corrupt leadership, justice not for the poor, but only for the wealthy.
The culture had left its origins in God's word.
Those who were supposed to be teaching God's word had sold out.
Whatever you wanted to hear, you could hear,
and you could buy it as long as you had enough money.
The middle class, the poor, are being squeezed out.
They were being ripped off.
Their houses, their properties were being stolen.
There was war.
There was fighting from outside and inside,
leaving some to ask,
why won't the leaders do something to help the people that they are in charge to help?
I'm not talking about anything happening in Australia.
I'm not talking about anything happening in the last hundred years.
I'm talking about Micah the prophet's time.
He was around hundreds of years before Jesus was born.
There was a leadership crisis in Judah.
Those in leadership were failing God's people,
and there were devastating consequences.
People were yearning for a good leader.
Someone that wasn't corrupt to lead them.
A leader to stand up in God's strength.
Because leadership always faces corruption because we are sinful people.
It's not just the cry of Micah's generation.
It's actually every period in history, including our own,
that we are people who are heavily influenced by those who lead us.
The reality is Micah's time is not that different to our time.
New South Wales is on fire.
Our interest rates are hurting many people.
People question whether our education system is failing our children.
Housing is hard for the next generation to buy into.
And Sydney is divided into ethnic backgrounds and social preferences.
So sometimes when we look at the leaders around us,
it can lead us to question,
why won't the leaders do something for the people?
People in all levels of leadership are susceptible to accusations of corruption,
infighting, bribery, and being influenced by outside parties.
It makes us yearn for good leadership.
Someone to lead us out of this mess for a leader who can't be bought and corrupted.
Now, in one sense, it can be easy to blame those in leadership at higher levels.
But the reality is that many of us are leaders too,
whether we are parents or older siblings, a boss at work,
even if we are just influential in our friendship group.
Many of us are leaders.
And we can desire to influence and lead in the right way.
Now, you might be thinking,
didn't James just get up after a little Christmas video asking,
why do we still need Christmas?
Isn't this supposed to be a Christmas talk?
But we will see that Jesus is, of course, the leader that we are longing for.
Even though we don't often see Jesus as a leader,
far more often we consider him, at this time of year,
Jesus is the cute little baby.
He's a person.
He's a saviour.
But Christmas is going to help us understand what kind of leader Jesus is
and how important he is.
And we're going to see that as we go through this prophecy from Micah.
So Micah, he was a prophet to God's southern kingdom,
the southern kingdom of Judah.
This is after the time of King David and King Solomon.
In King David and King Solomon's time, Israel was united,
but then it was divided into the north and into the south,
the northern kingdom of Israel, the southern kingdom of Judah.
And the northern kingdom was attacked and enslaved by the Assyrians.
We just saw reference to the Assyrians in the Bible reading.
And during this time, the Assyrians have come down.
They've attacked and enslaved the northern kingdom.
And the southern kingdom is there shaking in their boots.
The king, Hezekiah, at the time, he is worried.
He is not trusting God.
Instead, he decides to find some allies.
He's going to go and find the Egyptians,
find some other armies to bolster,
because Hezekiah, the king of the southern kingdom of Judah,
wasn't trusting that God would protect them.
It wasn't just that the king was fearful and not trusting God,
but the whole fabric of society was being torn apart.
The land of Judah was the promised land.
This is where God's people would be blessed when they followed God,
and when they obeyed him,
when they cared for the widow,
when they looked after the orphan and the oppressed.
And Judah had been richly blessed.
They had grown rich.
And as they grew rich,
it led to a callousness of heart,
to theft and a disregard for God's law.
And so they start to rip each other off.
As the leaders become corrupt,
so too the people.
Instead of working against a commercializing of culture,
they give in,
and they, just like today,
become all about material possessions.
So the fabric of society was being destroyed.
Society that was built on the care and protection of God's people,
people just like them,
it's being destroyed.
They're eating one another.
Compassionate generosity because of God's generosity to this people
who He's saved out of Egypt,
brought into this land,
built them up.
