Majoring in the Minors Part 6 - Micah

Sermon is about Discipline

As parents

hard to know

how severe

how gentle

positive reinforcement

negative reinforcement

God also uses Discipline

Benjamin Spock led the way among child rearing professionals in instructing parents not to discipline their children. He said that doing so would damage children’s ego. Later in his life he realized that he had made a mistake and said:

“We have reared a generation of brats. Parents aren’t firm enough with their children for fear of losing their love or incurring their resentment. This is a cruel deprivation that we professionals have imposed on mothers and fathers. Of course, we did it with the best of intentions. We didn’t realize until it was too late how our know-it-all attitude was undermining the self assurance of parents.”

Source: Baptist Press, November, 6, 2007

Micah is the story

of God disciplining

His wayward children.

Background

Micah 1:1 ESV

The word of the Lord that came to Micah of Moresheth in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.

Micah is from Moresheth

25 miles southwest

of Jerusalem.

near Philistia

near Gath

Country boy

agricultural area

not from palace

Dates

Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah

Jotham good king

Ahaz - evil king

Hezekiah - very good king

739-686

Fall of Isreal

Northern Kingdom

722

Then Assyria

came knocking on door

in Judah

Siege of Jerusalem.

Micah was a contemporary:

Hosea

Isaiah

Outline

3 Equal parts

Description of Sin and

Proclamation of Judgment

Promises of Restoration

Call for Repentance

Sins of Israel and Judah

Micah 3:8 (ESV)

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 and to Israel his sin.

Not easy to

point out other’s failures.

Giving unsolicited

constructive criticism

not received well.

Greed and Theft

Micah 2:1–2 (ESV)

Woe to those who devise wickedness and work evil on their beds!

--

When the morning dawns, they perform it, because it is in the power of their hand.

--

They covet fields and seize them, and houses, and take them away; they oppress a man and his house, a man and his inheritance.

God accused them

see what they want

take it.

False Prophets

Micah 2:11 (ESV)

If a man should go about and utter wind and lies, saying, “I will preach to you of wine and strong drink,” he would be the preacher for this people!

False prophets

lies

babbling

error and falsehood.

Bribery and Extortion

Micah 3:11 (ESV)

Its heads give judgment for a bribe; its priests teach for a price; its prophets practice divination for money; yet they lean on the Lord and say, “Is not the Lord in the midst of us? No disaster shall come upon us.”

Judges taking bribes.

Priests teaching error

when paid to do so.

Prophets paid to

prophesy good future.

During the fourteenth century Raynald III, was a duke in what is now Belgium. As the result of a violent quarrel, Raynald’s younger brother Edward successfully revolted against him. When Edward captured Raynald he built a room around him featuring windows and a door and promised him that the day he left the room his title and property would be returned to him.

The problem with this arrangement was that Raynald was grossly overweight and could not fit through the openings in the room. Raynald needed to lose weight before he could leave the room. Edward knew that his older brother could not control his appetite and sent him delicious food every day. As you may imagine, Raynald grew fatter during this time.

Anytime someone accused Duke Edward of treating Raynald cruelly he said: “My brother is not a prisoner. He may leave when he so wills.”

Raynald stayed in that room for ten years and wasn’t released until after Edward died in battle. By then his health was so ruined he died within a year. He was a prisoner of his own appetite.

Just as Raynald was enslaved by his appetite, sin will enslave all those who yield to it.

Israel was

living in sin...

All while pretending

to be followers of God.

The last part

is what upset God.

The other nations were

doing these things...

Problem is

Isreal knew better

Didn’t make good choices.

Pretended to be doing right.

For this reason

God had to

discipline His children.

A little girl said to her teacher, ”Miss Hayes, I don’t want to scare you, but my dad said, If my grades don’t improve, someone’s going to get a spanking!”

The Purpose of Discipline

The purpose of

discipline is not

pleasure of punishment.

It is to develop and grow!

We get the word

disciple from

discipline.

God has called

us all to be

His disciples.

I suppose that means

we shouldn’t be

surprised when

God has a way

to help us grow:

discipline.

Pablo Casals was considered the greatest cellist to ever live. When he was 95 years old he was asked why he continued to practice 6 hours a day. He answered, “Because I think I’m making progress.”

Source: Your Road Map for Success, John Maxwell

Coming Judgment

Micah 1:2–5 (ESV)

Hear, you peoples, all of you; pay attention, O earth, and all that is in it, and let the Lord God be a witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple.

--

For behold, the Lord is coming out of his place, and will come down and tread upon the high places of the earth.

--

And the mountains will melt under him, and the valleys will split open, like wax before the fire, like waters poured down a steep place.

--

All this is for the transgression of Jacob and for the sins of the house of Israel...

Like a parent who gives

grace and grace

finally have to

discipline.

The heart that

wants to serve God

often turns to Him

through hardship.

