Revival For The Rest Of Us

Intro

Revival Definition

Micah was a prophet at the same time as Isaiah and prophesied during a time of prosperity

Aside, seasons of prosperity are often the most needed times for revival.

Isaiah directed His message to the people of power, Micah delivers his message to the common people

He has a message that I would call “Revival For The Rest Of Us”

Like most of the prophets the message of revival was a warning about the direction the people of God were heading - destruction

We love to think of our lives as “a point on a map”

In reality we are at “a point on a path” - moving and heading somewhere

I want to talk with you this morning about how revival changes the trajectory / direction of your life

Revival Reminds Us Of God’s Work

Read

This language is so descriptive, it is very legal in nature: “plead your case” “indictment” “contend”

The people of God were not acting in “Good Faith” in their relationship with God

Illus. Rent Agreement - without good faith we start a process of eviction

Let me remind you of the “righteous acts of the Lord”

He had brought freedom

Read vs. 4

He had brought them mercy

Read vs. 5

He had brought them promise

Read vs. 5

Don’t miss this, Micah is addressing their direction and trajectory....because they had left the work of the Lord they were heading toward bondage (freedom), judgement (mercy), and divorce (promise).

Revival Gives Us A Description Of Living Faith

Read

These verses echo deeply our message from last week that revival ultimately results in a transformed life.

This is the most compelling part of what it means to live life God’s way.

Because we live in such a transactional and selfish world, it’s hard for us to escape the idea that every good thing in our life must be bought - There’s no such thing as a free lunch.

If God is offering us freedom and mercy and promise this must come at a huge cost

thousands of rams, rivers of oil, my first born??

God says, you don’t owe me, just reflect me (Illus. Jen and marriage)

What does it look like to reflect the character of God?

Do Justice

Not love justice, but do justice

Justice definition - the church should be leading the charge for equality among image bearers.

Love kindness (mercy, steadfast love)

Love is the first and last word in Christian theology and ethics

Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible In the Old Testament

Hesed is not an emotional response to beauty, merit, or kindness, but a moral attitude dedicated to another’s good, whether or not that other is lovable, worthy, or responsive

Illus. Helping a lady needing Gas

Walk humbly with God

“don’t take yourself too seriously—take God seriously.”

don’t take yourself too seriously—

take God seriously.

Revival Leads Us To A Place Of Hope

Though we have wandered away and find ourselves like the people of God generations ago on a bad trajectory, somehow Micah ends with a message of hope.

In our disobedience, our apathy, our wandering, God stands ready to receive us back and change us.

Read - Answering “our God” after each question

No matter who you are , where you are, what you’ve done, or where you’re heading. Our God stands ready to receive you if you’ll turn to him

Two Revival Responses: Returning and Beginning

Returning is much of what we have been describing to the church, you have wandered from God and need to come home

Beginning is something different, it’s recognizing that the a relationship with God is something you have never expereinced

shows us something amazing about how we begin a relationship with God Read ,

Conclusion

Like most of the prophets the message of revival was a warning about the direction the people of God were heading - destruction

We love to think of our lives as “a point on a map”

In reality we are at “a point on a path” - moving and heading somewhere