Advent - Love

Intro:

An Act of love. Small gestures. Big sacrifices. But we also have the tendency in our world to see love as something that never confronts. A love that never calls people to seek after God, to leave their own ways and to follow Christ. The bible says love does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. The Bible also tell us that God is love. So as we enter into this final Sunday before Christmas we are going to see it from the aspect of Divine Love. So what are some ways that God has shown us this love that we talk about?

First we need a bit of background about the book of Micah.

The book of Micah was written

Micah prophesied in Judah during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah (about 750–700 b.c.), at about the same time as Isaiah. It was a time of prosperity, and Micah denounced the wealthy, who were oppressing the poor, and warned of impending judgment. The northern kingdom actually fell during Micah’s ministry, in 722, and Judah almost fell in 701 (2 Kings 18–20). The book contains three sections, which alternate between words of warning and messages of hope. Micah told of a day when there would be peace among all nations, who would then be able to “beat their swords into plowshares” (4:3), and of a royal deliverer who would save God’s people from all her enemies. This deliverer would be born in Bethlehem (5:2).

So what does this have to do with Love?

First, given the context of the book we see that God is longsuffering, patient, gracious, and merciful. Now none of those words are used in this passage, but the concept is clearly present. The context of this book is that both the Northern and Southern kingdom has sinned continually against the Lord. So much so that they will experience judgment. But God has not wiped his hands clean. He has made a plan of rescue.

But what is astounding to me is the type of people God uses.

Little People from little places. Here are just a few examples. Ruth. You have a widow who follows her mother-in-law to her land. Ruth is the great grand-mother of David. Also, David was the least of his brothers. When God sent his prophet Samuel to anoint a new king, David wasn’t even brought before Samuel. Samuel had to ask if there were any other sons of Jesse. Then think of Jesus’ parents. His earthly father was a tradesman. He was a carpenter. We wasn’t in the upper elite of society. And the town they were from, Bethlehem was insignificant.

Obadiah, Jonah and Micah: An Introduction and Commentary (h. The Once and Future King (5:1–6))

Bethlehem, too insignificant to be mentioned by the cartographer of the book of Joshua or in Micah’s catalogue of Judah’s cities of defence (Mic. 1:10–15;

If I were to speculate as to why, I would venture to guess that it is a way of showing that God is the one who is doing the work. He is the one who gets the glory because there is no way, the people in the bible are capable of doing any of the things that God asked them.

Ephathrah means...

1. The ancient name of *Bethlehem Judah, which occurs in all cases but one (Gn. 48:7 ’ep̱rāṯ) in the form ’ep̱rāṯâ. Rachel was buried on the route there from Bethel (Gn. 35:16, 19; 48:7; cf. 1 Sa. 10:2); it was the home of Naomi’s family (Ru. 4:11), who are described as Ephrathites (’ep̱rāṯî Ru. 1:2), of Ruth’s descendant David (1 Sa. 17:12; cf. Ps. 132:6), and of the Messiah, as foretold in Mi. 5:2.

And Micah’s point is clear, from this tiny, insignificant town is going to be a ruler. Not just any ruler, but one from God himself. And the implications of this are simple enough. All the rulers have been far from ideal. Even the best kings have been a problem. They have not lead God’s people well. In fact, some have even lead them to idolatry. They actually encouraged false worship. More than just turning a blind eye toward it. These failures of Israel’s rulers were stark reminders that God would need to do something drastic. That sin was going to forever mark the rulers, and God’s people, unless God showed up and did something. This is why it is essential for the ruler to be for God. Not for himself, but to point people back to the Lord.

Another interesting feature about this passage, is that it is quoted in the gospel of Matthew.

English Standard Version (Chapter 2)

2 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:6  “ ‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’ 

Is this amazing. Jesus was born in the town prophesied here and to the proper tribe. This does not happen by chance, or by accident. You see God’s divine hand guiding the process here. God is at work and is orchestrating events so that his will is carried out. And we see here that something that was prophesied about 700 years before it happened came to pass.

Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah ((5) From Helpless Ruler to Ideal King (5:1–4; Mt 4:14–5:3))

Matthew’s quotation of Micah’s prophecy [Matt 2:6] has set it in a new perspective for the Christian reader of the Old Testament. The deliverer has come to this world in the person of Jesus; like David, Jesus is the new Shepherd of God’s sheep, offering security from external enemies and a life of security. Jesus, of the Davidic line, is above all a gift of God to this world. To those who feel shut in on every side, like the besieged citizens of Jerusalem who first heard these words, Jesus brings the prospect of deliverance and security. And that is the essence of the Christmas message: God makes a gift to a besieged world through whom deliverance may come.

We too see that there are Divine Origins of the ruler. The Hebrew Word Olam often means forever or eternity. And some translations have ancient days, others have eternity.

I think eternal fits for a few reasons.

The sending of Christ was part of the eternal plan of God

Ephesians 1:3-4 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.

What this is saying is that even before sin entered the world, Gods’ plan was to send Jesus.

2. The ruler is eternal

John 1:1-3 “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 was not any thing made that was made.”

So I opt for eternity. I think the Divine Author, God himself is speaking through Micah and showing us who Jesus is. That yes he is human, born of the virgin Mary Micah 5:3, but he is also fully God.

But until that time, they will be waiting for the ruler.

God’s Love Cannot be stopped

Not by people, places, or problems. God will send his ruler through an insignificant birthplace to some insignificant people.

And in the midst of problems, like exile, God’s love cannot be stopped.

And if you think about it , we too experience a form of exile. This place is not our home. It will be, but it is not yet.

Ourselves and our world are under a rennovation. Have you ever been in a house that is being renovated. Its’ messy, dirty, noisy, works being done, you know at the end its going to be great, but in the meantime, its frustrating. It’s painful.

Even in a world that doesn’t feel like home, in a place with a people that are hostile to the gospel, God’s love cannot be stoped.

Now we see that what is on the outside, is not reality. It may seem like God is not at work. Micah 5:3 intimates that, but God is still working

Just as he promises to grant return for God’s people, he is still in the process of gathering his people. This is what the church plant is all about. We want to gather and perfect the saints. We want people to hear and receive the gospel. We think this is done normally through the local church. This is why we wanted to be here in Queen Creek. To tell people about Jesus. And God uses the body of Christ, the church to be outposts of his love.

God’s Love conveyed through of the Shepherd

First, he will begin his rule over them (“will stand” probably meaning something like “will be installed as King”; cf. Ps 2:6 for the concept). Alternatively, the sense may be that his reign will endure or last forever.

Kenneth L. Barker, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, vol. 20, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1999), 100.

Obadiah, Jonah and Micah: An Introduction and Commentary h. The Once and Future King (5:1–6)

Having launched his kingdom with his brothers, the Messiah will stand (i.e. endure forever; cf. Pss 33:11; 111:3 130:3; Isa. 14:24) because he rules in the strength of the Lord and to the ends of the earth.

unlike the the kings before who all failed, and the kingdom which has been left in shambles, this one will endure. He will care for the people, no in their own strength. They won’t do it on their own. But Jesus, who is full of the Spirit, Luke 4:1 “And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness”

lead in the strength Yahweh. The covenant name for God. Here is what this means. That means that Jesus leads and defends his church. He leads us as a shepherd.

This metaphor is found in many different passages throughout the Scriptures.

Cf. Psalm 23 for example shows us what it means for the Lord to be our Shepherd.

He restores our soul. He gives us nourishment for our soul. Jesus came so that we can have life and have it abundantly. This is not talking about merely physical abundance, but life with God. Communion with him. That is how your soul gets nourished. Through God’s provision. He provides so well for his people that they have their needs met.

And he provides restoration for weary souls. Matthew 11:29 “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

He leads us in righteousness. He leads us into holiness and rightoeuss living.

Aren’t you glad he is the one to lead us.

