What is God’s Scoreboard

What is God’s Scoreboard?

Micah 6:8

We love it when our team scores.

Illus. Right Emotion, Wrong Sport – Alexae Carvolho – “Brazil! Brazil!”

What is God’s scoreboard? What does God count? What really matters to God?

Matthew 23:23 - “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You pay a tenth of mint, dill, and cumin, and yet you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy, and faithfulness. These things should have been done without neglecting the others. Blind guides! You strain out a gnat, but gulp down a camel!

God’s scoreboard is not:

Ø A set of justice scales.

Ø an offering envelope.

It’s about your references.

Micah 6:8

            The prophets purpose:  Criticizing and Energizing

1) They intended to disturb the status quo, question the reigning order of things, make people view the normal state of affairs in a different light, and advocate a new way of seeing and living in every dimension of life. They wanted to afflict the comforted and the complacent.

2) They also intended to generate hope, affirm identity, and create a new future. They wanted to comfort the afflicted.

What did Jesus want us to think about?

We act justlyby denying our instinct to only think of ourselves.

One Sunday morning, the pastor noticed little Alex was staring up at the large plaque that hung in the foyer of the church. The seven-year-old had been staring at the plaque for some time, so the pastor walked up, stood beside the boy, and said quietly, “Good morning Alex.”

“Good morning pastor” replied the young lad, focused on the plaque. “Pastor McGhee, what is this?” Alex asked.

“Well son, these are all the men who have died in the Service,” replied the pastor.

Soberly, they stood together, staring at the large plaque. Little Alex’s voice barely broke the silence when he asked quietly, “Which one, the 9:00 or the 10:30 service?”

We love mercywhen we take up our mission to love others.

We walk humblywhen we follow and submit to what God wants to do.

Booker T. Washington, the renowned black educator, was an outstanding example of this truth. Shortly after he took over the presidency of Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, he was walking in an exclusive section of town when he was stopped by a wealthy white woman. Not knowing the famous Mr. Washington by sight, she asked if he would like to earn a few dollars by chopping wood for her. Because he had no pressing business at the moment, Professor Washington smiled, rolled up his sleeves, and proceeded to do the humble chore she had requested. When he was finished, he carried the logs into the house and stacked them by the fireplace.

A little girl recognized him and later revealed his identity to the lady. The next morning the embarrassed woman went to see Mr. Washington in his office at the Institute and apologized profusely. “It’s perfectly all right, Madam,” he replied. “Occasionally I enjoy a little manual labor. Besides, it’s always a delight to do something for a friend.” She shook his hand warmly and assured him that his meek and gracious attitude had endeared him and his work to her heart.

Not long afterward she showed her admiration by persuading some wealthy acquaintances to join her in donating thousands of dollars to the Tuskegee Institute.

What is God’s scoreboard?

            A Mirror

            Luke 6:40 – It is enough for the student to be like his teacher, the servant like his master.