Micah - Rev. David Ryan
This morning, our study of the word
Brings us to the Old Testament book of Micah.
Micah is one of the minor prophets.
Remember that the Old Testament
Has 5 categories of books.
There are 39 books in the Old Testament
5 Books of Law ( Pentetuch)
12 Books of History
5 Books of Wisdom
Books of Prophecy – 5 Major, 12 Minor
So…if trying to guess the number of each category
You know it has to be either a 5 or 12 –
If in a trivia contest, have a 50/50 change –
Although, of course, there is nothing trival about scripture!
We don’t know a whole lot of personal information about
The prophet Micah.
He was from the city of Moresheth – which was about
25 miles southwest of Jerusalem
On the border between Judah and the land of the Philistines.
He ministered between 739 BC and 686BC –
We know that because of the kings that are mentioned –
And he ministered to both the 10 Northern Kingdoms and the 2 southern ones.
He warns the kingdoms that God is coming in Judgement
Because they have sinned against him.
Micah is no wall flower prophet.
His message is delivered in dramatic language
In dramatic ways.
In Chapter 1:8 he says that he will weep and wail
He will go about barefoot and naked.
He will howl like a jackal and moan like an owl.
Wow.
Now, I have to tell you that I can get pretty passionate about
The Word of God, and the message that God calls me to share –
But I have never preached barefoot
And certainly not naked!
I may have raised my voice from time to time
But I have not howled like a jackal or moaned like an owl.
I hope you are ok with that.
Oh, but I do want to preach with passion
Too often I think we read the words of scripture
And are just ho- hum about them.
We need to take what God says to us to heart
We need to allow ourselves to be deeply moved by it.
I think that is something we need to be in prayer about.
Lord, bring me to your word
Speak deeply to my heart
Move me
Change me
Let there fire!
Oh – but those are dangerous words to pray.
Don’t pray them if you don’t mean them.
But if you do mean them – watch out!
God will be moving!
And he certainly did through Micah.
In chapters 2 and 3 he talks about the sin of pride.
And how God is coming to law the nation low.
God even says, I am planning disaster against this people
God used the nation of Assyria to bring that disaster.
Sometimes we wonder why –
Why did God allow the other nations to attack his chosen
People?
Perhaps it was because that was the only way
God could get through to them.
By allowing bad things to happen,
God drew his people back to him.
I want to praise God and look to God
All the days that I am feeling blessed.
But I will confess that my prayers get more passionate
More dependent upon God
When there are hard things going on in my life –
How about you?
In Chapter 4 of Micah, God says that he will gather
A remnant after the time of punishment.
He says that he will gather the lame,
Assemble the exiles and those who have been
Brought to grief.
This is a pattern we see through out the Old Testament.
Disaster may come
But God never totally wipes out his people
There is always a remant that is saved –
There is always someone to carry on the work of the Lord.
In chapter 5 of Micah we have the beautiful promise
Of one who is to come.
We read this often during the Advent season.
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathath, though you are small
Among the clans of Judah – out of you will come for me
One who will be the ruler over Israel
Whose origins are from of old, from anient times.
He will stand and shepherd his flock
In the strength of the Lord
In the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
He will be their peace.
In the margin of my bible –
And I do encourage you to write in your bibles!
I have written “Christ” –
Because this is one of those places in the OT
That foreshadowed his coming.
In chapter 6, from which we read earlier in the service,
The prophet imagines a court room.
God is the Prosecutor, God’s people the defendents.
God says, stand up- please your case!
The jury in this courtroom are the hills and mountains.
The Lord has a case against his people.
God asks – what have I done to you?
Have I burdened you?
I brought you up out of Egypt –
I gave you Moses, Aaron and Miriam
To lead you –
But you have forgotten me”
The people of God ask –
With what shall I come before the Lord?
Shall I bring burnt offerings?
A calf a year old?
Will the Lord be pleased if I offer thousands of rams?
How about ten thousand rivers of oil?
(that’s a lot of oil isn’t it!)
Do you want me, God, to offer my firstborn?
I think most of us have been in this mindset.
What do you want from me, God?
How am I to live for you?
The prophet says –
You don’t have to wonder about what the Lord wants.
He has shown you what is good.
What does the Lord require?
What did the Lord require of the people of Judah and Isreal?
What does the Lord require of us, his people?
Here, the prophet uses three things to sum it up.
1) To act justly.
2) To Love mercy
3) Walk humbly with God
To act justly. Its not all that complicated. Do what is right.
There is so much corruption in this world.
