IN THE LORD'S COURT (CC)
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SERMON TEXT: MICAH 6:1-8
[TEXT TAKEN FROM
THE HOLY BIBLE:
NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION,
1973, 1978, 1984,
USED BY PERMISSION OF
ZONDERVAN BIBLE PUBLISHING]
GUEST MINISTER:
REV. H. CURTIS LYON
AND WHAT DOES THE LORD REQUIRE
OF YOU? TO ACT JUSTLY AND TO
LOVE MERCY AND TO WALK HUMBLY
WITH YOUR GOD. [MICAH 6:8]
GRACE, MERCY AND PEACE BE
MULTIPLIED UNTO YOU THROUGH
THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD AND OUR
LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST.
AMEN. THE WORD OF GOD AS HEARD
IN OUR TEXT TODAY IS THE OLD
TESTAMENT READING YOU HEARD
READ PREVIOUSLY FROM THE 6TH
CHAPTER OF THE
PROPHET MICAH, THE FIRST 8
VERSES.
WE PRAY: LORD, SANCITIFY US
THROUGH YOUR TRUTH.
YOUR WORD IS TRUTH. AMEN.
IN CHRIST JESUS,
DEAR CHRISTIAN FRIENDS:
THERE ARE NINE ALCOVES IN THE
LIBRARY OF
CONGRESS. IN THE EIGHTH
ALCOVE OF RELIGION AND SCIENCE
THERE IS A BEAUTIFUL STAINED
GLASS WINDOW.
AND ON THE RIGHT SIDE,
ENGRAVED IN STONE
ARE THE WORDS: THE HEAVENS
DECLARE THE GLORY OF GOD
AND THE FIRMAMENT SHOWS HIS
HANDIWORK.
THE FIRST WORDS, A PSALM BY
THE KING.
ON THE LEFT SIDE,
ARE THE WORDS OF THE 8TH VERSE
OF THIS TEXT. THE WORDS OF
MICAH
THERE,
HEARING KING JAMES ENGLISH
HERE:
WHAT DOES THE LORD REQUIRE OF
YOU?
TO ACT JUSTLY AND TO LOVE
MERCY AND TO WALK
HUMBLY WITH YOUR GOD.
IT'S INTERESTING THAT THOSE
SHOULD BE
THE WORDS THAT ARE
PERMANENTLY ENGRAVED
IN THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
WHEN CONGRESS SEEMS TO BE
DOING EVERYTHING THAT THEY CAN
TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS
NOTHING OF THE BIBLE ANYWHERE
IN PUBLIC VIEW. BUT IT'S HARD
TO ERASE CONCRETE ... AND
STONE.
AND SO MAYBE THE WHOLE POINT
IS
THAT WHETHER PEOPLE LIKE IT OR
NOT,
THE WORD OF GOD STANDS. YOU
KNOW THAT IS
REALLY THE POINT THAT MICAH
WAS MAKING TO THE CHILDREN OF
ISRAEL. ACTUALLY
TO THE TRIBE OF JUDAH, THE
SOUTHERN TRIBE OF ISRAEL.
THEY HAD WATCHED
THE NORTHERN TRIBE ... THE TEN
TRIBES
OF ISRAEL ... DRIFT FARTHER
AND FARTHER AWAY FROM GOD TO
THE POINT
THAT THEY COULDN'T TELL THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THEM
AND THE HEATHEN NATIONS AROUND
THEM. AND,
SADLY, THE SOUTHERN TRIBE OF
JUDAH WASN'T THAT
FAR BEHIND. SO WHEN
MICAH WROTE TO THESE PEOPLE,
THE WORDS HE SPOKE TO THEM
WERE
WORDS OF PEOPLE, TO PEOPLE WHO
WERE
DRIFTING FARTHER AND FARTHER
AWAY FROM
WHAT GOD HAD CALLED THEM TO
BE.
HIS CHOSEN PEOPLE. CHOSEN FOR
THE EXPRESS PURPOSE
OF BRINGING THE SAVIOR INTO
THE WORLD. THE SAVIOR FOR
ALL MANKIND. THEY HAD ALL BUT
FORGOTTEN THAT.
