers of the darkness of this age. 00:20:49.680 --> 00:20:53.279 They are spiritual wickedness in heavenly places. 00:20:53.599 --> 00:20:56.880 That is where the battle is fought. 00:20:59.359 --> 00:21:07.200 We should pray that the plans of the enemy would be confused and thwarted and that righteousness would prevail. 00:21:07.440 --> 00:21:16.160 We should take authority over the plans of the enemy in our lives, in the lives of our family, in the lives of our church, in our workplaces. 00:21:16.400 --> 00:21:21.440 We have authority to speak the word of God into those kinds of scenarios. 00:21:21.599 --> 00:21:25.759 And how many of you know we should pray that the enemy would be confused? 00:21:27.759 --> 00:21:31.839 That God would put up a wall of resistance against him. 00:21:33.440 --> 00:21:40.000 That the Lord would protect us and keep us safe from any of the schemes of the evil one. 00:21:40.799 --> 00:21:46.400 My friends, a Christian without prayer is in a dangerous place. 00:21:47.519 --> 00:21:52.160 We must pray concerning injustice. 00:21:53.920 --> 00:21:59.279 Now, before we go further, let me just add something that I didn't want to put in the notes. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:02.240 But it's in the Bible, so I needed to. 00:22:02.799 --> 00:22:06.079 We also need to pray for our enemies. 00:22:07.920 --> 00:22:10.079 Oh, I pray for my enemies. 00:22:10.640 --> 00:22:14.160 I pray that they get roasted and toasted, baby. 00:22:17.759 --> 00:22:20.000 Some people pray that they would go to hell. 00:22:23.119 --> 00:22:24.799 We can pray that about demons. 00:22:25.920 --> 00:22:29.519 But boy, you better never pray that prayer about a human being. 00:22:29.759 --> 00:22:34.799 If you pray that prayer, it means you don't understand what hell really is. 00:22:36.720 --> 00:22:45.119 Matthew 5, Jesus, our great Messiah, said, You have heard that it was said, you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. 00:22:45.279 --> 00:22:53.839 But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. 00:22:54.079 --> 00:23:03.359 For he makes his son rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 00:23:05.200 --> 00:23:07.440 We are to bless our enemies. 00:23:07.599 --> 00:23:10.640 We are to pray for our enemies. 00:23:11.039 --> 00:23:12.720 That's countercultural. 00:23:12.880 --> 00:23:14.880 That goes against our very human nature. 00:23:15.039 --> 00:23:17.680 That goes against our own sense of justice. 00:23:17.759 --> 00:23:21.119 And yet, this is what God is asking of us. 00:23:21.200 --> 00:23:24.319 And how many of you know his way is the right way? 00:23:25.839 --> 00:23:40.400 You see, the quickest way for injustice to end in this earth is for the perpetrators of injustice to become children of God, to be born again, to become followers of Jesus. 00:23:41.839 --> 00:23:45.039 Pray for our enemies that they would be converted. 00:23:46.640 --> 00:23:57.359 You know, the church began to pray, not just our church, but many churches began to pray for the Middle East, especially back during the original Iraq War and all of those things surrounding it. 00:23:57.519 --> 00:24:00.559 You know what God has done in miraculous ways? 00:24:00.880 --> 00:24:06.079 He has sent dreams and visions to people who had never heard about Jesus. 00:24:06.319 --> 00:24:10.559 And all of a sudden, they're becoming followers of Jesus Christ. 00:24:10.720 --> 00:24:16.960 I know missionaries that go to places and they always say this, I can get you in, but I don't know if I can get you out. 00:24:17.279 --> 00:24:30.000 They go to those kinds of places and they are hearing stories of an underground movement of Christianity happening within these places and cultures where it has been the exact opposite of that. 00:24:30.799 --> 00:24:36.400 This, my friends, is the kind of prayers that we should be praying. 00:24:39.839 --> 00:24:49.519 I know that prayer sounds like an oversimplified approach, but it is one of God's main prescriptions for us when it comes to how we handle injustice. 00:24:49.759 --> 00:24:51.119 We must pray. 00:24:51.519 --> 00:24:53.759 We shouldn't just pray, but we must act. 00:24:54.000 --> 00:24:55.359 We should act. 00:24:55.680 --> 00:24:59.440 There is a time for action when it comes to injustice. 