Instead of responding out of compassion and generosity to that,
it just becomes,
I'm the most important.
I've got to build up my little kingdom.
And so the rich get richer,
and the poor get poorer.
It starts with those in leadership,
the prophets,
the priests,
and the rulers.
Let me read from a little earlier in Micah,
from chapter 3, verse 11.
Her leaders judge for a bribe,
her priests teach for a price,
and her prophets tell fortunes for money.
How could a weak or poor person ever get justice,
if justice can be bought?
Priests were teaching people whatever the people wanted to be taught,
whatever they could be bought.
Instead of bringing God's word to people's lives,
and calling them to repent and follow God,
they were taking money,
saying,
don't worry,
everything's fine.
You just carry on with the way you're going,
as long as you keep giving me money.
Everything is all right.
And the prophets,
who were there to call kings to account,
to warn people about their actions,
well,
they've become fortune tellers,
reading crystal balls for dollars.
Can you imagine
that if Steve,
our senior minister's absence,
that we,
the staff team,
became just a little corrupt?
Just a little corrupt.
Can you imagine,
who can I pick on?
I'll pick on Soren.
Thank you, Soren.
Imagine if Soren wanted to come up
and confess a sin to me,
and he wanted to be encouraged that God forgives him,
and he wanted some assistance
and help to change his action,
and I said,
don't worry, brother,
the only change you need is a $50 note.
Pop it in there,
and you know what,
God will deal with it.
Don't worry about that.
Just a little bit of corruption.
Don't do that, by the way.
We'll confess your sin.
That part's okay.
And maybe with Nick,
maybe let's just say Nick,
just became a little,
just a little bit corrupt.
Instead of choosing songs
that enable us as a congregation
to praise God
that are connected with
where we're going in the service
and as a church,
glorifying God,
Nick instead started taking donations
to the Buy Nick a New Guitar scheme.
And you know,
do you know what,
you know,
if you want to choose a song next week,
you can just donate to that scheme.
If you want to choose all four of the songs next week,
well,
there's a bumper donation price for that.
I don't see Nick shaking his head.
Imagine if we just became a little bit corrupt.
That would have devastating consequences.
Those in leadership of the church
who were supposed to know the law
and God became corrupt.
And so it's no wonder
that the people of Israel,
of Judah,
become corrupted by riches too.
From chapter 2, verse 1.
Woe to those who plan iniquity,
to those who plot evil on their beds.
At mornings light,
they carry it out
because it is in their power to do it.
They covet fields
and they seize them
and houses and take them.
They defraud people of their homes.
They rob them of their inheritance.
This is a picture
of the rich getting richer.
They're stealing the middle class
and the poor's things.
They're stealing their houses,
their properties,
their fields,
their inheritance.
Those who have something to survive on,
it is all being taken by the rich.
Those who have power.
This whole nation is yearning
for good leadership.
All those who should be leading,
the prophets,
the priests,
the rulers,
they have all become corrupt.
This is a desperate
and terrible situation.
It needs something drastic to happen.
It's not going to be fixed
with an election,
the king dying,
a new king coming in,
or just a protest.
This needs divine intervention.
As I've read about these leaders
who became corrupt
in Micah's time
and seeing the justice system
which favours those who have money,
to see the rich
who are stealing
from the middle class
and the poor,
I can't help but think
of the situation
in many parts of this world,
including Sydney.
Just like in Judah's time,
we too have a heritage
following the Lord.
But I wonder
if our culture
has chased
commercial
and material gain
and we have fled the Lord.
Into this context,
Micah prophesies.
He calls on the people
to repent
with one of the most famous verses
from Micah,
from chapter 6, verse 8.
He calls on people
to act justly
and to love mercy
and to walk humbly
with your God.
And against those
abuses of leadership,
the kings who have been born
into the riches
who have failed,
he prophesies
about a ruler
who would come.
He prophesies
about a promised leader.
From chapter 5, verse 2.
But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
though you are small
among the clans of Judah,
out of you
will come for me
one who will be ruler
over Israel,
whose origins
are from of old,
from ancient times.
