Route 66 Micah What Does God Require of the Church

Route 66

Micah: What Does God Require of the Church?

Micah 6:8

July 15, 2018

Big Idea: The indictment against the people of Judah and Jerusalem is overwhelming. Repentance proceeds restoration, but it does not guarantee that judgement will not come.

They have equated sacrifice (rîb) with personal conversion.

Micah = A Synthesis of the Message of Amos, Hosea, and Isaiah

Structure of Micah

Micah’s Concern  

• 2:1–2 Misappropriation of property (cf. Lev 25:23; Isa 5:8)
• 2:6–9 Collection of Debt is unfair––Ex. 22:26f . Women and children were turned out of their homes (cf. Mark 12:40)
• 3:1–4 Lawgivers are not listening to the Word and Not Concerned for the Poor (cf. Isa 1:17)
• 3:5 Mispresenting the Message of the LORD
• 3:5–12 Buildings Made with Unjust Means
• 6:10 Economic Corruption
• 7:14 Everyone actus unjustly––Lack of a “godly” person (Hāsîd)

Micah 6:8 NASB, Deut.10:12–13

Three Requirements Found in Micah

1. Do Justice
2. Love Mercy
3. Walk Humbly     Matthew 23:23

Summary:

1. Faithful participation in worship is not enough.
2. Remembrance of God’s Loyalty Reminds Us of Our Responsibility

So What?

First, we realize the danger of biblical illiteracy.

Quote “Why is it important that the Exodus was a physical historical exodus of actual bodies and not a spiritual tale?...A denial of the physicality of these stories carries the danger of anesthetizing the church to the importance of the physical along with our spiritual mission and would thus be morally suspect. Insisting upon the historicity and physicality of these stories binds us with an inescapable social responsibility.” ––Myrto Theocharous (Prof of OT at Greek Bible College)

Second, it means we are a church/a people who practice biblical morality in our business and family life.