Hope has a name
Micah 7:1-7
Introduction- if you would turn to Micah chapter 7- Toward the end of Old Testament between Jonah and Nahum. We will be there soon.
As we begin Advent season, my prayer is that the Lord would speak to us. He would meet us where we are and take you where we need to go.
That may sound strange but a lot of people are moving around but not many know where they are going.
Advent is a Latin word that means “coming or arrival”.
For believers it is a time set aside for remembrance of the incarnate Christ, The Son of the living God coming and arriving into this world through a virgin birth to redeem mankind.
Most Protestant churches take this 4 week period before Christmas and preach hope, peace, love, and joy in what Christ has done for us.
It is also a time for believers on the resurrection side of the cross to remember the same Jesus that ascended will descend at the trumpet call of God and return for His church and His bride.
It is all about Jesus. You take Christ out of Christmas and you have nothing left.
The last several weeks I have challenged you with questions to ask yourself.
2 weeks ago, how important is your relationship with God… and how important is it to you that others might have a relationship with Him? Remember?
Last week, I asked you does what you call Thanksgiving line up with the definition of what God would call being thankful?
This week, where do you put your trust and Hope? I know most of us know the correct answer to say but is it the answer that is lived out in our life?
Prayer-
Our text this morning is not a verse often preached at Advent. It is from the book of Micah chapter 7.
Micah 7:1-7Read from the Bible
Pastor how can you go from a message last week of thankfully blessed to a message that exposes who we are as a people and what depth we will go to hurt and destroy each other.
The scenario of Israel described by the prophet Micah is not good.
He says that there is misery everywhere.
He says that to find good would be as impossible as trying to find a cluster of grapes in a vineyard after the gleaning of the field.
The best you are going to find is a few grapes.
Where the once godly people were, there is only bloodshed and the upright cannot be found.
All who lay in wait are the ones ready and waiting to destroy you and cause the wicked to prevail and the upright to vanish.
Even the rulers of the day are taking bribes and you do not even know who you can trust.
You cannot tell even from those who were righteous if they are still righteous in the eyes of the Lord. In some cases, the so called upright are worse that the enemy of old.
Even the ones that once you trusted are no longer trustworthy.
Micah looked over a divided Israel who was far from God.
He did not have a lot of hope to offer up to the nation that was far from God.
There were so called prophets, those that said they spoke for God would come in towns and if they were not paid for a good report would speak curses. Where does Israel turn?
Prophet Micah speaks God’s case against Israel as a court lawyer pronouncing judgment- kind of like the movie “a few good men” where Jack Nicholas says – “You can’t handle the truth”
The author of the book believed to be Micah is crying out in despair…lamenting. Lamenting in the bible is a person addressing God with a petition (complaint) and quickly moving into an outcry of injustice. Proceeding in time with a trust in God and then asking for a divine intervention from God.
Micah
Complains
Cry’s out that there is an injustice
Even with the injustice that Micah sees, he trusts God
Micah ask God to intervene
That sounds like some of my prayer request to the Lord! O God please help. Please intervene. This is not fair!
When I see what’s wrong and I don’t know how to fix it. I cry out to the Lord and ask Him to intervene and change the outcome.
Israel sounds like today doesn’t it?
Uncertainty
Anger/Road rage/ short fuses/ lack of compassion/ no value on others lives
Moral collapse
No loyalty to anything or anyone.
It is easy if you are not dialed into the Lord to get lost in the times.
In a world that seems like there is no hope, we have an opportunity to bring hope.
While the Prophet Micah was leading the nation of Israel to get their eyes back of God, while enemies of the nation were building an attack, Micah offered hope in God. God was actually using their enemies to turn their hearts back to him.
During the same period of time, a prophet Isaiah was foretelling a coming savior that would change the nation and change people.
Though Micah never used the name Jesus, he was promising that God would bring deliverance by looking to a coming savior.
Isaiah 9:6-7
“For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord almighty will accomplish this.”