Have you ever been in a situation where someone is leading you, and they have no idea where they are going. Your driving around town, or walking in a city, and they are utterly clueless, but they are pretending they know what is going on. They may say something like, oh I think it is just up here a little ways. Or I think it might be around the corner. You suggest, hey how about we ask for directions. And they say don’t worry about it. I know where we are going.

We its not like that with God. He knows where he is taking us. He is like an ice sculptor, he know exactly where he needs to cut, to make us look more like Jesus. It may hurt, but it is for our good.

And the he is with us.

John 10:4-5 “When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.””

Jesus calls his sheep.

And the good shepherd does what?

John 10:11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”

This is how Jesus can ultimately be a good shepherd for us. He rules first by lying down his life. He shows his care and compassion by giving of himself. As the shepherd ruler. He lays down his life, for our sake, and is raised again and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty. So this idea of standing is permanent. Matthew 28:18 “And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”

So God’s love is conveyed through the Shepherd. He is one who leads, feeds, and bleeds for his sheep.

As God Conveys his love for us, my hope for you and for myself is that we would have security.

God’s love for his people is beyond what we can comprehend. We can try to find ways to negate it or minimize it. But the way we try to stop is no more effective than using a pebble to stop Niagara falls. Just like the water fall at Niagra falls overpowers, so God’s love is sure, secure, and overpowers our resistiince.

The security we receive is not from us. It is not because our grip is so strong. When our kids where younger, we used to swing them, with the…read 1,2,3 and swing them bewween us. Now our track record was flawless, we never dropped one of our kids doing that. The reason why is not because our children had tremendous grip strength. They didn’t . They were kept safe and secure because our grip was strong enough to hold on to them. In the same way, our security in the Lord is not because we are so strong, it is because our shepherd is!. John 10:28-30 “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.””

Application: Receive the shepherd. Receive his care. Receive his love. This is so important that the Apostle Paul prays to that end

Ephesians 3:16-19 “that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”

Paul prays for the church in Ephesus To know the love of Christ. To grow in their understanding of God’s love. More often than not, we are more liable to underestimate God’s love than overstimate it. How many of us think that God’s grace is too good to be true. I must earn God’s love. I have to do something right. I have to find a way to pay God back for his grace and mercy.

So we misdefine love. Either we think we must earn it in some way. Or we go to the opposite end and think, well since God loves me, I can do whatever I want. He has to love me anyway. Both miss the gospel. He loves you…because he loves you. And his love changes us so we want to obey him.

God’s love does not mean there is no accountablity. Its because of his love that he gives us his law. He is the one who created this world, he is the one who created us. Do we not think he would know the way it operates, how we are to live the in reality he created. Its really absurd to the think we know how to live in his world with out his instruction. It would be like me telling Mark Pareja, our resident technology guru, that the code he wrote would work better, if he would have used this algorithim. I have no idea what I am talking about.

God in his love shepherds us and cares for us. His love may be corrective. But his love isn’t based on what we do. This may be hard for many of us, who felt like that had to do something to be loved. But God’s love is not cold, it is not cautious. It is overwhelming.

But how can we grow in this knowing the love of Christ. How do we see the shepherd at work? And do grow in the experience of his love?

His Spirit, the Holy Spirit Romans 8:16-18 “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”

Sun gives light and heat. We feel the warmth of the sun, in a similar way, the Holy Spirit enables us to sense Christ’s love. So we must look to Christ to understand this love. But what does that mean to look to Christ? How do I see him when he is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty? God’s Word, is His Revelation. That is where the Holy Spirit uses the Word of God, to fill our hearts with the Word of God. Although not inspired, there are some great books available that begin to help you grasp the Love Christ has for his people.

Embrace the security you have.

Peace

We’ve talked a lot about peace, but I do want to highlight something real quick. The source of peace is found in a person. It’s not in a policy, or a treaty, or in a movement, or inner tranquility. It is found in a person!

Ephesians 2:14-17 “For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near.”

Romans 5:8 “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

So its through Jesus Christ, He is our peace.

What now?

Find your comfort this Christmas, not in yourself. Not in your achievements. But in knowing that