Micah 6:1-8 The Case of the People of Israel vs. God

How many of you have even been in court because of a lawsuit? If so, then the passage from Micah 6:1-8 sounds very familiar. This passage resembles a lawsuit that is being heard in court. Micah calls creation as a witness. The mountains, present throughout all of Israel’s history, are called on as witnesses, because they have “seen” all that the Israelites have done. God’s creation has witnessed the relationship between God and His people, so it was well-suited to reach a just verdict in this case.

God questioned His people and gave them a chance to respond. God told of His faithfulness to his people in the past and demands obedience to the covenant he established with His people. The Israelites believed that God has wronged them. He challenged them to provide evidence to support their claims. He directed the events surrounding their flight from Egypt. When they remembered what He did for them in the past, their faith was strengthened.

God showed in this passage that he was willing to set things right. He was not unjust to the Israelites, nor did He ask too much from them. He addressed them tenderly and compassionately. He kept the promises He made.

On the other hand, the Israelites did not keep their promises. Spiritual blindness led them to offer everything except the one thing that God really wanted-a spiritual commitment from their hearts. Right behaviour would have resulted from this commitment. God isn’t interested in sacrifices. He is more concerned with our attitudes. They come from the deepest part of our lives-our hearts-and show themselves in positive actions toward God and His people.

God displayed considerable emotion in His dispute with Israel. For the Israelites to claim that God wearied them gave the impression that he did something to make them impatient and disobedient. In reality, He had mightily delivered them-from Egypt to Gilgal-in fidelity to His righteous nature and covenant promises.

In verses 6-8, Micah summarizes the laws of Moses into three commands. These few things are what God truly desires of His covenant people, not innumerable sacrifices offered without a commitment to faithful living. The word “mercy” in the Hebrew language includes the idea of loyalty and faithfulness to God’s promises. When we repent and walk with God, He will show us mercy. In fact, He loves to show us mercy.

There is a connection between forgiveness and obedience. Since Israel had experienced a gracious remission of her sin of worshipping the golden calf, what sort of people were they to be now? The logical question for them to ask would have been, “What does God require of us?” The logical answer would have been the same things God provided to the Israelites when they repented: mercy, justice and humility. These things aren’t always easy to do. They are not one-time accomplishments to be completed and checked off a list. They will help us understand God’s heart, and in turn our own hearts will be shaped as we put these things into practice.

Living in humility simply means living by faith. We are not to give in to the evil temptations in this world. We are not to sit around and do nothing. We are to move forward in faith. We are to live aggressively for the truth.

Today, our society is in a situation that is similar to the situation the prophet Micah wrote about. We have lost our ability to function in society the way God wants us to live. He wants us to be a light to our world. People should be able to look at us and see something wonderfully different about us-something different that was created by our faith in Christ.

Some time ago, someone wrote to Billy Graham and ridiculed Christians who talk about things like sin and forgiveness. The writer said, “Why don’t you wake up and realize that we’re free to live any way we want to? We shouldn’t feel guilty when we follow our own desires. There’s no such thing as ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ in my view.”

Here’s part of Billy Graham’s reply:

“Do you honestly believe there is no such thing as right and wrong? Frankly, I seriously doubt it. Child abuse, poisoning the environment, hacking someone’s bank account, cheating a neighbour, lying to your friends, murder…I can think of a whole list of evils that you’d agree are always wrong.”

“But why are they wrong? And why are some things like helping others or taking care of the environment always right? Is it simply because society works better if we act this way? The real answer is deeper than this. The real answer is that God has told us how to live---and the reason is because He loves us, and He knows what is best for us.”

We can’t expect people to embrace a Saviour they know nothing about. We can’t expect them to surrender to God when we as His servants are fighting with each other. We are Christ’s eyes, ears, hands and mouthpiece. We have the responsibility to live in such a way that others can see Christ in us.

We are encouraged to sacrifice our own thoughts, our own conversations with others, and our own business of minds. We need to sacrifice what is going on within us right now to give ourselves in worship to God.

God is the great helper. If we want to be more like Him, we will naturally grow in our love to help people. We must not try to be like someone else. We must be ourselves. We must think about how God has made us and how we can help others with our unique personality and gifts.

Moving forward in faith means spending quality, quiet time with God every day. This involves prayer and reading His Word. Before we do this, we have to quiet ourselves and our surroundings so we can hear what God tells us.

One of the things God will tell us is His plan for our lives. Sometimes the plan won’t make sense to us. Sometimes it will be uncomfortable or painful. If we really walk with God, we will find contentment in spite of the pain His plan gives us.

We have a choice. We can live in the grasp of sin and evil, or we can give our hearts over to Jesus. He gave everything He had, including his life, to rescue us from sin, so it’s only fair that we give Him everything we have, including our lives.

 Bibliography

 

1.                  Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013, p.1212)

2.                  ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.

