Living for the Lord’s Pleasure (Part 1 of 2)

The Purpose of Creation and Our Duty

Our purpose this morning is to examine how we can live for the Lord's pleasure. There are two essential aspects: the necessity of being pleasing to the Lord as a duty of every Christian, and the benefits derived from it.

Many times we think we know the right thing to do and pursue it out of routine or obligation. But Scripture prescribes activities for Christians that coincide with benefits and privileges extending beyond salvation. Have you considered the gifts and treasures we're storing in heaven—rewards beyond salvation itself? There are abundant blessings Christians experience, all encompassed by pleasing the Lord.

It's a great place to be as a Christian: living in the pleasure of the Lord. That's the right place, the intended place. The whole purpose of creation is God's glory. Why would a triune God, infinitely happy in eternal fellowship, create creatures? He knew humanity would become wretched, yet He created to magnify Himself through just condemnation and merciful redemption in Christ. The good pleasure of God is why He creates and saves.

Knowing your purpose as a Christian is the avenue to contentment and satisfaction in life.

God's Indictment and Grace (Micah 6:1-5)

Micah 6:1-5
Arise, plead your case before the mountains, and let the hills hear your voice. Hear, you mountains, the indictment of the Lord, and you enduring foundations of the earth; for the Lord has an indictment against His people, and He will contend with Israel. “My people, what have I done to you? How have I wearied you? Answer Me. For I brought you up from the land of Egypt, and redeemed you from the house of slavery; and I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. My people, remember what Balak king of Moab devised, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him, and what happened from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the righteous acts of the Lord.”

The Lord masterfully constructs an irrefutable argument against His people. We're drawn into His courtroom, and it's not favorable. We often argue with God: "I shouldn't have to experience this." But God argues back: "Trust Me. I know what I'm doing."

“O My people, what have I done to you? How have I wearied you? Answer Me.” This is emphatic: think back through your life. What has God done? Is His grace and goodness enough?

For Israel, God brought them from Egypt, redeemed them from slavery, and sent Moses (who spoke mouth-to-mouth with God), Aaron (high priest mediating sacrifices), and Miriam (prophetess and worship leader). Despite their failures, their legacy rested on God's grace displayed through them—not their performance. The Faith Hall of Fame proves the life possible by faith.

Remember when Balak's curse became a blessing through Balaam, renewing God's covenant. These display great grace: redemption from slavery, leaders like Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, and curses turned to blessings. God's undeniable premise: Look at what I've done.

The greatest motivation for future blessings is remembering past ones. God worked all things for good, sent His Son to die for your sins—not potentially, but actually. Realizing Jesus died for your sins is faith. Knowing God is for you produces trust for the future.

God exists in the eternal present, yet knows your future problems and works them for good. Embrace a God who transcends understanding and rest in His goodness. He is a great God of great grace, granting great redemption.

The People's Plea and God's Requirement (Micah 6:6-8)

Micah 6:6-8
With what shall I come before the Lord and bow myself before the God on high? Shall I come to Him with burnt offerings, with yearling calves? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I present my firstborn for my rebellion, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

The people plead: What shall I bring? Burnt offerings? Thousands of rams? Rivers of oil? My firstborn? Even child sacrifice seems extreme, like Abraham with Isaac. But what's wrong? It's 100% outward expression—my righteousness, my works. No inward heart for God.

It's like asking, "What mask should I wear to be acceptable?" They missed God's purpose for sacrifices: drawing near in worship.

Recall Cain and Abel: Cain's offering required his hands' work, but the issue was his heart. If offered from love for God, it would have been fine. The problem was sin crouching at his door, disregarding God's good.

It's not our duty to invent ways to adore God, but to do what He says pleases Him. Whatever you do, do for God's glory—even brushing teeth: "Lord, thank You for provision and a clean mouth."

Routines become opportunities when heart motivation is present, enjoying the Lawgiver. Commands aren't burdens but joys when we treasure Him. Taking out the trash for loved parents excites because it's for those who've done so much.

