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bethinking.org – Spirituality – 1. Spiritual Formation: The Need for Spiritual Formation

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Book Review: Spiritual Disciplines Devotional: A Year of Readings

Spiritual Disciplines Devotional A Year of Readings

I just finished reviewing the first chapter in book from the IVPress Formatio series called Spiritual Disciplines Devotional: A Year of Readings By Valerie E. Hess. While I have not yet seen the whole of this work, what I saw I liked very much. Her writing style is clear and vivid, with an accessible feel. She is not overly verbose but succinct and filled with very practical examples both of concepts and practices.

I particularly appreciate the way in which she addresses issues in North American Christian Culture with out the need for defining the long baggage associated with an issue. She presents the tension within protestant Christians today about Spiritual Formation, and especially in some very specific areas like meditation. Hess succinctly differentiates between Christian Meditation and other forms of meditation. I felt that her work deserved a full quote.

“If the idea of Christian meditation seems like an oxymoron to you, then let me assure you that it is not at all the same thing as non-Christian forms of meditation. In those practices, many of which have become popular in the last twenty-five or thirty years, the focus is on emptying the mind. In Christian meditation we seek to clear our minds of the clutter that prevents us from focusing fully on God. We push aside that which keeps us from filling our minds with God’s Word and his work in creation, the world and other people.”

There is no question that Hess’s work is based in an orthodox expression of Evangelical Christianity. She repeatedly identifies important elements that are necessary for these disciplines to be fully and uniquely Christian practices and not trends that have drifted in from other spiritual traditions. One example is found in the follow, “We must be careful what we fill our minds with. It is very important that meditating on Scripture be our first priority.” Her concern to keep the discipline of mediation rooted in a the biblical tradition is apparent. And there is a practical reason for this it keeps us attuned to voice of the Lord, knowing his word allows us to hear the living Word. It is important to remember that this is the foundation and not the end, Hess builds on the discipline of meditation by asking us to meditate on what God is doing in our lives and in the lives of people we know, and even in considering God’s creation.

One of the elements that Hess builds upon is the need for the disciplines to be practiced in community, not in isolation. Hess indicates that what we find revealed to us in the time of meditation must be shared with the body of Christ lest we lose our way; the body of Christ provides an essential anchor and corrective for our selfish treks of will and sin.

Hess also provides useful suggestions for how a person may explore the discipline of meditation. They are insightful and practical in nature, and this is a boon to a reader who seriously whishes to deepen their life in faith. There is also a section of suggestions for each discipline geared for children, and this is indeed a delight. Consider how many of use actually received instruction as children in spiritual disciplines. Now imagine how life may have been different if we had received such training, such spiritual formation as children.

Remember this is a daily devotional, and it is a good devotional with readings, scriptures and thoughts for each day. The daily readings are not long, but they are rich. They are of sufficient length to allow a reading and time for meditation. It works well together. From what I have seen, I highly recommend this devotional.

Spiritual Direction in the Congregaton

There is an increasing need to see churches in North America turn their attention to the way in which we foster the growth and development of believers, both new and existing. There is an increasing sense that the followers of Jesus in North America are less and less mature. Is this an effect of the breakdown of families and communities from Atlantic to Pacific, is it less weighty preaching from the pulpit, is it less instruction at home or in Sunday School in the way we follow after Jesus? I don’t know what the root cause is, but I do see its effects daily in the church and in the community.

Simon Chan in his insightful work, Spiritual Theology argues that the church needs to have a comprehensive and coherent theology if it is going to have well formed followers of Jesus. Chan’s work clearly points out that Christians have a tremendous resource in the church; believers and theologians over the centuries have produced works and developed understandings that will nourish the soul, fortify the followers of Jesus and help to develop mature believers.

There are a numerous ways that church can address the need for spiritual maturity within the congregation. Spiritual direction or in a broader sense, spiritual formation may be viewed in several different venues including: Congregational worship, Small groups, and personal direction.

The first way a church can address spiritual maturity is through the ministry of preaching in worship. Preaching in the context of congregational worship has potential to provide another layer of opportunities for spiritual growth. However, if preaching is disconnected from the rest of worship it will strike a note of discord and if the overall preaching plan for a season or year is not tied closely to the other activities of the church it will fragment rather than unite the body of Christ. The result being that one thrust of the church is aimed in one direction while the small groups are headed in another direct and the Christian Education program is pointed in yet another direction. The preaching plan should tie all the elements of the churches ministries together and be a unifying point rather than another point of divergence.

The second way a congregation can work at spiritual maturity on a congregational level is the use of small group. Small groups are very helpful but will be limited to the extent to which groups are able to develop intimacy; the greater the degree of intimacy the more potential there will be for spiritual maturation. I am inclined to say that groups provide one of the most effective uses of time and talents in the church for the purpose of spiritual growth.

Groups must do a few specific things well will not develop mature believers. It is clear that small groups need time to develop intimacy and group leadership that will be foster internal group development which allows for people to mature. Without properly trained and equipped leadership the chances of developing a high functioning group are slim. Groups need to good leadership. Groups also need to help people connect or in some cases reconnect. People in groups need to connect with God and with each other. Groups that are unable or unwilling to connect or reconnect people with each other will only become an informational session about God. While groups that are unwilling or unable to connect people to God will only be social gatherings with little room for maturation.

The third way that church can address spiritual maturity is to develop an efficient system of spiritual direction for all participants in the congregation. This format has the potential to develop very mature believers but will by definition be very time consuming for the person in the role as spiritual director, who will in most cases be the pastor. Because of the inherent time management issues for this type of congregational spiritual development it likely means that only a small portion of the congregation will be able to receive the time necessary for spiritual maturation.

Perhaps the best approach would be to incorporate all three of these at approaches to spiritual direction in one congregation. The worship service could provide a primary venue for initial spiritual direction and provide a unifying principle in the life of the congregation. The small groups could provide a more intimate and secure environment for the spiritual growth of the largest portion of the congregation. Leaders and other more mature individuals could then receive personal spiritual direction with the pastor.

This example allows for a comprehensive plan for spiritual formation and growth in a congregation of any size. It also works to see that no congregational member is left to slip between the cracks and provides for each person in the congregation to have a person who is responsible for their continued spiritual growth and development. It is important to remember that this is a brief and truncated image of a congregational plan for spiritual formation. However, it points to the potential for addressing how a congregation may work toward maturing its membership and developing a more cohesive approach to spiritual discipline.

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Acts 3:1-26 “The Beggar and the Crowd”

Acts 3:1-26

February 1, 2009

First Church of the Brethren

H. Kevin Derr

“A Beggar and the Crowd”

1 One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. 2 Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. 4 Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” 5 So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. 6 Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” 7 Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. 8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. 9 When all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. 11 While the man held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon’s Colonnade. 12 When Peter saw this, he said to them: “People of Israel, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? 13 The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. 14 You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. 15 You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. 16 By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see. 17 “Now, brothers and sisters, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. 18 But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Messiah would suffer. 19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, 20 and that he may send the Messiah, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus. 21 Heaven must receive him until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets. 22 For Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you. 23 Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from their people.’ 24 “Indeed, beginning with Samuel, all the prophets who have spoken have foretold these days. 25 And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.’ 26 When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.”

