But As For Me, I Will Watch for the Lord
December 7, 2025 · Minor Prophets
Scripture referenced 18 passages
The passage this message was preached from, in full, with every other passage it reached for.
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Luke 2 Advent reading about the angel appearing to the shepherds with good news
1 Now in those days, a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled.
2 This was the first enrollment made when Quirinius was governor of Syria.
3 All went to enroll themselves, everyone to his own city.
4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to David’s city, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David;
5 to enroll himself with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him as wife, being pregnant.
6 While they were there, the day had come for her to give birth.
7 She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a feeding trough, because there was no room for them in the inn.
8 There were shepherds in the same country staying in the field, and keeping watch by night over their flock.
9 Behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
10 The angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people.
11 For there is born to you today, in David’s city, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
12 This is the sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a feeding trough.”
13 Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army praising God, and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will toward men.”
15 When the angels went away from them into the sky, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem, now, and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”
16 They came with haste, and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby was lying in the feeding trough.
17 When they saw it, they publicized widely the saying which was spoken to them about this child.
18 All who heard it wondered at the things which were spoken to them by the shepherds.
19 But Mary kept all these sayings, pondering them in her heart.
20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, just as it was told them.
21 When eight days were fulfilled for the circumcision of the child, his name was called Jesus, which was given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
22 When the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were fulfilled, they brought him up to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord
23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”),
24 and to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.”
25 Behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him.
26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.
27 He came in the Spirit into the temple. When the parents brought in the child, Jesus, that they might do concerning him according to the custom of the law,
28 then he received him into his arms, and blessed God, and said,
29 “Now you are releasing your servant, Master, according to your word, in peace;
30 for my eyes have seen your salvation,
31 which you have prepared before the face of all peoples;
32 a light for revelation to the nations, and the glory of your people Israel.”
33 Joseph and his mother were marveling at the things which were spoken concerning him,
34 and Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary, his mother, “Behold, this child is set for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which is spoken against.
35 Yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”
36 There was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher (she was of a great age, having lived with a husband seven years from her virginity,
37 and she had been a widow for about eighty-four years), who didn’t depart from the temple, worshiping with fastings and petitions night and day.
38 Coming up at that very hour, she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of him to all those who were looking for redemption in Jerusalem.
39 When they had accomplished all things that were according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth.
40 The child was growing, and was becoming strong in spirit, being filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.
41 His parents went every year to Jerusalem at the feast of the Passover.
42 When he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast,
43 and when they had fulfilled the days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. Joseph and his mother didn’t know it,
44 but supposing him to be in the company, they went a day’s journey, and they looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances.
45 When they didn’t find him, they returned to Jerusalem, looking for him.
46 After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the middle of the teachers, both listening to them, and asking them questions.
47 All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.
48 When they saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us this way? Behold, your father and I were anxiously looking for you.”
49 He said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?”
50 They didn’t understand the saying which he spoke to them.
51 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth. He was subject to them, and his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.
52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.
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Keep this verse
2 Thessalonians 3:16
Advent candle of peace lighting, read by the Hammond family
16 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in all ways. The Lord be with you all.
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Micah 5:2
prophecy of Messiah's birthplace in Bethlehem
2 But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, being small among the clans of Judah, out of you one will come out to me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings out are from of old, from ancient times.
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Micah 5
messianic prophecy that the coming one will shepherd his flock and be their peace against the Assyrian
1 Now you shall gather yourself in troops, daughter of troops. He has laid siege against us. They will strike the judge of Israel with a rod on the cheek.
2 But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, being small among the clans of Judah, out of you one will come out to me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings out are from of old, from ancient times.
3 Therefore he will abandon them until the time that she who is in labor gives birth. Then the rest of his brothers will return to the children of Israel.
4 He shall stand, and shall shepherd in the strength of Yahweh, in the majesty of the name of Yahweh his God: and they will live, for then he will be great to the ends of the earth.
