When the Lord Comes Near -- He Lifts Up the Humbled

For a lot of people, Christmas has more or less arrived. Our kids have either already started their Christmas break from school — or are about to — parents’ vacation time has begun, perhaps some out-of-town company has arrived.

Amid all the joy of the season, God’s people — that is, you — may well be walking into the Divine Service this morning more weighed down than ever before. You may be carrying burdens caused by Christmas presents that are not perfect, family gatherings that you have been excluded from because you’re not vaccinated, a house that didn’t get clean, and year-end projects that didn’t get finished.

To top it all off, it might be starting to dawn on you how little time and attention you have given to the spiritual preparation that Advent invites — despite your best efforts.

If any of this is the case in your life, then, perhaps, all of the frenzy and distractions that this month brings may have, in reality, done us a favor.

Now, as the Lord draws near in the incarnation of His Son, the people of God have once again been humbled. We have been stretched to our limits. We have been made aware, once again, of our shortcomings and sins. And hopefully, we are realizing the futility of even our best efforts.

If any of this hits home, then the Good News provided by this morning’s readings is exactly what we need to hear. Being weighed down by our burdens and made aware of our weaknesses does not disqualify us from God’s attention or care. In fact, it is those things that properly prepares us for the work He does best. He is a God who lifts up the Humbled.

He Lifts Up the Humbled in ways we would never consider — He does the Opposite of what we would do. He Lift Up the Humbled from their Thorns, and He Lifts Up the Humbled by promising a Home.

THIS IS WHAT OUR GOD DOES — “HE COMES NEAR BY LIFTING UP THE HUMBLED.”

He Uses the Opposite

The time of Micah — our OT reading — is a great example. Micah conducted his ministry during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah (Micah 1:1) and was a contemporary of Isaiah in Judah and Amos and Hosea in Israel.

As a Prophet of God, he announces the coming destruction upon Samaria and then on Judah. Yet the amid the bad news, the prophet also extends God’s promise of mercy.

Micah offers an important and remarkably clear prophecy about the place and circumstances of the Messiah’s birth.

“Marshal your troops,” Micah urges Jerusalem (Micah 5:1). Steel yourselves against the coming Babylonian siege. The future is grim. Worse, it is gruesome. God will exact full punishment for Judah’s self-serving godlessness.

And just when we expect Micah to describe vividly the savage destruction that awaits the capital, he abruptly changes cities and theme.

“Bethlehem … out of you will come … [a] ruler … [whose] greatness will reach to the ends of the earth.”

The gospel’s sweet aroma overwhelms the law’s oppressive smell. A ruler is coming, the King of kings, the Anointed One. Do not give up hope, Jerusalem; Bethlehem is coming to the rescue. God’s grace always triumphs. The Psalmist declares, “Surely his salvation is near those who fear him” (Ps 85:9).

Micah is precise about the Messiah’s city of origin. Zebulun had a Bethlehem, but the prophet identifies this Bethlehem as the one also called Ephrathah, the place where Benjamin was born and Rachel died (Ge 35:16–19). Bethlehem was David’s birthplace.

It had some military significance. The Philistines had a garrison at Bethlehem (2 Sa 23:14), and Rehoboam built up Bethlehem for defensive purposes (2 Ch 11:5, 6). Nevertheless, it was not large enough to list when Judah was assigned that area in Joshua 15:21–63. Bethlehem never grew beyond a village. It remained “small among the clans [literally thousands, cities of 1,000 or more] of Judah.”

Though insignificant as a city, fame awaited Bethlehem as the birthplace of the greatest king of all. Here is an example of God using what seems negligible, puny, and powerless to display his gracious power. You see, God has a propensity to “[choose] the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him” (1 Cor. 1:28-29).

Mary remarks in our gospel reading: “[God my Savior] has been mindful of the humble state of his servant” and, shortly after that, “He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty” (Lk 1:48, 52, 53; cp. Zec 9:9; 1 Co 1:21–25; 2 Co 12:9; Php 2:8).

Isaiah—Micah’s contemporary—described the Messiah’s divine and human natures when he said to Ahaz, “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a Son, and name him Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14). Micah confirms that prophesy when he speaks of the Messiah’s eternal nature. He maintains that this ruler is “from the beginning, from the days of eternity.” The NIV puts it this way, that this ruler’s “origins are from of old, from ancient times.”

This is why Micah insists that those faithful to this Messiah “will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth.” The security of reign will never be breached. His victory is complete; no enemies are left to stand against him. Sin is destroyed, and death with it (1 Co 15:55–57). He has shattered the iron shackles Satan used to imprison us. Our Epistle reading explains, “We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Heb 10:10). Your security is eternal, for he “will reign for ever and ever” (Ex 15:18).