Three recruiters were to address high school seniors. Each recruiter represented a branch of the military (the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps) and was to have fifteen minutes.

The Army and Navy recruiters got carried away, so when it came time for the Marine to speak, he had just two minutes. He walked up and stood utterly silent for a full sixty seconds, half of his time.

Then he said, “I doubt whether there are two or three of you in this room who would even stand a chance in the Marine Corps. But I want to see those two or three immediately in the dining hall when we are dismissed.”

He turned smartly and sat down. When he arrived in the dining hall, there was a crowd of students interested in the Marines.

The recruiter knew that commitment cannot take place without recognizing the potential for difficulty.

Many respond

to negative reinforcement.

That’s why God

uses it!

Promises of Restoration

God gives prophecies

about Israel getting

restored after the

coming Judgment.

(which never happened)

But much of the

prophecies are about

the coming Messiah.

It is through Christ

that we can all get

personal restoration.

(not national).

Restoration

Micah 4:1–2 (ESV)

It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and it shall be lifted up above the hills; and peoples shall flow to it, and many nations shall come, and say:

--

“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

God knew that

after the judgment

their hearts would be

softened to hear

voice of God.

People tipically

seek God most

earnestly when

they have few other

options!

William McPherson was the superintendent for a stone quarry when a blast severely injured him. He lost his eyesight and both hands in the explosion. He was determined to read the Bible, and learned to read raised letters with the tip of his tongue. It is said that he read through the Bible four times in this manner.

Source: Annual Report of the American Bible Society, Volume 97

The theocracy of Israel

was never re-established.

So why did God

give this prophecy

if He knew it

wouldn’t come true?

This is what

we call

conditional prophecy.

Prophecy that depends

upon our actions.

(Jonah as example).

Conditional Prophecy vs. Spiritual Israel

The other way of

interpreting these

prophecies that

never were fulfilled

to Ancient Israel is

the fact that

they could be

given to modern

Israel.

The NT says:

Galatians 3:29 ESV

And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.

This means:

if you are true

believer...

you are like

“spiritual Israelite.”

Some of these promises

are fulfilled spiritually

to Christians...

Either in this life

or in the New Jerusalem

after 2nd coming.

Prophecies of Messiah

Full and complete restoration

only comes through

Jesus Christ.

Micah 5:2 (ESV)

But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.

This verse is

so clear!

Tells the exact location

of birth of Christ.

Powerful promise

Christ coming!

Jesus fulfilled

hundreds of

messianic prophecies

from the OT

exactly!

Judgment on Assyria

God also promises

that he would bring

justice upon

Kingdom that

destroyed Israel.

Assyria would be

destroyed by Babylon.

Why?

because they claim

they did it in their

own power.

But the truth:

God allowed them to

destroy Israel because

they needed discipline.

In the fifties the major discipline problems in our public schools were cigarette smoking, skipping class, running in the halls, spit balls, chewing gum, and whispering in class.

Today - the major problems are deadly weapons - kids carrying guns, knifes, and even assault weapons. This is followed by arson, drugs, vandalism, and drunkenness.

Recently in Florida a high school teacher observed a number of boys in the corner of the gymnasium on their hands and knees.

Rushing up to the boys, the teacher demanded, “ What are you doing?” One of the boys looked up and answered, “ We’re shooting dice!” The teacher responded with, “ Oh, thank goodness. I thought you were praying.”

(Source Unknown, Lou Nicholes - Missionary/Author).

Plea for Repentance

Before the coming

judgment.

God repeatedly asked

His people to

come back to Him

and advert the judgment!

Call for repentance.

As a parent

“this is last warning”

Next time,

punishment!

Micah 6:7–8 (ESV)

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?”

--

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?

God was tired of

His people living

double lives.

Claiming to be

followers of Him

but living the lifestyle

of the world.

They had the outward form

but lacked the

True Righteousness.

Her Micah describes

what God is really looking for.

True Righteousness is:

“to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God”

Offers of Grace

Yet God,

offered grace

again and again.

Even then,

right before the

coming judgment

He was willing

to forgive them

if they would only

turn back to Him!

Micah 7:18 (ESV)

Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance?

--

He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love.

We serve a God

who is continually

forgiving us

extending grace.

Even today

God is offering His grace.

But we know

this world won’t

last forever.

At some point,

God must bring an end.

God is calling today,

accept my grace

live for me.

I heard about a young boy who went off to one of these extremely expensive universities. The bills were coming in monthly to his parents, and they were struggling to keep their heads above water. One day the boy’s mother received a letter from him that read like this: “Dear Mom: I’m writing to inform you that I have flunked all of my courses. I had an accident and totally wrecked my car, I owe the clothing store in town $2000, and I have been suspended for the next semester because of misconduct. I am coming home, prepare Dad!” His mother wrote a one line letter back to him that just said this: “Dear son: Dad is prepared, prepare yourself.”

Appeal

Accept Grace of God

Live for Him!