One of the things we often forget is that Jesus, and the disciples were Jewish, continued to be Jewish. Our text today reminds us of this clear fact. The disciples, as Jesus had been, continued to be observant Jews. They understood no conflict in being both Jewish and followers of Jesus. They did not assume that all people of Jewish descent would be followers of Jesus, but they attempt to convince people to follow Jesus, to believe that he was indeed the Messiah. Today, there should be no difference either, being a follower of Jesus does not suggest or demand that one leave the synagogue and come to the church. Over the centuries, gentile followers of Jesus have not embraced this truth.

Prayer

I. Our text begins with this account of apostolic activity.

a. 1 One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon.

b. Peter and John are going up to the temple, not on a missionary trip, but to pray. They are going to the temple to pray at the appointed time of prayer.

i. There is no mystery here as to why, they continued to be observant Jews, they are following the example of Jesus.

ii. It sets up for us several key examples:

1. They were worshiping the true God,

2. Their worship of God was valid, though incomplete

3. The disciples continued to worshiping as Jews

4. So, at three in the afternoon, they are in the temple at the time of prayer.

c. This trip to the temple to pray sets up an encounter and a miracle. Luke recounts the events in this fashion.

2 Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts.

i. There was a man, lame from birth, who came to the temple gate called Beautiful, to beg every day.

ii. In a time when there is no security net, this is how people survived.

iii. This is how this man supported himself.

1. Remember Almsgiving was an important part of Judaism at the time.

2. So, while he is not honored for his activity, neither is he chased away from the temple, but nor is he allowed in.

iv. The plot of the story unfolds in a very predictable fashion. He sees Peter and John coming to pray, he asks for money.

3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money.

4 Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!”

5 So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.

1. He sees Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asks for money. A reasonable and pious request.

2. Then Peter demands “look at us!”

3. The man assumes that they are going to make some type of display about giving alms to him, and he is anticipating a gift of money.

a. All of this is well within the normal pattern of how things like this should progress

b. And then just as we should see the man getting a gift of money, something else happens.

v. Now here is the twist,

6 Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”

7 Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong.

1. They don’t have money to give. The disciples continue to live an austere lifestyle, just as Jesus had done before. If they have been in Jerusalem since Passover, two months before, they just may have run out of cash. After all, they never had much in the way of money, they were blue collar workers.

2. So, now Peter tells him, they cannot give him what they don’t have, but there is something that they can give.

a. So, Peter says, “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth , Walk!”

b. Peter then takes him by the hand, and pulls him up onto strong feet and ankles.

c. Notice there was no:

i. Committee to see if Peter and John should do something for this man, and then to figure out what should be done.

ii. There was no prayer before the event

iii. There was no doubt

iv. There was attempt.

v. Peter just said, “In the name of Jesus of Nazareth walk!

d. As you look at this, consider what else is missing. Listen to the text 8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. 9 When all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

i. The man is jumping, walking, and in the temple courts praising God.

1. There is no indication that this man is now a follower, nor is there an attempt to specifically convert this man.

2. Rather they let him praise God in the temple courts, walking on his own two feet, for the first time in his life.

a. The people who saw this were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to this man

b. These people had seen him sitting at the temple gate, all of his life, for as along as they had been coming to the temple to pray.

c. Now they see him running, jumping and praising God. Amazed to say the least.

II. Now, after the people see, after the men in the temple see this man, see him clinging to Peter and John, they come to see what has transpired. Luke tells the story, 11 While the man held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon’s Colonnade. 12 When Peter saw this, he said to them: “People of Israel, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? 13 The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. 14 You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. 15 You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. 16 By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.

a. While this man was holding onto Peter and John, people in the temple come to see what has happened, they ran to see.

i. Peter says to them, “Why does this surprise you?”

1. It would be surprising if we did this of our own power and godliness.

2. It would be surprising if we had done this on our own.

3. It was not who did this,

4. It was the work of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our Fathers, who has glorified the name of Jesus.

a. This man was healed in the name of Jesus of Nazareth

b. This Jesus is a man you know

i. You disowned him

ii. Handed him over to be killed

iii. Though Pilate wanted to release him you wanted a murderer

iv. You killed the author of life but God raised him from the dead, and we are witnesses to his fact.

ii. By faith in the name of Jesus this man, the beggar now walks

1. It was not the faith of the man who was healed

2. It was the faith of Peter and John

3. This becomes center point of the healing, by faith in the name of Jesus, this man now walks.

a. It was not this man’s obedience, nor was it is ability to pray, to read the scriptures, rather it was the prayer offered in faith that made the man well.

i. God working in and through those who believe in the name of Jesus.

ii. Those who trust in the name of Jesus. b. Now they begin to teach the crowd about Jesus. Peter says, 17 “Now, brothers and sisters, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. 18 But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Messiah would suffer. 19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, 20 and that he may send the Messiah, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus.

i. Peter says that they acted in ignorance, not that gives them a pass, but rather to point them to God.

ii. You didn’t know, so, let me tell you.

1. God has fulfilled what he promised

a. That the Messiah would suffer

b. Most people did not expect this, though the prophets make it clear.

2. We know scripture, but we focus on some things we like.

3. For example, Jesus said, “I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.” In Matthew 10:34. The point is that people in all ages focus on specific things, though the prophets did say the Messiah would suffer, it does not mean that people spent time meditating on the passages.

4. So, now that we know the Messiah did need to suffer, the crucifixion did need to happen, what is next?

5. Repent, turn to God a. Be forgiven b. Let the refreshment of God come c. Hope for the Messiah to return, for Jesus of Nazareth to return.

III. Jesus is in essence their inheritance, what those who are listening rightly should receive as their own. Peter says, 24 “Indeed, beginning with Samuel, all the prophets who have spoken have foretold these days. 25 And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.’ 26 When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.” a. Peter starts with Samuel, and declares that all who follow say the same thing.

i. In reality, those listening to Peter should know these things

ii. The prophets are theirs, they have heard them since they were children, it is part of their world view.

iii. They, those listening, are also heirs of the covenant God made Abraham, and this is part of that covenant. iv. God promised Abraham, that through your offspring, specifically Jesus of Nazareth, all people on earth will be blessed.

1. Do you wish to partake of God’s blessing?

2. It is that simple? v. So, the first to be blessed by God’s servant is those who are Abraham’s descendents, but then the gentiles will also be blessed.

b. They start to tell the message first to the Jew and then to the Gentile, the pattern first established by Jesus, now be enacted by the disciples.

