The Heart of True Religion

Today’s scriptures show us the Heart of True Religion. The prophet Micah presents a courtroom scene where God lays out his case against Israel. The people respond by asking what kind of sacrifice would please him—thousands of rams, rivers of oil, or even their firstborn. But the answer is surprising because God has already shown us what is good and what he requires: to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God. 

The Heart of True Religion

Sermon Date: January 18, 2026
Speaker: Alan Swartz
Scripture Lessons: Micah 6:1-8; Psalm 15; 1 Corinthians 1:18-31;Matthew 5:1-20

The Illusory Measure of Success

How do you measure success? How do you measure blessing? In our modern culture, the definition of a “blessed life” stands in direct opposition to the biblical narrative. We are surrounded by a world that prizes wealth, influence, and an unwavering sense of self-sufficiency. This creates a profound tension for us, as the values of the kingdom of God turn our cultural assumptions upside down. While the world tells us to strive for independence, the scriptures invite us into a radical dependence upon God.

We see this most clearly in our digital lives. Every now and then, perhaps once a week, I scroll through Facebook to see what people are posting. You notice quickly that we only share the “best” of our lives. We see photographs meticulously put through filters to remove every skin blemish, every trace of acne, and to ensure every stray hair is perfectly in place. We present a facade of a “best life” that is polished and curated, but these digital filters often leave the person scrolling through the feed with a deep sense of inadequacy and anxiety. We wonder why our lives don’t look like the filtered images of our peers. This happens because we are performing for the approval of others rather than resting in the approval of God. Measuring success through influence and wealth contradicts the spiritual reality that we are created for dependence, not the exhaustion of self-sufficiency.

The Prophetic Case: Micah’s Requirements

Note the weight of the scene in Micah 6: God is calling the very foundations of the earth to witness a legal dispute. He presents his case before the mountains and all of creation, laying out his grievance against Israel for their failures. It is a courtroom drama where the jury is the earth itself.

In response to God’s charges, the people offer a series of escalating, absurd proposals. They try to bargain through religious performance. They ask if he wants the sacrifice of a year-old calf, or perhaps thousands of rams. They suggest the impossible: ten thousand rivers of oil. They even offer the horrific sacrifice of their firstborn child to atone for their sin. They are willing to engage in “religious gymnastics” and grand displays of piety, yet the prophet Micah stops them with a simple, startling declaration. God has already shown what is good and what he requires:

• Do justice: This is the active work of pursuing what is right and fair for all people.
• Love kindness: Rooted in the Hebrew concept of mercy and covenant loyalty, this is an invitation to embrace compassion as a way of life.
• Walk humbly with your God: This is a call to live in a dependent relationship with him, acknowledging that we trust in him for all things rather than in our own strength.

God does not want your performance; he wants your heart. He values a relationship of trust over any sacrifice you could bring to his altar.

Lessons from the Psalter

The spiritual architecture of this faithful life is found in Psalm 15. This is a “liturgy of entrance,” a song the people of Israel sang as they physically climbed the hill to the temple. It begins with the ultimate question: “Who shall dwell on thy holy hill?” The answer is not a list of ritual requirements, but a description of a person of integrity.

The psalmist describes the faithful as those who speak truth, live with integrity, and refuse to do evil to their neighbor. They are people who keep their promises even when it is costly and who handle their money with ethics, refusing to exploit or take advantage of others. This reminds us that righteousness is about character and relationships, not merely religious attendance or observances.

The core lesson here is that being in a right relationship is more important than being right. We have all seen the opposite at a Thanksgiving dinner table. You might be so convinced of your own truth and your own rightness that you argue until you are blue in the face, but in the process, you destroy the relationship. The Bible teaches us that salvation is the restoration of our relationship with God and our neighbor. We demonstrate our love for him by how we love one another, prioritizing reconciliation over the need to win an argument. This integrity of relationship serves as the bridge to the paradox of the cross.