00:24:59.599 --> 00:25:02.640 There is a time to stand up and be counted. 00:25:02.720 --> 00:25:05.440 There is a time for resistance. 00:25:06.720 --> 00:25:10.720 Our passage said it clearly, we are to act justly. 00:25:11.839 --> 00:25:14.559 There's some action, there's a verb involved in that. 00:25:14.799 --> 00:25:21.920 Edmund Burke nailed it when he said, the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do what? 00:25:22.400 --> 00:25:23.279 Nothing. 00:25:24.400 --> 00:25:27.519 We must act appropriately. 00:25:27.759 --> 00:25:31.039 We must act according to God's way of acting. 00:25:31.200 --> 00:25:33.839 We must not just react. 00:25:34.640 --> 00:25:37.200 We must act when it comes to injustice. 00:25:37.440 --> 00:25:39.200 Listen to Proverbs 24. 00:25:39.359 --> 00:25:42.960 If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small. 00:25:43.279 --> 00:25:46.559 Rescue those who are beaten, being taken away to death. 00:25:46.720 --> 00:25:49.519 Hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter. 00:25:49.680 --> 00:25:54.960 If you say, Behold, we did not know this, does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? 00:25:55.119 --> 00:25:57.039 In other words, you're lying about that. 00:25:57.200 --> 00:25:58.240 You did know about it? 00:25:58.400 --> 00:26:01.119 Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it? 00:26:01.279 --> 00:26:04.960 And will he not repay men according to his work? 00:26:05.599 --> 00:26:10.079 God hates injustice, and we should hate injustice too. 00:26:10.240 --> 00:26:12.960 We should pray about it and we should act on it. 00:26:13.200 --> 00:26:20.000 We are to stand up and speak up for those who cannot stand or speak for themselves. 00:26:21.119 --> 00:26:25.039 That is not something that Christians should back down upon. 00:26:25.680 --> 00:26:33.279 Now, the problem with acting on injustice is that many times people do it from a place of anger and rage. 00:26:37.359 --> 00:26:48.000 You know what I'm sick and tired of hearing from every from a lot of people, and I even say this myself, how bad things are in the earth, how bad things are in the world. 00:26:48.160 --> 00:26:52.720 And just all that there is is anger about it, rage about it. 00:26:52.880 --> 00:26:54.559 We're enraged, we're angry. 00:26:54.640 --> 00:27:02.160 We just talk about it and talk about it, and we dive deeper into conspiracy theory, and we get worse and worse and angrier and angrier. 00:27:02.240 --> 00:27:07.039 And it's like we're waiting for a moment of breakthrough where we can jump in. 00:27:09.359 --> 00:27:16.480 But how many of you know that we are not called to do anything from a place or position of anger? 00:27:17.200 --> 00:27:23.119 In fact, Scripture says, be angry and do not sin or sin not. 00:27:28.960 --> 00:27:57.759 A lot of times people who deal with anger and rage when it comes to injustice end up dipping their toes in uh in just another term for in vigilante justice, blowing up the houses of doctors who have performed abortions, burning down places, creating uh havoc in scenarios and situations because of injustice. 00:27:58.480 --> 00:28:02.240 We as believers are called to live differently than that. 00:28:03.680 --> 00:28:06.960 We are to be angry and sin not. 00:28:08.079 --> 00:28:10.960 So, what does this action we're talking about look like? 00:28:11.200 --> 00:28:15.920 What does it look like to act concerning injustice? 00:28:16.079 --> 00:28:19.359 How about volunteering at a crisis pregnancy care center? 00:28:20.000 --> 00:28:29.920 If you are concerned about the levels of abortion in this world, and we should be, absolutely, it's one of the greatest atrocities that I know of. 00:28:30.720 --> 00:28:34.720 And we know that we want to do something about it. 00:28:35.200 --> 00:28:44.799 Instead of burning down houses, how about if we help to build people's lives that that and help them to change their minds concerning abortion itself? 00:28:44.960 --> 00:28:57.680 How about if we volunteered to help women who have gone through abortions in the past to heal, to be restored, and not just women, but men who have been a part of that scenario as well, who need healing themselves? 