5 He will be our peace when Assyria invades our land, and when he marches through our fortresses, then we will raise against him seven shepherds, and eight leaders of men.
6 They will rule the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in its gates. He will deliver us from the Assyrian, when he invades our land, and when he marches within our border.
7 The remnant of Jacob will be among many peoples, like dew from Yahweh, like showers on the grass, that don’t wait for man, nor wait for the sons of men.
8 The remnant of Jacob will be among the nations, among many peoples, like a lion among the animals of the forest, like a young lion among the flocks of sheep; who, if he goes through, treads down and tears in pieces, and there is no one to deliver.
9 Let your hand be lifted up above your adversaries, and let all of your enemies be cut off.
10 “It will happen in that day”, says Yahweh, “that I will cut off your horses out from among you, and will destroy your chariots.
11 I will cut off the cities of your land, and will tear down all your strongholds.
12 I will destroy witchcraft from your hand; and you shall have no soothsayers.
13 I will cut off your engraved images and your pillars out from among you; and you shall no more worship the work of your hands.
14 I will uproot your Asherah poles out from among you; and I will destroy your cities.
15 I will execute vengeance in anger, and wrath on the nations that didn’t listen.”
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Micah 6:1
God calls the mountains as witnesses to his indictment against his people
1 Listen now to what Yahweh says: “Arise, plead your case before the mountains, and let the hills hear what you have to say.
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Micah 6:6-7
rhetorical questions about what sacrifices could satisfy God
6 How shall I come before Yahweh, and bow myself before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?
7 Will Yahweh be pleased with thousands of rams? With tens of thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my disobedience? The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
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Micah 6:8
the Lord requires doing justice, loving kindness, and walking humbly with God
8 He has shown you, O man, what is good. What does Yahweh require of you, but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?
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Micah 6:9-11
the voice of the Lord calling to the city, questioning dishonest weights and measures
9 Yahweh’s voice calls to the city, and wisdom sees your name: “Listen to the rod, and he who appointed it.
10 Are there yet treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and a short ephah that is accursed?
11 Shall I be pure with dishonest scales, and with a bag of deceitful weights?
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Micah 6:12-16
judgment on the city for violence, lies, and following the statutes of Omri and Ahab
12 Her rich men are full of violence, her inhabitants speak lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their speech.
13 Therefore I also have struck you with a grievous wound. I have made you desolate because of your sins.
14 You shall eat, but not be satisfied. Your humiliation will be within you. You will store up, but not save; and that which you save I will give up to the sword.
15 You will sow, but won’t reap. You will tread the olives, but won’t anoint yourself with oil; and crush grapes, but won’t drink the wine.
16 For the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of Ahab’s house. You walk in their counsels, that I may make you a ruin, and her inhabitants a hissing; And you will bear the reproach of my people.”
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Micah 7
Micah's lament over the absence of godly people and the dysfunction around him
1 Misery is mine! Indeed, I am like one who gathers the summer fruits, as gleanings of the vineyard: There is no cluster of grapes to eat. My soul desires to eat the early fig.
2 The godly man has perished out of the earth, and there is no one upright among men. They all lie in wait for blood; every man hunts his brother with a net.
3 Their hands are on that which is evil to do it diligently. The ruler and judge ask for a bribe; and the powerful man dictates the evil desire of his soul. Thus they conspire together.
4 The best of them is like a brier. The most upright is worse than a thorn hedge. The day of your watchmen, even your visitation, has come; now is the time of their confusion.
5 Don’t trust in a neighbor. Don’t put confidence in a friend. With the woman lying in your embrace, be careful of the words of your mouth!
6 For the son dishonors the father, the daughter rises up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own house.
7 But as for me, I will look to Yahweh. I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me.
8 Don’t rejoice against me, my enemy. When I fall, I will arise. When I sit in darkness, Yahweh will be a light to me.
9 I will bear the indignation of Yahweh, because I have sinned against him, until he pleads my case, and executes judgment for me. He will bring me out to the light. I will see his righteousness.
