What God Requires

For September 12, 2010

We have experienced many wonderful and despicable acts which have been carried out by people who testify that they are acting in accord with God’s wishes, doing what they feel God requires of the faithful. Today we take a look at some contemporary controversial topics and the response of those who count themselves among the faithful. First some thoughts from one of the Old Testament prophets about God’s desires:

Micah 6:6-8
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 tens of 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 mortal, 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?

The question that begins this scripture seems to concern ritual sacrifices given as an act of worship of God.

1. What is the crux of the question, what does the questioner want to know and be confident about? What does he want to accomplish through the sacrifices? What does he seems to acknowledge about himself?
2. How might we frame the question today? We do not offer sacrifices as acts of contemporary worship, what would you want to ask God about to give you more confidence that your were acting in a way pleasing to God?
3. Where does the questioner seem to be focused in asking the question, what seems to be his understanding of the priorities God has for our living in a way pleasing to God?

God responds with an answer that might have surprised the questioner:

He has told you, O mortal, 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?

1. What is the focus of the response, does it include any of the components of our traditional understanding of worship?
2. According to Micah, God requires three things of us. What might we use to measure our faithfulness in incorporating them into our spiritual lives? What are some of the impediments to our response to these imperatives?

• Do Justice
• Love Kindness
• Walk Humbly with God

3. What might you add to this list based on your spiritual journey? Can Micah’s assessment of what God requires be expanded?

Let’s look at some contemporary items from the news and examine them based on our discussion:

Burning of the Koran:

• What rights does the minister have under our system to carry out his threat to burn the Koran on 9/11? Does he have any legal constraints?
• What arguments does he offer as a basis for this symbolic act? Are there any other arguments, justified or not, which would support this action?
• What questions and possible answers are there as we reflect on the controversy in the light of the three responses God gives about living spiritually?

Location of the Mosque in New York

• What rights does the group planning the construction of the mosque have under our system? Are there any legal constraints?
• What are the arguments in support of and in opposition to the project?
• Based on our reading from Micah what should be the faith community’s response to the project?

Healthcare

Forget the brouhaha about the healthcare legislation for the moment and try to focus on the issue based our study today:
• Do all people have a right (do we have a moral obligation to provide) access to basic medical services? What arguments are there in support and opposition to this concept?
• How would you apply the teachings from Micah to this issue? How might we apply them as an appropriate response to this question, are any actions suggested for us as individuals or a faith community? Should we see our response limited to support or opposition to governmental actions?

Closing Litany – From Psalm 103

Praise the LORD, O my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

From everlasting to everlasting
the LORD's love is with those who fear him,

and his righteousness
with those who keep his covenant
and remember to obey his precepts.

Praise the LORD, you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his bidding,
who obey his word.
Amen

Next Week’s Scriptures: Jeremiah 8:18 - 9:1 or Amos 8:4-7, Psalm 79:1-9 or Psalm 113, 1 Timothy 2:1-7, Luke 16:1-13