Okay,
now it starts
sounding like
a Christmas talk.
We get a word
of Bethlehem.
That sounds familiar.
The new leader
would come from Bethlehem.
It's obviously Jesus.
Many people
have heard of Bethlehem.
What do we think
when we think
of the town of Bethlehem?
Give me some words.
Little, thank you.
Oh, little town of Bethlehem.
What else do we think
about the town of Bethlehem?
Manger.
Sorry, what was the other one?
Manger?
Did three people
just say manger
at the same time?
Manger.
Okay, manger is the food trough
of the animal
that Jesus was placed in.
What else do we think
about Bethlehem?
Yeah, Jesus' birth, sorry.
Shepherds.
Busy.
Yep, yeah, it's very busy.
So when the census was taken,
Bethlehem is full of people.
And so we have a picture
of what Bethlehem is.
You know, next week
we'll see a bit more
about Bethlehem.
Come up four o'clock
for our Christmas carols
to find out more
about what happens
in Bethlehem.
But we know the story
of Bethlehem.
We know the nativity scene.
We drive past it.
It's on people's houses
if you've been
Christmas-like looking.
But the people
of Micah's time
didn't really know
anything about Bethlehem.
This is not a picture
that Micah is presenting.
Bethlehem was
a little-known town.
It's not even mentioned
in the book of Joshua
where he lists
all of the towns.
It's not even in the list
of the towns.
This is an unimportant
backwater town
that had little significance.
Even Micah says
that they are small
among the clans of Judah.
But out of this
insignificant,
know-nothing town
would come a ruler.
Not born into riches
like the rest
of Israel's rulers.
He would come
in humility.
And we get this
really interesting phrase.
Whose origins
are from of old.
From ancient times.
This is a really
interesting phrase.
It has connections
with the historic kings.
So it has connections
with King David
who was from Bethlehem.
But it's also used
elsewhere in the Bible
to describe God himself
as God who was
from ancient times
as in from everlasting.
And so Micah
could be alluding
to the fact that
this expected ruler
is going to be
a supernatural leader.
That that is what
is needed
into this corrupt
and desperate time.
God himself
to come and lead.
Micah continues
to describe
what this ruler
looks like
in verse 4.
He will stand
and shepherd his flock
in the strength
of the Lord
in the majesty
of the name
of the Lord his God.
Again,
like King David
he would come
and be a shepherd
for the people.
Strong and fit
unflinching
in leadership
against all of those
who would come
and attack him.
He would stand
under every pressure
and peril.
He will be resolute
making sure that
God's people
aren't fleeced again
but fed.
Cared for
not caged.
And he is fully devoted
to following the Lord.
Verse 4 again
the second half.
And they will live securely
for then his greatness
will reach
to the ends
of the earth.
Under this leader
God's people
will live securely.
Security is not found
in money
or technology
or status.
It's found
trusting in the shepherd
who guides
his sheep.
And his territory
is not just going
to be Israel.
It's not going
to be just
the Middle East.
It is going
to go to the ends
of the earth.
Again,
this is lifting
people's eyes
to a ruler
not just being
the ruler
of Israel
but a supernatural
leader
of the whole world.
And Micah
describes this ruler
as that he would
be our peace.
It's not that he
would bring peace
but that he
embodies peace.
He is
peace
himself.
Micah has
complete confidence
for the future
that when this
ruler comes
all will be well.
When this leader
is in charge
God's people
will find
a new unity.
They will go
from infighting
and corruption
and theft
and bribery
to peace
and security.
Micah
builds up
such an
awesome picture
of this coming
king.
He would be
Davidic
as in he would
be like King
David.
He would care
and protect
and lead
and rule
in purity
in God's
majesty
with God.
This is a
very different
picture
of the leaders
that they had.
A different
humble
king.
People are
yearning for
that.
I think
this is one
of the main
reasons why
Donald Trump
was elected
president.