IN A WAY,
KIND OF LIKE THINGS IN THE
UNITED STATES THESE DAYS.
WE'D LIKE TO PRETEND
THAT GOD'S WORD IS
JUST ... SOMEBODY'S
IDEA OF WHAT GOD IS.
THE WHOLE IDEA OF STANDING
BEFORE
THE ALMIGHTY GOD FOR JUDGMENT
IS SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE WOULD
PREFER NOT TO THINK
AS A REALITY. WE KNOW THAT IT
"IS" TRUE.
IT IS A REALITY. AND WE KNOW
THAT
THAT'S WHERE WE STAND AND WE
KNOW THAT WE NEED TO BE READY
FOR IT WHENEVER GOD DECIDES
FOR US THE TIME IS RIGHT.
SO IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR US TO
GO WITH
THE PEOPLE OF JUDAH
LISTENING, IF THEY BOTHERED TO
LISTEN,
TO MICAH, AS HE BROUGHT
A CHARGE AGAINST THE PEOPLE OF
ISRAEL
ON BEHALF OF GOD.
HIS WORDS TO JUDAH
IS ESSENTIALLY
IN THE LORD'S COURT. THAT'S
WHERE WE WANT TO GO
BECAUSE IN THE LORD'S COURT,
THE LORD PRESENTS HIS CASE
AGAINST US AND
OUR RESPONSE
MIGHT FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE OF
JUDAH
AND BE AN IMAGINARY
PENALTY FOR THE SINS WE'VE
COMMITTED.
BUT ULTIMATELY
WE WANT TO SEE THE GRACIOUS
SENTENCE
THAT GOD PRONOUNCES.
THE LORD'S CASE AGAINST US
IN THE LORD'S COURT.
LISTEN TO WHAT THE LORD SAYS:
"STAND UP,
PLEAD MY CASE BEFORE THE
MOUNTAINS; LET YOUR HILLS HEAR
WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY. HEAR, O
MOUNTAINS, THE LORD'S
ACCUSATION; LISTEN, YOU
EVERLASTING FOUNDATIONS
OF THE EARTH. FOR THE LORD HAS
A CASE AGAINST HIS PEOPLE.;
HE IS LODGING A CHARGE AGAINST
ISRAEL.
"MY PEOPLE, WHAT HAVE I DONE
TO YOU? HOW HAVE I
BURDENED YOU? ANSWER ME. I
BROUGHT YOU UP OUT OF EGYPT
AND REDEEMED YOU FROM THE LAND
OF SLAVERY. I SENT MOSES
TO LEAD YOU, ALSO AARON AND
MIRIAM.
MY PEOPLE, REMEMBER WHAT BALAK
KING OF MOAB COUNSELED
AND WHAT BALAAM SON OF BEOR
ANSWERED.
REMEMBER YOUR JOURNEY FROM
SHITTIM TO GILGAL,
THAT YOU MAY KNOW THE
RIGHTEOUS ACTS OF THE LORD."
[MICAH 6:1-5] IF YOU'RE GOING
TO PARAPHRASE THE FIRST WORDS
OF GOD'S MESSAGE
TO THE PEOPLE OF JUDAH, YOU
MIGHT SAY: WHAT IN THE WORLD
DID I JUST DO TO DESERVE THIS
KIND OF TREATMENT FROM
YOU? AND THEN HE GOES ON ...
HE SAYS: ARE THESE THE THINGS
THAT I'VE DONE
THAT MAKE YOU ACT AS IF I
DON'T DESERVE
ANY RESPECT? DON'T DESERVE
YOUR WORSHIP?
DON'T EVEN DESERVE TO BE
CALLED YOUR GOD.
I, HE SAYS,
BROUGHT YOU OUT OF THE LAND OF
SLAVERY ...
BROUGHT YOU OUT OF THE LAND OF
EGYPT. I CHOSE MOSES
MIRIAM, AND AARON
TO BE YOUR LEADER, YOUR
PROPHETESS, YOUR HIGH PRIEST
TO BRING YOU OUT OF 430 YEARS
OF SLAVERY.