Friends, this Messiah—your Lord—is here among us even now and has promised wherever two or three are gathered together in His name. He is Tabernacling among us here in human flesh. And He is our Peace. (Micah 5:5a)

He Uses Thorns

And yet, instead of living in confidence and hope, some still live in fear and despair.

Late in his book, Micah asks the people of Judah and Israel, “What does the LORD require of you?” Then he answers, “To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8). Unfortunately, both nations had abandoned the grace and mercy of the Lord, the only source of spiritual power to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly. Judgment would come on their spiritual rebellion against God.

Israel and Judah turned to other gods, thinking that those other gods would help. They didn’t look to the one true God at all. Their communities were under siege by their enemies yet, instead of piling on with condemnation, the Lord sends the Prophet Micah to give a message of hope, of forgiveness, and a future. They have been completely humbled, and the Lord lifted them up.

We need this too, because we live in a time when some of the world’s leaders are predicting doom and gloom — a dark winter.

We live in an age with the words of Jesus Himself are coming to pass, that father and mother will turn on their children, and children will turn on their parents. And instead of looking to Jesus only, who is the author and perfecter of our faith; we pay more attention to the problems around us.

Some spend more time fussing and fuming over things of this world, that they have lost sight of the eternal.

Some are so governed by pride that when they look at their inability to accomplish goals, they become filled with despair.

Some have even forgotten that since sin entered the world and humanity was expelled from Paradise, man must now live with the curse of sin, where disease and sickness is part of our existence. And when a virus comes to town they act as if sometime new — strange and peculiar—has come upon them. They have forgotten that thorns, thistles, and pain is part of our lot.

Some have even convinced themselves that they can tame the dragon, that old serpent, with their own logic and ability.

But, dear friends, our Lord God love you so much that He allows what we perceive as bad to take place in our life in order to humble us. You see, St. Paul dealt with something he called a thorn in the flesh — a messenger of Satan — to torment him. Three times he turned to the Lord in prayer over this matter, and God’s response was direct and to the point: “My grace is sufficient for you, because my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Cor 12:7-9)

What is happening today that is allowing fear and despair to rule your life?

Focus on Jesus and not the situation. Perhaps the situation is your thorn in the flesh, to humble you. You see, God ALWAYS chooses the lowly things of this world and the despised things, and the things, and the things that are not, to do away with the things that are, so that no one may boast before God.” (1 Cor. 1:28-29).

Keep moving forward and do not let it paralyze you by keeping you living in fear. Your God comes near to you now, just as He did in the days of old. He has not abandoned or forsaken you. Perhaps whatever is pressing in on you today God wants to use to humble you so He can lift you up.

Part of a Lifeguard’s job is to dive into a bodies of water to rescue people who are in trouble, like drowning. But the one being saved must stop thrashing around so the Lifeguard can do his/her job. Likewise our Lord Jesus. His desire is to lift you up from the situations have have weighed you down.

What is that thorn in the flesh that is weighing you down this Christmas? Let the message of Immanuel — God with us — lift you from that thorny brier of life.

Just think: He choose Mary and announced to her that she would bear a Son. Instead of fearing what other were bound to say and do, she broke out into a song of praise:

For the Mighty God has done great things for me;

And His mercy shall reach from age to age.

Holy is His name.

He Promises a Home

Friends, your Lord Jesus has not abandoned you! In fact, He comes near to you now as you hear these words and receive His sacrament.

And He will always be with you, because He Tabernacles with those who believe and are baptized.

This means, as promised in John 14, that He is preparing a place for you in His Father house. “In my Father’s house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you.”

Brothers and sisters, this also means that you have nothing to fear in this life. The thorns and thistles of this world — even that thorn in your flesh — are no match for the your Lord Jesus.

In fact, He has defeated them all when His own body was nailed to the cross for you — as you substitute.

Though the world and the devil would have us live in fear over what is taking place in this world, we would be advised to listen to what God has said through St Paul — Romans 8:36-37 — “For your sake we are being put to death all day long. We are considered as sheep to be slaughtered. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”

You are God’s holy children — You’re a Holy Nation — and the rough waters, even storms of life are no match for your Lord Jesus.

The storm may seem overwhelming right now, but remember the good news that God had Micah bring to His people when they were being overrun. A new Ruler has been born in Bethlehem who will shoulder all of this for you.

Remember when the disciples were out on the storm-tossed sea. Jesus is asleep in the back of the boat—God in the flesh is with them—and they accuse him of not caring that they were going to die? What did He do? He lifted them up from the gloom of destruction and calmed the storm.

Conclusion

Therefore friends, Jesus meets our every need as He comes Near to you during this season. No matter the thorn in the flesh you carry today, God’s grace is sufficient for you.

He Lifts Up the Humbled in ways we would never consider — He does the Opposite of what we would do. He Lift Up the Humbled from their Thorns, and He Lifts Up the Humbled by promising a Home.