Now I'm
sure that
there are
many people
here who
are far
more into
politics than
me and
know far
more about
this topic
than me
but it
seems to
me that
one of
the reasons
why Trump
was elected
president
because he
was so
different
and he
certainly
is a
different
person
but he
appealed
to the
working
class
who felt
downtrodden.
He saw
that the
leadership
of the
United
States
was corrupt
and so
when he
came
Trump
was promising
that he
would get
rid of
corruption
and that
he would
make
America
great
again.
No
wonder this
was appealing
to so many
people.
People who
see corruption
in leadership
somebody comes
along and
says you're
going to
get rid of
the corruption
yes I'm
for that
you're going
to make
this country
great well
I've always
wanted this
country yes
let's do
that.
But Trump
is only a
man a
very sinful
man whether
or not he
makes America
great time
will tell but
even if he
does it's
only for a
short period
of time.
In Micah's
time and in
our time we
need more
than just a
strong leader
we need
a good
leader.
And this
is who
Jesus is.
He is the
leader who
came to
not just
make one
country great
he came to
make the
world right
again.
This is why
we need
Christmas because
it shows us
what kind of
leader Jesus
is.
Three things
three characteristics
that this
part of
Micah helps
us to
understand who
Jesus is.
Three things
that he is
humble that he
works from God's
strength and that
he knows our
situation.
Firstly he is
humble.
He doesn't come
like these
expected kings.
He doesn't come
to riches he
comes humbly.
He's born in
that backwater
little town of
Bethlehem.
He's born yes
from the line of
kings but he is
from ancient
times.
He is from
God's line.
He who is
eternal has
been made
temporary.
He is in a
physical body
bound by
time.
And so Jesus
comes in
humility.
He didn't
come to
take, to
rule, to
rule and
then fleece
his own
pockets.
He came,
he didn't
come to steal
and take, he
came to obey
God.
And to
become the
king of the
world but
only by obeying
God through his
death and
resurrection.
Jesus knows
who he is, he
knows his
place and
unlike many
other leaders
he's not
grasping for
more and
more power.
He knows
that God
will give
him power
at the
right time.
So Jesus
comes in
humility.
Second,
the second
person of
the Trinity
doesn't come
with all the
pomp and
ceremony of
any other
ruler.
You know
whenever a
foreign
dignitary comes
to a
country, how
much security
and effort
there is that
goes into
making sure
their arrival
is just
right.
I really,
for some
reason,
really enjoy
the royals at
the moment.
Prince Harry,
the whole,
his marriage,
I really enjoy
that.
But that is so
much pomp and
ceremony.
Jesus doesn't
come like
that.
He comes
to a
place that
he would
rule as
a weak
little baby
whose parents
were a
tradie and
an unmarried
teenager.
He is
dependent upon
God's power
and as Micah
prophesied, he
would lead and
shepherd us in
God's strength
and not his
own.
And because he
is trusting in
somebody else's
strength, not
his own,
Jesus is
totally
incorruptible.
He never
sinned, he
couldn't be
bought, he
couldn't be
bribed, he
didn't give in
to sexual
temptation when
offered.
Jesus doesn't
lead to get
rich and to
give in to
those who
could bribe
him.
Jesus leads
in God's
strength and
it just gives
him this
wonderful ability
to be
incorruptible
and be the
leader who
we need.
And finally,
Jesus knows
what our
situation is
like.
He actually
came and
dwelt as a
person.
He knows
our situation.
He came as
a human to
save, to
redeem and
lead us.
He can
empathise with
us with our
pain and our
problems.
He is not a
leader who was
born with a
silver spoon in
his mouth.
He was not
sent to the
best schools.
He was not
on a fast
track to
political high
places.
He was born
in humility
and he
was lifted
high in
his death
on the
cross.
Have you
ever seen
the television
show
Undercover
Boss?
This is a
series of
TV shows
where they
take someone
very high in
an organisation
and they put
them down
working at
KFC,
working drive
through,
and it's
often eye
opening for
the boss
because they
go,
oh, I
didn't really
know the
plight of
my people,
I didn't
really know
how hard
it was to
do this
job,
I didn't
realise what
a terrible
boss I
was,
you know,
I really
like this
show,
often the
bosses become
better and
they get to
help their
people.
