Riding the Wrong Horse

KEY VERSES:

• Micah 6:1–8
• Genesis 12:1–3
• Deuteronomy 10:12–17
• Matthew 23:23
• Romans 5:8

HIGHLIGHTS:

1. Riding the Wrong Horse
   - Intro story about the jockey who remounted the wrong horse – a picture of building your life on the wrong thing.
   - Many people treat God the same way: we’re “running hard,” just not in the right direction.
   - Micah steps into a time when people were very religious on the surface, but completely off underneath (Micah 6:1–2).
2. A Courtroom Scene: God’s Covenant Case
   - God calls creation as witness: mountains and hills act as the jury while He brings a case against His people (Micah 6:1–2).
   - “What have I done to burden you?” God reminds them of His track record: rescuing them from Egypt, giving them leaders like Moses, Aaron, and Miriam (Micah 6:3–5; Genesis 12).
   - Point: God has kept His side of the relationship—faithfully and consistently.
3. People’s Response: Copying the Culture and Treating God Like a Transaction
   - The people act clueless: “What do you want from us, God? More sacrifices?” (Micah 6:6–7).
   - They escalate the offer—calves, thousands of rams, rivers of oil, even their own children—reflecting pagan ideas of bribing the gods (Micah 6:7).
   - They’d absorbed the mindset of their culture: “If I give God something, He owes me something.”
   - Modern version: “If I give, serve, or show up, God has to bless me back.”
4. What God Actually Wants: Hearts, Not Hype
   - God has already told them what He wants (Micah 6:8; Deuteronomy 10:12–17). It’s not more religious theatrics—it’s a transformed life.
   - Three big pieces:
   • Act justly – Live in a way that’s fair, honest, and protective of the vulnerable: the poor, widows, orphans, strangers, and outsiders (Micah 6:8).
   • Love mercy – Not grudging kindness, but a deep, active love that looks for ways to show mercy and kindness, rooted in God’s loyal “hesed” love.
   • Walk humbly with your God – A daily, present-tense relationship: walking where He walks, doing what He does, letting Him lead (Micah 6:8).
   - New Testament echo: Jesus calls these “weightier matters” of the law—justice, mercy, and faithfulness (Matthew 23:23).
5. When We Ignore This: Religion Without Heart
   - Instead of acting justly, they were cheating with rigged weights and measures to squeeze more profit out of people (Micah 6:10–12).
   - Instead of loving mercy, they were self-focused and indifferent to the needs around them (Micah 6:15).
   - Instead of walking humbly with God, they followed the example of corrupt leaders and kings (Micah 6:16).
   - Result: what they gained unjustly slipped through their fingers; they ended up empty and under judgment (Micah 6:13–16).
6. Jesus, the Cross, and What Covenant Love Looks Like Now
   - God’s covenant love—hesed—is ultimately seen at the cross: He meets our deepest need with mercy and kindness we could never earn (Romans 5:8).
   - We don’t love, serve, or give to get something from God—we do it because of what He’s already done.
   - Real faith: receiving that love, then reflecting it in both spiritual and physical care for others.
7. Come, Grow, Go – A Practical Church Expression
   - Come – Gather to worship and remember who God is and what He’s done.
   - Grow – Dig into God’s word and community so your heart actually changes, not just your Sunday schedule.
   - Go – Show God’s love in your everyday world: serving the hungry, helping the elderly, meeting physical needs and spiritual ones.
   - Examples: feeding ministries, practical help teams—simple, real-life ways to live out Micah 6:8.

TALK ABOUT IT:

1. When you’re under pressure, do you tend to relate to God more like a loving Father or like a boss you’re trying to impress or bargain with? Why do you think that is?
2. Where in your life right now do you see the temptation to “ride the wrong horse”—to chase success, comfort, or approval instead of walking humbly with God?
3. “Act justly” can feel big and abstract. What does acting justly look like in your world—at your job, in your home, or in how you handle money and decisions?
4. How easy or hard is it for you to “love mercy” when you think someone might have contributed to their own mess? What helps you move from judgment to compassion?
5. Humility is described here as a lifestyle, not a moment. What would change in your week if you truly walked humbly with God—hour by hour, conversation by conversation?
6. Have you ever treated God like a transaction (“If I do this for You, You have to do this for me”)? What did that do to your joy and your view of Him?
7. Whose “Micah 6:8” life has impacted you—someone whose justice, mercy, and humility has made God more believable to you? What specifically about them stands out?
8. What is one step you can take this week to meet both a physical need and a spiritual need in someone else’s life?

APPLY IT:

• Do a justice audit. Look at your week and ask: “Where do I have power, influence, or advantage—and how am I using it to help, not just to win?” (work, school, family, money).
• Make mercy your default. The next time you’re tempted to judge someone in need (“They probably did this to themselves”), pause and ask, “What would mercy look like right now?”
• Pick one person to help in a concrete way. A neighbor, coworker, classmate, or someone at church—pay a bill, give a ride, bring a meal, watch their kids, fix something in their home.
• Ask God to search your motives. Talk honestly with Him about where you’ve treated Him like a transaction (“I do X so You’ll do Y for me”) and invite Him to reset your heart.
• Practice a daily “walk humbly” check-in. At the start or end of your day, ask: “Where did I walk with God today—and where did I just do my own thing?”
• Engage in both spiritual and physical care. Don’t choose between sharing hope in Jesus and meeting practical needs—look for ways to do both together.
• Join or start a “Go” habit. Volunteer with a serving ministry (feeding people, fixing things, helping the vulnerable), or create a simple recurring act of service with your family or small group.
• Regularly remember the cross. When you feel unlovable or burnt out, pause and intentionally remember: “God’s mercy toward me started at the cross and hasn’t stopped since.” Let that fuel how you treat others.