God Recognizes Man’s Need for Both Spiritual and Physical Renewal.

Thus, Spiritual Nourishment and Physical Rest Are Essential.

Without Worship, Man’s Spirit Dries Up; and Without Rest, Man’s Body Breaks Down. 

Hypocrites Must Know the Importance of Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy.

They must not break the Sabbath by doing as they please. Instead, they must keep the day holy by setting it apart as a day of worship and rest (Ex. 20:8–11). The Sabbath was intended to be a day when people took delight in the Lord, honoring His Name and His law (Holy Word). The purpose of the Sabbath was not to do one’s own thing but to worship and honor the Lord. No business transactions were to take place on the Sabbath. People were not even to engage in idle, useless talk. The focus was to be upon the Lord and His Word. Three wonderful promises were given to those who kept the Sabbath day holy:

Ø  They would be filled with the joy of the Lord.

Ø  They would ride or be victorious over the high places or enemies of the earth and receive great honor from the Lord.

Ø  They would receive a full share of the inheritance promised to Jacob, the promised land itself (a symbol of heaven). 

The Importance of Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy

¹³If you keep the Sabbath holy, not having your own fun and business on that day, but enjoying the Sabbath, speaking of it with delight as the Lord’s holy day, and honoring the Lord in what you do, not following your own desires and pleasure nor talking idly—¹⁴then the Lord will be your delight, and I will see to it that you ride high and get your full share of the blessings I promised to Jacob, your father. The Lord has spoken.^[1] (Isaiah 58:13–14) 

Keeping The Lord’s Day Is the Clear Commandment of God.

God recognizes man’s need for both spiritual and physical renewal. Thus, spiritual nourishment and physical rest are essential. Without worship, man’s spirit dries up; and without rest, man’s body breaks down. Listen to what God’s Holy Word says about being faithful in weekly worship with other believers.

V  “And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read” (Lu. 4:16).

V  “And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight” (Ac. 20:7).

V  “Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given an order to the churches of Galatia, even so, do ye. Upon the first day of the week, let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come” (1 Co. 16:1–2).

V  “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching” (He. 10:25).

V  “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it, thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and hallowed it” (Ex. 20:8–11).^[2] 

Prayer For Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy

Father God, we thank you that you have modeled for us how we should live our lives. We see in you that taking time to rest is a good thing. Rest not only allows us to physically recover from the work of our hands but also allows our minds to rest from mentally taxing tasks. Unfortunately, our world Lord has so many distractions that detour us from following you that we barely take time to rest. We acknowledge, Lord, that you command us to rest for our own good, but for our spiritual health to rest and focus our attention on you is better. A blessing from you, Lord, when we do take time to rest as you command that our family can come together and refocus our minds and hearts on each other, reminding ourselves that we need to be of help to each other, we need to bless each other serving one another as you serve us.

Father God, your Word says that if we keep the Sabbath holy, not doing our own thing but focusing on you, and resting in you, then you will bless us. Father God, the blessing of rest is often more than enough. But the spiritual blessing is what we need. Help us, Lord, to take the time to intentionally give our attention to you on the day you have set aside to rest in you. We praise you, Lord, for your care for us and the model of how we should live our lives as revealed in the life of Christ. Father God, we ask that your hand of providential care continues to watch and care for us; in Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.   

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 God Recognizes Man’s Need for Both Spiritual and Physical Renewal. 

Thus, Spiritual Nourishment and Physical Rest Are Essential.

Without Worship, Man’s Spirit Dries Up; and Without Rest, Man’s Body Breaks Down.

^[1] Taylor, Kenneth Nathaniel. 1997. The Living Bible, Paraphrased. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House.

^[2] Leadership Ministries Worldwide. 2005. Isaiah: Chapters 36–66. Vol. II. The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible. Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide.

Are You a Repentant Repairer Restorer and Rebuilder of Lives?

With All People Who Repent and Turn to The Lord Immediately Upon Receiving God’s Salvation, New Believers Begin to Rebuild the Ruins of Their Lives. They Become Repairers of The Broken Walls and Lives Their Sins Have Destroyed. They Begin to Rebuild Their Paths and Lives with The Structure of Righteousness. 

The Hypocrite Must Be Challenged with The Results of Righteous Behavior (Vv. 8–12).