ULTIMATELY THEY WOULD BE ABLE
TO
PLACE THEIR FEET
IN THE LAND I PROMISED TO
THEIR FOREFATHER
ABRAHAM SOME 2000 YEARS BEFORE
CHRIST WAS BORN.
IS THAT WHAT I DID TO YOU?
WHEN YOU WERE OUT THERE
IN THE WILDERNESS: DID YOU
FORGET ALL OF THE MIRACLES?
DID YOU FORGET ALL OF THE
ENEMIES? DID YOU FORGET
THE FACT THAT KING OF MOAB,
BALAK,
HIRED A PROPHET
TO COME AND SPEAK A CURSE
AGAINST
THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL? AND FOUR
TIMES
HE ENDED UP SPEAKING A
BLESSING INSTEAD!
I, EVEN
USED HIS DONKEY
TO SPEAK MY MESSAGE
WHEN HE DIDN'T WANT TO SPEAK
IT HIMSELF.
OR HOW ABOUT THERE ON THE
EASTERN SIDE OF THE
JORDAN RIVER?
DON'T YOU REMEMBER
SHITTIM AND GILGAL THERE
WHERE
AFTER 39 AND A HALF YEARS
OF PUTTING UP WITH YOUR
UNFAITHFULNESS
YOU FINALLY STOOD
ON THE BRINK OF THE PROMISED
LAND. THAT
ALMOST 40 YEARS BEFORE
TEN SPIES
HAD BEEN TOO AFRAID
TO GO INTO THE LAND YOU'D LEAD
THEM,
IGNORED
THE PEOPLE THAT I WANTED
TO LEAD YOU INTO THAT LAND ...
JOSHUA AND CALEB ...
AND LISTENED TO THOSE TEN
INSTEAD.
NOW, AFTER ALL THAT TIME,
JOSHUA
AND CALEB ARE THE ONLY ONES
WHO ARE GOING TO
ENTER THAT LAND.
DID YOU FORGET ALL THAT?
HOW ABOUT US? HOW MUCH
DIFFERENT
ARE WE FROM THE PEOPLE OF
JUDAH, THE PEOPLE
OF ISRAEL? YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT
THAT EASY
TO BE A CHRISTIAN THESE DAYS.
TRUE, IN OUR COUNTRY, PEOPLE
ARE NOT TRYING TO KILL
CHRISTIANS LIKE THEY ARE IN
OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD.
BUT ...
IT SEEMS LIKE WE THINK THAT
THE PERSECUTION THAT WE FACE
IS ALMOST AS BAD BECAUSE
PEOPLE LAUGH AT CHRISTIANITY.
PEOPLE DON'T THINK
THE WORD OF GOD IS ANY MORE
IMPORTANT
THAN ANY OTHER BOOK.
PEOPLE ARE MORE LIKELY TO GIVE
RESPECT TO ALLAH
THAN THE TRIUNE GOD.
WHY
IS IT SO EASY FOR US TO
FOLLOW THAT KIND OF A
MISGUIDED, MISS-STEPPING
MISFORTUNE.
COULD IT BE BECAUSE THE SAME
THINKING THAT WAS AT WORK AT
THE TIME OF
MICAH IS STILL AT WORK TODAY?
COULD IT BE THAT IT'S
THOSE QUESTIONS THAT SATAN
LOVES TO ASK US STARTING WITH
THINGS LIKE: DID GOD REALLY
SAY?
NOW COMING OUT IN FORMS LIKE:
DOES GOD
REALLY SPEAK? IS THIS REALLY
GOD'S WORD? DOES IT REALLY
HAVE A PLACE
IN A STATE?
OR SHOULD IT BECOME
SEPARATE?
IT GOES ON AND ON LIKE THAT WE
KNOW. AND WE'VE ALL FACED IT.
WE'VE ALL SEEN
THE MOCKERY, THE RIDICULE AND
SO FORTH.
AND THE PROBLEM IS NOT THAT
PEOPLE DO IT.
