Isaiah 58:1-3 (The Message Translation) “Shout! A full-throated shout! Hold nothing back—a trumpet-blast shout! Tell my people what’s wrong with their lives, face my family Jacob with their sins! They’re busy, busy, busy at worship, and love studying all about me. To all appearances they’re a nation of right-living people— law-abiding, God-honoring. They ask me, ‘What’s the right thing to do?’ and love having me on their side. But they also complain, ‘Why do we fast and you don’t look our way? Why do we humble ourselves and you don’t even notice?’”
 
Quite out of orthodoxy for us to read this translation, right? It’s ok, you can get used to it for a moment. I chose this translation because to me it is like a velvet covered brick. Still has the weight, the edges though are a little easier to take.
 
As we head into a time of uncertainty in the next few days, I have some thoughts that might help make these days life changing for you. You are hoping that they will not be life changing in the loss of life and property, I want there to be life change for you as you see people differently, maybe for the first time. Maybe you can see people the way God sees people… I know you can.
 
First, let’s process verses 1-3. Clearly this passage has to do with God’s people fasting and trying to get something from God for their enduring the rigors of fasting. They are wondering why God isn’t acting on their behalf. And God is communicating with his people, helping them understand that to him, empty religion is religion that is focused on self.
 
God chooses to speak regarding fasting, which most people in our day never do, but in his sights are all the things that we do in the name of religion. We want God on our side. We want his favor and blessing. We perform our religious duties with a mind on reciprocity, “God if I do this then you do this.”
 
God is communicating that his plan doesn’t involve us making the rules and him fulfilling our expectations. So, God removes human expectation and yanks the carpet out from under the notion that we have a right to be frustrated with God’s inactivity as the people of Israel did.
 
“God, you are supposed to be blessing me right now!” “God, what are you doing, this isn’t a part of the plan, we have an agreement!”
 
In the passage we are studying, there are some interesting observations to be made.
 
The Holy Spirit identifies God’s people (us) as right living, law-abiding, God-honoring people who are in sin… I have my hand over my mouth holding back a chuckle. How is this even possible that we could be God-honoring people…in sin? How could we be missing God’s kind of religion so blindly?
 
Another thought about verses 1-3 before we move on. Perhaps what God is pointing at is that we do not need another Bible study right now, perhaps what God is saying is become the Bible study. Become a living testament of the filling of the Holy Spirit. Become a living painting of what the Word of God is and does.
 
James saw this phenomenon happening in his church, he said this, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. ²³ For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. ²⁴ For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. ²⁵ But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.” (James 1:22-25 ESV)
 
Alright, enough preaching, I need to take a breath. Ok, so what does God point at as good religion? “This is the kind of fast day I’m after: to break the chains of injustice, get rid of exploitation in the workplace, free the oppressed, cancel debts. What I’m interested in seeing you do is: sharing your food with the hungry, inviting the homeless poor into your homes, putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad, being available to your own families.” (Isaiah 58:6-7 The Message)
 
God’s instruction addresses social and governmental issues. He addresses issues in the workplace. He addresses those who are in danger in our society. He addresses those who are under heavy financial burdens. He speaks directly at those who are homeless and how we are to care for them.
 
God really does want us to see his heart for the world. When our religion causes us to withdraw from being a living breathing Bible, he is saying that is not him.
 
God gives detailed instruction on how our religion is to look. In the days ahead as uncertainty looms, commit today to serving others. Release your life into the care of God and serve others. That doesn’t mean that we are to make unwise decisions, it means that we ought to avoid self serving motives and let our religion come to life.
 
Together, let’s serve each other and our community.
 
Father, could we shine with the love of Jesus in these days and weeks ahead. Would there be such an outpouring of love and care that the name of Jesus would be praised for the work of the saints. Would it be that what you said Jesus would be true. John 13:35 (ESV) “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” Father, this is a time for us to shine, ignite the power in us to help our region see who you are. Thank you Jesus for going first.
 
Blessings,
Pastor D