God makes some wonderful promises to the hypocrite who will repent and do the specific behavior He has spelled. Seven wonderful promises are given: 

The Results of Righteous Behavior: God’s Promises

⁸If you do these things; God will shed his own glorious light upon you. He will heal you; your godliness will lead you forward, goodness will be a shield before you, and the glory of the Lord will protect you from behind. ⁹Then, when you call, the Lord will answer. “Yes, I am here,” he will quickly reply. All you need to do is to stop oppressing the weak and stop making false accusations and spreading vicious rumors!

¹⁰Feed the hungry! Help those in trouble! Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you shall be as bright as day. ¹¹And the Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy you with all good things, and keep you healthy too; and you will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring. ¹²Your sons will rebuild the long-deserted ruins of your cities, and you will be known as “The People Who Rebuild Their Walls and Cities.”^[1] (Isaiah58:8–12) 

A.   Hypocrites Who Repent Will Receive Light and Healing from The Lord.

This refers to Salvation, the light that broke forth, and the healing that was provided with the coming of Christ, the promised Messiah (v. 8).

V  “In him was life, and the life was the light of men” (Jn. 1:4).

V  “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (Jn. 8:12).

V  “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Co. 4:6).

V  “Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light” (Ep. 5:14). 

B.   Hypocrites Who Repent Will Receive the Righteousness and Protection of God (V. 8b).

Righteousness is the result of Salvation. Once people turn to the Lord, God covers them with His Righteousness. As a result, they appear righteous in His eyes. Amazing! In addition, they are guaranteed the presence and protection of the Lord.

V  “For I say unto you, that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees [hypocritical religionists], ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Mt. 5:20).

V  “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Co. 5:21).

V  “Let your conversation [conduct, behavior] be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me” (He. 13:5–6).

V  “For the eyes of the Lord run back and forth throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong on behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore, from henceforth, thou shalt have wars” (2 Chr. 16:9).

V  “The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them” (Ps. 34:7).

V  “Fear thou not; for I am with thee be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness” (Is. 41:10).

V  “Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee” (Is. 43:1–2). 

C.   Hypocrites Who Repent Will Have Their Prayers Answered.

When they call upon the Lord, He promises to hear and answer. First, however, hypocrites must turn absolutely away from their oppression and mistreatment of others. They must also stop pointing fingers at people and engaging in wicked talk such as malicious gossip and profanity.

V  “And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you” (Lu. 11:9).

V  “And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it” (Jn. 14:13–14).

V  “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you” (Jn. 15:7).

V  “And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment” (1 Jn. 3:22–23). 

D.  Hypocrites Who Repent Will Become a Light, A Strong Witness to People in Their Dark Hour of Personal Need (V. 10).

When faithful believers minister to those in need, all the darkness and gloom surrounding their lives will be swept away by the light of their witness.

V  “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid” (Mt. 5:14).

V  “For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and Righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them” (Ep. 5:8–11).

V  “Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain” (Ph. 2:14–16).

E.   Hypocrites Who Repent Will Receive God’s Guidance and Strength (V. 11a).

And God promises that His guidance will be permanent. He will faithfully direct those who have truly repented and who turn to Him in faith and obedience.

V  “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak, and he will show you things to come” (Jn. 16:13).

V  “The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way” (Ps. 25:9).

V  “For this God is our God forever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death” (Ps. 48:14).

V  “Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory” (Ps. 73:24).

F.  Hypocrites Who Repent Will Receive the Provision and Strength of The Lord to Meet Every Need (V. 11).

In fact, God will give them abundant provision and strength. Even in the drought of a sun-scorched land, the Lord will provide whatever believers need to strengthen them as they walk through trials and hardships. The reference to a well-watered spring that never fails indicates that God will provide for every physical and spiritual need.

V  “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Ph. 4:19).

V  “Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted” (He. 2:17–18).

V  “For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us, therefore, come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (He. 4:15–16).

V  “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you” (1 Pe. 5:7).

V  “The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them” (De. 33:27).

V  “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of Righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Ps. 23:1–6).

V  “Oh, how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee, which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!” (Ps. 31:19).

V  “Fear thou not; for I am with thee be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness” (Is. 41:10).

V  “And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you” (Is. 46:4).

G.  Hypocrites Who Repent Will Receive an Honorable Name (V. 12).

Although this is a direct reference to the Israelites, it applies to every generation of believers. Isaiah predicted that when the Babylonian exiles were set free and returned to Judah, the nation would still be lying in ruins due to the Babylonian invasion. It would therefore be necessary for the exiles to rebuild their nation. While carrying on the construction of the city, the Israelites would be called the Repairer of the Breach, or the Restorer of Streets to Dwell In. That is, they would receive honorable mention as a people who were committed to the reconstruction of their nation. So it is with all hypocrites, with all people who repent and turn to the Lord. Immediately upon receiving God’s Salvation, new believers begin to rebuild the ruins of their lives. They become Repairers of the broken walls and lives their sins have destroyed. They begin to rebuild their paths and lives with the structure of Righteousness.

