Kerwin Baptist Church Daily Broadcast

Welcome to the Kerwin Baptist Church broadcast today. He begins this verse, Micah does. Will the Lord be pleased? In verse 6, before that, he says this, Wherewith shall I come before the Lord? And so Micah is prophesying. He says what God has said at the first part of this chapter.

And we're going to give you a little bit of history. And I understand obviously it's Christmas Day and all those good things. I've already been instructed by my sons and even my spiritual wife that people have things to do. And I try to do that. I try not to go long on Sunday mornings, obviously, anyway, normally.

But there's no service tonight, so I have to make up for it. Look at verse 1, if you will. Verse 1, Hear ye now what the Lord saith. Arise, contend thou before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice. Hear ye, O mountains, the Lord's controversy, and ye strong foundations of the earth.

For the Lord hath a controversy with his people, and he will plead with Israel. O my people, this is what the Lord is saying to Israel through Micah the prophet. O my people, what have I done unto thee, and wherein have I weary thee?

Testify against me. For I brought you up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of servants, and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. O my people, remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim in Gilgal, that ye may know the righteousness of the Lord. Now Micah, after giving the message of God, now he begins to talk with the people, and he asks this question, Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil?

Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? Micah is asking, well what is it really that's required to please the Lord? Obviously God's done these things, and he's speaking with us today, and so what is it that we need? What do we have to have when we approach God? What do we have to have for us to impress God, and us to please God? And he asked these questions in verse six. He says, you know, do I have to come in like a traditional and bow before his presence? In verse six he says, do I need to bring burnt offerings, and do I need to find calves of a year old?

Obviously which would be very expensive, and the best that they could possibly give. Verse seven, he says, would it take a thousand rams to please God? With rivers of oil? Is that what I would need to approach God today, to please him? Would he be impressed with that? He said, how about if I would give my firstborn? What if I gave him the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

Would that, is that what he requires? Verse eight, Micah shares with the people, he says this, he hath showed thee, oh man, what is good. And what doth the Lord require of thee?

But to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God. Lord we love you today and we need you, and Lord I pray that you would help as our minds begin to prepare and plan and pray for each of our individual lives for 2017, our family decisions, our work, our home, our family, all the things that can transpire in a year. Lord sitting in front of me are individuals that in some ways have had a great 2016 and in some ways can almost feel like they've had a rotten 2016.

Lord we have members sitting in a hospital right now that might not look at 2016 like the best memory they've ever had. And Lord no man knows what a day may bring forth and so Lord we need to know what is it that we need to come before you, what is it that you require, what is it that we need to do that really pleases you. And Lord I pray that you would help us as we uncover and expound God's word that it would be a help to everyone here.

Lord they have every excuse in the world that would probably, nobody would say a thing if they weren't at church today and yet Lord they're here. So we want to make the most of this time. In Jesus' name we pray and ask it. Amen.

Two important things. This is what he says in verse one and I don't know if you, people say I grab a phrase and ring it out I guess but if you'll notice this is what Micah says. Hear ye now what the Lord saith. Two things immediately as Micah begins to give them this sermon I guess you would call it. He gives them a message from God and then he gives them basically a message from him. And he says this, hear ye now what the Lord saith.

Two things I see right off the bat. Number one it is important to hear what the Lord has to say. Do you agree with that? You know what I think nowadays the Lord is saying a lot we just don't hear it. So first off Micah says hey listen I'm getting ready to tell you what God has to say but it's important that you hear it. Bible says don't just be hearers of the word but doers of it.

We can't be doers if we're not hearers. That's what the Lord has to say. But second I see here it's important that the man of God finds out what God has to say.

Micah is saying hear now what the Lord saith. And may I ask you in this year you ought to pray for me as your pastor I hope you are anyway and I don't mean that in selfish ways but I mean it in desperate ways, independent ways. I need help and I need your prayer. And you know what it's a big responsibility at least on you know three to four and sometimes five occasions during a week well I guess five or six and between Sunday school and Sunday morning and Sunday night and Wednesday night and men's meeting or Bible studies or whatever the case might be. It is my responsibility and it is a heavy responsibility to find out and figure out and pray through and say God what is your message this week?

And then it is up to you and me to hear that message. Notice verse two I see a couple things about this and the big thing is this that God has a controversy with his people the Bible says. Now I'm gonna tell you something it is one thing if people have an issue against you.