Acts 2:14-47 “A Spirit Filled Sermon”

January 25, 2009
First Church of the Brethren
H. Kevin Derr Acts 2:14-47
“A Spirit Filled Sermon”

14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15 These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17 ” ‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. 19 I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. 20 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. 21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ 22 “People of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. 23 This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. 24 But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. 25 David said about him: ” ‘I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 26 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest in hope, 27 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, you will not let your holy one see decay. 28 You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.’ 29 “Brothers and sisters, we all know that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. 30 But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. 31 Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay. 32 God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. 33 Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. 34 For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, ” ‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand 35 until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.” 36 “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” 37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” 40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. The Fellowship of the Believers 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

I. People respond to God in a number of ways, some will embrace and engage God, others will find ways to make it seem that they have not encountered God at all. We all do this at one point or another. There are devout believers who for some reason or a other cannot presently make the leap of faith necessary, so they will find a way to explain what has happened in a fashion that preserves their understanding of the world. These traits are not a division between believers and non-believers, but rather they are the realities of believers lives.

a. Peter stood up to address a crowd of devout Jewish men, some scoffed at what they heard and suggested that the disciples were drunk, which enabled them to speak in other languages. A more tenous position to hold. Others wanted to know what it means, Peter addresses both groups.

b. He says, 14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and    addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15 These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning!

i. Peter says, these men are not drunk, it is only 9:00 AM

ii. Something else is happening here, God has unleashed his spirit.

iii. So, here is what is taking place: 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17 ” ‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.

1. The prophet Joel (2:28-32) says God will pour out his Spirit on all people, not on just a select few.

a. Your sons and daughters will prophesy,

i. A prophet is not fundamentally someone who fortells the future, but rather someone who speaks God’s message to his people

ii. At times that does involve what will happen, but the core of the prophets messages is always about the moral failures of God’s people, and a call to repentance and a turning to God.

b. Your young men will see visions and old men will dream dreams

i. This is not say that young men will have a plan for the future, a vision about what they want to do, or that old men will day dream about the past, glory days of old

ii. No, this is about God speaking to his people, in some very specific forms, dream and visions, the way that God communicated with Joseph and with Mary.

2. When a specific time has come, God will pour out his Spirit on both men and women, and they will prophecy. Peter says, this day has come! c. In some ways this is almost a bitter sweet announcement, because with the hope that comes with the announcement of the outpouring of the Spirit, there also comes the warnings. Joel continues: 19 I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. 20 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. 21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

i. There will be signs in the heavens and signs on the earth

1. On the earth blood, fire and billows of smoke a. Classic signs of war, blood, fire and smoke b. Wars and the roomers of war

2. In the heavens a. The sun will be turned to darkness, sounds like a solar eclipse b. The moon to blood may well be a hunter’s moon, a full moon in the fall that allows hunters to be out gathering game before the winter.

3. Joel’s intent was not to be cryptic, Peter didn’t want to obscure the message, and rather he used phrases people would understand. ii. In the future there will be events that herald the coming of the spirit, Peter says this day is here. The result is that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

iii. So, Peter begins to tell them about the Lord.

II. Who is the Lord, Jesus of Nazareth. 22 “People of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. 23 This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. 24 But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. a. Peter begins to preach what becomes known as the Kyrigma, the message, the core of the early church’s preaching about Jesus.

i. Jesus of Nazareth, they identify a specific person, not any Jesus but Jesus from the town of Nazareth.

ii. God accredited this man to you, God was his reference, how did God accredit Jesus of Nazareth to the people of Israel?

1. by miracles, wonders and sings which God did through him, as you can bear witness to

2. In other words, there is no dispute that Jesus worked miracles

iii. You handed Jesus of Nazareth over to sinful men, this was God’s plan and intent.

1. While you are responsible for your actions

2. This was none the less God’s plan

iv. And according to God’s plan, you killed him by nailing him to the cross.

1. Peter places the blame on the shoulders of those present, and yet keeps this in tension with God’s plan.

2. Peter does not say, if you had only listened to Jesus, and not killed him he would be on the throne today….

3. No, he said this is God’s plan.

v. Again, God takes action, and raises Jesus to life, death was unable to keep Jesus. Jesus was freed from the agony of death by the Father, this is again in accordance with God’s wishes.

b. So, what does all this mean? Peter continues to display the truth for us: 25 David said about him: “‘I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 26 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest in hope, 27 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, you will not let your holy one see decay. 28 You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.’

i. Peter quotes a psalm of David, Psalm 16:8-11 from the Septuagint. That Luke uses the quote from the LXX suggests he knew Greek and not Hebrew.

ii. This Psalm is about Jesus, as if Jesus is speaking, a prophetic utterance from the Psalms. How can I say this, simply, you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, you will not let your holy one see decay.

iii. It is precisely in this light that Peter understands this Psalm, he says, 29 “Brothers and sisters, we all know that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. 30 But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. 31 Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay. 32 God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. 33 Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.

1. There is no way that David can be speaking of himself, he is in the grave, at the time of Peter the grave was commonly known.

2. That was not a question.

3. God made David a promise that one of his line would sit on the throne, and so the promise must speak of another.

4. He was speaking of the Messiah, of Jesus who God raised to life

5. Now, the day has come when the Holy Spirit is being poured out, just as God has promised.

a. They understand several of God’s promises coming to be seen in Jesus and now in the out poring of the Holy Spirit.

b. This is a significant day. c. Just in case there were still any questions, Peter takes this a step further, and builds his case from scripture again. This time from Psalm 110:1. Peter preaches,

i. 34 For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, ” ‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand 35 until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.” 36 “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”

ii. David is still in his tomb, this is the witness of the community.

1. So, David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he wrote

2. The Lord, God the Father, said to my Lord, Jesus of Nazareth, Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool

a. The Father says to the Son, seated on his right, I will accomplish this. b. And there is no way that this can be about David

i. It is about Jesus

ii. Another would have to have spoken these words about David, for it to be about David.

iii. So, who would David’s Lord be, someone greater than himself and yet not the Father?

1. Could this be about Moses? He is not seated at the right hand of the Father

2. It could not be about Saul, he was disobedient to God

3. Jesus of Nazareth is the only one that makes sense.

III. Those who heard Peter’s preaching were moved, moved to action, but they didn’t know what to do. Luke tells us, 37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

a. There is only one proper response, repentance, and in the case of those outside the community, baptism as well. That is the answer to what shall we do. Anytime we encounter God our first response will be repentance, not euphoric feelings, but a realization of our own distance from God, we too will be cut to the heart. Luke recounts the experience for us in the following: 38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” 40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.

b. Repent and be baptized

i. Repent, turn from the sin you know, and follow Jesus

ii. If you have never made a formal commitment to follow Jesus, the next step is to be baptized, and state that I now am a follower of Jesus.

iii. If we repent, and be baptized in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins, we are then able to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

iv. And Peter continued to encourage them, plead with tem, to be saved from the corrupt generation.

v. That day, three thousand were added to the church.

c. So, what are we to do next? 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

i. Devotion to the apostles teaching

ii. Devotion to fellowship

iii. Devotion to the break of bread, communion,

iv. Devotion to prayer

v. The results are awesome:

1. Many signs and wonders were preformed by the apostles

2. All believers were together and held all things in common

a. They sold property as there was need

b. Daily the meet together in the temple for worship and prayer

c. They spent time together, in each others homes with glad and sincere hearts

3. Daily God added to their number those who were being saved

Plans of God and Men, Micah 2:1-13

September 28, 2008

First Church of the Brethren

H. Kevin Derr

Micah 2:1-13

“Plans of God and Men’

¹ Woe to those who plan iniquity, to those who plot evil on their beds!
At morning’s light they carry it out because it is in their power to do it.