10 Then my enemy will see it, and shame will cover her who said to me, where is Yahweh your God? Then my enemy will see me and will cover her shame. Now she will be trodden down like the mire of the streets.
11 A day to build your walls— In that day, he will extend your boundary.
12 In that day they will come to you from Assyria and the cities of Egypt, and from Egypt even to the River, and from sea to sea, and mountain to mountain.
13 Yet the land will be desolate because of those who dwell therein, for the fruit of their doings.
14 Shepherd your people with your staff, the flock of your heritage, who dwell by themselves in a forest, in the middle of fertile pasture land, let them feed; in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old.
15 “As in the days of your coming out of the land of Egypt, I will show them marvelous things.”
16 The nations will see and be ashamed of all their might. They will lay their hand on their mouth. Their ears will be deaf.
17 They will lick the dust like a serpent. Like crawling things of the earth they shall come trembling out of their dens. They will come with fear to Yahweh our God, and will be afraid because of you.
18 Who is a God like you, who pardons iniquity, and passes over the disobedience of the remnant of his heritage? He doesn’t retain his anger forever, because he delights in loving kindness.
19 He will again have compassion on us. He will tread our iniquities under foot; and you will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.
20 You will give truth to Jacob, and mercy to Abraham, as you have sworn to our fathers from the days of old.
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Numbers 22-24
the story of Balak and Balaam, referenced to explain the Micah 6 passage
22:1 The children of Israel traveled, and encamped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan at Jericho.
22:2 Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.
22:3 Moab was very afraid of the people, because they were many. Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.
22:4 Moab said to the elders of Midian, “Now this multitude will lick up all that is around us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field.” Balak the son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time.
22:5 He sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor, to Pethor, which is by the River, to the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, “Behold, there is a people who came out of Egypt. Behold, they cover the surface of the earth, and they are staying opposite me.
22:6 Please come now therefore curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall prevail, that we may strike them, and that I may drive them out of the land; for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.”
22:7 The elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand. They came to Balaam, and spoke to him the words of Balak.
22:8 He said to them, “Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as Yahweh shall speak to me.” The princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.
22:9 God came to Balaam, and said, “Who are these men with you?”
22:10 Balaam said to God, “Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has said to me,
22:11 ‘Behold, the people that has come out of Egypt covers the surface of the earth. Now, come curse me them. Perhaps I shall be able to fight against them, and shall drive them out.’”
22:12 God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them. You shall not curse the people; for they are blessed.”
22:13 Balaam rose up in the morning, and said to the princes of Balak, “Go to your land; for Yahweh refuses to permit me to go with you.”
22:14 The princes of Moab rose up, and they went to Balak, and said, “Balaam refuses to come with us.”
22:15 Balak again sent princes, more, and more honorable than they.
22:16 They came to Balaam, and said to him, “Thus says Balak the son of Zippor, ‘Please let nothing hinder you from coming to me,
22:17 for I will promote you to very great honor, and whatever you say to me I will do. Please come therefore, and curse this people for me.’”
22:18 Balaam answered the servants of Balak, “If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I can’t go beyond the word of Yahweh my God, to do less or more.
22:19 Now therefore please stay here tonight as well, that I may know what else Yahweh will speak to me.”
22:20 God came to Balaam at night, and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, rise up, go with them; but only the word which I speak to you, that you shall do.”
22:21 Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.
22:22 God’s anger burned because he went; and Yahweh’s angel placed himself in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him.
22:23 The donkey saw Yahweh’s angel standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and the donkey turned out of the path, and went into the field. Balaam struck the donkey, to turn her into the path.
22:24 Then Yahweh’s angel stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.
22:25 The donkey saw Yahweh’s angel, and she thrust herself to the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall. He struck her again.
22:26 Yahweh’s angel went further, and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.
22:27 The donkey saw Yahweh’s angel, and she lay down under Balaam. Balaam’s anger burned, and he struck the donkey with his staff.
22:28 Yahweh opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?”
