THE CHRISTMAS GIFT FOR A GOD WHO HAS EVERYTHING
But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days.. Micah 5:2
With what shall I come before the Lord
and bow down before the exalted God?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
with calves a year old?
Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,
with ten thousand rivers of olive oil?
Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression,
the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
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[a] with your God.
Micah 6:6-8 (NIV)
-IF IT IS NOT THE QUALITY OF THE GIFT
-IF IT IS NOT THE QUANTITY OF THE GIFT
-IF IT IS NOT EVEN GIVING THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE
THEN WHAT DOES GOD WANT?
-TO ACT JUSTLY
-TO LOVE MERCY
For I desire mercy and not sacrifice…Hosea 6:6a
-TO WALK HUMBLY WITH YOUR GOD
Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” When Jesus heard that, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”
Matthew 9:10–13
