Don't Overlook the Small Things (2)

Introduction

Micah 5:2 ““But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.”

Illustration – “The Seed That Didn’t Look Like Much”

A gardener once held two things in his hand: a polished stone and a tiny mustard seed. To the untrained eye, the stone looked more valuable—smooth, solid, impressive. The seed looked insignificant, almost forgettable.

But months later, the stone was in the same place he left it—unchanged and lifeless.

The seed, however, had transformed into a plant that grew tall enough to give shade and nourishment.

What looked insignificant was actually full of destiny.

This is how God often works—His greatest moves come through small beginnings.

And this is the message of Micah 5:2.

Micah - very little is known about this prophet. We don’t know anything about his parents and family, and therefore we can suggest that his family has no societal distinction. This let’s us know that the divine call on his life to become a prophet supports the argument that our God calls insignificant people to perform extraordinary things. The humble and insignificant beginnings of Micah makes him the idea advocate for the poor.

Micah, whose name translated, means “Who is like God”, immediately drew my attention. Because there is no one like God. However, as I studied the name of Micah, I discovered that the archangel Michael name means the same thing, Who is like God? You will see in Daniel 12:1 that one of the responsibilities of Michael The Archangel is to keep the heavenly books in order. And it dawned on me that this was a theological statement meaning that we all should have the characteristics of our Father and Creator. I am Ron Williams who is like My Father.

So what else do we know that he is a country preacher from a country town. God did not call Micah to become a farmer of crops, but called him to become a Sower of His Word. Commentors have labeled Micah as one of the minor prophets of the bible but Micah is proclaiming a major message. The Book of Micah is only seven chapters long, and the messages that he proclaims are messages of both judgement and hope for the people of God. Micah presents his messages with a courtroom setting. He is the Defense Attorney and he is presenting his cases against the people. Micah is defending His God. Micah argues that his God hates idolatry, injustice, rebellion, and empty worship. But in today’s passage, we will not talk about a message of doom but we will talk about the hope of promise. That promise will not come from the Holy City Jerusalem, but God will send the promise in the form of the Messiah who would come from a small, insignificant, and overlooked town called Bethlehem.

Proposition: God uses small and insignificant places to accomplish His greater purpose.

Micah 5:2 ““But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.””

Point #1 Focus on the small things and recognize God’s Grace

In Genesis 49:8, Jacob informed his sons on his death bed that Judah would be the one whom all brothers would praise. In Joshua 15, when the boundaries for Judah were set, Bethlehem is so insignificant that when Joshua divided the land, they didn’t even mention the town of Bethlehem out of 115 towns and cities mentioned. Read Joshua 15:20-63.

This lesson will reminds us that our hope was born in a small town of Bethlehem. A town that when it was formed didn’t have enough significance to earn a spot on a map.

John 7:42 “42 Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem, where David was?””

John 7:42 NKJV

42 Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem, where David was?”

God uses the weak and overlooked to fulfill His purpose.

Hope is lost for some boy or girl, man or woman during this holiday.

Look here at the conjunction “BUT”. This translate to a divine remedy by God. He mentioned in the previous verses how the LORD would destroy His people for disobedience. BUT, the LORD shows grace coming from a small town of Bethlehem. A town that didn’t even make it on a map. If you put the coordinates in the GPS, it would have said unknown.

Covenant of Grace - Why should we focus on grace? Because man failed to obtain the blessings offered in the covenant of works, and God has to establish another way for man to be saved. Therefore, God established a covenant of grace with His people. Grace is unmerited favor (A gift from God). This covenant must begin with faith in God and to continue then we have to be obedient to God. “We must focus on the small things to recognize God’s Grace.

We observe in this passage that grace comes from lowliness. And since the grace of covenant begins with our faith in Jesus, then Jesus teaches us in Matthew 17:20 “So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.”

Application: How we manage the small blessings in life will dictate how we handle big moments and blessings coming our way. Luke 16:10 “He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.”

Micah 5:2 ““But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.””

Point #2 Focus on the small things and Recognize God Presence

Have you ever sat in church, and it seem like you just couldn’t feel the presence of God?

Maybe you were focused on something that happened at home before you came to church.

Or maybe you are worrying about tomorrow.

Whenever our heart is not in alignment or focus on God, then we will always have a challenge to feel God’s presence.

Sometimes we miss the presence of God because we are focus on the outward appearance, and ignore the inner self.

God sent Samuel to Jesse’s house several hundred years before this passage. 1 Samuel 16:1 “Now the Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go; I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. For I have provided Myself a king among his sons.””

1 Samuel 16:1 KJV 1900

1 And the Lord said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Beth-lehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.