V  “In him was life; and the life was the light of men” (Jn. 1:4).

V  “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (Jn. 8:12).

V  “If any man serves me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serves me, him will my Father honour” (Jn. 12:26).

V  “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Co. 4:6).

V  “Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light” (Ep. 5:14).

V  “Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name” (Re. 3:12).

V  “He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honour him” (Ps. 91:15).

V  “And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name” (Is. 62:2).^[2] 

Prayer: The Results of Righteous Behavior: God’s Promises

Father God, we thank and praise you for revealing to us what we need to do to have our lives restored. We thank you for making possible our Salvation through the death of your Son, Christ, Jesus. We thank you for making us new creations in you because of our faith in what Christ did on the cross. Because of what you have done for us, we have received the honor of your light cast upon us as your children. We love you, Father God, for your healing and leading of our lives every new day. You are our shield before us and our protection behind us.

Father God, we are grateful that now, when we call to you, you hear us and respond to our cry for help. Because of our repenting and turning aside from our sins and looking to you for guidance, we can walk boldly in this world knowing that you will care for us. All our protection and the meeting of our needs, Father God, is because of our faith in you alone. Father God, may we live honorable lives before you treating others as you expect us to and leading others to you that need the Good News of your Salvation.

Father God, your Word says, “¹⁷Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” – It is in our becoming new creations Father God that we do glory in. We no longer need to submit our lives to our old sinful nature; we are free from the bondage of sin and death. May we honor and walk worthy of this gift that Christ paid for by the death of his life on the cross.

Moreover, Father God, your Word says, “¹⁸ Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, ¹⁹ that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.” – Bringing us into your family Father God, is what Christ did through his death on the cross. Now, we have the honor of sharing with others that they, too, can receive adoption into your family as you have adopted us. So again, Father God, may we live lives of honor before you as we share this Good News.

Finally, Lord, your Word says, “²⁰ Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. ²¹ For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:17–21).^[3] – Father God, as ambassadors, which means we represent you in what we say and do. When others see us, that means we are to stand for your will, your desires, your thoughts, motives, and intentions here on earth. We are to lay aside any of our own selfish pursuits now that we are your ambassadors. It is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who dwells in me, doing and fulfilling your will. When we see those hungry, in trouble, or in need of necessities of life, we are to help meet those needs even as you meet ours. We could never do this on our own, Father God, so we again plead with you to help us be and remain faithful to your will. Help us, Father God, rebuild the lives of those around us as you have and are rebuilding ours daily.

We thank you, Lord, for restoring our health and for supplying the things we need in this life that restored us to right standing in our community as we contribute back to our society. We could not do anything good, Lord, without your working in and through us; may we be grateful for this. Father God, thank you for rebuilding our lives of ruin. May we walk in the love, grace, and mercy of our Salvation provided for us through the life, ministry, death, resurrection, and hope given to us in Christ Jesus, our Lord, and Savior.

Amen    

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With All People Who Repent and Turn to The Lord Immediately Upon Receiving God’s Salvation, New Believers Begin to Rebuild the Ruins of Their Lives.

They Become Repairers of The Broken Walls and Lives Their Sins Have Destroyed.

They Begin to Rebuild Their Paths and Lives with The Structure of Righteousness.

Are You a Repentant Repairer Restorer and Rebuilder of Lives?

^[1] Taylor, Kenneth Nathaniel. 1997. The Living Bible, Paraphrased. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House.

^[2] Leadership Ministries Worldwide. 2005. Isaiah: Chapters 36–66. Vol. II. The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible. Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide.

^[3] The New King James Version. 1982. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

For We Are Not Godly. We Are Constant Sinners. How Can People Like Us Be Saved? We Are All Infected and Impure with Sin. When We Display Our Righteous Deeds, They Are Nothing but Filthy Rags.

The Specific Behavior Demanded by God Is Spelled Out (V.5b–7).

The prophet must explain God’s demands as well as the phony behavior of hypocrites. Hypocrites must understand exactly what they must do to become truly acceptable to God. Five specific behaviors are discussed. 

The Specific Behavior Demanded by God

⁵Is this what I want—this doing of penance and bowing like reeds in the wind, putting on sackcloth and covering yourselves with ashes? Is this what you call fasting?