22:29 Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have mocked me, I wish there were a sword in my hand, for now I would have killed you.”
22:30 The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long until today? Was I ever in the habit of doing so to you?” He said, “No.”
22:31 Then Yahweh opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw Yahweh’s angel standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and he bowed his head, and fell on his face.
22:32 Yahweh’s angel said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out as an adversary, because your way is perverse before me.
22:33 The donkey saw me, and turned away before me these three times. Unless she had turned away from me, surely now I would have killed you, and saved her alive.”
22:34 Balaam said to Yahweh’s angel, “I have sinned; for I didn’t know that you stood in the way against me. Now therefore, if it displeases you, I will go back again.”
22:35 Yahweh’s angel said to Balaam, “Go with the men; but only the word that I shall speak to you, that you shall speak.” So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.
22:36 When Balak heard that Balaam had come, he went out to meet him to the City of Moab, which is on the border of the Arnon, which is in the utmost part of the border.
22:37 Balak said to Balaam, “Didn’t I earnestly send for you to summon you? Why didn’t you come to me? Am I not able indeed to promote you to honor?”
22:38 Balaam said to Balak, “Behold, I have come to you. Have I now any power at all to speak anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that shall I speak.”
22:39 Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath Huzoth.
22:40 Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes who were with him.
22:41 In the morning, Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal; and he saw from there part of the people.
23:1 Balaam said to Balak, “Build here seven altars for me, and prepare here seven bulls and seven rams for me.”…
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Psalm 14
there is no righteous one, no not one, quoted in connection with Micah's lament
1 The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt. They have done abominable deeds. There is no one who does good.
2 Yahweh looked down from heaven on the children of men, to see if there were any who understood, who sought after God.
3 They have all gone aside. They have together become corrupt. There is no one who does good, no, not one.
4 Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge, who eat up my people as they eat bread, and don’t call on Yahweh?
5 There they were in great fear, for God is in the generation of the righteous.
6 You frustrate the plan of the poor, because Yahweh is his refuge.
7 Oh that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion! When Yahweh restores the fortunes of his people, then Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.
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Psalm 53
noted as identical in content to Psalm 14, no one seeks after God
1 The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity. There is no one who does good.
2 God looks down from heaven on the children of men, to see if there are any who understood, who seek after God.
3 Every one of them has gone back. They have become filthy together. There is no one who does good, no, not one.
4 Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge, who eat up my people as they eat bread, and don’t call on God?
5 There they were in great fear, where no fear was, for God has scattered the bones of him who encamps against you. You have put them to shame, because God has rejected them.
6 Oh that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion! When God brings back his people from captivity, then Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.
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Romans 3
there is no righteous one, no not one, all have sinned and fall short
1 Then what advantage does the Jew have? Or what is the profit of circumcision?
2 Much in every way! Because first of all, they were entrusted with the revelations of God.
3 For what if some were without faith? Will their lack of faith nullify the faithfulness of God?
4 May it never be! Yes, let God be found true, but every man a liar. As it is written, “That you might be justified in your words, and might prevail when you come into judgment.”
5 But if our unrighteousness commends the righteousness of God, what will we say? Is God unrighteous who inflicts wrath? I speak like men do.
6 May it never be! For then how will God judge the world?
7 For if the truth of God through my lie abounded to his glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner?
8 Why not (as we are slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say), “Let us do evil, that good may come?” Those who say so are justly condemned.
9 What then? Are we better than they? No, in no way. For we previously warned both Jews and Greeks, that they are all under sin.
10 As it is written, “There is no one righteous; no, not one.
11 There is no one who understands. There is no one who seeks after God.
12 They have all turned away. They have together become unprofitable. There is no one who does good, no, not so much as one.”
13 “Their throat is an open tomb. With their tongues they have used deceit.” “The poison of vipers is under their lips”;
14 “whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.”
15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood.
16 Destruction and misery are in their ways.
17 The way of peace, they haven’t known.”
18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
19 Now we know that whatever things the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be closed, and all the world may be brought under the judgment of God.
