We started listening in to this message from Micah a few weeks ago, which starts with: The word of the Lord that came to

Transcription

1 Page 1 Micah 7:18-20 He delights in mercy We started listening in to this message from Micah a few weeks ago, which starts with: The word of the Lord that came to Micah God speaking. God is always speaking. If only we would listen. It is an amazing sweeping message that Micah brings. And now we are coming to the end of the arc. The message goes from mountains that melt under the power and awe and shock of his judgment (1:4-5) to his magnificent mercy and compassion (7:18-19), which is the last word of Micah. From melting mountains to magnificent mercy. In the end mercy triumphs over judgment. Micah, which is short for Micaiah, means Who is like Yahweh? Which is what Micah/Micaiah now asks, as he closes his message: 18: Who is a God like you? Who is a God like you? Exclaims Micah, which means Who is like Yahweh? Micah erupts in praise as he exclaims the extravagant mercy of a God who is all-powerful and ever-present. What is God like? What is it that astounds Micah so? The compassion of God. The cleansing power of God. The consistency of God.

2 Page 2 1) The compassion of God 18-19: You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us Remember last week we considered what the Lord requires of us. To act justly to love mercy to walk humbly with our God. The love of mercy is an attribute of God. God loves mercy. God is merciful. Do you remember the Duffy song. I m begging you for mercy. Yes why won t you release me. I m begging you for mercy Jesus tells a story one day, and in that story, he refers to a man who know that he has messed up in life that he is a sinner and he cries out to God: Lord have mercy on me a sinner. I m begging you for mercy. What is God s response to that? How does God respond to your cry for mercy? John Wimber: period of teaching from the gospel of Luke, focusing on the healing ministry of Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit. After every message, they prayed for the sick, they prayed

3 Page 3 for healing, they prayed for signs to follow the preaching of the word. And nothing happened. No-one was healed. Frustration followed. And one night, John Wimber fell to his knees in desperation and cried out to God. Why is nothing happening? Why is no-one healed. Shortly after this, while driving in his car in southern California, John Wimber was given a spiritual vision, which was about God s mercy. Suddenly in my mind s eye there appeared to be a cloud bank superimposed across the sky.the I realised it was not a cloud bank, it was a honeycomb with honey dripping out onto people below. The people were in a variety of postures. Some were reverent; they were weeping and holding their hands out to catch the honey and taste it, even inviting others to take some of their honey. Others acted irritated, wiping the honey off, and complaining about the mess. I was awestruck. Not knowing what to think, I prayed, Lord, what is it? He said, It s my mercy, John. For some people it s a blessing, but to others it s a hindrance. There is plenty for everyone. The problem isn t my end, John. It s down there. What God showed me was that he is much greater than I ever imagined him to be, and with only the smallest act of faith, I could experience his compassion and mercy. I also realised that God s mercy is constantly falling on us, because everything that he does is related to what He is: The Father of compassion.psalm 145:9 says, The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made. But too often I did not see God in the fullness of his mercy and grace. I trusted him to lead me, but I did not trust him to provide for me; I had faith to receive forgiveness of sins and salvation, but I had no faith for divine healing. I never realised God s mercy was

4 Page 4 as readily and abundantly available to me as the honey was available to all under the honeycomb. In the vision, some people rejoiced, freely received, and freely gave away. The more they gave away, the more they received. There is plenty for everyone, the Lord said. Don t ever beg me for healing again. I m begging you for mercy. 18: You do not stay angry forever Time in Germany when Jenny came 2 hours late to a date Couples that can stay angry for days and weeks. Lady who got divorced in the seventies and is still angry. The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. (Psalm 145:8) 18: but delight to show mercy KJV He delighteth in mercy (4 words that I want you to remember from this message I have been turning them over in my mind all week) Dr Carment was a highly esteemed member of the Edinburgh legal profession. One day his pastor, Alexander Whyte, had to consult Carment on a business matter. With the business completed, the old lawyer (for he was about eighty years old) swept the papers and writing materials to the side, and looking straight across the cleared desk, said with deep earnestness, Have ye any word for an old sinner? Dr Whyte was somewhat taken aback at the sudden question, not least because he esteemed Carment as a saint poised for glory. He drew a momentary blank, but then words came to him which he had

5 Page 5 given to various ones he had visited that very afternoon. So he stammered out, He delighteth in mercy and left. Next morning Whyte received a letter from Dr Carment which told how he had been passing through a season of deep inward darkness, but that the four words left him by his friend had sent a flood of light into his soul. It banished the darkness for good until in a few days he got his glimpse of perfect day. The deep comfort of this text. He does not stay angry forever, but he delights to show mercy. Remember Shakespeare from last week: The quality of mercy is not strained; It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven Upon the place beneath. mercy is above this sceptred sway; It is enthronèd in the hearts of kings, It is an attribute to God himself; Lord have mercy on me a sinner. You don t have to beg God for mercy. He delighteth in mercy. It s his very nature. It is who he is. He loves mercy. It is ingrained in his nature. Peggy Noonan writes of Ronald Reagan s last years. Ravaged by Alzheimer s, the former US President didn t speak much, he couldn t really converse, wasn t really there. But ever during those days, Peggy Noonan reports, the man was so hardwired for courtesy and with regard for others that when he accidentally bumped the arm of the woman who was feeding him he would