The Wisdom of the Cross: God’s Upside-Down Values

When Paul writes to the Corinthians, he presents the most radical expression of these upside-down values. In a world that equates power with dominance, he proclaims the “foolishness” of the cross. This message challenges any society that values status and strength above all else.

To feel the weight of Paul’s words, we must stop “whitewashing” the cross. We gloss over the cruelty it represents. We treat it as a nice ornament, hanging it on our walls or wearing it as jewelry. But in the ancient world, the cross was an instrument of shame and execution. If we had the modern equivalent back here on the wall behind us, it would be an electric chair, a gas chamber, or a gurney for lethal injection. It was a sign of total failure and disgrace.

Yet this is at the heart of the Gospel: God deliberately chooses what the world despises to accomplish his purposes. He chooses the foolish to shame the wise and the weak to shame the strong so that no one can boast in his presence. Our status does not come from our achievements, but from Christ. The apparent weakness of the cross reveals God’s true power, as it is through this death that he achieves victory over the grave.

The Revelation of the Slain Lamb

This theme of power through weakness is seen in the vision given to John on the island of Patmos. John sees a scroll in the hand of God containing the judgment of the world, but it is sealed. He weeps because no one is found worthy to break the seals and open it.

In his sorrow, John is told that there is one who is worthy: the “Lion of Judah.” This title suggests worldly force and kingly power. But note the pivotal shift in the vision: John hears the announcement of a lion, but when he turns to look, he sees a “Lamb slain” or slaughtered.

This reveals the very heart of God’s glory. He does not demonstrate his power through worldly force or aggression, but through sacrifice and the “weakness” of the lamb. The victory over the world is won by the one who was willing to be sacrificed. This “Lamb-like” power is the foundation for how we are called to live.

The Beatitudes: Announcements of Blessedness

The Sermon on the Mount is the blueprint for this upside-down life. Jesus begins with the Beatitudes—not a new set of rules to earn God’s favor, but announcements of who is already considered “Blessed” (makarios  - μακάριος) in the kingdom of God. This is not the same as being “happy.” Happiness is often tied to “happenstance” or our external circumstances, but blessedness is a state bestowed by God. The New Living Translation puts it beautifully: “God blesses the poor in spirit.”

Jesus identifies those the world considers unfortunate and pronounces them blessed:

• The poor in spirit: Those who recognize their total need for God and walk humbly.
• Those who mourn: Those who grieve over sin and the brokenness of the world.
• The meek: Those who are not aggressive or self-promoting, but trust in God’s “foolish” weakness.
• Those hungering for righteousness: Those who, as Micah said, have a passionate pursuit to “do justice.”
• The merciful: Those who show the covenant kindness and compassion God requires.
• The pure in heart: Those who live with the integrity described in Psalm 15.
• The peacemakers: Not “peacekeepers” who simply avoid conflict, but those who actively pursue reconciliation.
• The persecuted: Those who suffer for doing what is right.

Jesus’ vision of blessing is the fulfillment of Micah’s requirements. To be blessed is to live a life of justice, mercy, and humility.

Application: Growing in Social Holiness

Internalizing these truths leads us to what John Wesley called “social holiness.” He famously noted that there is no holiness but social holiness, meaning our internal transformation must be expressed in how we treat the people God has placed in our lives. Growing in holiness is not about achieving worldly perfection; it is about learning to live each day in the sufficiency of his grace.

We are called to reorient our lives away from “religious gymnastics” and endless self-improvement projects. Instead, we are invited to trust in the one who lived these Beatitudes perfectly: Jesus Christ. By his cross, he brings us into his blessedness and empowers us to live differently.

As you reflect on these truths this week, ask yourself:

1.      Where is God calling you to pursue justice?

2.     Where do you need to show mercy, even to those who may not deserve it?

3.     In what area of your life do you need to walk more humbly?

4.    How is God calling you to trust him in your moments of weakness?

The world may call this foolishness, but it is the wisdom of God and the only path to true blessing.

+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.