² They covet fields and seize them, and houses, and take them.
They defraud people of their homes, they rob them of their inheritance.

³ Therefore, the LORD says: “I am planning disaster against this people,
from which you cannot save yourselves. You will no longer walk proudly,
for it will be a time of calamity.

⁴ In that day people will ridicule you; they will taunt you with this mournful song:
‘We are utterly ruined; my people’s possession is divided up.
He takes it from me! He assigns our fields to traitors.’ ”

⁵ Therefore you will have no one in the assembly of the LORD
to divide the land by lot.

⁶ “Do not prophesy,” their prophets say. “Do not prophesy about these things;
disgrace will not overtake us.”

⁷ House of Jacob, should it be said, “Does the LORD become impatient?
Does he do such things?” “Do not my words do good to those whose ways are upright?

⁸ Lately my people have risen up like an enemy.
You strip off the rich robe from those who pass by without a care,
like men returning from battle.

⁹ You drive the women of my people from their pleasant homes.
You take away my blessing from their children forever.

¹⁰ Get up, go away! For this is not your resting place,
because it is defiled, it is ruined, beyond all remedy.

¹¹ If liars and deceivers come and say, ‘We will prophesy for you plenty of wine and beer,’ they would be just the prophets for this people!

¹² “I will surely gather all of you, Jacob; I will surely bring together the remnant of Israel.
I will bring them together like sheep in a pen, like a flock in its pasture;
the place will throng with people.

¹³ One who breaks open the way will go up before them; they will break through the gate and go out. Their King will pass through before them, the LORD at their head.”

Prayer

I. We find in our text two oracles, one of woe, one of redemption. The oracle of redemption has some very clear and powerful messianic overtones that you will notice. But as we begin, we start with a lament of woe, an oracle of death.

a. The oracle of woe, ¹ Woe to those who plan iniquity, to those who plot evil on their beds! At morning’s light they carry it out because it is in their power to do it.

i. This is an oracle of woe to those who plan iniquity, those who plan evil and do it.

1. Doing evil, in this light begins with thinking about evil, planning to do evil.

2. This is the tendency we have to nurture evil thoughts, whatever type they are, and hold on to them, feed them, nurture them until they grow into sin or rebellion against God.

ii. In this case, it is those who plan evil while they rest on their beds at night, and in the morning they do the evil they had planned, because they can.

1. One of the reasons they can is simply because no one calls them to account.

2. The rulers of the land are either powerless to stop them, or are approving of their actions or at best unconcerned about what they do.

b. So, what is it that they do? These are men who have the resources to take land from others. Micah writes, ²They covet fields and seize them, and houses, and take them. They defraud people of their homes, they rob them of their inheritance.

i. Likely these are men with land and money, who make loans to people knowing that they will not be able to repay them, in order to seize their land.

1. They covet fields and seize them, they defraud people of their homes, and in doing so take their inheritance.

a. Land was to stay in the family, passed from generation to generation, not sold to others

b. In fact, in the year of jubilees, land that had been sold was to be returned to the family from which it came.

c. In a real sense the land was sacred, in that it was part of the covenant between God and his people.

d. Land ownership, was not really kept in the hands of individuals, but in the family, and ultimately as a stewardship of what God had given the people.

2. The intentions of those who do evil are laid bare, their concern is adding to their person possessions.

c. First we find the accusation in the oracle of woe, this is followed by an explanation of the sin, then we find the judgment of God. Micah records God’s message to the wealthy who take from those who have little. He says, ³ Therefore, the LORD says: “I am planning disaster against this people, from which you cannot save yourselves. You will no longer walk proudly, for it will be a time of calamity.

i. God says, destruction is going to come upon you and there is nothing you can do to escape it, it is at hand!

1. You will no longer walk proudly, for it will be a time of calamity.

a. In other words, you have trusted in riches and ill gotten gain, you have cheated people of their land, their inheritance, their possibility of a future, and you walk about proudly, as if what you have done is right, just and good.

b. But, calamity is coming, and you will no longer walk proudly, but you will be brought low.

2. Oh, but it gets worse, ⁴ In that day people will ridicule you; they will taunt you with this mournful song:
‘We are utterly ruined; my people’s possession is divided up. He takes it from me! He assigns our fields to traitors.’ ”

a. Those who exploited the poor, the widow and the orphan will be taunted, most likely by the very same ones they cheated.

b. The will sing them mournful song, as if speaking for them, ‘We are utterly ruined; my people’s possession is divided up. He takes it from me! He assigns our fields to traitors.’

i. We are utterly ruined

ii. My families possessions are divided up.

iii. God takes it from me!

iv. He has given my fields to traitors, to those we thought we had under our thumbs.

c. The wealthy, the exploiters are surprised that their empires are gone. They cry out that they have done nothing wrong. And now their things are passed out to others, and those they oppressed, exploited and cheated did not side with them in the end, and they seem suppressed.

i. In this you can see shades of Enron, Fanny Mae, Freddy Mac, and any one of the recent financial woes.

ii. Always, those in the thick of things assert they have done nothing wrong.

ii. Now it gets worse, these evildoers will be no more, they are cut off from the covenant community. Micah writes, Therefore you will have no one in the assembly of the LORD to divide the land by lot.

1. This sounds like an odd thing to say, but in truth it is very simple.

2. The land is assigned to the people of God by lots, if you do not have anyone one among the people of God, you will have no division in the land. You will have no part in the community of faith. You are disowned, your family is no more. You are utterly ruined.

d. As you may well imagine, Micah’s message was not well received by the rich and powerful, those who exploited the weak and the powerless.

e. They had religious leaders who told them what they wanted to hear, it is the same way today, you can find some religious leader who will tell you want you want to hear, it is sad how little difference there is. Micah quotes them saying, ⁶ “Do not prophesy,” their prophets say. “Do not prophesy about these things; disgrace will not overtake us.”

i. The false prophets are saying, “You are good, doing your best, no need to worry, disgrace, destruction, will not overtake us….”

ii. They spoke what people wanted to hear.

II. So, Micah asks a question, ⁷ House of Jacob, should it be said, “Does the LORD become impatient? Does he do such things?” “Do not my words do good to those whose ways are upright?

a. Micah asks the whole of the covenant community, “Does the Lord’s patience endure forever?” or “The Lord will never bring judgment upon us.”

b. “Does God do such things as bring judgment on his people? The answer is yes, of course he does. This is central to the story of God’s people.

c. And Micah pushes the question a little bit more, “Don’t my words do good to those whose ways are upright?”

i. It is only those who live in unrighteousness who need to fear, the upright have nothing to fear from God’s judgment, rather they will hear, well done my good and faithful servant.

ii. The unrighteous, on the other hand, have much to fear.

d. God brings two additional complaints against the people, Micah writes, ⁸ Lately my people have risen up like an enemy. You strip off the rich robe from those who pass by without a care, like men returning from battle.    ⁹ You drive the women of my people from their pleasant homes.
You take away my blessing from their children forever.

i. My people have risen up like an enemy army, and they do some very specific things

1. They rob the passerby who mistakenly thinks the land is safe, they he can walk through like a soldier returning from battle

2. They drive women, most likely widows from their homes

3. They drive fatherless children from their blessing, from their land

4. They rob and cheat to gain more for themselves.

5. It is so common, it is like an army has arisen in the land.

ii. Because this has been so common, there is only one solution, to see the people gone from the land, to clean the land of the evildoers. ¹⁰ Get up, go away! For this is not your resting place, because it is defiled, it is ruined, beyond all remedy.

