Jesus is Knocking, What is Your Answer? (2)

Jesus is Knocking, What is Your Answer? - Part 2

Micah 6:1–8 ESV

Hear what the Lord says: Arise, plead your case before the mountains, and let the hills hear your voice. Hear, you mountains, the indictment of the Lord, and you enduring foundations of the earth, for the Lord has an indictment against his people, and he will contend with Israel. “O my people, what have I done to you? How have I wearied you? Answer me! For I brought you up from the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery, and I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. O my people, remember what Balak king of Moab devised, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him, and what happened from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the righteous acts of the Lord.” “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? 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?” 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?

This is the second part of the message started last week. Last week we saw how God is imploring for us to come back to Him. God demands an answer to the reason for our rebellious and stiff-necked ways.

God goes on to tell us He is not going to require of us what He was willing to do. He requires three things from us.

We are going to delve into these 3 topics which are contrary to today’s society. Our society is self-centered and focused on comparing ourselves to other people.

We tend to judge our success and failures on those around us. Do we have more material items than others? If the answer is yes, well then, we must be blessed.

I was talking with Beth and Richie yesterday. We were reminiscing on how wonderful God takes care of His children. His blessings are not always an increase in a paycheck but in other ways. When we focus on material items we are on missing the beauty of the forest because all we see are the trees.

Hebrews 13:5 ESV

Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Jesus takes this a step further.

John 6:38 ESV

For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.

Do Justly

Make justice, including a participant's right or privilege (statutory or customary) happen. There is so much injustice in this world. So many are out for themselves and taking advantage of others. We need to be the ones to make sure justice does happen.

What is a person’s right or privilege? Every person has the right to hear the Gospel. To have a clear presentation of the life-changing gospel. This is the greatest act of justice.

2. Love Mercy

The word for mercy here comes from a root word that means to bow one's head in courtesy to an equal. It is the idea of showing kindness above and beyond what is expected.

To treat everyone we come into conduct as our equal.

Acts 10:34 ESV

So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality,

When I was younger, it was called brown-nosing when you went the extra mile for someone as if you wanted their friendship and good favor particularly with a teacher.

We need to be brown-nosing with all of those around us as we share the gospel. What if you knew someone who was really struggling and not making the good choices at all? In fact, quite self-destructive choices. What if you knew this person was going to find the cure for all cancers? Would you not invest yourself into their life and help them get on the right track? Encourage them, mentor them, disciple them.

This is how we should be with everyone. Yes, our fellow brothers and sisters who are working in the fields with us. We are sons and daughters of the Most High.

Those who are not working in the fields with us, those who have not made Jesus Christ their Lord are would-be royalty. They have been lied to and deceived. They are kidnapped royalty. Jesus Christ broke their chains. They just do not know it yet. We need to love mercy.

3. Walk humbly before your God

Here is the concept of moving forward with no pretentiousness or pride in a personal relationship with God.

This is not standing still or moving backwards. This is not leaving God’s side and running back when it is convenient or you need something.

It is walking and talking with the Lord even when it is difficult. It is not being distracted by the flashy things of this world.

Right now, sometimes it is not flashy to be working in the fields of our heavenly father.

When I was a teenager, growing up in Iowa, it was a good paying job during the summer to detassel corn. Has anyone detasseled corn? It is not a fun job but paid well and a lot of teenagers did this.

We would get up early and be to the trucks by 7am and work til 2 or 3 in whatever fields were ready. We would stand in the bucket and lean over the corn and pull out the tassels or pollen. By the end of the day, it is difficult to stand up straight and you welts or blisters. I did try gloves one year, but you can not grab the tassels well enough and fast enough with gloves.

Working the fields for our heavenly Father sometimes is back breaking work. Sometimes we get blisters. He blesses us with many things while we work in His fields. The love and connection of a wonderful church family. His miracles and unwarranted favor.

The day will come when it will be very flashy to have worked in His fields.

2 Timothy 4:8 ESV

Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.

The greatest thing I will ever hear:

Matthew 25:21 ESV

His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’

Conclusion:

A - Acknowledge

Romans 3:23 ESV

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

B - Believe

Acts 16:31 ESV

And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

C - Confess

Romans 10:9–10 ESV

because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.