In politics one side calls the other corrupt.
Truth is there is bad stuff that goes on
On every side.
Each one of us can be tempted to do the wrong thing.
Sometimes that is the easier way.
Sometimes it is easier to look the other way
Rather than to confront an injustice.
But that is not our calling
That is not how God wants us to live.
God calls to be on the side of justice.
More than just be on the side of justice
God calls us to be advocates for justice.
To do what is right in our own lives
But also to speak up for others –
Especially those who might not have a voice
In our systems.
We are to take the side of the oppressed.
We are to advocate for those who are being treated wrongly.
You see something going on that is wrong –
Do what you can do to make it right.
Speak up.
Take action
Use what influences you have to see that
Folks are being treated fairly.
We are followers of Christ.
That means we work for justice.
It's what the Lord requires.
What does the Lord require?
Act Justly.
Love mercy.
Don’t just like mercy –
Love it.
And to love it means to show it.
Show to others the same mercy God has shown to you.
Mercy is more than forgiveness.
Mercy is withholding punishment that is deserved
Punishment that you would be within your rights to demand.
Mercy not only forgives, it dismisses punishment.
Think of some of the situations in which you might show mercy.
I came across an article online from “liquid church”
Here is what they suggested:
#1) Be Patient With Quirks
You can show mercy when you don’t get irritated, angry, or uptight with people’s personal quirks. This takes some patience and some practice. Ephesians 4:2 says “be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.” So, show mercy to those you love out of reverence for Christ.
Wow – I wish I had not read that! I mean, some peoples quirks really bother me!
My quirks are easy for others to deal with – right? But their quirks?
Ok…Love mercy.
#2) Help Anyone Hurting Around You
In Luke 10, Jesus told the story of the Good Samaritan to make a point that helping the hurting around you is the meaning of mercy. Maybe this week God will put someone in your path who has a physical, emotional, or financial need and is unable to help themselves in this matter. Will you extend mercy? Or will you rush around them? When you help those who are hurting, don’t grin and bear it, either. Romans 12:8 instructs us in this: “[When you do] acts of mercy, show mercy with cheerfulness.”
#3) Do Good To Those Who Hurt Me
When someone hurts you, we often want to either get even or write them off. But the Bible says in Ephesians 4:31-32 that we should be kind and merciful, forgiving others as God forgave you because of Christ.
While there may be little mercy or civility in our society today, the Bible instructs us to show mercy by giving people what they NEED, not what they deserve. See, God didn’t give us what we deserve – he gave us forgiveness, instead. When you bless someone who hurt you, you are actually following in the footsteps of Jesus. So, think about it: Who hurt you most recently in life? They may need your mercy the most.
#4) Be Kind To Those Who Offend Me
Cultural attacks on Christians are prevalent in our society right now. Offenses are dividing families, friends, and tarnishing our witnesses with non-Christians. The problem with this culture war is that it’s a no-win situation. Instead, if you’re kind to someone who offends you, incredible things can happen! Your response to someone can truly be the entryway to an encounter with Christ – and God’s mercy may change their life.
#5) Build Bridges Of Love To The Overlooked
Last, but certainly not least, Jesus demonstrated mercy by building bridges of love to outcasts. Pastor Rick Warren calls this premeditated mercy – intentionally reaching out to the unpopular to build a bridge of love in Jesus’ name.
Think about it: When was the last time you invited someone who doesn't believe in Jesus for dinner or coffee? Have you shared lunch with any notorious sinners lately, besides yourself? Jesus spent time with the social and spiritual outcasts – and so should you. Jesus’ mission was to seek and save what was lost, and he couldn’t do that without actually GOING to those he intended to save.
Love Mercy.
And finally,
Walk humbly with your God.
Humility is seeing ourselves the way God sees us.
No more, no less.
This does not mean we need to have a bad self-esteem.
God wants us to honor his creation – including ourselves.
But we also must be careful not to think to highly of ourselves
To think that we have it so together, that we do not need God –
Because we do.
We need his grace.
We need his love
We need his forgiveness
We need his provisions.
We can not live this life on our own, at least not in the way that God desires it –
With out his help.
We need to rely on the Holy Spirit.
Simply put, we need Jesus.
We need to walk in faith, trusting in Him and in grace.
We need him as our savior.
We need him as our sustainer.
I believe God would say the same thing to us
That he said through Micah to his people.
What does the Lord require?
1) Act justly
2) Love mercy
3) Walk Humbly with God.
May it be so in our lives. Amen.