1. Get up, go away! These people will be taken into exile

a. The land that was their home will be taken from them

b. The land is defiled, ruined beyond all remedy, save one, allowing it to be empty.

iii. No one wants to hear the truth, they want to hear what their itching ears are wanting to hear. Micah writes, ¹¹ If liars and deceivers come and say, ‘We will prophesy for you plenty of wine and beer,’ they would be just the prophets for this people!

1. They want false prophets to tell them, there is plenty, you will prosper, enjoy yourselves. See there is plenty of wine and beer….

2. But this is not what they need to hear, it is what they want to hear.

III. As dire as it all sounds, there is still hope here, hope for the future. Micah records, ¹² “I will surely gather all of you, Jacob; I will surely bring together the remnant of Israel. I will bring them together like sheep in a pen, like a flock in its pasture; the place will throng with people.

a. God will bring back a remnant, a portion of the people.

b. God will be their shepherd, and will gather them and lead them

c. There will be many, the land will be filled with God’s people.

d. Then we find what may well be a reference to Jesus. Micah writes, ¹³ One who breaks open the way will go up before them; they will break through the gate and go out. Their King will pass through before them, the LORD at their head.”

i. One who breaks open the way will go up before them

1. This sounds like Jesus defeating death

2. Jesus will take us to the Father, to the King who will pass before the people of God

3. Jesus will lead them.

Weeping, Micah 1:8-16

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H. Kevin Derr

September 21, 2008

Micah 1:8-16

“Weeping”

⁸ Because of this I will weep and wail;
I will go about barefoot and naked.
I will howl like a jackal
and moan like an owl.

⁹ For Samaria’s wound is incurable;
it has come to Judah.
It has reached the very gate of my people,
even to Jerusalem itself.

¹⁰ Tell it not in Gath;
weep not at all.
In Beth Ophrah
roll in the dust.

¹¹ Pass on in nakedness and shame,
you who live in Shaphir.
Those who live in Zaanan
will not come out.
Beth Ezel is in mourning;
its protection is taken from you.

¹² Those who live in Maroth writhe in pain,
waiting for relief,
because disaster has come from the LORD,
even to the gate of Jerusalem.

¹³ You who live in Lachish,
harness the team to the chariot.
You were the beginning of sin
to Daughter Zion,
for the transgressions of Israel
were found in you.

¹⁴ Therefore you will give parting gifts
to Moresheth Gath.
The town of Akzib will prove deceptive
to the kings of Israel.

¹⁵ I will bring a conqueror against you
who live in Mareshah.
The nobles of Israel
will flee to Adullam.

¹⁶ Shave your head in mourning
for the children in whom you delight;
make yourself as bald as the vulture,
for they will go from you into exile.

Micah weeps, laments the coming judgment on the people of Israel and Judah. Micah does not plead and beg the people to repent, he announces the coming judgment, the wrath of God on their disobedience. He does not ask God, “Why?” rather we weeps for the people, for their sin, for the results of their sin. It serves as a warning to the people of God today. We too are called to obedience and keeping the covenant. Micah’s words are a warning and a caution for us, in this place.

Prayer

I. Much of the word play, the sounds and alliteration are lost to us in English translations, but the images remain very vivid, very powerful and very much call our attention to the reality of expected loss, tears of grief.

a. Micah writes,

⁸ Because of this I will weep and wail;
I will go about barefoot and naked.
I will howl like a jackal
and moan like an owl.

b. Because of the destruction of the nation of Israel, Samaria becoming a heap of rubble, people being taken captive and dispersed all over the Assyrian empire, Micah will mourn.

i. He is not playing the, “I told you so game” nor is he saying, “It was them and not us, nor does he delight in the destruction of one who had been the enemy of his nation. Rather, he mourns.

ii. Look at the images and sounds of his mourning, weeping and wailing, going barefoot and naked around the city of Jerusalem.

1. Likely his nakedness was walking the streets in his loincloth

2. being dressed like this, going barefoot were symbols of mourning

iii. he howls like a jackal, moans like an owl

1. This is not stylized mourning

2. This is primal expressions of grief.

c. It does not end with this, his grief is flowing because the wound to Israel is fatal. He writes,

⁹ For Samaria’s wound is incurable;
it has come to Judah.
It has reached the very gate of my people,
even to Jerusalem itself.

i. Samaria never recovers from this attack, Israel never again flourishes like it had

ii. But there is more, the Assyrians not only bring destruction to the nation of Israel, they also visit pain and destruction but they also bring it upon Judah and Benjamin.

1. The wound, Sennacherib brings his armies to the gates of Jerusalem, he does not conquer the city, but he does devastate much of the outlying cities and towns.

2. So, Israel’s wound comes also to Judah.

II. Now we move to what to do about this: Micah writes,

a. ¹⁰ Tell it not in Gath;
weep not at all.
In Beth Ophrah
roll in the dust.

i. Don’t weep in Gath, in Philistia, don’t weep in the presence of those who would seek our demise.

1. Why? Because this is not about their opportunity to cause additional pain, but rather it is about the call of repentance that has been sounded among the people of God, a warning has come to us, and it is now time to take an account of what we do and why.

2. It is time to address our sin and repent, not moan to the neighbors about what God has done to us because of our iniquity.

ii. In Beth Ophrah, roll in the dust. In the city of dust, roll in the dust.

1. A sign of repentance to sit in the dust and be in sack cloth and ashes.

2. Roll in the dust, express your desire to repent.

b. Our next verse speaks about what happens in the wounding of Judah.

¹¹ Pass on in nakedness and shame,
you who live in Shaphir.
Those who live in Zaanan
will not come out.
Beth Ezel is in mourning;
its protection is taken from you.

i. Shaphir means “Pleasant” and so those who lived in the pleasant place of Shaphir will now endure the unpleasant life of a captive taken away, naked and in shame marched away from home and family, freedom and safety to a foreign land, an unpleasant experience to say the least.

ii. Thos who live in Zaanan, it sounds like Hebrew for “come out.” So those who live in the town of “Come out” will not come out, because they cannot, either they have been taken captive and are being lead away as captives, or they are so fearful of being taken captives that they will not come out.

iii. Those who live in Beth Ezel, the “House of Protection” are mourning because their protection has been taken away from them, the Lord has brought judgment.

iv. The wages of sin is death, and in this case, death may have been a better state, a forced march with little clothing or care, wounded struggling to keep up, women raped, and there is no recourse for injustice… these are the wages of sin

1. iniquity, sin, disobedience leads us into death, at points this is a spiritual issue, at points it is a physical issue.