20 Because by the works of the law, no flesh will be justified in his sight. For through the law comes the knowledge of sin.
21 But now apart from the law, a righteousness of God has been revealed, being testified by the law and the prophets;
22 even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all and on all those who believe. For there is no distinction,
23 for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;
24 being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus;
25 whom God sent to be an atoning sacrifice, through faith in his blood, for a demonstration of his righteousness through the passing over of prior sins, in God’s forbearance;
26 to demonstrate his righteousness at this present time; that he might himself be just, and the justifier of him who has faith in Jesus.
27 Where then is the boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith.
28 We maintain therefore that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.
29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Isn’t he the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also,
30 since indeed there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith, and the uncircumcised through faith.
31 Do we then nullify the law through faith? May it never be! No, we establish the law.
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1 Peter 5:6
humble yourself under the mighty hand of God and he will lift you up at the proper time
6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time;
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Micah 7:18-20
who is a God like you who pardons wrongdoing and casts sins into the depths of the sea
18 Who is a God like you, who pardons iniquity, and passes over the disobedience of the remnant of his heritage? He doesn’t retain his anger forever, because he delights in loving kindness.
19 He will again have compassion on us. He will tread our iniquities under foot; and you will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.
20 You will give truth to Jacob, and mercy to Abraham, as you have sworn to our fathers from the days of old.
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John 14:6
Jesus says I am the way the truth and the life, connected to Micah's promise of truth
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.
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1 Corinthians 11
words of institution for communion, on the night Jesus was betrayed he took bread
1 Be imitators of me, even as I also am of Christ.
2 Now I praise you, brothers, that you remember me in all things, and hold firm the traditions, even as I delivered them to you.
3 But I would have you know that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.
4 Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonors his head.
5 But every woman praying or prophesying with her head uncovered dishonors her head. For it is one and the same thing as if she were shaved.
6 For if a woman is not covered, let her hair also be cut off. But if it is shameful for a woman to have her hair cut off or be shaved, let her be covered.
7 For a man indeed ought not to have his head covered, because he is the image and glory of God, but the woman is the glory of the man.
8 For man is not from woman, but woman from man;
9 for man wasn’t created for the woman, but woman for the man.
10 For this cause the woman ought to have authority over her own head, because of the angels.
11 Nevertheless, neither is the woman independent of the man, nor the man independent of the woman, in the Lord.
12 For as woman came from man, so a man also comes through a woman; but all things are from God.
13 Judge for yourselves. Is it appropriate that a woman pray to God unveiled?
14 Doesn’t even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him?
15 But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her, for her hair is given to her for a covering.
16 But if any man seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither do God’s assemblies.
17 But in giving you this command, I don’t praise you, that you come together not for the better but for the worse.
18 For first of all, when you come together in the assembly, I hear that divisions exist among you, and I partly believe it.
19 For there also must be factions among you, that those who are approved may be revealed among you.
20 When therefore you assemble yourselves together, it is not the Lord’s supper that you eat.
21 For in your eating each one takes his own supper first. One is hungry, and another is drunken.
22 What, don’t you have houses to eat and to drink in? Or do you despise God’s assembly, and put them to shame who don’t have enough? What shall I tell you? Shall I praise you? In this I don’t praise you.
23 For I received from the Lord that which also I delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night in which he was betrayed took bread.
24 When he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “Take, eat. This is my body, which is broken for you. Do this in memory of me.”
25 In the same way he also took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink, in memory of me.”
26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
27 Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks the Lord’s cup in a way unworthy of the Lord will be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord.
28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and drink of the cup.
29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy way eats and drinks judgment to himself, if he doesn’t discern the Lord’s body.
30 For this cause many among you are weak and sickly, and not a few sleep.
31 For if we discerned ourselves, we wouldn’t be judged.
32 But when we are judged, we are punished by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.
33 Therefore, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another.
34 But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest your coming together be for judgment. The rest I will set in order whenever I come.