THE PROBLEM IS THAT WE GET SO
EASILY INTIMIDATED
BY IT.
THE LORD HAS A CASE AGAINST
US.
A CASE THAT SAYS:
I ... AM ...
GOD! WHAT HAVE I DONE
TO BE TREATED LIKE ANYTHING
LESS?
THINK ABOUT WHAT THE LORD
HAS DONE. THINK ABOUT HOW,
AS WE HEARD PREVIOUSLY,
THE LORD WITH TOTAL ONE-SIDED
GRACE, SHOWS YOU AND ME
TO BE HIS PEOPLE
AND THE PRICE WAS
NOT TOO HIGH FOR HIM TO BE
WILLING TO PAY.
THE PRICE, THE LIFE-BLOOD OF
HIS OWN SON
WITH HIS PERFECT LIFE, HIS
INNOCENT DEATH,
AND HIS GLORIOUS RESURRECTION
VICTORY
THAT IS OUR GUARANTEE THAT OUR
SINS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN
AND THAT WE HAVE A PLACE IN
GOD'S FAMILY.
HOW COULD WE POSSIBLY BE
ASHAMED OR AFRAID
TO BE PART OF THE FAMILY?
WHAT MICAH SAYS
IS A WARNING FOR US BUT,
AS HE GOES ON,
HE GIVES US EXAMPLES OF SOME
IMAGINARY PENALTIES THAT WE
MIGHT COME UP WITH.
OKAY, WE KNOW THAT WE'RE
SINNERS. WE KNOW THAT WE
HAVE DISOBEYED GOD'S LAW. WE
KNOW THAT WE HAVE FALLEN SHORT
OF WHAT GOD WANTS, SO WHAT DO
WE DO TO MAKE UP FOR IT?
HE GIVES US SOME EXAMPLES THAT
THE PEOPLE
OF JUDAH MIGHT HAVE FOLLOWED.
HE SAYS: WITH WHAT SHALL I
COME BEFORE THE LORD AND BOW
DOWN BEFORE THE EXALTED GOD?
SHALL I COME BEFORE HIM WITH
BURNT OFFERINGS, WITH CALVES A
YEAR OLD?
WILL THE LORD BE PLEASED WITH
THOUSANDS OF RAMS,
WITH TEN THOUSAND RIVERS OF
OIL?
THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WERE
COMMANDED
BY GOD IN HIS CEREMONIAL LAW
TO HIS OLD TESTAMENT PEOPLE.
ALL KINDS OF SACRIFICES.
MAYBE HE WANTS MORE OF THEM.
LET'S GIVE HIM MORE. LET'S
GIVE HIM THOUSANDS
OF RIVERS OF OLIVE OIL OR
MAYBE WE COULD EVEN
DO WHAT ONE
HORRIBLE KING OF ISRAEL DID AS
HE FOLLOWED
THE HEATHEN NATIONS AROUND HIM
AND SACRIFICED
HUMAN SACRIFICES;
OFFERING NEWBORNS
ON THE ALTAR OF BAAL.
IS THAT WHAT GOD WANTS?
ALL OF THOSE THINGS,
WHETHER THEY WERE COMMANDED BY
GOD OR FORBIDDEN
BY GOD,
HAVE ONE THING IN COMMON.
THEY ARE ALL EXAMPLES OF WHAT
THE RELIGION OF MAN LOOKS LIKE
WHEN PEOPLE
DECIDE TO INVENT THOSE
RELIGIONS THEMSELVES.
THEY'RE ALL EXAMPLES OF
HOW "I" NEED TO DO SOMETHING
IN ORDER
TO SATISFY GOD.
AND IF I HAVEN'T DONE ENOUGH
YET, MAYBE I NEED TO DO
MORE.
NOWADAYS IT'S NOT A MATTER OF
SACRIFICING
MULES, CALVES, OR RAMS.
IT'S NOT FALLING INTO THAT
TRAP OF SATAN
THAT HUMAN SACRIFICE IS
SOMETHING THAT WOULD ACTUALLY
PLEASE GOD WHEN GOD IS THE ONE
WHO GIVES LIFE
NOT THE ONE WHO GIVES US THE
RIGHT TO TAKE IT.
