Who Is A God Like Our God?
Notes
Transcript
Turn to Micah 7:18-20.
Pass out copies “Kings of Judah/Israel and the Prophets”
Introduction
Introduction
In 1723, Samuel Davies was born in New Castle County, Delaware. He would grow up to be a Presbyterian minister, evangelist, and educator in colonial America, having a particular influence in the colony of Virginia. He has been called the Apostle of Virginia and later served as the president of Princeton University shortly before his death. Some say that he would become the first American-born hymn writer.
Samuel was a powerful preacher. His ministry would profoundly impact the young Patrick Henry and he would even preach at the Royal Chapel of England in 1753.
Eight years after his death in 1761, a portion of Davies’ poems were published including one that is still sung as a hymn today. It is entitled, “Great God Of Wonders.”
There’s an interesting story that I found about that song. For about 50 years, beginning in 1803, the British used the island of Tasmania, just south of Australia, as a prison colony. Approximately 40,000 criminals spent time there. Some of them were converted to Christ, and began meeting together for prayer and hymn singing.
According to one source, their favorite hymn was Great God of Wonders, perhaps because of the stirring questions that are found in the chorus: “Who is a pard’ning God like Thee? Or who has grace so rich and free?”
That song is based on our text, Micah 7:18-20.
Read Micah 7:18-20
Micah was a powerful prophet of God, although his ministry may have been overshadowed by his contemporary, the prophet, Isaiah. Micah preached during the time that the northern kingdom of Israel fell to Assyria and he prophesied that the southern kingdom of Judah would suffer the same outcome at the hands of the Babylonians.
The Bible Knowledge Commentary Message and Style
The book has three messages (
Read Micah 1:2, 3:1, 6:1.
The Bible Knowledge Commentary Message and Style
Though the theme of judgment is prominent in each of Micah’s three messages, the prophet also stressed restoration.
We find this no more clearly than in our text, where Micah closes out his book with a message of hope and redemption.
For the next few minutes, as we consider these verses, I want you to be asking yourself this question: Who Is A God Like Our God?
What Micah describes about our God indicates that He is altogether unique and that there is none like Him. My desire is that your heart will be moved in adoration of Him.
Next slide here:
Who is a God that forgives sin?
The answer is: Our God!
Pardon: to take away, to lift up or to carry off
That’s how Micah described what God would do to the sins of Israel. He would take them away, He would lift them up, He would carry them off never to be seen again!
To pass by the transgression of Israel meant that He would overlook or passover the sin of His people.
Application: God is still in the business of forgiving sin. That is a message I will be able to preach until my final breath. It’s not going to change!
Are you trapped by sin? Are you struggling with the sin that so easily beset you?
“Pastor, do you think that God can forgive me of that one again?”
Yes!
Yes! Even that sin. Even the sin of unbelief. Even though you chose not to trust Him again. He will forgive that sin again. Confess your sin to God and take Him at His word that He has forgiven you.
Next slide here:
Who is a God that delights in mercy?
Church family: what is the answer? Our God!
The Bible is clear that God does get angry.
God judgeth the righteous, And God is angry with the wicked every day.
Jonathan Edwards had every good reason to preach his message entitled, “Sinners in the hands of an angry God.”
But the good news is found right here in verse 18. God doesn’t keep His anger forever.
Why?
Because He delighteth in mercy.
Don’t ever doubt whether God will show you mercy. That’s a doubt and a lie straight from the devil.
He is indeed a God of mercy. He delights - literally, He takes pleasure - in granting mercy to the repentant sinner.
Application: Are you in need of God’s mercy tonight because of some sin in your life. Don’t hang back. Don’t listen to the doubts. Go running towards God and you’ll find yourself welcomed by boundless mercy!
Next slide here:
Who is a God that is compassionate?
Church family: what is the answer? Our God!
Compassion indicates emotion. Compassion indicates a heart that is moved. Just like the Son of God had compassion on the multitudes, God has compassion towards the repentant sinner. God is moved with compassion towards me! God is moved with compassion towards you!
He is not a distant God!
He is not aloof and removed from us!
His heart is moved in love for us.
That is our God!
Application: Perhaps today you feel like you are struggling in the chains of some sin. You find yourself committing that same sin over and over again.
If that’s you, repent of your sin! Turn away in disgust from it! Humble yourself before the Almighty and His heart will be moved at the sound of your prayer of confession!
Next slide here:
Who is a God that removes sin forever?
Church family: what is the answer? Our God!
I don’t think you can find a better word-picture of how far God removes our sins from us.
Application: When God forgives, He forgives completely. God doesn’t dredge the ocean and bring up your past sins. Christian, don’t you do that either. If you have confessed your sin to God, then He has forgiven you. You don’t need to bring it up again because He isn’t going to either.
Conclusion
Conclusion
For these reasons, Micah offered hope to his Jewish listeners. Although Assyria would destroy the northern kingdom and although Babylon would destroy the southern kingdom, Micah made this declaration: God will keep His promise. God will restore Israel again! They will be His people. And He will be their God.
Church family, Who Is A God Like Our God? no one.
You know, as good as our God is, I think I’ll take Him over Allah, over Budda, and over any other supposed god that is out there. I think I’ll just stay with the God of the Bible.