00:28:58.079 --> 00:29:03.599 How about we give to organizations that are fighting human trafficking that are on the front lines of that? 00:29:03.759 --> 00:29:06.960 How about we sponsor that and support that in different ways? 00:29:07.119 --> 00:29:13.839 How about if we become a police officer or lawyer or a judge and fight injustice through the legal system? 00:29:14.000 --> 00:29:21.599 In Romans 13, it says that God uses authorities here on this earth to carry out his justice in the earth. 00:29:21.759 --> 00:29:30.079 There are ways that we can act against injustice that are within the parameters of God's righteousness and holiness. 00:29:31.359 --> 00:29:34.799 How about being an advocate for someone in the margins? 00:29:35.200 --> 00:29:39.119 When we lived in North Carolina and I was a pastor there, we became acquainted. 00:29:39.200 --> 00:29:42.720 In fact, we had a Spanish-speaking church that met in our building. 00:29:42.960 --> 00:30:04.319 One of the things that I discovered is that many of the people in our culture, in our society, did not accept the people that were there, that were living there, even though they were working in the fields, they were working warehouse jobs, they were paying taxes, they were doing all of those things, but they did not accept them just because they looked differently and they spoke a different language. 00:30:04.480 --> 00:30:08.880 And I found out that there was an insurance company that happened to be my insurance company. 00:30:09.039 --> 00:30:21.359 And when these people were going in to get car insurance, for example, or house insurance, they were getting charged three and four times what I was getting charged as a white man who didn't speak Spanish. 00:30:21.519 --> 00:30:24.319 To my kids, I speak a little bit of Spanish, but not a lot. 00:30:24.480 --> 00:30:25.759 I wish I spoke more. 00:30:25.920 --> 00:30:28.480 But anyway, we'll move on past that. 00:30:28.559 --> 00:30:39.759 But the point, the point being, I went with several of those brothers in Christ and sat in the office of the same man who quoted me the price on insurance that I got. 00:30:39.839 --> 00:30:43.440 And I asked him a question: what's different here? 00:30:46.880 --> 00:30:50.559 And all of a sudden, their prices started changing. 00:30:50.720 --> 00:30:52.000 It was incredible. 00:30:52.400 --> 00:30:53.759 I don't have to threaten anything. 00:30:53.839 --> 00:30:57.039 I didn't have to say, I'm going to call a newspaper, I didn't have to say anything like that. 00:30:57.119 --> 00:30:59.200 I just said, wouldn't it be right? 00:30:59.359 --> 00:31:00.880 Wouldn't it be equitable? 00:31:01.119 --> 00:31:04.480 These people had their papers, they were here legally, all of those things. 00:31:04.640 --> 00:31:09.759 Wouldn't it be right for them to be able to have the same insurance that I have? 00:31:10.720 --> 00:31:11.680 You see what I'm saying? 00:31:11.759 --> 00:31:15.599 There are a lot of ways that we can act concerning injustice. 00:31:15.839 --> 00:31:21.519 It's not all, it doesn't all have to be vigilante, and it shouldn't be vigilante. 00:31:24.160 --> 00:31:26.799 How about reporting abuse that you encounter? 00:31:27.039 --> 00:31:38.960 If you see a scenario in a store where it looks like a child is in danger or in trouble, what is it going to hurt to report that? 00:31:40.319 --> 00:31:47.279 There'll be an investigation that will happen and either it will be proven to be right or be proven to be wrong. 00:31:47.920 --> 00:31:50.799 But at least you'll be your conscience will be clear. 00:31:51.599 --> 00:32:13.839 If you see examples of spouses and it seems like it's mostly wives that are abused and beaten, treated unfairly, if you were able to stand up for them and speak up for them and to help them in some way and even report that, what's going to be wrong with that? 00:32:14.799 --> 00:32:19.200 There are a lot of ways to act on injustice. 00:32:20.240 --> 00:32:24.799 So we should pray and we should act, and then finally we should trust. 00:32:25.920 --> 00:32:26.880 We should trust. 00:32:27.039 --> 00:32:28.720 We should trust human beings. 00:32:29.200 --> 00:32:32.559 No, we can trust Christians, right? 