2. Sin does not lead to peace, joy, grace, love, or happiness, it leads to death.

c. Now Micah turns his attention to the town of Lachish, a fortified city where chariots were kept, place that assumed it was secure because of the strength of the military forces stationed there. Lachish had a formidable city wall, twenty feet thick, defensive gates like those of Solomon’s other fortified cities, but all of the strength there did not spare it from God’s judgment.

¹³ You who live in Lachish,
harness the team to the chariot.
You were the beginning of sin
to Daughter Zion,
for the transgressions of Israel
were found in you.

i. Micah warns them to flee the city with the very means they sought to keep themselves safe, the horses and chariots.

1. You were the beginning of sin to Daughter Zion, to Jerusalem, and the sin of Israel was found in you.

2. This was a fortified city, a defensive point to protect the land, it is also the beginning of the sin of Daughter Zion.

a. What is the sin, trusting in their own military strength to keep them safe and secure, rather than God’s strength and righteousness.

b. Where do we place our trust? Our economy? Our military? Our education? Our technology?

ii. There is only one thing which will make a people secure, trusting in God’s strength and living in obedience to his word.

d. Parting gifts, gifts to people leaving on a journey. Gifts to the leaving captives or gifts to the ones who took them captive.

i. Again Micah plays with words here. He writes,

ii. ¹⁴ Therefore you will give parting gifts
to Moresheth Gath.
The town of Akzib will prove deceptive
to the kings of Israel.

iii. Moresheth sounds very similar to “betrothed” in Hebrew and the Father of the bride gives a dowry, a parting gift to husband to be.

1. The you is likely a reference to Hezekiah, who gave Sennacherib a tribute of gold and silver secure a peace.

2. Then there is the town of Akzib, “the deceptive” town, the word is used of a dry stream or brook that gives no aid or water to those in need. In the same way the people of Akzib will not be able to help the kings of Israel, they will prove to be deceptive like a dry brook

III. In truth this lament does not prove to contain much hope. It is as it should be, it is a lament.

a. ¹⁵ I will bring a conqueror against you
who live in Mareshah.
The nobles of Israel
will flee to Adullam.

b. Mareshah sounds like the Hebrew word for “conqueror” and here God says, “I will bring a conqueror against you who live in “conqueror”

i. The conqueror will be conquered.

ii. At this time either the glory of Israel will go to Adullam or the nobles of Israel will fell to Adullam

1. Either God will come as the Conqueror to Adullam or the nobles of Israel will flee to the caves in the region

2. Either is appropriate, when the nobles flee the people are left with no protection, no leadership, and little hope.

3. If God comes to conquer, the mountains will melt like wax before a fire.

c. All that is left for the people of Judah and Israel to do is to mourn, because the children in which they have delighted are lead away to be slaves in a strange land.

i. ¹⁶ Shave your head in mourning
for the children in whom you delight;
make yourself as bald as the vulture,
for they will go from you into exile.

ii. Shave your head in mourning, cut off your beard

iii. Your children, the ones you have delighted in, are being taken away in exile, and you will never see them again.

IV. The point is to bring people to tears, to mourning, to know the pain of the judgment of the Lord, because in God’s holy people there is no place for sin.

a. The warning is very simple, repent, turn from sin and turn to God, before God calls you to account.

b. Micah was speaking to a nation, to a people group

i. We as a people group need to hear that, as God’s people in this land, we ought to repent the sins of our people, our culture, our denomination, our congregation, our family, and our personal sin.

ii. We are called to repent!

Judgment, Micah 1:1-7

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September 14, 2008

First Church of the Brethren

H. Kevin Derr

Micah 1:1-7

“Judgment”

¹ The word of the LORD that came to Micah of Moresheth during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah—the vision he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.

² Hear, you peoples, all of you,
listen, earth and all who live in it,
that the Sovereign LORD may witness against you,
the Lord from his holy temple.

³ Look! The LORD is coming from his dwelling place;
he comes down and treads on the heights of the earth.

⁴ The mountains melt beneath him
and the valleys split apart,
like wax before the fire,
like water rushing down a slope.

⁵ All this is because of Jacob’s transgression,
because of the sins of the house of Israel.
What is Jacob’s transgression?
Is it not Samaria?
What is Judah’s high place?
Is it not Jerusalem?

⁶ “Therefore I will make Samaria a heap of rubble,
a place for planting vineyards.
I will pour her stones into the valley
and lay bare her foundations.

⁷ All her idols will be broken to pieces;
all her temple gifts will be burned with fire;
I will destroy all her images.
Since she gathered her gifts from the wages of prostitutes,
as the wages of prostitutes they will again be used.”

Often we find the notion of prophets to be primarily centered around the activity of telling people of what will happen in the future. And while there is clearly a quality like that to the work of Micah, you will notice that there is a much stronger and more profound nature of dealing issues of sin and morality. Even here when there are promises of the future, they are based in the righteousness of God and the sin of humanity.

Prayer:

I. Here is the first verse concerning the prophet Micah. The text reads, ¹ The word of the LORD that came to Micah of Moresheth during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah—the vision he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.

a. Micah prophetic career run between 735 and 700 B.C. during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah who were the kings of Judah.

i. Ahaz is the low point in the kings of Judah

ii. Hezekiah is the high point of these three

b. What do we know about Micah?

i. He was from the town Moresheth Gath, located about 25 miles southwest of Jerusalem. This is a small town, rural.

ii. The prophet’s name, in its elongated form “Micaiahu”, is commonly translated “Who is like Yahweh?”

II. This passage is part of a larger portion of text that is often referred to as the first cycle, it runs from 1:2-2:11. You can envision this as two movements

a. The first movement is 1:2-2:11 and is comprised of several sections

i. The Divine Warrior comes to judge Samaria and Israel 1:1-7

ii. Micah laments the coming invasion of Judah 1:8-16

iii. Woe to the wealthy and oppressive land-grabbers 2:1-5

iv. The wealthy wicked and their false prophets versus Micah and his God 2:6-11

b. The restoration of a remnant 2:12-13

c. We see a very familiar cycle

i. God’s people sin

ii. God sends a warning

iii. God’s people continue to sin

iv. God brings judgment

v. God then saves a portion of the people

vi. This is the story of the tower of Babble, Noah, and every prophet that comes after we saw it play out time and time again in Judges.

d. This cycle like the second (3:1) and third (6:1) cycles begins with the word, “Hear”. It means more than just listen and receive information, this is a call to understand and to respond to in it in an appropriate fashion.

i. Listen to these words, ² Hear, you peoples, all of you,
listen, earth and all who live in it,
that the Sovereign LORD may witness against you,
the Lord from his holy temple.

1. It is not directed just to Israel or Judah, but it is a call for all the nations, all the peoples of the earth to hear the Lord.

a. The reason is not to receive good news, or a blessing, but rather to enter into a set of proceedings with the Lord.

i. This is no provincial deity, some local God, but the universal Lord that all people and powers to whom all peoples must give an account.

ii. This accounting does not begin with some pagan people, but rather with those who have received the word of the Lord and are more accountable than any others.

iii. There is a great caution for us in this realization, for we have had even more revelation that the people that Micah spoke the word of the Lord to.

b. The Sovereign Lord wishes to witness against you, this is the reason that the people are being called to hear.

c. He calls all people to hear, but only speaks against Israel and Judah, but if God will judge his people this way, it suggest that other peoples are standing in judgment as well.

d. God bring judgment from holy temple, which is an image of that which is set apart, holy, righteous. In fact God’s kingship is tied up in the notion of being holy, set apart.

i. You can see this in the description of the temple, the holy of holy is set apart

ii. Being set apart is the root of the idea of holiness in Hebrew.