It is one thing if a friend or a church member or just you know somebody you know. It is one thing if they have issue with you for something. But may I say this morning it's a totally different thing if God does. I don't know about you I don't want God to have controversy with me. That word controversy means issue. He has something that's bothering him.

Something that's not quite right. And I don't know about you in 2017 I don't want to go through a year of controversy with God because God wins that every time. I notice thirdly in Micah's message here that in verse three that God asked a question here and I'm setting all this up and don't get worried.

You'll make the turkey or whatever your ham or whatever you're having. What he has done to them. Now this is interesting look at verse three. Oh my people what have I done unto thee and wherein have I wearied thee. God asked two questions of his people and I don't know about you I think this is a very good question. He asked first before he even gets in he says I got a controversy I've got an issue with some things of how you're treating me and different things and notice what God says what is it that I've done to you.

May I ask you that question this morning and I'm going to be honest with you I think it's a very good question to ask. What has God done to you? You know often times we have come up with all kinds of reasons why we're upset with God or God's house or whatever the case but can I ask you something what really has he done to you?

Can you really find bad and wrong that he's done to you? If you're like me if you really look and ask yourself the question what is it that God has done to you it is nothing but good. God is saying did I cause this what is it that I've done to you?

And you know you and I can get bent out of shape very easily about a lot of things but we blame God for a lot and we praise him for a little don't we? God says what have I done to you? Then he asks secondly what have I done to grieve you or disgust you? You say well what do you mean well that's exactly what that word means wearied in verse three.

It means to grieve or disgust. God is saying you know obviously because of the way you're treating me God says I've done something to bother you or grieve you or what is it that I've done? And I'll be honest if every one of us took a stand today and a judge sat here and we had to take an oath and God approached our little witness stand and he says what is it that God has done to you? What have I done to you?

We could come up with all kinds of things but I think that our excuses would fall short. God hadn't done anything wrong to us. God hasn't been mean to us. God's not done anything in our life that we just didn't deserve and it just wasn't fair.

That's not God. Notice the fourth thing I see in verse four is God immediately follows that question with a statement. He tells them what he has done to them. Just in case they have forgotten or getting a little bit confused and you know when you say what has God done to you? He might come up with two or three things.

Well you let this sickness come into my life and God you did this and you allowed this to happen. My wife and I were talking this week because the last time Christmas was on a Sunday was the year Caden was born and he was in the hospital and never made it out. Obviously he was born in October and we spent Christmas obviously trying to get over here with the boys to open gifts and got here to church and that church drove to Chapel Hill.

Spent the rest of the day Christmas there with Caden and different things and you know that's the last time Christmas is on a Sunday and so it was obviously a very busy day as all those months were when he was born. And on the balance we can sit and say what has God done to you? And we might come up with two or three things that we think is going to make a good point. Well you let my son have this and you made us go through such and such but God tells us in the next verse in verse four. Look what he says to them. He says for I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt and redeemed thee out of the house of servants. Is that not exactly what God has done for us?

Look at these two things. Number one he brought you up didn't he? Then the Bible says he brought us up out of the miry clay and set us upon a rock. May I say whatever you or I might think God has done to us let me tell you what he did do to us. He brought us up out of a very horrible place. Notice secondly God says I redeemed thee out. He brought us up out. He brought us up redeemed thee out.

I love this. And redeemed thee out of the house of servants. He said I brought you out and I redeemed you. And that's exactly what God's done for you.

That's exactly what he did for you. Can I tell you something great to really be thankful for on a Christmas day? You have given your heart to Christ and you have been saved by the grace and the blood of Christ.

Can I tell you something? We are blessed. This is what God did to you. He made redemption possible.

That's what he did. It's as if God says well what is it that I've done to you? Well let me tell you what I've done to you. I brought you up out of a horrible place. I redeemed you out of servanthood. You were nothing but servants and slaves to sin and in Egypt.

But I have brought you up out of that and I've redeemed you. God's been good to us hasn't he? Look at verse six and seven number five.

This is all ground work before I give you the four main points. You're like oh Lord this is getting worse. God's going to please him.

And look at me I want you to get this. Micah's saying God has a controversy with us. He has issue with us.

We're not doing him right. We're not doing right by God. And God has made his point that he has done all these things for us.