HOW ABOUT ---
MAYBE
GOD GAVE ME A GOOD START
AND ALL I NEED TO DO IS DECIDE
THAT
THAT I WOULD PREFER TO CHOOSE
GOD RATHER THAN
AN ETERNITY IN HELL.
MAYBE WHAT I NEED TO DO IS TO
PRESENT TO GOD THE INCREDIBLE
AMOUNT OF SUFFERING
THAT I HAVE GONE THROUGH JUST
TO BE ONE OF HIS PEOPLE.
HOW I'VE BEEN SO MUCH LIKE
THOSE PEOPLE
THAT JESUS WAS TALKING ABOUT
IN THE BEATITUDES BEFORE AT
THE BEGINNING OF THE SERMON
ON THE MOUNT. HOW ABOUT IF I
REALIZE THAT I'VE DONE
SOMETHING WRONG
AND I'VE COME UP WITH SOME
SORT OF A REALLY NICE THING
TO DO TO MAKE UP FOR THAT SO
THOSE SCALES
WOULD BALANCE A LITTLE BETTER.
THEY ALL HAVE THE SAME THING
IN MIND. THAT IS:
I HAVE TO DO SOMETHING TO GET
INTO GOD'S
FAMILY.
BUT IT DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY.
BECAUSE AS WE HEARD BEFORE,
GRACE IS ONE-SIDED!
IT'S ALL ABOUT WHAT GOD DOES
FOR ME AND ANYTIME THAT I COME
UP WITH SOMETHING THAT I'M
GOING TO DO FOR GOD,
IT'S WRONG. AND IT TURNS US
AWAY FROM THE TRUTH.
SO THEN WE COME TO THAT
PASSAGE THAT'S WRITTEN
ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ALCOVE
OF RELIGION AND SCIENCE
IN THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
THAT TELLS US
WHAT GOD REALLY WANTS.
"WHAT DOES THE LORD REQUIRE OF
YOU?
TO ACT JUSTLY AND TO LOVE
MERCY AND TO WALK HUMBLY
WITH YOUR GOD." [MICAH 6:8]
THAT'S WHAT
THE LORD REQUIRES.
IF YOU LISTEN TO THAT ONCE
AGAIN:
"WHAT DOES THE LORD REQUIRE OF
YOU? TO ACT JUSTLY
AND TO LOVE MERCY AND TO WALK
HUMBLY WITH YOUR GOD."
VERY CLOSE TO A PARAPHRASE
OF WHAT THE LORD JESUS SAID
WHEN SOMEBODY
CAME TO HIM AND SAID: WHAT
MUST I DO
TO BE SAVED? AND HE SAID: YOU
KNOW THE COMMANDMENTS.
LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH
ALL YOUR HEART,
WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, WITH ALL
YOUR STRENGTH AND WITH ALL
MIND AND LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS
YOURSELF. [MATT. 22:37]
THAT'S THE LESSON, THE SUMMARY
OF WHAT
MICAH IS SAYING, TOO.
THERE'S ONLY ONE PROBLEM HERE.
AND THAT IS:
THAT PEOPLE SO OFTEN FORGET
THE ESSENTIAL POINT OF WHAT
MICAH IS
SAYING HERE. AND WHAT JESUS
WAS SAYING THERE.
THE PERSON WHO ASKED JESUS
WHAT HE HAD TO DO TO BE SAVED
WAS TOLD THE FIRST AND THE
SECOND TABLE
OF THE LAW. AND HE DID NOT
GO AWAY AT PEACE WITH GOD.
BECAUSE THE LAW
IS NOT A STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN;
IT IS A REMINDER
OF THE FACT THAT YOU AND I
STAND BEFORE A HOLY GOD
COMPLETELY HELPLESS
AND HOPELESS. WHAT THE LAW
DOES WHEN WE LOVE THE LORD
OUR GOD WITH ALL OUR HEARTS,
OUR STRENGTH AND MIND, WHEN
WE LOVE OUR NEIGHBOR AS
OURSELVES, IT IS THAT WE HAVE
TO PLEAD, GOD, BE MERCIFUL TO
ME A SINNER BECAUSE
THAT'S NOT WHAT I HAVE DONE.