2. Micah continues and as in the first portion of this cycle we are called to hear, now we are called to see. “Look” is the command. Micah writes, ³ Look! The LORD is coming from his dwelling place; he comes down and treads on the heights of the earth.

a. The call is clear, “Look, and see that the Lord is coming from his dwelling place…’

i. It may be better translated, “Look! The Lord is about to come from his dwelling place…”

1. He comes from his dwelling place, his holy temple to the earth, to intervene in the history of humanity

2. We serve a God who is both transcendent, universal, and beyond but who is also close, involved and present.

ii. He comes down to tread on the high places of the earth.

1. High places can be specifically the pagan shrines we see in the land of Israel and Judah at the time, which were typically placed on high hill tops.

a. This is a vision of conquest and punishment, destruction, and judgment.

2. Or it is a reference to God striding about he earth no the high mountains.

a. This is simply a vision of God’s power and his ability to stride the earth and hold it all in his sway.

b. Either is a good way to understand this vision, though , I think the first is more in keeping with the theme of the text.

3. Now we see the effects of God’s intervention in the affairs of humanity, what happens when God treads on the high places. Micah writes, ⁴ The mountains melt beneath him
and the valleys split apart,
like wax before the fire,
like water rushing down a slope.

a. This is an image of power, mountains melt like wax before a fire, valleys split apart like water rushing down a slope

b. These things that don’t move of their own accord for us, flee before the presence of the Living God. In a real way this is a call for us to humble ourselves and repent before the Living God.

i. Because you do not want the Living God to come and judge you, to tread on your high places and bring you low.

ii. The wise person will repent! While we in Christ may not need worry about our salvation, we will give an account to the Living God, it is not a bad idea for us to get an idea of who will stand before.

e. Why is the Sovereign Lord coming down from his Holy Temple? The next verse begins to unpack this for us:

i. ⁵ All this is because of Jacob’s transgression, because of the sins of the house of Israel.
What is Jacob’s transgression? Is it not Samaria?
What is Judah’s high place? Is it not Jerusalem?

ii. There are three specific references in this passage:

1. One to Jacob the whole of the covenant community, all of the those who had or are descended from those who came through the Red Sea, the Wilderness and established the people of God in the promised land.

a. This is the first Jacob, the whole of the nation and the reason the Lord is coming is because of sin, rebellion, the breaking of the covenant by the people of God.

b. But then Micah gets specific: What is Jacob’s transgression, it is Samaria.

i. It could be an indication of the split between Judah and Israel and fracturing the body of God’s people, and that lead to an increase in sin in the northern kingdom of Israel.

ii. It could be that the leadership in the capital was corrupt and lead the people into corruption

iii. Yet, these two are very closely tied.

c. Judah does not escape the pending judgment, is not Judah’s high place Jerusalem?

i. Kings who did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord had installed pagan Idols in the Temple, and Jerusalem became a high place.

ii. It could also be that Jerusalem itself became an object of veneration, an Idol itself

iii. There will come a time when people assume that Jerusalem will never fall to an enemy because God would not allow his temple to be destroyed, and so they wrongly assumed the importance of Jerusalem and the temple.

III. The Lord’s punishment for Israel, the Northern Kingdom, begins to be seen in the lifetime of Micah, in 722-721 when the Assyrians capture Samaria, it’s conclusion is seen in the time of John Hyrcanus in 108-107. Micah announces the Lord’s punishment for the sins of Jacob.

a. ⁶ “Therefore I will make Samaria a heap of rubble,
a place for planting vineyards.
I will pour her stones into the valley
and lay bare her foundations.

i. Making Samaria a heap of rubble, a place for growing plants, not for growing families

ii. It will be laid bear, to the very foundations

b. Listen as the punishment is detailed:

i. ⁷ All her idols will be broken to pieces;
all her temple gifts will be burned with fire;
I will destroy all her images.
Since she gathered her gifts from the wages of prostitutes,
as the wages of prostitutes they will again be used.”

ii. Idols broken to pieces, temple gifts burned with fire, all of her idolatrous images destroyed.

1. Why, because they were not holy, they were profane

2. These were temple gifts to an idol, a prostitute being paid for acts of religious intimacy that should have been reserved for God alone.

a. But, rather than honoring their covenant with God they sought other gods, like a man married to a pure wife seeking intimacy with a prostitute, paying for that intimate act that was rightly reserved for his wife.

b. So, the people of god went to prostitutes and with their fees they built temples to these profane, substitute gods, the gods of their unfaithfulness.

c. So, these gifts, these glorious things given to prostitute will now be used to pay prostitutes.

i. One of the chief sources of wages for t he soldiers in ancient armies was the loot that they could take form captured cities

ii. Where to soldiers spend their loot, prostitutes.

iii. This is where your hard work, your efforts is going to go, to see others with prostitutes.

IV. This is a serious call for us to avoid idols in our own living. While we may not construct them in the same way, but we none the less worship many false gods in our contemporary culture.

a. And at points we too set up false gods in the church:

i. What translation of the bible we read, what kind of songs we sing, which evangelist we will listen to, which books we will read….

ii. Sometimes it is good discernment, at times it is person preference, and at times it becomes nothing but the idolizing of a specific person, type of music, specific translation, or some other cause

b. Micah’s warning should ring in our hears, Hear, Look, the Sovereign Lord is coming

Rebuke, Micah 3:1-12

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October 5, 2008

First Church of the Brethren

H. Kevin Derr

Micah 3:1-12

“Rebuke”

¹ Then I said,
“Listen, you leaders of Jacob, you rulers of the house of Israel.
Should you not know justice, ² you who hate good and love evil;
who tear the skin from my people and the flesh from their bones;

³ who eat my people’s flesh, strip off their skin
and break their bones in pieces; who chop them up like meat for the pan,
like flesh for the pot?”

⁴ Then they will cry out to the LORD, but he will not answer them.
At that time he will hide his face from them because of the evil they have done.

⁵ This is what the LORD says:
“As for the prophets who lead my people astray,
if you feed them, they proclaim ‘peace’;
if you do not, they prepare to wage war against you.

⁶ Therefore night will come over you, without visions, and darkness, without divination. The sun will set for the prophets, and the day will go dark for them.

⁷ The seers will be ashamed and the diviners disgraced.
They will all cover their faces because there is no answer from God.”

⁸ But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the LORD,
and with justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression,
to Israel his sin.

⁹ Hear this, you leaders of the house of Jacob, you rulers of the house of Israel,
who despise justice and distort all that is right;

¹⁰ who build Zion with bloodshed, and Jerusalem with wickedness.

¹¹ Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price,
and her prophets tell fortunes for money.
Yet they lean upon the LORD and say, “Is not the LORD among us?
No disaster will come upon us.”

