Reading
SAA Notes
Our religious deeds by themselves don’t mean much to God. This upset people then and it does us today. Verses 6,7 describe that God looks for a consistent faith over all parts of my life. It is good to meditate on such verses.
SJA Notes
* God of grace and mercy, please be merciful to us today, forgive us our sins, and teach us Your ways.
“Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?”
We see again God’s calling for us, His people, to _true_ religion.
Faith that works itself out in God’s good purposes.
When we are tempted to fall into a rut of outward regulations that have no heart of faith, then we do not bring God please. We do not honor His Name or keep it holy.
We know that it is not the outward expression that is the difference here. The examples God gives us in this passage can be done by people on both sides of the distinction line that God is making here.
On one side we have actions that are full of false humility and fasting for self-pleasure and feeling superior (the goats, Jesus will tell them they cannot enter).
On the other side we have actions that are other-centered and of true humility (the sheep, Jesus the Good Shepherd will welcome them in).
Because we know we cannot save ourselves, we cannot _do_ anything to gain the righteousness required to stand before the living and holy God, we must wrestle with what it means that God calls us to do good.
As with Israel, so with us.
Israel were not given the law before they were saved out of Egypt, but _after_ God had rescued them.
We are not saved _by_ good works, not even a little.
Our King has instead saved us _unto_ good works.
* Father God,
Please teach us from Your word today.
Please call those around us, and may they answer.
So that when the Son of Man returns in all His glory, all the angel hosts with Him – O Lord may they received Your welcome, that of the Good Shepherd.
Please give us a heart for the lost.
Amen.