00:32:33.039 --> 00:32:39.920 But ultimately, as Christians, I just heard the voice of experience. 00:32:40.079 --> 00:32:40.559 All right. 00:32:40.799 --> 00:32:46.240 Ultimately, as Christians, we are to rest in the what? 00:32:46.720 --> 00:32:48.640 The sovereignty of God. 00:32:50.319 --> 00:32:52.880 God is bigger than this earth. 00:32:53.200 --> 00:32:56.880 He's bigger than the problems that we face in this earth. 00:32:57.119 --> 00:33:00.000 He is the only one who is truly just. 00:33:00.079 --> 00:33:09.680 And even when we don't see the immediate correction to injustice in the world, how many of you know that he will make all things right in the end? 00:33:12.000 --> 00:33:16.000 He will make all things right in the end. 00:33:16.640 --> 00:33:19.839 Sin will be no more. 00:33:22.400 --> 00:33:29.759 Romans 12, 17 through 19, repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 00:33:29.839 --> 00:33:34.079 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 00:33:34.319 --> 00:33:38.880 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God. 00:33:38.960 --> 00:33:44.240 For it is written, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. 00:33:45.680 --> 00:34:01.920 We can release anger, we can release frustration, we can release rage, and we can put our trust in a sovereign God who sees all, who knows all, and is able to handle every situation. 00:34:03.599 --> 00:34:04.240 Amen. 00:34:05.519 --> 00:34:07.359 So God wants us to act justly. 00:34:07.519 --> 00:34:09.440 He also wants us to love mercy. 00:34:09.679 --> 00:34:12.079 Going back to our passage in Micah 6. 00:34:12.320 --> 00:34:20.400 One of the greatest ways for us to stay right in our attitude towards justice is for us to consistently remind ourselves of what? 00:34:21.119 --> 00:34:22.960 That we need mercy. 00:34:24.320 --> 00:34:29.679 If we want to be just towards other, we have to understand our own need for mercy. 00:34:30.159 --> 00:34:34.320 We are called to consider it precious and to love it wholeheartedly. 00:34:34.719 --> 00:34:36.000 So what is mercy? 00:34:36.159 --> 00:34:42.960 In its simplest form, mercy is the gift of God's undeserved kindness and compassion. 00:34:43.199 --> 00:34:49.760 How many of us this morning are living testimonies of the mercy and grace of God? 00:34:51.039 --> 00:34:53.119 Can we say thank you, Heavenly Father? 00:34:53.679 --> 00:35:03.280 Thank you, Father, for your loving kindness, your mercy toward us, that even while we didn't deserve it, that Christ died for us. 00:35:06.480 --> 00:35:11.119 One of my favorite examples of this, and I'm not going to quote it for the sake of time, I'm just going to tell it. 00:35:11.199 --> 00:35:17.039 But John chapter 8, verses 1 through 11, there was a woman who was caught in the act of adultery. 00:35:17.280 --> 00:35:20.079 And the religious leaders brought her before Jesus. 00:35:20.159 --> 00:35:23.039 And what was the remedy for this in the old covenant? 00:35:23.679 --> 00:35:26.239 She was to be stoned to death. 00:35:26.639 --> 00:35:28.719 By the way, where was the man in the scenario? 00:35:28.880 --> 00:35:31.440 If she was caught in the act, where was he? 00:35:31.599 --> 00:35:33.280 Let's not forget that, okay? 00:35:33.440 --> 00:35:34.400 That's bothered me. 00:35:34.480 --> 00:35:42.159 But anyway, they brought her before Jesus, hoping to trick Jesus into saying the wrong thing, to going against the law. 00:35:43.039 --> 00:35:46.800 And so they say, What should we do to this woman, Jesus? 00:35:47.039 --> 00:35:48.639 Jesus doesn't say a word. 00:35:48.800 --> 00:35:52.159 Instead, he bends over and he starts to write in the sand. 00:35:52.239 --> 00:36:00.079 And if you've ever seen the Passion of the Christ, when he leans over and that finger hits the dirt, it's like the creator of the universe. 00:36:01.360 --> 00:36:05.360 I don't know what he wrote, but whatever he wrote, boy, it had an impact. 00:36:05.679 --> 00:36:12.559 I wonder if he wrote names in the sand, names of people that they had been injust with or they had committed adultery with. 00:36:12.719 --> 00:36:15.119 I wonder if he wrote some of the Ten Commandments. 00:36:15.280 --> 00:36:17.199 I wonder what he wrote. 00:36:18.480 --> 00:36:23.039