¹² Therefore because of you, Zion will be plowed like a field,
Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble, the temple hill a mound overgrown with thickets.

This passage begins the second cycle of the book of Micah. It begins with judgment and then moves on to redemption or salvation in the next section. Our text for this morning is centered in judgment. While this may not be the most comforting of texts, it is perhaps particularly appropriate for our preparation for Love Feast. This text addresses corruption in government, religion, economics and morality.

It should not be surprising that Micah speaks to corruption in the established forms of order that are to bring protection, peace and security for the people of the land, and in the case of Judah, they brought oppression. What does our establishment bring to us? Corruption seems to go hand and had with systems of power that have the potential for exploitation and oppression.

Prayer

I. Listen begins each of the three cycles that runs through Micah, and here we see the beginning of this cycle of prophecy. Micah does not soften his message, he may employ poetic forms, but the edge is hard, the images graphic, the meaning clear. He writes,

a. Then I said,
“Listen, you leaders of Jacob, you rulers of the house of Israel.
Should you not know justice, ² you who hate good and love evil;
who tear the skin from my people and the flesh from their bones;

³ who eat my people’s flesh, strip off their skin and break their bones in pieces; who chop them up like meat for the pan, like flesh for the pot?”

b. Listen, hear, pay attention, it is a command, an order. The prophet demands that the leadership of the people, the government pay attention to his words.

i. Should you not know justice, and implication that they do not, that they do not practice justice, that it is far from them, from their behavior.

ii. They should indeed know justice, but they practice something else, they hate good and love evil.

1. What does this look like, hating good and living evil?

a. They tear the skin from my people

b. They tear the flesh from the bones of my people

c. They eat my people’s flesh

d. They strip off my people’s skin and break their bones into pieces

e. They chop up my people like meat for the pan, flesh for the pot

2. Was Micah accusing the political leaders of Judah of cannibalism? No!

3. But he is accusing them of exploiting the people of Judah for their own benefit.

4. This is a regime that cruelly oppresses the people within its sphere of power and control.

c. There is a consequence for their behavior. Their deeds will return to them, and they will pay for the in due course. At present it is exacted like this, ⁴ Then they will cry out to the LORD, but he will not answer them. At that time he will hide his face from them because of the evil they have done.

i. These leaders at some point will cry out to God for help, but they will not be heard by God, he will not answer them.

1. Rather God will hide his face from them because of the evil they have done.

2. Does it seem harsh on God’s part? No, not at all, rather what we see operating here is something we know well, “do unto others what you would have them do unto you.”

ii. These leaders have ignored the cries of the people they were to care for, to shepherd, but rather than care for them the exploited them for their own gain and did not hear their cries for mercy.

iii. Now, when these leaders call out to God, they will receive the same treatment they have given, their cries for mercy will go unheeded.

iv. They chose evil over good, they chose exploitation over mercy, sin over the justice of God. They have chosen their lot, their direction in life.

II. Micah now turns his attention to the clergy, the religious establishment of the day and he does so with a clear edge cutting to the quick, and exposing the injustice of the religious establishment.

a. He writes, ⁵ This is what the LORD says:
“As for the prophets who lead my people astray,
if you feed them, they proclaim ‘peace’;
if you do not, they prepare to wage war against you.

⁶ Therefore night will come over you, without visions, and darkness, without divination. The sun will set for the prophets, and the day will go dark for them.

⁷ The seers will be ashamed and the diviners disgraced.
They will all cover their faces because there is no answer from God.”

⁸ But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the LORD,
and with justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression,
to Israel his sin.

b. Now the Lord, through Micah deals with prophets who lead the people astray.

i. Here is the practice of these religious leaders:

1. If you give them food, if you pay them, they will prophecy peace and security.

2. If you do not give them what they want, they prepare to wage a holy war against you.

ii. Because of their sin, their behavior, their practice of exploiting people for prophet, they will no longer hear from God.

1. No more visions

2. No more answers to divination

3. They will be left in darkness, with no light from God

4. God says plainly, you will not use me to oppress my people.

iii. The seers, the diviners, those who got answers for people from God, will be ashamed, because they will no longer hear from God.

1. Because they abused the gift of God, they will no longer be able to comprehend God’s will.

2. They will cut off, from God and because of this from God’s people.

c. Micah is notably different,

i. He is empowered not by food or pay, but by the Holy Spirit of God

1. He is also empowered by justice. The practice of doing what is right

2. He is also empowered with might, not to be the avenging tool of God, but rather to declare God’s message to his people, specifically to the political and religious leaders of the people.

3. Preaching a message of condemnation to those in power is not a practice that ensures old age.

ii. He is empowered to declare justice and righteousness that have been lacking in the halls of power.

III. Micah prepares for another round of judgment. He spares no one who practices power and walks in injustice. He writes,

⁹ Hear this, you leaders of the house of Jacob, you rulers of the house of Israel, who despise justice and distort all that is right;

¹⁰ who build Zion with bloodshed, and Jerusalem with wickedness.

¹¹ Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price, and her prophets tell fortunes for money. Yet they lean upon the LORD and say, “Is not the LORD among us? No disaster will come upon us.”

¹² Therefore because of you, Zion will be plowed like a field,
Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble, the temple hill a mound overgrown with thickets.

a. Micah calls to account those who lead the people, of Judah and Israel, and charges them with despising justice and distorting all that is right.

i. I cannot help but hear shades of the sub-prime mortgage debacle

ii. I cannot help but hear shades of people manipulating stock prices and destroying companies to gain a bigger personal share, regardless of the people who get hurt

iii. I cannot help but hear shades of religious violence

b. Micah calls to account those who build Zion with bloodshed and Jerusalem with wickedness

i. The way to grow the kingdom of God is not with bloodshed, but with righteous living

ii. The way to ensure a city’s prosperity is not with wickedness, but with righteousness.

1. But these leaders have looked for the easy solution, the quick fix, rather that in the long run does more harm than good.

2. Righteousness not wickedness the Lord will bless

c. Here is a quick summary of the problem, ¹¹ Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price, and her prophets tell fortunes for money. Yet they lean upon the LORD and say, “Is not the LORD among us? No disaster will come upon us.“

i. The judges bring rulings based upon their bribes, the biggest bribe results in a positive ruling for the wealthy.

ii. The priests teach for a price, for a wage they will tell you about God, though they are already supported by the temple.

iii. The prophets will deliver a good fortune for the right price, but the words are not of God, but of gold.

iv. Then, they say, “Is not the Lord among us? No disaster will come upon us.”

1. They wrongly believed that because the temple was there, that God would not allow anything to happen to the city of Jerusalem.

2. Where do we place our trust, what do we believe wrongly?

a. Because we are a “Christian nation” God will protect us from. . .

b. Because we were founded with religious freedom…

IV. We cannot live sinfully and expect God to keep us from harm, in other words we cannot embrace evil and expect God to keep us from the effects of evil.

a. So, Micah tells the leaders what to expect.

b. ¹² Therefore because of you, Zion will be plowed like a field,
Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble, the temple hill a mound overgrown with thickets.

i. This city will be like a field

ii. It will be a heap of rubble

iii. The temple hill a mound overgrown in thickets.