⁶No, the kind of fast I want is that you stop oppressing those who work for you and treat them fairly and give them what they earn. ⁷I want you to share your food with the hungry and bring right into your own homes those who are helpless, poor, and destitute. Clothe those who are cold, and don’t hide from relatives who need your help.^[1] (Isaiah58:5b–7) 

A.    Hypocrites Must Become Humble (V. 5).

Humbling oneself or afflicting one’s soul means acknowledging the Lord and one’s total dependence upon Him. It is not enough for people to set aside one day a week to seek the Lord through worship or fasting. God is to be acknowledged seven days a week. If people profess the Lord, they are to humble themselves before Him, acknowledging that He alone is to be worshipped and served. As Lord, He is to be obeyed. His holy commandments are to be kept. People are God’s subjects, created for the very purpose of worshipping and serving Him. None of us have the right to act as though we were Lord, living as we please and doing whatever we want. On the contrary, all people must walk humbly before the Lord, day by day, acknowledging that He alone has the right to dictate how life is to be lived.

V  “But Jesus called them unto him, and said, suffer little children to come unto me and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein” (Lu. 18:16–17).

V  “For godly sorrow [humility] worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of but the sorrow of the world worketh death” (2 Co. 7:10).

V  “The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit” (Ps. 34:18). 

B.     Hypocrites Must Continually Bow Their Heads, Seeking and Praying to The Lord (V. 5).

Again, it is not enough to set aside one day for fasting and prayer. True believers pray continually throughout the day, offering up praise to the Lord for His great salvation and blessings. Moreover, when they spend daily time in worship (devotions) or sense the need to set aside a special time for seeking the Lord, they do it privately, in secret, without attracting attention. Understanding the richness of God’s salvation and the preciousness of His fellowship, they have a very special place where they meet with the Lord in their daily devotions. Whether in a prayer garden, a private closet, or elsewhere, they fellowship and commune with the Lord on a daily basis as well as on special occasions. Communing and fellowshipping with the Lord are an ongoing, continuous experiences for believers. When their minds are not focused upon their work or another essential activity, they take moments here and there to acknowledge and praise their Savior. What a contrast between true believers and hypocrites!

V  “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Mt. 26:41).

V  “Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full” (Jn. 16:24).

V  “Likewise, the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God” (Ro. 8:26–27).

V  “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints” (Ep. 6:18).

V  “Pray without ceasing” (1 Th. 5:17). 

C.    Hypocrites Must Make Every Day Acceptable to The Lord by Obeying Him (V. 5c).

Seeking to make one day a week pleasing to God is not enough, not to the Lord. Every day is to belong to the Lord. Every day is to be a day of prayer, a day of seeking His guidance and protection. God is not interested in people, just one day a week. God loves and cares about what happens to us all the time—seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day. He also cares about what we do every moment of every hour of every day. Obeying God is a continual demand. It is never optional. We cannot choose which of the commandments we want to obey and when we want to obey them. God’s commandments are to be the pattern of our lives, determining how we behave and conduct ourselves. A day becomes acceptable to God when we follow His holy commandments and live righteous and pure lives.

V  “Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of Heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in Heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Mt. 7:21–23).

V  “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him” (Jn. 14:21).

V  “Jesus answered and said unto him, if a man loves me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him” (Jn. 14:23).

V  “They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate” (Tit. 1:16). 

D.    Hypocrites Must Be Just in Their Dealings with Everyone (V. 6).

To God, a true fast is living an honorable and equitable life, treating others as we wish to be treated (Mt. 7:12; Lu. 6:31). The chains of unrighteousness and injustice must be broken. Every yoke of bondage must be removed. Any control or restraint that subjects or enslaves must be loosened, untied. The oppressed and exploited must be set free. Mercy must be shown to all who suffer and are burdened. It is only the merciful who will be blessed by God. Only the merciful will receive the mercy of God (Mt. 5:7). Think about people down through history and in everyday life who oppress other people (dictators, world leaders, criminals, employers, next-door neighbors, even family members). Yet many of them profess to know the Lord and are faithful in their worship and religious activities. “Hypocrites,” God says. “Cry aloud! Shout it aloud!” They are hypocrites. Unacceptable. Even though they worship God and go to church, when they manipulate or mistreat others in any way, they are hypocrites. No matter what they proclaim or what religious activity they engage in, they are unacceptable to God.

V  “Therefore, all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets” (Mt. 7:12).