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Recap
The message in order, in a few minutes of reading.
This was the second Sunday of Advent, and Pastor Ray continued the church's study through the minor prophets by walking through the book of Micah. He traced Micah's movement from sharp judgment to genuine hope, showing how the prophet's words, written around 750 years before Christ, point directly to Jesus. The service closed with communion and a story from Pastor Ray's own office that put the whole message in a nutshell.
What was said
Micah opens with a prophecy most people hear at Christmas without knowing where it comes from: Bethlehem is the birthplace of the coming ruler, whose origins are from eternity. Pastor Ray pointed out that when the wise men later ask the scholars where Messiah is to be born, nobody has to look it up. Micah settled it seven centuries earlier. That ruler, Micah says, will shepherd his flock and will himself be their peace, which is exactly the language the New Testament applies to Jesus.
The judgment running through Micah is not random wrath. Pastor Ray framed it against five hundred years of bad kings, Omri and Ahab being the worst examples, who led Israel into idolatry and the worship of Baal. God's case against his own people is that they followed the way of those kings rather than his way. The color-coded slides Pastor Ray used through the sermon flagged this material in red, and he was candid that it is hard going, but he kept returning to the point that there is always a faithful remnant, even in the worst of times.
To explain why God rehearses his own track record in chapter six, Pastor Ray told the story of Balak and Balaam from Numbers 22 through 24. Balak, king of Moab, hired Balaam to curse Israel for a fee. God stopped Balaam supernaturally and told him he could go, but every word out of his mouth would be God's word. Blessing after blessing came out instead of curses, and Balak kept moving him to a new hilltop hoping for a different result. The point Micah is making by referencing this is the same one Balaam himself acknowledged: what God has determined to do is what will be done, regardless of what anyone is paying you to say.
Micah 6:8 is the passage Pastor Ray called the center of the book, and he mentioned that a hand-lettered sign on a brick house along his seminary commute displayed it every single day. God is not asking for more elaborate sacrifices or bigger gifts. He has already told every person what is good: do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God. The Hebrew word behind "kindness" is the same word used throughout the Psalms for the steadfast love of the Lord, which, Pastor Ray said, never stops, even when it is being resisted.
Micah's lament in chapter seven reads like someone looking around at his own moment in history and finding almost nothing to encourage him. The godly have perished, the leaders and judges are all taking bribes, families are fractured, neighbors cannot be trusted. Pastor Ray was careful to say Micah is not speaking from a platform of moral superiority. He is lamenting alongside everyone else, because "there is no righteous one, no not one" applies equally to the prophet. That equality at the foot of the cross, Pastor Ray said, is actually the hopeful part.
The turn comes with "but as for me." Micah resolves to watch for the Lord, wait for the God of his salvation, and trust that God will plead his case and bring him out to the light. Though he falls, he will rise. Though he lives in darkness, the Lord is a light. The book closes with a prayer asking God to shepherd his people and a declaration that God delights in mercy, casts sins into the depths of the sea, and is not a liar. That forward-looking confidence, Pastor Ray said, is the same confidence New Testament believers hold, only now looking back to the cross rather than forward to it.
The sermon closed with communion, and before the benediction Pastor Ray told a story about two Boy Scouts earning a religious badge in his office. One had been in church his whole life and answered the question about salvation by listing things he needed to do. The other, who had no church background, looked up and said, "You said Jesus did it. I'll take that." Pastor Ray let that be the last word before the final song.
Doing a Bible study?
Here is a guide we have prepared for you: the passages in order, questions for the group, and room to write.
- The pastor pointed out that Micah 5:2 names Bethlehem as the birthplace of Messiah roughly 750 years before it happened. What does that kind of long-range prophecy do for your confidence in the rest of Scripture?
- Micah 6:8 says God requires us to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God. The pastor said this is addressed to God's own people, not just outsiders. Where do you find it hardest to live out one of those three things right now?
and 3 more questions in the guide
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