3.                  Kaiser, W.C. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 23: Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1992, pp. 69-71)

4.                  MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, New American Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)

5.                  Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)

6.                  Dr. Gary Chapman, “A Radical Idea.” Retrieved from Oneplace@crosswalkmail.com

7.                  Stephanie Davis, “A Real Chance at Happily Ever After.” Retrieved from Christainity.com@crosswalkmail.com

8.                  Pastor David McGee, “Daily Quiet Time.” Retrieved from www.crossthebridge.com

9.                  Michael Youssef, Ph.D., “The Will of God.” Retrieved from www.ltw.org

10.              Bayless Conley, “Rejoicing in God’s Mercy.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com

11.              Exegesis for Micah 6:1-8. Retrieved from www.lectionary.org

12.              Billy Graham, “Aren’t We Free to Win Any Way We Want?” Retrieved from http://www.arcamax.com/healthandspirit/religion/billygraham/

 

 

Isaiah 9:1-4 The Light of Christ

Have you ever stumbled around in the dark-either at night or during a power outage? It’s not a very pleasant experience, is it?

Darkness is associated with a number of unpleasant things. When we are in the dark, we tend to move slowly or wander aimlessly. We tend to be scared in the dark, mainly because we can’t see the dangers that would be apparent if it were light. There is something about darkness that makes us scared.

We can also wander around in spiritual darkness. That darkness is caused by our lack of knowledge in or faith in Jesus. When we receive the Light of Christ, we don’t have to be afraid of darkness or evil. Christ will be with us. When we are faithful, we will be rewarded.

The prophet Isaiah wrote the passage we heard earlier in this morning’s service during a time of spiritual darkness. Israel was at war with Assyria and was on the verge of being conquered because of their disobedience to God. Throw in a crop failure, no welfare system, an economy that relied solely on agriculture, no technology to preserve food and no system to distribute the food and the result is a very bleak situation.

For Isaiah, the answer to this crisis was God’s ability to intervene at a moment in history and accomplish his purpose for his people. Isaiah emphasized peace and the end of war-a plan that was appealing to a nation that had been eroded by warfare and strife. Isaiah’s vision for the people was to live in a world where God’s light would penetrate the darkness of sin.

Isaiah’s vision happened because of his faithfulness. God showed him the revelation of the future and the Messiah who was to be born. The Messiah would conquer death and would be the great light of hope that would shine on all of humanity. He will make His people more abundant, increase their joy and break the rods of their oppressors. 

In the Bible, darkness points to both known ignorance and willful blindness. People are either lacking knowledge about God or they reject him or both. The seasons of Christmas and Epiphany point to the glory of God as revealed in Jesus’ birth in that humble Bethlehem manger. His birth was the dividing line between the age of darkness and the age of light.

Our world is full of darkness and sin. Our leaders sometimes make decisions that don’t make sense to us as Christians. They don’t trust God. We must not allow despair to overwhelm us. We are to live in the light of God’s presence. He is the deliverer, the ultimate agent at work in the world.

Isaiah speaks of the area of Galilee in the northern kingdom of Israel experiencing humiliation at the hands of the Assyrians. However, a time would come when a great light of salvation through the messianic King would dispel the dark gloom of judgment. When Jesus began his ministry in Galilee, the fulfillment of this prophecy was set in motion. Isaiah compares this King’s victory over Israel’s enemies to the day of Midian, when Gideon and his outnumbered Israelite army defeated the Midianites through God’s powerful intervention.

God’s light brings life, clarity and safety. It drives away gloom and brings hope. The deeper the darkness, the brighter the light. If you light a match in a deep cave, it is a torch. Those who live in darkness receive the shining light of Christ. When sin closes in on us, God sends His light into the world. Those who prefer flickers to flame won’t see the light. People who live in the dark yearn for bright light, and God will give it to them.

There will be no gloom or sorrow for those who are suffering or in bondage to sin. Those who suffer will be saved from the yoke of their oppression. Not even the darkest gloom of sin and despair can keep the light of God’s presence from shining, even on those who live in the darkness known as the shadow of death. That’s why we have “deathbed conversions.” That’s why the thief who hung on the cross beside Jesus repented. The light of God’s presence spreads to every corner of the earth. That light conquers death and sin. It provides comfort for those who suffer for their faith at the hands of those who prefer to live in the darkness of sin and evil.

Bibliography

1.                  Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013, pp. 890-891)

2.                  McKenna, D.L. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 17: Isaiah 1-39 (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1993; pp. 135-138)

3.                  MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, New American Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)

4.                  Calvin Aardsma, “Light in Our Darkness.” Retrieved from www.thisistoday.net

5.                  Exegesis for Isaiah 9:1-4. Retrieved from www.lectionary.org

6.                  Amy Oder, “Commentary on Isaiah 9:1-4.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org

 

 

 

John 1:29-42 What’s In a Name

You have probably heard the phrase “What’s in a name?” from time to time. Names mean different things to different people. In the reading from John 1:29-42, we read some of the names given to Jesus and given by Jesus.

We heard the name John the Baptist gave to Jesus- “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” Deliverance from sin through the blood of a lamb, which was a picture of Old Testament sacrifices, prefigured the coming of Jesus as the Lamb of God. This lamb achieved the final salvation for God’s people through Jesus’ death and resurrection. His death redeemed us from sin, death and Satan. His death also satisfied God’s wrath by making up for our sins.