We have no excuse, no reason not to do everything that God demands. So what is it that I need to approach God? What is it that I need to do to please God? And he asks these questions. Notice number one he says do I need to give a sacrificial offering? Look at verse six.

He says this. Should I come before him with burnt offerings? With calves of a year old.

Calves of a year old was expensive and some people would work an entire month to be able to afford that because they were so popular for sacrifice. And he's saying this do I need to have some kind of a sacrificial offering to please God? Is that what he requires?

Is that what I need to provide? But you know what that would be a problem with that because if that's what God demanded do you know a lot of people couldn't afford that particular sacrifice? So that means only a few people would have access to the blessing of God.

He says do I need a, notice secondly he says do I need a substantial offering? Look at verse seven. He says will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams? So while we're talking about it let's just say Micah says is this what you have to have to please God? Do you not just have to give him a ram but do you have to give him the thousand rams? Do you need to give him a substantial offering?

Look he says or ten thousand of rivers of oil? Is that what God requires? You see dear friend I want you to understand if God required sacrificial offering some of us don't have as much to sacrifice and if God required a substantial offering some of us don't have the means to come up with a substantial offering. He says do I need to provide a suffering offering? Do I need to suffer to please God?

Notice what he says should I give my firstborn for my transgression? Maybe the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? Maybe that's what God needs. Maybe that's what God has to have. Maybe it's a sacrificial offering. Maybe he needs a substantial offering.

Maybe I need to suffer. Maybe he needs a suffering offering. Maybe that's what God requires.

And dear friend I'm here to tell you none of those things. They are what God requires. Can I tell you a little bit of something about this sacrifice thing and maybe I've got to and by the way I'm going somewhere with all this because there's a whole lot of people in church that think if I do all these things God will be happy with me. Can I read you 1 Samuel 15 verse 22? Samuel said hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold to obey is better than sacrifice. And to hearken listen to this than the fat of rams. Micah said do I need to sacrifice all these things? Do I need to bring maybe a thousand rams and here we're told in Samuel that God would rather you just obey his voice than to give him a bunch of stuff. Are you all with me this morning? It's Christmas.

I know the kids minds are on toys but they're doing awesome. Look at verse 8. I love this. Isn't this something that this entire passage he speaks to Israel about Israel but in verse 8 when he gives instruction he uses the words oh man. That means this. It goes for Israel and it goes for those that aren't in Israel. It's not just Jewish people.

It's not just God's chosen people. You listen if you've been redeemed you need to listen to what God requires. This is what I want to encourage you in 2017. This is what God requires.

Are you ready? Listen to this. Do you know that some people couldn't have rams. Some people couldn't afford oil. Some people couldn't make a substantial offering. But what God requires anybody can give it. Number 1.

Finally a new screen. Number 1 God requires character. This is what God requires but to do justly.

That word justly means correct, right, lawful. It means that God says as you approach me I don't necessarily demand a thousand rams and I don't demand rivers of oil and I don't even demand that you sacrifice your child like I'm going to do. But what I do require is that you do right. This speaks of our discipline. It speaks of what is on the inside.

Now listen to me folks once you get this. To do justly means that you would have to think justly. Because you know our thoughts control our actions. So for God when him to say do justly that means that automatically we would have to think justly. And to think justly means that your mind has to be right and clean and it has to be godly. And for your mind to be clean and godly it's got to be saturated with God's word.

Listen I want you to get this. God tells us to do justly but so many people are trying to do right when their mind and heart are wrong. That's a filthy source. God simply says do right. Not just when it's convenient. Not just when it's easy. Not just when it's simple. We give a lot of excuses why we may or may not have done right in certain situations. And we say things like well I just couldn't help it. Well it just got a hold of me.

Well I just can't fight it. But God says there's really no excuse and there's really no decision for me. For us to make just do right.

You might not be able to afford this and afford that. You might not be able to bring some great sacrificial offering. But God says for you to please me I simply ask for you to do right. Secondly not just does he demand character but secondly he demands compassion.

Mercy. This speaks of our demeanor. Character speaks of our discipline but compassion speaks of our demeanor.

Character is what's on the inside. Compassion is what's on the outside. It's how we treat others. God says here that we must love mercy.

You say preacher what does that mean? It means that we literally delight in it. It means that we are so glad when we finally have opportunity to do something kind and compassionate.

