Text: Micah 6:1-8
Facebook live: Our just, kind, and humble God is Jesus!
8 He has told you, O man, what is good;
and what does the LORD require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God?
If you’ve ever been in a court of law, you know the humbling nature of the experience.
“All rise! The honorable Danial P. O’Brian presiding!”
The words rang out, in the Oakland County Courthouse. The Judge entered, and the proceedings began. A man came forward and pleaded his case and to the best of my recollection this is what was said.
“Your honor, I have 9 children, a home, a wife and a job. I am in treatment for my addiction to drugs and I am doing better and plead for leniency and probation! You honor, I am a changed man!”
Judge O’Brian pondering the plea, took a few minutes and replied.
In considering your situation and your words, I must confess, that I would like to give you the benefit of the doubt - at least for your wife, children and your employer. But you said similar things in 1998, 2002, 2007, 2011 and 2016 and now again today. Sir you are a habitual offender. I find you guilty and sentence you to 2 – 5 years in the state penitentiary for your crimes!
The gavel hit and the man was taken away in cuffs to serve his sentence.
For justice to be served a just God must be just. He must condemn sin and the offences against the Law and judge rightly. In God’s court the people are found wanting.
2 Hear, you mountains, the indictment of the LORD,
and you enduring foundations of the earth,
for the LORD has an indictment against his people,
and he will contend with Israel.
The Lord’s people had fallen short and had missed the mark. The mark of the Lord requires perfection. No error. Not a mark. Ever.
The last time I went target shooting I was surprised. I was terrible. Almost nothing hit the Bulls-Eye; Some shots hit the target and even a few were … shall we say … nowhere to be found!
In God’s perfection, there would be, centered on the target, only one hole, directly in the middle of the Bull-Eye, nothing else no matter how many times you pulled the trigger! All the shots would enter through the same hole, exactly on the same spot, in the center of the Bulls-Eye. That is the perfection God requires! Israel had fallen short.
3 “O my people, what have I done to you?
How have I wearied you? Answer me!
In the court of the Lord’s justice, he pleads his case. “What have I done to you?” All that God had done for his children Israel, had been good but was met with rejection and rebellion.
The work of the Lord was made manifest [or known] to them and now he recounts his works as a prosecutor laying out his case.
I brought you out of Egypt
I redeemed you from Slavery
I sent Moses, Aaron and Miriam to lead you
And whenever the King of Moab wanted you cursed by God’s prophet - I had mercy – and my prophet, Balaam the son of Beor, blessed you!
The Lord’s mercy had been evident they had seen it and heard of it. He had led the children of Israel out of Egypt and protected and sustained them in the wilderness. And when Balaam, the prophet of God would not curse the children of Israel as directed by the king, King Balak of Moab went to plan B – leading the people to sin against their God - by temptation, sexual sin, and Idolatry [following after false gods].
What do we, who gather here weekly in worship hear from our God?
We hear:
God’s word proclaimed in all its truth and fullness.
We hear of God’s Just requirements
We hear of God’s loving kindness toward you and me in Christ
And we hear of God’s humble call for his children to – follow me!
But, do we listen and obey? Or, do we plan our own redemption like the children of Israel - to escape the wrath to come?
The case is laid out and the defendant replies:
6 “With what shall I come before the LORD,
and bow myself before God on high?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
with calves a year old?
7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams,
with ten thousands of rivers of oil?
Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression,
the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?”
Essentially saying: “What do you want from me? What can I give?”
We too try to appease God by what we do and what we give.
“Didn’t I give you this? Haven’t I done that? I’ve done much more than others have done. What more do you want?”
The prophetic word still rings true through the folly of preaching.
As St. Paul says:
18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
In the football world this past week the talk was about Mr. Irrelevant. Brock Purdy, the 23-year-old quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers who was last person chosen in the NFL draft in the 7th round and the 262nd pick.
This 3rd string quarterback wasn’t expected to play, but the unexpected happened, with injuries to both the starting and backup quarterback, he unexpectedly became a starter and has done nothing but win.
Irrelevant has become, shall we say, very relevant!
How do we hear what God has to say?
God’s word proclaimed in all its truth and fullness.
We hear of God’s Just requirements
We hear of God’s loving kindness toward you and me in Christ
And we hear of God’s humble call for his children to – follow me!
But, do we listen and obey? Or, do we plan our own redemption like the children of Israel - to escape the wrath to come?
The case is laid out and the defendant replies:
6 “With what shall I come before the LORD,
and bow myself before God on high?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
with calves a year old?
7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams,
with ten thousands of rivers of oil?
Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression,
the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?”
Essentially saying: “What do you want from me? What can I give?”
We too try to appease God by what we do and what we give.
“Didn’t I give you this? Haven’t I done that? I’ve done much more than others have done. What more do you want?”
The prophetic word still rings true through the folly of preaching.
As St. Paul says:
18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
In the football world this past week the talk was about Mr. Irrelevant. Brock Purdy, the 23-year-old quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers who was last person chosen in the NFL draft in the 7th round and the 262nd pick.
This 3rd string quarterback wasn’t expected to play, but the unexpected happened, with injuries to both the starting and backup quarterback, he unexpectedly became a starter and has done nothing but win.
Irrelevant has become, shall we say, very relevant!
How do we hear what God has to say?
Is it relevant in our lives or do we hear it as irrelevant, old, and worn, or maybe just for a different time and people? Can we allow ourselves to be opened by God to hear his word in a new way that, through the folly of preaching God might make himself known to you and me.
22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
God’s word is power and made perfect in weakness.
God’s power in the weakness of the manger child.
God’s power in the weakness of the cross unto salvation.
God’s power in the weakness of sins washed away in the waters of Holy Baptism.
God’s power in the weakness of simple bread and wine united in, with and under the body and blood of Christ shed for you.
God’s power in the weakness of humble, loving, kind and merciful people of faith sharing the love of God to a world that desperately needs to hear.
8 He has told you, O man, what is good;
and what … the LORD require of you
… to do justice, … to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God?
God has given Jesus for the sins of the world and that includes you and me. In humble submission we walk, trust, speak and do that the lord gives us and when we fall short … we come again to the Lord, we repent, and we receive his gracious forgiveness on account of Christ and then we go out again in to the world to tell others the Good News.
Fools for Christ. “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
In the name of the Father, and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit!
Amen
22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
God’s word is power and made perfect in weakness.
God’s power in the weakness of the manger child.
God’s power in the weakness of the cross unto salvation.
God’s power in the weakness of sins washed away in the waters of Holy Baptism.
God’s power in the weakness of simple bread and wine united in, with and under the body and blood of Christ shed for you.
God’s power in the weakness of humble, loving, kind and merciful people of faith sharing the love of God to a world that desperately needs to hear.
8 He has told you, O man, what is good;
and what … the LORD require of you
… to do justice, … to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God?
God has given Jesus for the sins of the world and that includes you and me. In humble submission we walk, trust, speak and do that the lord gives us and when we fall short … we come again to the Lord, we repent, and we receive his gracious forgiveness on account of Christ and then we go out again in to the world to tell others the Good News.
Fools for Christ. “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
In the name of the Father, and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit!
Amen
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