"What God Desires of Us"
Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 22:21
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I know none of us would do anything like this, but do know anyone who treats God like a vending machine? You know how that works – the person puts in their currency, good deeds or church attendance or some other religious activity, then pushes the button, prayer telling God what they want, then expecting God to deliver. When they don’t get what they asked for they complain, “Hey God! I did all these things and You didn’t do Your part. What’s the matter?”
This is nothing new. The people of Israel were doing that in Isaiah’s day. They were fasting and expecting God to deliver them from their enemies. The problem was that their fasting was only outward going through the motions. In other areas they were doing as they pleased. During the time of Isaiah, people were being exploited in employment, the poor were being mistreated, and people were even taking advantage of their own neighbors and relatives. Our passage for today is God’s response:
Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for a man to humble himself? Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed and for lying on sackcloth and ashes? Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the Lord? “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. “If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.
It is clear that mere outward observance of religious activity does not please God. They were going through the motions of what they thought God wanted and ignoring those things that God did want. God is interested in behaviors that are consistent with his character. Today’s reading is God’s description of the kind of religious observance that He desires.
What God desires?
What God desires?
God desires us to work for justice:
To loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke - the yoke is a metaphor for oppression, refers to releasing innocent people from the injustice that binds them
Do away with the yoke of oppression
This would include the systems in our society which create and sustain oppression. It has often been religious leaders who were in the forefront of the civil rights movement. Christians throughout history have been active in changing unjust laws, in speaking out for those without a voice, in empowering the powerless.
Imagine a section of road with a very dangerous curve where many accidents have happened and people have died. What are possible responses?
Indifference – people should be more careful
Prayer – ask God to keep them safe
Put up signs – to warn drivers
Organize an ambulance corps - to treat the injured
Fix the road – change the conditions causing the accident
To set the oppressed free and break every yoke – it is not enough to set people free, the yoke which bound them must also be broken. This means we not only care for the individual but also work to change the structures of society. It should be obvious that we cannot do these things without being political. The prophets challenged those in authority, calling them out about the unjust practices they saw. John the Baptist spoke out against King Herod. The yoke which oppresses is usually part of our society and culture and those of us who do not have to bear the yoke can be totally unaware that it even exists.
Who are the oppressed? People who are made to suffer unjustly.
Educational barriers
Economic barriers – there was a story in the news this week about moneylenders who charge as much as 400 per cent interest on their loans.
Opportunity barriers
God desires us to meet people’s needs
To satisfy the needs of the oppressed
To share your food with the hungry – provide food for those who have none
Spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry - implies a high degree of self-sacrifice
To provide the poor wanderer with shelter – bring the homeless into your homes
When you see the naked, to clothe him - provide clothing for those who have none.
Jesus was making the same point in the parable of the separation of the sheep and the goats.
Not to turn away from your own flesh and blood – especially take care of your own family when in need.
God desires us to not speak with contempt
Do away with the pointing finger - language that is intended to show contempt (so GNB), to mock (so FRCL, GECL), to accuse (so REB with “to point the accusing finger”), to threaten (so NJPSV with “The menacing hand” and NJB with “the clenched fist”), to communicate deceit, or even to try and evoke some magical power to bring a curse upon someone.
and malicious talk - aimed at causing harm or grief to others (so NIV, NJB) or making false charges (so REB). NJPSV has “evil speech,” and FRCL uses “speak evil of them.”
We are not told to do these things in order to earn God’s love but because we are loved. This is how God’s true people will act because God’s children will reflect His character. We see throughout Scripture that God is concerned for the poor and the oppressed:
Deuteronomy 27:19 “Cursed is the man who withholds justice from the alien, the fatherless or the widow.” Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”
Isaiah 1:17 learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.
He has showed you, O man, 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.
Matthew 23:23 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.
James 1:27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
Jesus read from Isa. 61 in order to describe His own ministry: Luke 4:18–19 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
We can be most effective when we work together. Here are a couple examples:
A church in California, moved by the need for more resources for victims of violent abuse, partnered with International Justice Mission in Huànuco, Peru, to create a safe and loving home for victims of violent abuse.
In Ohio, a church moved by God’s call to love the least of these has engaged the resources and energies of its people to support aftercare work for sex trafficking victims
What God promises if we obey
What God promises if we obey
Our light will break forth – our deeds will be a witness to others
Let your light so shine …
Our healing will appear quickly - the calamity caused by the people’s sins will end soon.
Your righteousness will go before you - implies that it is God, the righteous one, who goes before the people, indicates God’s guidance
God’s glory will be your rear guard - God’s powerful presence that protects his people
God will answer when we call
What is our response?
What is our response?
We’ve seen that God cares about the poor and outcast
We’ve seen that God desires us to work for justice and provide for the poor
We’ve seen that God will be with and bless us when we do this work.
Now we face the question – Will we do what God desires? Will we be His people?
There are many ways we can work for justice and help those in need. We need to pray for those in authority, but we also need to be willing to act, to speak up, to get involved, to work to change those things which cause and continue injustice and oppression.
Those who remain silent in the face of injustice and oppression share in the guilt of those sins.