For somebody. It means we don't just do it. It means we love it. It means that we as God's people should be so full of God's word that we just don't want to just show people mercy.

We love it when we get to. Anybody learning a little something today? Anybody say Christmas offering we're supposed to ring some bells and go home. No no no no. No church tonight. No come back.

Get it all in now. Listen to me. God hates it when we pile on a bunch of stuff for him. But we treat people like dogs.

We're offering down and you can go right back home because I don't accept it. If you don't do right and if you don't treat people right I'm not pleased. God demands character and he demands compassion. So much more I would say to that.

Number three. God demands condescension. You say well you just came up with a C word right?

Yep that's exactly it. It is biblical. God says this to walk humbly. This speaks of our duty.

Characters our discipline and compassion our demeanor. But condescension is our duty. God says that you must walk humbly to approach me. You must walk humbly to please me. You say mind one toward another. Mind not high things but condescend to men of low estate. You say preacher what does that mean?

Get this before we go this morning. It is one thing to put yourself under those who you see is higher than you. But it's another thing for you to put yourself under those that you see lower than you. God didn't say just condescend to men. He said condescend to men of low estate.

Brown men of low estate. That means we are supposed to be so humble that we are even under the people we see as low. I mean somebody's got some wealth. Somebody's got some fame. Somebody's got some clout. We don't mind kind of acting humble around them. God bless you. Bless God somebody.

Doesn't look good so much. smell good, act good, all of a sudden now, we're over them. God says if you wanna please me, you take that big pile of offering, you just go ahead and take it back home. Because if you still see yourself above other people, then you're not pleasing me.

You can bring your big gift and say, ah, look how much bigger my gift is than that guy's. God said, I'd rather somebody like that widow just give me a might, but to do it out of love and humility before God. Then for you to do all this and still see yourself above others. Romans 12, three, for I say through the grace given unto me to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think.

Number four, and we're done. God requires character, do justly. God requires compassion, you need to love mercy. God requires condescension, you need to walk humbly.

But this is the biggest, the greatest, the most needed. Number four, God requires communion. He said you gotta do justly, you gotta love mercy, you gotta walk humbly, but you've gotta do it with your God, with thy God. Character speaks of our discipline. Compassion speaks of our demeanor. Condescension speaks of our duty, but communion speaks of our dependence. I can't do anything, go anywhere, unless I'm doing it with God.

God says you do that, that pleases me. You might not have as much as so and so or those or whatever, and they might be looking down on you. But you spent time with me, so I'm pleased. I'll be honest with you, it wouldn't mean a whole lot to me if my wife never talked to me, never did anything with me, always avoided me. It's just we, our names are on the checking account maybe together, and we live at the same address, but she had nothing to do with me, never talked with me, never communicated with me, but at Christmas bought me 20 gifts. And Christmas morning she would say I got these for you. And I opened all 20 gifts and I said oh how wonderful, thank you so much, and I just appreciate it so much. And then she just went on to other things, never talked to me again for another year. Now you say, well aren't you lucky, you got a wife that got you 20 gifts. See some of you men know what it feels like to do that.

So some of you are like you just described my life anyway. I'm pickin'. You know what, can I tell you something? I'd rather not get anything under that tree. I'd rather not have one gift wrapped, I'd rather not have one pair of socks given.

And have my wife love me, care for me, talk to me, and stay close to me all year long. Y'all agree with that? God says it is one thing to act right, and it's one thing to treat people right, but only a close walk with me will keep you right. God doesn't follow us folks, we follow him. He didn't say let God walk with you.

He says what I require is that you walk with me. This is what God requires. Without these four things the most costly sacrifices are worthless.

Without these four things the most dedicated service is absolutely meaningless. Micah says do I need to bring all this to approach God? And he looks at the people and he said God's already told us what's good. This is what God requires.

To do justly, to love mercy, to walk humbly, and to do it with God. Thank you for listening today. We hope you received a blessing from our broadcast. The Kerwin Baptist Church is located at 4520 Old Hollow Road in Kernersville, North Carolina. You may also contact us by phone at 336-993-5192 or via the web at kerwinbaptistchurch.com. Enjoy our services live and all our media on our website and church app. Thank you for listening to the Kerwin broadcast today. God bless you. ["Pomp and Circumstance"]