There was nothing extraordinary about Jesse. When Samuel went to perform this sacrifice with Jesse, seven sons failed God’s presence test. The scripture said that the LORD didn’t chose any of them.

The LORD’s presence was there but their hearts (inner beings v. 7) were not aligned with what the LORD was looking for. And when our hearts are not aligned with God’s presence, then our focus are on things that promote self and not God.

The seven sons were outside the house because they were at the sacrifice, but the eight son who was the youngest, ruddy (reddish) and good looking was at the house tending to His Daddy sheep.

1 Samuel 16:12 says “bring him in.”

The LORD said anoint him, “this is the one.” (David was working )

But the eight son passed the test. Let me explain.

The number seven means completion but the number eight means new beginning. David was the new beginning. Look at 1 Samuel 16:13 “Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel arose and went to Ramah.”

God uses least likely people from least likely places to demonstrate His power. David was not even invited to the sacrifice because his family thought he was too young and was just a Shepherd Boy. But unlike his older brothers, David was at home working for his Daddy. This showed what type of heart David would have, and this aligned him with the presence of God. God anointed and blessed him and his future generations.

1 Samuel 16:7 “But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.””

Micah 5:2 ““But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.””

Point #3 Focus on the small things and Recognize God Purpose

goings forth:

origin; withdrawal. An event that is a beginning; a first part

old:

before, earlier, prehistoric

everlasting:

day; daylight. An indefinite portion of any continued state, existence, or series of events.

Jesus stepped out of eternity into humanity

This is why He is Alpha and Omega. The Beginning and the End

Jesus demonstrated the greatest act of humility in history. (When He took the body of a sinful man and came down here on earth)

John 1:1–5 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shined in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”

John 1:1–5 KJV 1900

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” This is God’s Purpose!!!

John 3:16 KJV 1900

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Bethlehem was a small town that wasn’t even on the map, but produced two of the Greatest Kings in the history of humanity. King David and King Jesus.

“Don’t ever limit your thinking or change your focus to your circumstances.”

Your circumstances will never become bigger than your God. (When David was facing Goliath, he focused on using the five small stones that he had and defeated his giant.)

Focus on the small things and Recognize God’s Purpose

Where you start in life or where you are in life right now does not disqualify you from God’s Purpose, it position you right where God wants you to be?

Closing

We can’t talk about a true Christmas if we don’t talk about:

Bethlehem without mentioning Calvary.

Bethlehem wasn’t even on the map but Jesus said that He is the way, truth and the life

Jesus didn’t know sin, but He had to become sin to save a wretch like you and I.

We focus on the small nails in His hand but it was His Love that kept Him on the cross

It was God’s love that sent Jesus, his beloved son, into the world, and it was love that kept Jesus on the cross until His mission was done.

Birth without talking about His death

When He was born they wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, but when He rose, He left those grave clothes behind.

He was born in a manger, but when He went away He has prepared a mansion for you and I.

When the Messiah was born, there were a cloud of questions about who He was, but one day He ascended on a Cloud up to heaven so that all could see who He was

I am focused on the small things today. Matthew 25:21 “His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’”

Oh, come, all ye faithful,

Joyful and triumphant!

Oh, come ye, oh come ye to Bethlehem.

Come and behold him,

Born the King of angels;

Oh, come, let us adore him;

Oh, come, let us adore him;

Oh, come, let us adore him,

Christ, the Lord.

2.

Sing, choirs of angels,

Sing in exultation;

Sing, all ye citizens of heav’n above!

Glory to God,Glory in the highest;

Oh, come, let us adore him;

Oh, come, let us adore him;

Oh, come, let us adore him,

Christ, the Lord.

3.

Yea, Lord, we greet thee,

Born this happy morning;

Jesus, to thee be all glory giv’n.

Son of the Father,

Now in flesh appearing;

Oh, come, let us adore him;

Oh, come, let us adore him;

Oh, come, let us adore him,

Christ, the Lord.

Advent literally means “arrival” or “coming,” referring to Jesus Christ’s coming to earth to provide salvation. It is a season leading up to Christmas, observed by Catholics, Lutherans, Anglicans, Methodists, and increasingly by evangelical churches. The Advent season spans four Sundays, beginning on the fourth Sunday before Christmas (or nearest to November 30) and ending on Christmas Eve. The celebration commemorates Christ’s first coming while simultaneously anticipating His second coming, mirroring how Israel once longed for the Messiah and how Christians now await Christ’s return. During this time, many churches focus on prayer, penitence, and preparing their hearts for Christmas and Christ’s eventual return and judgment.