Advent is a time of remembrance, a time of reflection and a time of decision.
Remember who He is and who you are in Him!
Reflect is to focus and stay sharp on what matters in your life and for your life.
It is also a time of decision- to know that you have to react to the truth that is given us
Trust is lost but found in Jesus
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” That is absolutely true-
But for some this morning- "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God."
Seeing isn’t believing…believing is seeing.
Illustration/ The Trust Game
When you play that game, you pick someone to catch you, you are going to pick the strongest person you know, a man weighing 250 pounds is not going to want a 90 pound person to catch them, especially if you are not able to see that they see you. Even if a 90 pound person is willing, they cannot stop a man of that size from falling. The thing with Jesus is that He is more than capable of catching you and you can trust what you don’t see because of the faithfulness and strength of the Lord. Some trust in chariots and horses, but I trust in the name of the Lord because He will never let you down.
God knows what happens next-
God knows what’s going on — all the how’s, when’s, and whys.
When you do not know what to do or what will happen next, trust that He does. Follow God’s guidelines and commands knowing that as you practice obedience, He is working out the rest.
“The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and He helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise Him” (Psalm 28:7)
Jesus never changes
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever”. Hebrews 13:8
Jesus never changes.
Neither does His power or His promises.
He was with God in the beginning of time.
He is the same Christ today who transformed lives and performed miracles in the Bible. You can trust Him because the promises He made to His people throughout the Bible are the same promises He makes to you.
Hope is lost but found in Jesus
The title of the message this morning- Hope has a name- His name is Jesus!
This world has lost hope but true hope can be found in Jesus.
It is hope that came in a manger, a promise fulfilled by our heavenly Father- Hope has a name-Amen!
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. He is everything we need!
The Christian’s hope is hope in Jesus Christ.
It is the confident affirmation that God is faithful, that He will complete what He has begun.
It is also, therefore, that confident expectation which waits patiently for God's purposes to be fulfilled.
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
Research indicates that hope can help us manage stress and anxiety and cope with adversity. It contributes to our well-being and happiness and motivates positive action.
Hopeful people believe they can influence others, that their efforts can have a positive impact.
Hope Comes With the Possibility of Something Better
Hope Helps Us Keep Going
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16.
“These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.” 1 John 5:13-14.
Waiting is over, Jesus is Here
The God of the universe has come to redeem mankind!
“Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.
Trust that has been lost in the world but is found in Jesus
Hope that is desperately needed by a world that is spinning out of control can be found in Jesus
Stop looking for a savior and accept the savior that has come! Emanuel…God with us!
Illustration-
Singer song writer Sheila Welch tells a story I heard the other day on TBN.
When Sheila and her son were walking to their car after going to the grocery store, the son says to his mom…Do you hear that? She had to stop and listen over the traffic noise and they heard a baby bird chirping. They looked under a car that was parked next to them and found him by the back tire. The son went back into the store and got a box and they took this bird home. It was a new born that had fallen out of the nest somewhere. They tried to see where the bird came from but could not see a nest. They took the bird home and looked on the internet of how to care for a new baby bird. They were advised to feed every two hours through a eye dropper. They did this faithfully for several days and then found an hour away a sanctuary for birds. They took the bird there to get proper care. While they were there, they saw many different birds that had been rescued in several different situations. There were hawks and owls and small birds all in different cages. She noticed that a hawk and a barn owl were in a large open caged area and asked the keeper… do hawks and barn owls usually get along? Without hesitation the keeper said… they do when they are rescued.
When you are recued by the Lord it will change everything about your life. Stop looking for who is already here. Get to know the savior. Seek Him with all your heart.
(Online) Prayer-
(Skip prayer) In church, we have a few minutes to reflect on the Lord. Please don’t be in a hurry to go. We need to quiet ourselves and let me speak. We will take communion together in a few minutes-
Advent season- the remembrance of the coming King! Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Prince of Peace.
Hope has a name…Jesus!