Ministry without this motivation leads to burnout. Outward humility without inward reality is pre-packaged pride—fishing for compliments.

Performing God's law without warm affection is legalism. Jesus exposed this: outward acts without inward heart are sin. "If you've thought it, you've done it."

They wanted God as a prize, but through their works—not Christ's. God is the infinite treasure. Isaiah saw: "Woe is me, I am undone." Yet God requires: fear Him, walk in His ways, love and serve with all your heart (Deuteronomy 10:12). The law shows our ruin, pointing to Christ who fulfills it.

Fearing the Lord

He says in Deuteronomy 10:12 to fear the Lord with an attitude of healthy respect and significance, valuing Him while gripped by a genuine sense of awe at His magnificence, magnitude, and majesty. It is reverence that overwhelms, like Moses on the mountain amid fire, earthquakes, and death for any who touched it.

Imagine a Kodiak bear charging in the wilderness. You wouldn't think, "That's a good-looking bear," or casually say, "Hold on, Smokey." No, you recognize the bear's control, its power to overwhelm and destroy you—you're just food. That's fear: faculties arrested by the reality.

Now picture that bear stopping to protect you, setting a perimeter. Fearing God illustrates love too—the fear of God is mentioned more in Scripture than the love of God. You recognize His magnitude, and He becomes your defense.

Walking in His Ways

Walk in His ways: imitate Him, love Him, serve Him. There's beautiful chronology—fear the Lord, walk in His ways, love Him, serve Him. A healthy respect grips you with awe at God's overwhelming magnitude, then grace builds you up to walk, love, and serve.

Overwhelmed by His goodness, love, mercy—everything He has done, is doing, will do—motivates service that runs without tiring. Do this with all your heart, the crux of the issue, where it starts and lives inwardly. With all your soul, every aspect of who you are—the whole of you.

Serve the Lord your God, love Him, walk in His ways, fear Him. This distinguishes law from inward reality.

The Pharisees' Error in Matthew 12

Matthew 12:1-12
At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, “Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.” He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him to eat nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? Or have you not read in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless? I tell you, something greater than the temple is here. And if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”

The disciples plucked grain on the Sabbath, saying, "Lord, we're hungry." Jesus, Lord of the Sabbath, cared for their need. Pharisees accused them. Jesus pointed to David eating the holy bread of the Presence—not lawful for non-priests. Or priests in the temple who "profane" the Sabbath by working yet are guiltless.

They offer sacrifices on the Sabbath—work, breaking it—yet innocent. Something greater than the temple is here: Jesus desires mercy, not sacrifice. In their synagogue, a man with a withered hand—they asked if healing was lawful to accuse Him. Jesus replied: If your sheep falls in a pit on the Sabbath, you lift it out. How much more a man? It is lawful to do good.

What Pleases God

God loves mercy, loyalty, love, faithfulness—the relationship Christ purchased. Jesus handled all demands so you receive enjoyment, joy, blessedness. God's justice perturbs at mistreating the poor or merciless rulers, but flows from His decree: lovers of God, haters of sin. That's ultimate justice, synonymous with His will. Injustice is operating outside it.

In any situation, do the just thing—derive 100% from what God says, not what you think. Accountability helps, as we deceive ourselves like the Israelites.

Loving Kindness

Love kindness—loyal love, mercy: commitment, loyalty, affectionate regard. These are reactions to God's qualities in Christ—humility in Philippians 2:5-8, His loyalty and faithfulness to us.

Walking Humbly with God

Walk humbly with your God—prepare to walk with Him. Hebrew roots suggest constructing a tomb (old self dies) or suppressing pride (hold back the unpleasing). Trust Christ dealt with it; the new you walks with God, loves Him, suppresses what displeases.

I'm going to walk with the Lord—that activity taking saints to heaven, now yours. Place emphasis on God, treasure Him for satisfaction.

Summary

Necessity: be pleasing to the Lord—that's salvation, eternal life. Privilege: enjoy it now. Through highs and lows, knowing your heavenly Father is well pleased carries you. That's the safest place.