6 Page 6 say with perfect enunciation, Oh, I beg your pardon. Though disease was stripping his mental gears it did not eradicate his courtesy it was, Noonan says, just the way he was. That s where Micah leaves us. Why does Yahweh not hold on to his anger for ever? Because he delights in mercy. But why does he delight in mercy? I don t know it s simply the way he is The compassion of God Mercy is God s speciality. He delighteth in mercy you don t need to beg. 2) The cleansing power of God But it s not just that God is compassionate. Empathetic. Kind. Compassionate. What about judgment? What about putting things right? God can and does and has dealt with the issue of our sin and wrongdoing : Who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance Sin/iniquity awon wrong or guilt incurred by it root means to bend or twist something that is twisted or distorted a wrong deed from a twisted nature. Forgives transgression nasa means to lift up or carry. The verb occurs in Leviticus 16:21-22 And Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over it all the iniquities of the people of Israel, and all

7 Page 7 their transgressions, all their sins. And he shall put them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who is in readiness. The goat shall bear all their iniquities on itself to a remote area, and he shall let the goat go free in the wilderness. Burden of guilt transferred to another that substitute carries it away. God is one who carries away iniquity and rebellion and sin. He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed. (1 Peter 2:24 NLT) What are you still carrying and holding on to that Jesus will carry for you has carried for you on the cross? A stain on your soul a deep blot on your conscience that you cannot seem to get rid of or be free of What is your deepest regret? Your greatest shame If I could just turn back the clock If I had my time over Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives (takes upon himself and carries away) the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? But Micah is not finished 19: You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea. There are echoes of Romans 6 here

8 Page 8 We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. (Romans 6:6) Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God s grace. (Romans 6:14) He breaks the power of cancelled sin. You will trample our sins under your feet Dale Ralph-Davies: Micah s doctrine is an antidote to Christian despair which thinks there is no hope of changing some habit, or ceasing some practice, or reversing some pattern of sinful response in a relationship. God tramples down our sins their power can no longer hold us. and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea Not some of our iniquities. The less serious ones. The peccadillos. ALL of them. Into the depths of the seas He gives the Egyptian treatment. Pharaoh s chariots and army he has hurled into the sea. The finest of Pharaoh s officers are drowned in the Red Sea. The deep waters gushed over them; they sank to the bottom like a stone. (Exodus 15:4-5)

9 Page 9 Measuring the Greatest Ocean Depth The Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench is the deepest known point in Earth's oceans. In 2010 the United States Center for Coastal & Ocean Mapping measured the depth of the Challenger Deep at 10,994 meters (36,070 feet) below sea level. If Mount Everest, the highest mountain on Earth, were placed at this location it would be covered by over one mile of water. I don t know what mountain of sin there is in your life but it is covered by the ocean of God s mercy and grace. 7:19 You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea. 3) The consistency of God 20: Abraham and Jacob Who cares about these old geezers from long ago and far away? Why should we care if God is loyal to them? Why do we need to go back to days long ago? Answer: Because God did not start working when you came on the scene Micah takes us back to God s ancient promise (as you pledged on oath to our fathers) namely his commitment to show them his hesed his loving kindness and mercy.

10 Page 10 God is consistent. It is his character to show mercy. He promised it long ago to Abraham and Jacob. And he doesn t forget his promises, or change his nature. It is simply who he is. He is one who carries away our sins and has great compassion on us his remnant people. You don t ever have to beg God for mercy. From melting mountains to magnificent mercy He delighteth in mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment Who is a God like You?!

11 Page 11 Community group discussion points and questions: 1. Do you ever find it difficult to accept and receive the mercy of God? Do you ever feel he is angry with you? Why do you think this is? 2. How can we begin to accept and live in the reality of the fact that God delights in mercy loves mercy? 3. What are some of the ways that we can begin to live as forgiven and loved children of God? 4. In what ways have you experienced and know the compassion and love and mercy of God in your life? How can you pass on this mercy and compassion to others? 5. Like the old lawyer, we too are longing for a sense of forgiveness and mercy. Consider some of the statements of Micah with regard to the forgiveness of our sins and wrongdoings. What are some of the pictures that Micah paints? 6. Do you ever feel that there are things that you have done that are unforgiveable? Or that you still carry guilt for? How can we let go of that guilt and let Jesus carry it for us? 7. Read Leviticus 16:21-22 / 1 Peter 2:24. How can Jesus / has Jesus carried away our sin? 8. Do you ever give in to the lie that you will never be free of a certain habit/weakness/area of sin in your life? Consider Romans 6:6 and Romans 6:14 and Micah s statement that God tramples our sin underfoot. How can we experience

12 Page 12 and live in the reality of this in our own life? 9. Consider together the faithfulness and consistency of God, dating back to Abraham and Jacob. You may want to pray for each other, or find a creative way to let go of things from the past and have them hurled into the depths of the sea. 10. Remember: he delights in mercy.