Exploring The Minor Prophets -- Part 9

 I am posting this final part of Volume 1 of Exploring the Minor Prophets Today. Volume II will appear in a couple of months. I will post the sermon tomorrow.

Micah

Part 2

     Now, there is something else that I want to bring up from the book of Micah. During Micah's time, some of the people were fasting, praying and going through religious rituals. However, their actions betrayed the fact that they did not really worship God with all of their hearts.

     In Micah 6, God through Micah told the people that all of their religious rituals were nothing if they were practicing injustice to the poor, the oppressed, the immigrant and the underprivileged. If their religion wasn't changing the way that they acted out in the world, then their religion was in vain. 

     In Micah 6:6, God told the people what He expected of them. He told them to, "do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God." Just as then, God expects us who would follow Jesus to do the same things.

     What does it mean to do justice? In the context of Micah, it means making sure that the less fortunate in society are not oppressed and taken advantage of by the privileged and the powerful. The Lord Jesus put it another way in Matthew 25. He told us to look after the least of those among us. Jesus said that if we have done it unto the least of these, we have done it unto Him. 

     As a follower of Jesus, we are obligated to speak up and work to end injustice. We are to speak out against unjust economic systems that oppress workers in their wages. We can read about this in James 5. We are to speak up and stand against racism and sexism. We are to work to end every form of economic injustice.

     I also believe that as followers of Jesus we need to stand for environmental justice. We must stand against the degradation of the planet that is occurring for greed and profit. 

     Micah also tells us that we need to love kindness. Paul in Ephesians says, "Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another as God for Christ's sake has forgiven you."

     The world would benefit greatly from people just being kind and nice to one another. Jesus told us to do unto others as we would have done to us. Kindness and goodness from Christians to one another and to the world at large would go a long way to making this world a better place. 

     We are also told to walk humbly with our God. This is the direct opposite of a prideful and self-seeking life. 

     If you want to know how to live a humble life that is pleasing to God, look to the example of the Lord Jesus. Jesus told us that He did not come to be served but to serve. One way that Jesus demonstrated His humility is by washing His disciples feet in the Upper Room. 

     Jesus demonstrated His humility when He gave up the glories of Heaven to come to this earth taking upon Himself the form of a servant. He humbled Himself and bore our sins in His body on the cross so that all who call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 

     As humble followers of the Lord, let us demonstrate our humility by putting Jesus first in our lives. Let us think about the needs of others before our own needs. Let us not think too highly of ourselves, but let us realize that all that we are or have is by the grace of God.