Micah 6: 1-8 - The final verses of Micah, Chapter 5 vividly express God’s anger at Israel and

what she has done to cause that anger. He then explains the severe actions he will take against

her. He will cut off her horses, destroy her chariots, throw down cities etc. Chapter 6 then begins

with a ‘courtroom’ scene where the Lord presents an indictment against His people and asks for

Israel to plead her case, with creation (the mountains) as a witness. It is difficult to think that

God would have a human emotion such as frustration, but, in Verse 3 He shows that feeling

when he says ‘O my people, what have I done to you? How have I wearied you? Answer me!’

He reminds them of all that He has done to care for them going back to their exile from Egypt.

The people respond with asking Him what they can do to rectify His complaints and then they

proceed to list an increasingly absurd list of sacrifices they could make. Micah then tells them

what our loving Lord would require, simply ‘do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with

your God’. This is another example of the fact that our salvation is not a result of our works, but

of our faith and living humbly.

Psalm 15 opens with a rather simple question, ‘who is worthy to be in the presence of God’?

The following verses outline the characteristics of a truly righteous person. It is not necessarily

an explanation of how a person becomes qualified to live on God’s holy hill but describes what a

person’s life looks like honoring God.and reflecting His goodness.

1 Corinthians 18-31 - These verses expand on what Paul had said in verse 17, that the purpose of

his teaching was not to baptize but to preach the Gospel ‘not with words of wisdom, lest the

cross of Christ be emptied of its power’. Paul divides the world into two groups,: those who are

perishing, destined for eternity apart from God and those who are saved, destined for an eternity

of sharing God’s glory. The Jews had been waiting for the Messiah to come triumphantly and

majestically to save them. To them, the thought of Him dying on a Roman cross like a common

criminal was highly offensive. They wanted miraculous signs. On the other hand the Greeks

who were in pursuit of wisdom, human reason and logic, thought it foolish that a god would

sacrifice his own son for the sins of others. Paul writes though, that God will shame the wise and

strong by giving the weak and foolish of the world the ability to believe in the cross of Christ.

Nobody will ever boast before God of their own strength and wisdom.

In the 5th chapter of Matthew, Jesus ascends the hills near Capernaum to deliver a sermon we

refer to as the Sermon on the Mount, containing the ‘beatitudes’ or blessings. These blessings do

not refer to personal happiness, but something like attaining satisfying results or outcomes such

as receiving mercy, seeing God, inheriting the earth and so on. Blessed does not mean having

great wealth, power or comfort but having humility, mercy, faithfulness and trust in God. The

beatitudes are describing the proper character of a person. These blessings teach that God’s

kingdom belongs to people that humbly depend on Him, seek righteousness, love others and

remain faithful even when there might be a cost.

As you read through these readings this week, you will see that there is a common theme of what

Christ expects from us. It is critical that our character reflects, faithfulness, humility, mercy,

kindness etc. not wealth and power.