[Micah 6:1–8]

Throughout the Old Testament, we see God’s interaction with His people and His loving care over them. We also see how the people continued to grow farther and farther from Him. As a Father caring for His children, we see that the people of God grew increasingly tired of serving Him and His pain as He disciplined them.
Do you ever get tired of serving God? Be honest, do you ever find yourself weary from having to be a good example, or tired of having to come to worship, or even tired of having to watch everything you do and say?
Do you ever wish that God would cut you some slack and just let you live your life for a while?
After years of serving God, His people began grumbling and complaining against Him, but what about us? We need to realize that if we begin to feel apathetic toward God, or start to complain about His requirements for our lives, that we have forgotten His great power and love that He has for us.
The Israelites forgot about God’s power too and they drifted off into a life completely against God. This morning, let’s look at why God said to His people, through the prophet Micah, “O My People, what have I done to you?” (Micah 6:3).

[ Let’s read v. 1–5 of Micah chapter 6. ]

THE LORD’S COMPLAINT

WHAT HAVE I DONE TO YOU?

  • They act as if God was oppressive. God, speaking through the prophet Jeremiah, asked, “Have I been a wilderness to Israel, Or a land of darkness? Why do My people say, ‘We are free; We will come no more to You’?” (Jer. 2:31).
  • In fact, God gave them freedom. (v. 4)

HOW HAVE I WEARIED YOU?

  • The people cried out. “You say, ‘Oh, what a weariness!’ And you sneer at it,” Says the Lord of hosts. “And you bring the stolen, the lame, and the sick; Thus you bring an offering! Should I accept this from your hand?” Says the Lord.” (Mal. 1:13).
  • In fact, God protected them. (v. 5)

APPLICATION

  • God’s desire is still for our salvation. “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, … How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!” (Matt. 23:37). God is “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9).
  • But still, sometimes we cry out. When our love for God is failing we can become complainers, we can lose heart, and sometimes even look around at the easy life that people who have forgotten about God are accustomed to. Let us never consider service to God as a weariness, but remember that He has provided salvation for us and has never done anything to harm us or lead us in the wrong direction.

[ Again, let’s continue with v. 6 and 7. ]

MAN’S INADEQUATE SOLUTION

SACRIFICE OUR MATERIAL POSSESSIONS?

  • Giving God burnt offerings. “And when you offer the blind as a sacrifice, Is it not evil? And when you offer the lame and sick, Is it not evil? Offer it then to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you favorably?”” (Mal. 1:8).
  • Giving Him thousands of rams and ten thousand rivers of oil. They thought that maybe they could give more sacrifices and that would be pleasing to God. How much does God need?

SACRIFICE OUR CHILDREN?

  • Looking to the example of Abraham or Molech? It’s interesting to even ask this question in light of God’s law regarding sacrificing ones offspring. He said, “You shall not let any of your descendants pass through the fire to Molech, nor shall you profane the name of your God: I am the Lord.” (Lev. 18:21).
  • Trading our offspring for our soul? Does God only require us to hand over to Him what’s most precious to us? Can we trade something of value in exchange for our soul?

APPLICATION

  • God gives us more than we could ever give to Him. God has given us His own Son, don’t you think He will continue to give us whatever we need? “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? (32) He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Rom. 8:31,32).
  • Sacrifice is good, but it’s not enough. “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams.” (1 Sam. 15:22).

[ Finally, let’s read v. 8. ]

WHAT THE LORD REQUIRES

HE HAS SHOWN US WHAT IS GOOD

  • We know how to live because of His holiness. “as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, (16) since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”” (1 Pet. 1:15,16).
  • He has not kept it a secret. “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence” (2 Pet 1:3).

JUSTICE, MERCY, AND HUMILITY

  • God wants us, not our possessions. “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, (13) and to keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord, which I am commanding you today for your good?” (Deut. 10:12,13).
  • Focusing inward is the answer. “For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being” (Rom. 7:22).

APPLICATION

  • God still wants our hearts today. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. (38) This is the great and first commandment. (39) And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. (40) On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matt. 22:37–40). We need to remember why we’re here on this earth, what our purpose is. We also need to remember the great many blessings we’ve been given. When we forget these things, we lose sight of what’s most important in this life.
  • Sacrifice will follow once our hearts are with Him. “Present your bodies bas a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” (Rom. 12:1).
CONCLUSION

God has given us everything we need in this life. He is our Creator, Sustainer, and most importantly our Savior. Let us make sure to never live our lives in such away that would make Him as us, “What have I done to you?” Are you a sincere, ernest disciple of Christ or have you left His side to follow the fleshly pleasures of life? If you are outside of Christ, you need to know that you will not have a home of rest in the last day. Don’t forget the example of the Israelites and their eventual disdain for God and His provisions.