Happy Kansas Day!

The Kansas State Song Oh, give me a home where the Buffalo roam Where the Deer and the Antelope play; Where never is heard a discouraging word, And the sky is not clouded all day. CHORUS Home, home on the Range! Where the Deer and the Antelope play, Where seldom is heard a discouraging word, And the sky is not clouded all day.

LIVING in the Light of the Gospel Big Idea  If we are going to live for Christ, the Gospel must function as the central core that informs and fuels every area of our lives.

Micah 6:8 “He has told (shown) 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?”

What does God require? If not this, then what? Micah 6 6 “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?  7 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?”  If not this, then what?

What is justice? “…but to do justice…” Obtaining individual rights? An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth?

What is justice? “…but to do justice…” Doing justice is working for the peace of the city. Doing justice is disadvantaging yourself for the advantage of the community.

Peace in the Garden Theological Psychological Social Physical (peace with God) Psychological (peace with self) Social (peace with others) Physical (peace with creation)

Peace in the New City Theological Psychological Social Physical (peace with God) Psychological (peace with self) Social (peace with others) Physical (peace with creation)

God is just. God does justice. God teaches justice. “…but to do justice…” God is just. God does justice. God teaches justice.

God is just. Isaiah 40:14 “Whom did he (God) consult, and who made him understand? Who taught him the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding?” Isaiah 55:8-9 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways… For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Psalm 89:14 “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.” Psalm 9:7; 97:2; 99:4

God does justice. Micah 6 3 “O my people, what have I done to you?     How have I wearied you? Answer me!  4 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.  5 …that you may know the righteous acts of the LORD.”

God does justice. Micah 7 “18 Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love.  19 He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. 20 You will show faithfulness to Jacob and steadfast love to Abraham, as you have sworn to our fathers from the days of old.” Psalm 103:6 “The LORD works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed.”

God teaches justice. The Passover Lamb in Exodus 12 The Bread from Heaven in Exodus 16 Deuteronomy 10:17-18 “For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe. He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing. Love the sojourner, therefore, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt.”

God teaches justice. Deuteronomy 24:17-18 “You shall not pervert justice due to the sojourner or to the fatherless, or take a widow’s garment in pledge, but you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt and the LORD your God redeemed (bought you back) from there; therefore I command you to do this.” Deuteronomy 27:19 “’Cursed be anyone who perverts the justice due to the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’” Proverbs 2:6-8 “For the LORD gives wisdom…guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints.” Proverbs 28:5

Yet injustice abounds.  Micah 2 1 Woe to those who devise wickedness     and work evil on their beds!  When the morning dawns, they perform it,     because it is in the power of their hand.  2 They covet fields and seize them,     and houses, and take them away;  they oppress a man and his house,     a man and his inheritance. 

Yet injustice abounds.  Micah 2 6 “Do not preach”—thus they preach—     “one should not preach of such things;     disgrace will not overtake us.”  8 But lately my people have risen up as an enemy; you strip the rich robe from those who pass by trustingly with no thought of war.  9 The women of my people you drive out     from their delightful houses;  from their young children you take away     my splendor forever. 

Yet injustice abounds.  Micah 3 5 Thus says the LORD concerning the prophets who lead my people astray, who cry “Peace” when they have something to eat, but declare war against him who puts nothing into their mouths.  James 2:15-16 “If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, ’Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?” Proverbs 3:27-28 “Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it. Do not say to your neighbor, ‘Go, and come again, tomorrow I will give it’ – when you have it with you.”

Yet injustice abounds. Hence, the message of doom in Micah!  Micah 3 9 Hear this, you heads of the house of Jacob and rulers of the house of Israel, who detest justice and make crooked all that is straight… 11 …yet they lean on the LORD and say,     “Is not the LORD in the midst of us?     No disaster shall come upon us.”  Hence, the message of doom in Micah!

Passive injustice abounds.   “Video games are not sinful, they’re just stupid. And they’re stupid in this way: Young, particularly men, and now women are joining it, they want to get on a team, be part of a kingdom, conquer a foe, and win a great, epic battle. So they do it with their thumbs and it doesn’t even count. Nobody’s really liberated. The Taliban is not really conquered. Women are not really freed from oppression. Generations are not really changed. It’s all fake. It doesn’t count.

Passive injustice abounds.   You want to do something? Get off the couch, unplug the electronics, give your life to Jesus, find some other guys, and do something that actually matters. Leave a legacy for women, children, generations, not just the high score on some stupid game. It’s amazing. A whole world filled with guys who want to be on a team, go to a war, defeat an enemy, and save a princess. That’s the story of this book, the Bible. And if you want to be part of that kingdom, you got to get off the couch and follow that King.

Passive injustice abounds. And you do not quit. You fight differently when you fight for ones you love, a kingdom, and a King. … And some of you would want to say you’re a Christian and not see it through to completion. And let me just say this. All of the slots for hypocrites are already filled. All of those positions are filled. We’re not lacking hypocrites. We’re lacking disciples.” Mark Driscoll in his sermon The Cost of Discipleship Hence, the message of doom in Micah!

Doing Justice: Restoring Peace in the City Theological (peace with God) Psychological (peace with self) Social (peace with others) Physical (peace with creation)

“…and to love kindness…” How do I love kindness?

Behold beauty, Jesus Christ! Look at what Jesus taught. Look at how Jesus lived. Look at how Jesus died. Look for Jesus’ return.

“…and to walk humbly with your God.” How do I walk humbly?

Micah 6:8 “He has told (shown) 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?”