Christmas 2015
The Coming Shepherd King
January 3, 2016 • Derek Black
* Audio available above, due to a technical difficulty, no video is available for this sermon. God's people during Micah's prophetic ministry stood as a burdened and sinful people. Micah prophesied about impending judgment as well as God's glorious unexpected Gift this His rebellious people. The people stood in need of a guiding shepherd and a glorious king. Micah would proclaim the advent of both! The themes of Micah's prophecy are judgment and restoration. The book can basically be divided up into 3 sections or cycles each with these two themes apparent: 1. Chapters 1-2 - Judgment and Restoration 2. Chapters 3-5 - Judgment and Restoration 3. Chapters 6-7 - Judgment and Restoration As we draw our attention to chapters 4 and 5, we come right in the middle of the second of three cycles of judgment and restoration. It is 5:2 that draws our particular attention at Christmas time, for it is here that we read of Messiah's prophesied birth place. So, how does Micah's prophecy about Israel's rebellion and their impending judgment and yet restoration as well as this prediction of Jesus' birthplace relate to us the church today? The judgment emphasis of chapter 3 builds to the future restorative promises of chapter 4, which then builds to the glorious focus on the future Messianic deliverance foretold in chapter 5. The end of chapter 4 moves back to a judgment focus that culminates in deliverance as the chapter concludes. The latter part of chapter 4 (from verse 9 forward) actually begins a series of 3 consecutive oracles of judgment and salvation that are all introduced by "Now." 1. The FIRST judgment-salvation oracle 4:9-10 2. The SECOND judgment-salvation oracle 4:11-13 3. The THIRD judgment-salvation oracle 5:1-4 In 5:2 Micah includes the glorious conjunction, "But..." He links the unlikely calling of the shepherd boy David to kingship and the promise of the Davidic covenant to the coming Messianic Ruler. This long foretold and sought-for King would come from unlikely Bethlehem, just as the unlikely shepherd boy David. Amidst the bleak outlook of Israel's sin, the coming judgment of Assyria and Babylon, there IS hope! For God has not forgotten His covenant. Israel [God's people] will rise again through God's work of redemption. Furthermore, Israel's influence in birthing the Messiah will bring in many more into the Kingdom than ever expected... all nations! This SHEPHERD-KING will be Israel's peace, and in fact, the peace of the world! In Micah's day Israel and Judah fell prey to corruption, self-centeredness, injustice, devaluing the poor and neglected, and a persistence to continue in their rebellion to God's calling on their lives. Yet, the glorious reality in Micah's day rested in God's faithful plan full of grace and mercy! In our own day we that claim to follow Jesus often fall into similar positions as the people in Micah's day. Do we as followers of Jesus really understand the awesome redemption we've been given? - Regardless of where you may be today in your relationship with our Creator God, will you consider the staggering work of our Amazing God! - Believers, stand in renewed awe at the amazing work of our Faithful, Shepherd-King... our Redeemer God... this season! Walk in renewed holiness and trust Him through the challenges in this life. He won't fail, our glorious Shepherd-King will see you through! - No matter where you've been, no matter what you've done, our Redeemer God extends His calling to embrace Him in faith today! Come to Him! Abandon your life at the foot of the manger, at the foot of the cross, at the foot of His throne in heaven!
The Humble Spirit of Christmas
December 13, 2015 • John Rysdyk
Video Coming Soon In the coming to earth as a child, Jesus showed forth an attitude of humility and selflessness. He was: 1. Willing to forgo His own rights and the privileges for the sake of others. 2. Willing to adjust His own place lifestyle for the sake of others. 3. Willing to go to any extreme to meet the needs of others. We need to be willing to do the same.