V  “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself” (Mt. 22:39).

V  “This is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you” (Jn. 15:12).

V  “Let love be without dissimulation [hypocrisy]. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good” (Ro. 12:9).

V  “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another” (Ro. 12:10).

V  “Charity suffereth long and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up” (1 Co. 13:4).

V  “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” (Ep. 4:32).

V  “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering” (Col. 3:12).

V  “Thou shalt not oppress a hired servant that is poor and needy, whether he be of thy brethren, or of thy strangers that are in thy land within thy gates” (De. 24:14).

V  “He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor” (Pr. 14:31). 

E.     Hypocrites Must Minister to The Needy (V. 7).

The only behavior acceptable to God is feeding the hungry, providing shelter for the homeless, and clothing the poor (Ga. 6:10). Turning a blind eye to the needs of others is clearly disgraceful. Furthermore, a person must not turn away from helping a family member who truly needs help. Note this fact: the Lord is talking not only about making a gift to meet the needs of the poor but also about sharing one’s own food, shelter, and clothing if needed.

V  “And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise, a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbor unto him that fell among the thieves?” (Lu. 10:30–36).

V  “He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep” (Jn. 21:16).

V  “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him” (Ac. 10:38).

V  “Love worketh no ill to his neighbor: therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law” (Ro. 13:10).

V  “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Ga. 6:1–2).

V  “And let us not be weary in well doing for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith” (Ga. 6:9–10).

V  “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world” (Js. 1:27).^[2] 

Our Prayer for Help to Accomplish the Specific Behaviors Demanded by God

Father God, we read in your Word what you expect of us individually and corporately, and we acknowledge that we fail and fall miserably short of your expectations. Sin in our lives is the root of our failures, as we look to fulfill the desires of our flesh. We do not want to be of help to others, and we want to satisfy our selfish wants first, second, and last. We want to rule, control, direct, and lead our lives without consequence. Not only do we want to live without penalty for our choices, like coveting what others have and then taking it for ourselves, but we do not want to repent for our life choices. This is natural to our sinful nature, and it goes along with our beliefs of earning our way to good standing before the community and our family. The problem with all our selfish pursuits is that the sin of hypocrisy not only ultimately destroys us but kills others.

Lord, we do not naturally want to help our relatives because we believe they should be capable of caring for themselves. We do not want to help the destitute. We do not want to help the homeless, the starving children of this world. We see the media promote starving animals and would instead send our money to feed and shelter animals before we give to non-profits helping the homeless. Our sin Lord is strangling us of any desire to do good for others. We throw our hands up in frustration because of the overwhelming nature of sin. And then, we pretend to care for others through a pretense of fasting to get what we want for our selfish pursuits. We function as if we are reciprocating with you, Lord, “If I do this for you, then you need to do this for me.”

Our sin Lord is ugly. As the prophet Isaiah said, “our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags…” – “For we are not godly. We are constant sinners; how can people like us be saved? We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall, and our sins sweep us away like the wind. Yet no one calls on your name or pleads with you for mercy. Therefore, you have turned away from us and turned us over^* to our sins. And yet, O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are the potter. We all are formed by your hand. Don’t be so angry with us, Lord. Please don’t remember our sins forever. Look at us, we pray, and see that we are all your people”^[3] (Isaiah64:5–9).

Lord, this is our need, we are your people; you have created us and know our failings, so please be merciful to us. You know how weak we are, and you know we cannot do anything that is of good and valuable unless you enable us to do so. So please, Father God, enable us to do what is pleasing in your sight. Save us from ourselves and help us to sincerely look to you for help not only in our time of need but always. Help us to realize how beneficial it is to seek you continually. Help us to seek you for our physical strength but primarily for our spiritual strength. For it is in our spiritual strength that we can do those things like caring for others above ourselves and being willing to give to those in need. Help us, Father God, to fulfill your will here on earth as it is fulfilled in Heaven.

In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.

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For We Are Not Godly. We Are Constant Sinners. How Can People Like Us Be Saved? We Are All Infected and Impure with Sin. When We Display Our Righteous Deeds, They Are Nothing but Filthy Rags.

^[1] Taylor, Kenneth Nathaniel. 1997. The Living Bible, Paraphrased. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House.

^[2] Leadership Ministries Worldwide. 2005. Isaiah: Chapters 36–66. Vol. II. The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible. Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide.

^* 64:7 As in Greek, Syriac, and Aramaic versions; Hebrew reads melted us.

^[3] Tyndale House Publishers. 2015. Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.