"Good Enough"

Micah 6:1-8

Micah - contemporary of Isaiah, much similarity in their discourse. Prophet in the time of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah.

“The LORD’s complaint...” (1-5)

God beckons all existence to listen to Him.

Mountains are enduring elements of nature. They do not change as fleetingly as humanity does.

God beckons to the “foundations of the earth” to hear his complaint and contention.

Why is our sin an offense to God?

What has God done to offend us? Nothing.

Jeremiah 2:5-9 "What wrong did your fathers find in me...?”

God is holy, and must be treated as such.

Leviticus 11:44-45 “...be holy, for I am holy."

Sin defiles us and separates us from our holy God. Even still, God beckons for us to repent and obey Him.

Isaiah 1:18-20 "Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD...”

God saved Israel that they may know His righteousness.

God “brought you up” from Egypt, “redeemed you” from slavery.

God set up leaders over them to guide them in the right ways.

Balak counseled that Balaam curse Israel, but Balaam, trusting in the will of God, spoke a blessing upon Israel.

The “Acacia grove” (or Shittim) was the last stop in Israel’s wilderness wanderings, whereas Gilgal was their first stop in the Promised Land of Canaan.

God wants them to remember how he guided them across the river Jordan, to a land flowing with milk and honey.

Judges 5:11 To the sound of musicians at the watering places, there they repeat the righteous triumphs of the LORD, the righteous triumphs of his villagers in Israel. "Then down to the gates marched the people of the LORD.

“With what shall I come before the LORD...?” (6-7)

What will satisfy God?

In our heart of hearts, we know something is wrong. We know there is something missing within us.

To have God present in our lives means that we must have peace with Him.

Our own modifications of what He asks will not please Him.

God had told the Israelites to offer all these things, and the people may think that having more will mean more forgiveness, but that is not how it works.

Mark 12:32-33 - Many think that pleasing God is about adding more things to what we do. Really, pleasing God is about adding more of US to what we are commanded to do for Him.

Even the most extreme of sacrifices will not please Him.

God has never asked for us to kill our children for Him.

However, we know to “bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” (Ephesians 6:4). That takes sacrifice.

Someone might point to a genuine sacrifice they have made, and subconsciously say, “that’s what makes me worthy”.

It is not the sacrifice that does it. It is the condition of the HEART that made that sacrifice.

Israel is avoiding their need to repent.

If they do not repent, it doesn’t matter if they do all these things.

God is not a god of “enough”, but He is a TOTAL God. We give Him EVERYTHING.

Deuteronomy 6:5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

“He has shown you...” (8)

We need to be shown what is good.

All God wants is your heart. Repent, and give Him your heart.

Some say “It can’t be that simple”, but it is!

If we think it is “too simple”, we will seek other methods that we devise for ourselves, ways that God never told us about. Ways that lead to praise of ourselves, and not the praise of God.

Colossians 2:23 These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.

God wants our hearts.

Just because it is simple doesn’t mean it isn’t difficult!

“do justly”: Act in a just or right manner; Do the right thing

Micah 2:1-2; 3:1-3 - the rulers of Micah’s time were not acting in a just manner.

John 7:24 Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment."

“love mercy”: Appreciate the lovingkindness of God, and work toward its manifestation; Love to be merciful, for its own sake.

Micah 2:8-9 - Israel had become a place without love for God’s mercy. Easy to be merciful; harder to love being merciful.

Luke 6:36 Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

“walk humbly with your God”: Be the people of God with humility, and not pride.

Micah 2:3 - Israel was a place that was puffed up with pride. God would humble them if they would not become humble themselves.

Being God’s people does not make us better than others; it simply means we belong to God.

Luke 14:11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

To “do justly”, “love mercy”, and “walk humbly with [our] God”, we need great faith. It begins by giving ourselves to Jesus.

Matthew 25:34 Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.