The Seventh Sunday of Easter (OTA)

Isaiah 1:10-20

¹⁰    Hear the word of the Lord,

you rulers of ^zSodom!

       Give ear to the teaching of our God,

you people of Gomorrah!

¹¹    “What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices?

says the Lord;

       I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams

and the fat of well-fed beasts;

       I do not delight in the blood of bulls,

or of lambs, or of goats.

¹²    “When you come to appear before me,

who has required of you

this trampling of my courts?

¹³    Bring no more vain offerings;

incense is an abomination to me.

       New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations—

I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly.

¹⁴    Your new moons and your appointed feasts

my soul hates;

       they have become a burden to me;

I am weary of bearing them.

¹⁵    When you spread out your hands,

I will hide my eyes from you;

       even though you make many prayers,

I will not listen;

your hands are full of blood.

¹⁶    Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean;

remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes;

       cease to do evil,

¹⁷        learn to do good;

       seek justice,

correct oppression;

       bring justice to the fatherless,

plead the widow’s cause.

¹⁸    “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord:

       though your sins are like scarlet,

they shall be as white as snow;

       though they are red like crimson,

they shall become like wool.

¹⁹    If you are willing and obedient,

you shall eat the good of the land;

²⁰    but if you refuse and rebel,

you shall be eaten by the sword;

for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

Is God tired of all the things that he required? Has God had enough of their burnt offerings? Has God had his fill of feast days and celebration? The text would really reflect that God has had enough of their hypocrisy. Often time we like to praise God with our mouths, while our hearts are far from him. Sometimes we can put on a good show for the boss, but when he goes undercover he would find an entirely different world.

It is nice to be able to go to Church and know that My sins have been forgiven. It is nice to know that I will get to hear about Jesus, Salvation, and Eternal life. But do I really deserve any of that? Sometime take a little count as to how long after Sunday Service is over, before you blatantly sin. I am not referencing they slip of the tongue, or the accidental eye glance. I am talking about the intentional change of the subject to ruin someones reputation. The intentional stare, or return to the so-called eye candy (male or female), even the intentional turn from Family, or responsibility. How long does it take before you really should be right back at the rail confessing your sin.

There may be some weeks where you make it to an hour. My guess is most of the time you have not left the building after Service before you have overtly, openly, and intentionally sinned. God is tired of it. But he has done away with the sacrifices. He has called you to repent of these sins continually. He sent Jesus Christ into the flesh to die for these sins. He sent Isaiah to instruct you to try harder, do better. I know you are going to fail, because you are a sinner. But for the sake of your soul why not try a little harder, do a little more, act a little better, or just work on living according to God's word. Don't be a hypocrite.