What does the Lord require of you?

Reflecting on Luke 3:10-14

"What should we do then?” the crowd asked." (Luke 3:10)

John was not rebuking the crowds, but the religious leaders (Matthew 3:7).
But it was the crowds who responded to John’s message.
The crowds were probably shocked how John challenged their leaders.
If the ‘most holy’ among them are rebuked, how about the rest of them?

John’s experiences was to be repeated with Jesus.
The crowds, including Gentile soldiers and tax collectors, responded to Jesus.
It was the religious who repeatedly closed their ears and hearts to Jesus.
They saw themselves as holy enough, or at least better than others.
Technically, according to the words of the Law, they were.
Their were devoted to studying the scriptures and obeying the laws.
But Jesus made it clear they totally missed the point.

“Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Matthew 9:13)

Jesus quotes Hosea 6:6 against the religious leaders.
They were so focused on keeping the laws, they missed the point of mercy.
All the sacrifices were meant to be symbols of mercy.
Mercy, or gracious love, is what the whole OT is all about.

John knows this, as his answer to the crowds reveals.
Repent… reconsider AND stop being merciless, unloving, cruel, uncaring!
Share your food and clothing with those who need them.
Don’t steal from others, or demand more than is appropriate.
Don’t extort money, and don’t accuse others falsely.
And be content with what you have.
This is what the Law is pointing to, what love requires.

The prophet Micah also had to challenge God’s people with this.

“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8)

To act justly means to be fair to everyone, not just to some.
To love mercy means to be devoted to kindness and compassion.
To walk humbly with God is to remember our own need for mercy.
The religious leaders were not doing this.
They were acting self-righteous, being cruel and ‘holier than thou’.

Today christians still argue about what they should be doing.
But it is not in the way the crowds asked John.
They asked for themselves, not as a way of judging others.
They were seeking mercy, and genuinely wanting to know what to do.
Many christians today seem to be confident in their own rightness.
Many quick to point out the errors and sins of others.
Do we study the scriptures, just like the religious leaders did?
Do we look down on others, just like the religious leaders did?
Are we, by our lack of mercy, behaving more like a brood of vipers?

To be humble, fair and merciful – that is what the Lord is asking of me.
This is the Law of God, which is only seen in shadow form in the Moses Law.
Put aside the 10 Commandment focus, and focus on the fruit of the Spirit.
By doing so we will realize that we still keep the 10Cs anyway.

I can’t speak for you, or for others; I can only respond myself.
What should I do then?
Share with those in need, be fair, be compassionate, be content!
This is what John suggested as examples of mercy, not rules.
I need to apply this in my own life…
Where specifically do I need to be merciful, not judgmental?
Where specifically do I need to go the extra mile, or give generously?
Where specifically do I need to show kindness or patience?
Doing these things are how I produce fruit in keeping with repentance.

PRAYER
Lord Jesus, in your mercy, show me where I am a Pharisee christian. In your mercy make me merciful, for THIS is what God desires above all! Help me to be humble, fair and merciful, for THIS is what God requires of me.