So What's the Problem?

We have some issues today and I don’t believe we can solve them until we are clear on what the problem is. The prophet who had admonished the evil doings of the wicked now focused on a specific groups. The man problem is that lack of justice. As we continue to look at our theme of Just Mercy we must know that the Lord requires us to do justice yet we are in a society that has largely ignored God.

I don’t know if any of you are following the impeachment hearings. If this is a reflection of the Country we live in then we are in trouble. It is said America is the greatest country in the world which I agree. Yet as great as we are we like the nation of Israel are at dark moment in history! We need an introspection. What have we become and is God pleased?

In , the prophet is concerned about something. He wants his nation to know that the God they serve is not only a God of love, mercy, and grace, but also a God of judgment…and though God would rather bless and demonstrate love, and continue to extend His grace and mercy, that there does indeed come a time when, because of sin and rebellion, God’s patience is exhausted.

Eventually God will give a nation [or an individual] what they are demanding. It happened in the Noah’s time, and again at Sodom and Gomorrah. It even happened to God’s people, Israel when they were taken into captivity for their transgression. Will He make an exception for our nation?

In verse 8 we see where Micah power to speak comes from, 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. ().

with the Spirit of the LORD,

and with justice and might,

to declare to Jacob his transgression

and to Israel his sin.

Micah speaks by the Spirit of God. Its this same Spirit that Jesus spoke by when he said, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. ). Jesus quotes He came to preach to the poor, heal the brokenhearted, recover the sight to the blind, to set at liberty to the oppressed!

The Lord is a God of Social Justice! Yet many still don’t understand the concept of Social Justice. Yesterday we went to see Just Mercy. This is a movie about justice! We were all moved that if we are not committed to do justice then justice wont happen.

Our culture as a whole is knee-deep in the mud pit fighting over the greased pig of “Justice”: criminal justice, racial discrimination, abortion, welfare, healthcare, the environment, immigration, the definition of marriage, foreign policy, poverty rates, economic issues — what are your thoughts on . . . all of them? Where do you fall? Facebook feeds and Twitter streams have become a social war zone with articles, op-eds, think pieces, and news updates as the ammunition fired between various ideologies.

We love the idea of social justice, of being on “the right side of history.” For every race, class, political affiliation, religion, for both men and women, the question is: “Whose ‘justice’ is right?”

Whose Social Justice Stands?

To all this, Christians must make a striking profession:

Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the Lord understand it completely. ()

How does that land on you? Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the Lord understand justice . . . completely.

The reason why its hard for our society to embrace justice is because largely we live in a evil world.

The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., ). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.speaks to three distinct groups of people and says, “It’s Your Fault!”:

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.He said Micah speaks by the Spirit of God speaks to three distinct groups of people and says, “It’s Your Fault!”:

Micah peaks to three distinct groups of people and says, “It’s Your Fault!”:

1. Corrupt Politicians

2. Compromising Preachers

3. Complacent People

Micah desperately wants the people to understand that the God who loves sinners still hates sin. And sin must always be judged. His holiness demands that. Praise God that if you’re saved you will never be judged for your sin; they were judged 2,000 years ago on Calvary’s cross! But that does not mean we can live a careless, haphazard Christian life. The same Bible which teaches that we will not be judged for our sins also tells us that we will indeed be judged for how faithful we have been. All individuals will one day be judged, and there is such a thing as the judgment of a nation.

talks about a nation being “plowed as a field,” a metaphor for judgment.

No nation was as pure in its inception as the nation Israel— by God Himself in . And yet even Israel went corrupt, and the vast majority of the people were ignorant or indifferent concerning that corruption. For this reason the prophets of judgment came along, like Micah, calling the people to repentance, and making the people aware that the God who would rather bless will blast if his hand is forced.

I’m optimistic about our nation’s possibilities for the future, but I think we should be realistic. And part of loving America is wanting to save it from a corruption that most people are seemingly ignorant of…or at least indifferent to.

Fault Line #1 - Corrupt Politicians

: And I said, Hear, I pray you, O heads of Jacob, and ye princes of the house of Israel; Is it not for you to know judgment? Who hate the good, and love the evil; who pluck off their skin from off them, and their flesh from off their bones; Who also eat the flesh of my people, and flay their skin from off them; and they break their bones, and chop them in pieces, as for the pot, and as flesh within the caldron.

Reading these verses is like watching the nightly news. The impeachment hearings and seeing the level of corruption in the White House. One witness testified everyone was in on it!

Look at the moral downward spiral we are in! The is a price Americas pays at the hands of leadership gone awry. Political Leadership has a responsibility to be just.

Here are six requirements God recommends for government leaders:

[From Proverbs]

1. Righteousness

When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn. ()

It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness: for the throne is established by righteousness. ()

Why is it that today we just look for skills and credentials, and not look to morality?

2. Wisdom

I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions...by me kings reign, and princes decree justice. By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth. ()

3. Absolute Honesty

Excellent speech becometh not a fool: much less do lying lips a prince. ()

Leaders and liars are not the same thing!

4. Separation from bad influences

Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer. Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness. ()

A leader must focus on what is right, not just public opinion or lobbying pressures.

5. Personal Purity

Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings. ()

If a man will not honor his marriage vows, what’s he going to do with those “piddly little vows” of public trust?

6. Protection of the weak and the defenseless

Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction. Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy. ()

A leader is to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves, and defend those who cannot defend themselves.

A Biblical leader should stand tall on behalf of the unborn. Some would say, “Abortion is legal. And a leader is supposed to uphold the law!” Certainly being legally right doesn’t make something morally right.

Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by a law? ( )

And I should add those who stand for the unborn but turn a blind eye to the poor offend God as well.

When Micah warns the people that God is about to judge, he points first at the corrupt politicians, and says, "It’s your fault." And until we own our faults there is no hope for a change.

Fault Line #2 - Compromising Preachers

Thus saith the LORD concerning the prophets that make my people err, that bite with their teeth, and cry, Peace; and he that putteth not into their mouths, they even prepare war against him. ()

Today the preachers are compromised. We are being bought off and n longer have a prophetic voice. If you as a preacher can say all that is going on is ok because you got some judge appointments to the suproeme court so you can hope abortion is made illiegal then you have sold yourself out.

You can sell you voice for a favor. The preacher must have an uncompromised voice!

Should they be preaching peace when judgment is coming? Should they preach to the offering plates, altering their message so as not to offend? And do we today really need to drag Jesus down to a lower level in an attempt to make Him more palatable? Did not Jesus Himself say, "Come unto Me"? When a preacher invites someone to Jesus, he must present Jesus and all he is without compromise. He is Lord!

We must preach the truth at all times and no matter the cost. And it is vital that we practice what we preach. As people of God, we must, at times, look inside ourselves with humility. I must confess I have spent several hours in reflection since I wrote the last sentence, and though I must be in constant connection with the Holy Spirit. I have to do all i can to live holy!

I believe the Lord is not as concerned about where we are as where we are headed. Which way are we facing? Are we going forward for him or regressing? In short, our present is more pertinent than our past. This principle applies not only to those of us in the ministry but our church members as well. It applies even further to our nation. But, in keeping with our point, what does this mean for me?

Concerning ministers such as myself, I believe the Lord is not as concerned about where we are as where we are headed. Which way are we facing? Are we going forward for him or regressing? In short, our present is more pertinent than our past. This principle applies not only to those of us in the ministry but our church members as well. It applies even further to our nation. But, in keeping with our point, what does this mean for me?

When Micah warns the people that God is about to judge, he points at not only the corrupt politicians, but also the compromising preachers and says, "It’s your fault." And we must own our faults before God.

Fault Line #3 - Complacent People

The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the LORD, and say, Is not the LORD among us? No evil can come upon us. ()

The word "they" is where the complacent people appear.

The people of Israel said, "We know the politicians are corrupt, we know the preachers are compromised, but it will be ok, because we’re ok. The economy is strong, we’re happy, and it’s alright. Is not the Lord among us? No evil can touch us." And many ignorant Americans make a similar claim: "Our nation has a so called Christian heritage even though we are not a Christian nation. We have Godly roots." So did Israel! And so did many other nations which God has judged, or wiped out completely. We must pursue hard after God or destruction will certainly overtake us as well.

Yet we are a nation that oppress the marginalized. We must remember what Dr. King said in his letter from Birmingham jail: We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed. Frankly, I have yet to engage in a direct action campaign that was "well timed" in the view of those who have not suffered unduly from the disease of segregation. For years now I have heard the word "Wait!" It rings in the ear of every Negro with piercing familiarity. This "Wait" has almost always meant "Never." We must come to see, with one of our distinguished jurists, that "justice too long delayed is justice denied.":”

He went on to say: “Oppressed people cannot remain oppressed forever. The yearning for freedom eventually manifests itself, and that is what has happened to the American Negro. Something within has reminded him of his birthright of freedom, and something without has reminded him that it can be gained.”

Where do we go from here?

Dr. King said in that same letter: There was a time when the church was very powerful--in the time when the early Christians rejoiced at being deemed worthy to suffer for what they believed. In those days the church was not merely a thermometer that recorded the ideas and principles of popular opinion; it was a thermostat that transformed the mores of society. Whenever the early Christians entered a town, the people in power became disturbed and immediately sought to convict the Christians for being "disturbers of the peace" and "outside agitators."' But the Christians pressed on, in the conviction that they were "a colony of heaven," called to obey God rather than man. Small in number, they were big in commitment. They were too God-intoxicated to be "astronomically intimidated." By their effort and example they brought an end to such ancient evils as infanticide and gladiatorial contests. Things are different now. So often the contemporary church is a weak, ineffectual voice with an uncertain sound. So often it is an archdefender of the status quo. Far from being disturbed by the presence of the church, the power structure of the average community is consoled by the church's silent--and often even vocal--sanction of things as they are.

But the judgment of God is upon the church as never before. If today's church does not recapture the sacrificial spirit of the early church, it will lose its authenticity, forfeit the loyalty of millions, and be dismissed as an irrelevant social club with no meaning for the twentieth century. Every day I meet young people whose disappointment with the church has turned into outright disgust. King wrote that in 1963. We are more complacent now!

We should do our part to elect leaders that seek to fulfill God’s righteous requirements. And what do we do if and when corrupt politicians come to power? We may not be able to absolutely control such a situation, but we certainly can focus on ourselves and make sure we aren’t compromising preachers, and we can do our job in proclaiming the truth to complacent people in our pews, remembering the promise of : If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

I also know that Jesus Christ is the hope of our nation and the world. He stands as a light for us to follow. His arms of mercy are open to those who will turn from selfishness and evil to him. Certainly he extends his own righteousness to us as a free gift. But our acceptance of that righteousness will certainly be evidenced by a life marked by that righteousness. My prayer is that my preaching—and yours—be marked by the righteousness, justice, and mercy embodied by Christ himself.