AS MUCH AS I'VE WANTED TO. AS
MUCH AS I'VE TRIED,
IT'S NOT WHAT I HAVE DONE. AS
MUCH AS I HAVE WORKED TO
SATISFY THE DEMANDS OF YOUR
HOLY LAW,
I STILL FALL SHORT LIKE AN
ARROW
THAT'S JUST TOO SHORT OF THE
TARGET.
AND THAT'S
WHERE THE GOOD NEWS IN THE LAW
COMES.
IN REALITY THERE IS NO GOOD
NEWS IN THE LAW.
BUT THE GOOD NEWS COMES WHEN
THE LAW TELLS US YOU ARE A
SINNER THAT IS HOPELESSLY
LOST AND CONDEMNED AND THE
GOSPEL
COMES TO THAT
CULTIVATED GROUND OF OUR
HEARTS
AND SAYS: YOU REMEMBER WHAT I
DID
FOR YOU. DO YOU REMEMBER
HOW YOUR LIFE WASN'T PERFECT
AND I LIVED PERFECTLY
SO THAT YOU COULD HAVE A
RECORD THAT WOULD
STAND UP IN THE LORD'S COURT!
YOU KNOW THAT RECORD OF SIN
THAT IS
BLOTTED WITH MILLIONS, IF
NOT MORE. SINS ...
THAT WE MAY HAVE FORGOTTEN BUT
GOD DIDN'T.
AND WE CAN THANK GOD THAT HE
DIDN'T BECAUSE
THERE'S NOT ONE OF THOSE SINS
THAT GOD DID NOT PLACE
ON YOUR SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST
WHEN HE PAID
FOR THEM IN FULL AT THE COST
OF HIS OWN LIFE ON THE CROSS.
FULLY ... FREELY
PAID FOR. AND THEN ...
THE PROOF THAT JESUS
WHO IS
SO MUCH MORE THAN ANYTHING
ANYBODY COULD POSSIBLY
IMAGINE
MADE THE MARCH THROUGH HELL
ITSELF
TO PROVE THAT SATAN WAS
NOTHING BUT A LOSER.
AND THEN ROSE FROM THE DEAD ON
THE THIRD DAY TO REMIND US
THAT OUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN AND
TO SHOW US THAT WE HAVE
A NEW LIFE. AND WE CAN LOOK AT
WHAT MICAH SAYS HERE ...
WE CAN LOOK AT THE WORDS ON
THE LEFT SIDE OF THAT ALCOVE
AND WE CAN SAY: WHAT DOES THE
LORD
REQUIRE OF YOU? TO ACT JUSTLY
AND TO LOVE MERCY AND
TO WALK HUMBLY WITH YOUR GOD.
AND SAY, NOT
HOW I HAVE FALLEN SHORT OF
THIS BUT HOW THIS
IS THE VERY THING THAT I WANT
MY LIFE TO BE.
I WANT TO DO
THE THINGS THAT PLEASE GOD.
TO ACT JUSTLY. TO LOVE MERCY.
TO WALK HUMBLY
THAT IS TOTALLY DEPENDENT ON
MY GOD.
THEN,
WE KNOW THAT THERE IS PEACE
IN THE LORD'S COURT. THERE IS
A VERDICT,
PRONOUNCEMENT OF "NOT GUILTY"
BECAUSE OF WHAT YOUR SAVIOR
AND MINE DID THERE
WHEN HE LIVED, AND DIED, AND
ROSE AGAIN.
THE LORD HAS A CASE AGAINST
US ...
WITH GOOD REASON.
AND,
WE DO NOT WANT TO BE FOOLED BY
A LOT OF
IMAGINARY
PENALTIES.
BUT THANK GOD WE KNOW THE
GRACIOUS SENTENCE. AMEN.