John’s Jewish audience understood the title “Lamb of God” because they had sacrificed many lambs. This Lamb would be the final, ultimate sacrifice who would take away the sin of the world. As the Messiah, Jesus gathered up all of the Old Testament expectations about an anointed one who would lead and save His people.

Another name that was given to Jesus is “Messiah.” People had high expectations for a rising leader. John the Baptist thought that Jesus was the One…the Coming One…the Lamb of God…The Son of God…The Messiah. But a year or so later, John the Baptist had doubts when the Messiah didn’t act like John thought Messiahs were supposed to act. From prison, John sent his disciples to Jesus with questions: “Hey, I thought you were the Son of God. Why aren’t you Son-of-Godding? Why aren’t you thumping our enemies? Why am I still in jail?”

Another name we heard was “snakes.” John the Baptist could look into people’s souls and see who they really were. That’s why he called the Pharisees and Sadducees “a brood of vipers.” He knew they didn’t want to repent. He also looked at Jesus and knew that Jesus was the Lamb of God. He knew that Jesus had the power to make things new. He knew that Jesus had power over sin and death.

John used his influence to point others toward Christ, just as believers today are called on to do. John’s message was clear: Behold! John the Baptist was the vessel chosen by God to prepare the people for the coming of the Messiah. God used John to open truths to his people that they can’t understand on their own. Once we have been introduced to these truths, our teachers must hand us over to Jesus so that he can disciple us. 

We also heard the name “teacher.” The role of a teacher of the Bible is to bring people to Christ. That’s what Andrew did when he brought his brother Cephas to Jesus. Andrew is a good example for us to follow. Fellowship with Jesus doesn’t end when worship ends. Fellowship should encourage us to share the joy we have with other people. Jesus called Andrew to catch men instead of fish, and that’s the same call he has for us today.

Sinners who look to Jesus will find a great hope. They will find strength and encouragement. One day our struggles will be over. We will see Him and praise Him as the worth Lamb. Before we can do that, we have to remove everything in our lives that is hurtful and sinful. 

God frequently changed people’s names to indicate their special calling. Jesus knows our hearts thoroughly. He sees into them and changes a person into what He wants him/her to become. For example, he changed Abram’s name to Abraham, and he changed Jacob’s name to Israel. That’s why Jesus changed Cephas’ name to Peter. Cephas is an Aramaic word meaning “rock”. By changing Cephas’ name to Peter, Jesus called on him to be the rock on which the church would be built. (In fact, the Roman Catholic Church believes that Peter was the first Pope.)

When Jesus gave Peter a new name, Peter was not yet a rock or a firm foundation. He would later live up to his new name. Like Peter, we have two names. One is the name we were given by our parents. The other one is one we have made, such as “broken heart,” “running scared,” “loved one,” or “a lonely heart.” This is who we are right now, but we can and will be someone else. Jesus looks into our souls, see who we will be, and renames us. If we are faithful, we will be called, “child of God.” He invites us to belong to him. Will we accept this invitation? Will we be witnesses for Jesus like John the Baptist and Andrew

The name Jesus gives us is “followers.” John the Baptist told even his own disciples to follow Jesus. Jesus’ penetrating question- “What do you seek?” -is for those who truly want to know Him. Genuine followers of Christ are willing to submit themselves to Him. When the disciples answered Jesus’ question with one of their own, they were not asking him where his tent was or the address of the house he was visiting. They wanted to know about the eternal, undying dwelling place of the Lamb of God. They were asking where they could go to be in the very presence of God.

On our faith journey there will be times when we will have questions for Jesus. He loves to hear our questions, but that doesn’t mean that he will always answer them directly. He wants us to follow Him and learn from Him. He invites us into a relationship that will change us forever. As we are changed, we will be encouraged to do Christ’s work in our world. Jesus takes us-ordinary people that we are-and uses us in extraordinary ways. In return, we are to take up our cross, follow him, love him and offer his invitation to others.

In conclusion, names mean different things to different people as I mentioned earlier. The one thing most of the names mentioned in the passage from John have in common is that they describe the different roles Jesus had and the roles we as Christians have to play. Jesus fulfilled all of his roles. Have we fulfilled all of our roles?

Bibliography

1.                  Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013, pp. 1442-1443)

2.                  ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.

3.                  Fredrikson, R.L. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 27: John (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)

4.                  MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, New American Study Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)

5.                  Dr. Charles Stanley, “Bringing Others to Jesus.” Retrieved from www.intouch.org

6.                  Ed Young, “Still Counting-Subtraction.” Retrieved form www.edyoung.com

7.                  Dr. Ralph Wilson, “John’s Gospel.” Retrieved from www.jesuswalk.org

8.                  Exegesis for John 1:29-42. Retrieved from www.lectionary.org

9.                  Sarah Dylan Breuer, “Second Sunday after the Epiphany, Year A. “ Retrieved from www.sarahlaughed.net

10.              Audrey West, “Commentary on John 1:29-42.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org

11.              Pastor Edward Markquart, “Two Witnesses: John the Baptist and Andrew.” Retrieved from www.sermonsfromseattle.com