Christmas
reminds us
that Jesus
is not a
distant leader
who is ruling
in some
CEO of some
high tower
off in some
business park.
Jesus is not
a ruler who
is ruling
from far
away who
does not
know what
it's like.
He knows
our issues
intimately.
Unlike
Trump,
Jesus has
fulfilled the
promise to
make the
world great
again,
to make it
right again.
Not by
making himself
look great,
but by his
death and
resurrection.
He has
ascended to
the throne
above all
thrones.
He has
brought us
back into
relationship
with God.
Jesus is
the only one
that can be
trusted to
rule.
He's not
able to
be bought,
bribed,
or beaten.
He has
triumphed and
in his
victory he
leads us
and he
feeds us.
And he
is now in
control of
the world.
So how do
we respond
to those
in leadership?
Much like
Micah, we
can call
them to
account for
their behavior
and call
them to
model their
leadership on
something
greater.
for Micah
himself, he
called the
leaders to
repent and
to turn
back.
And for
Hezekiah, the
king of
Judah, Hezekiah
did repent.
He did
not go with
those armies
that he
initially decided
to go with.
He trusted in
God.
And Judah
was saved.
Assyria did
not get through
the gates into
Jerusalem.
But it was
only temporary.
Other leaders
would come and
they failed.
But we
can be
calling our
leaders to
account.
We should be
following Paul's
advice to his
protege, Timothy.
In 1 Timothy
chapter 2, he
calls Timothy
to do this
very thing.
He says,
I urge then,
first of all,
that petitions,
prayers,
intercession,
and thanksgiving
be made for
all people.
for kings
and all
those in
authority,
that we
may live
peaceful and
quiet lives
in all
godliness
and holiness.
So just
like Micah,
we should be
praying for
those in
leadership.
Because leaders
do have a
great influence
on us and
on the
direction of
our country.
Be praying
for Australia.
Be praying
for what is
happening more
broadly in the
world and for
our leaders here
at church.
For me,
I find it
very easy
to ignore
what is
happening in
politics in
Australia.
I'm not sure
if you enjoy
Australian
politics,
but I find
it easy to
just ignore
it.
But let me
encourage you
not to do
that.
Let me
encourage you
to contact
your local
member,
to contact
your ministers
of parliament,
to implore
them to see
justice done,
and to get
rid of
corruption.
Scott Morrison,
our Prime
Minister,
came out
this week
and said
that he
wanted
Australia to
be leaders
in technology
and security.
And I think
that's great.
I think that's
a wonderful
thing.
I think it's
a good thing
to want to be
leaders in
the world
like that.
But I would
love if Scott
Morrison came
out and said,
we want to be
leaders in the
world of
compassion.
we want to
figure out
how to
care for
our refugees
in a loving
and generous
way.
Wouldn't it
be great
if our
leaders were
doing that?
Let me
encourage you
to be
praying for
them.
Contact
them and
tell them
that you're
praying for
them.
Scott Morrison
is a
Christian and
I believe
he would
be very
encouraged to
find out
that you
were praying
for him.
Looking more
broadly across
the world,
we see the
situation in
Hong Kong.
It is a
terrible
situation at
the moment.
I'm not
sure if
you're
across it
but there
are large
protests going
on and it
seems to be
at a
deadlock.
Regardless of
whether you
are for
those who
are protesting
or whether
you are
against those
who are
protesting,
this is a
painful situation
that is not
going to be
fixed very
easily.
Every day
it goes on,
it seems to
be deteriorating
further.
I don't know
what the leaders
of either side
are like,
I don't
know whether
they're corrupt,
I have no
knowledge of
it, but I
also don't
have any
idea how
it can be
reconciled.
As Paul
reminds us
in his
letter to
Timothy,
we should
be praying
that God
would intercede
on behalf
of these
leaders.
So pray
for the
government in
Hong Kong
and in
China.
Pray for
those who
are leading
the protests.
even what's
happening in
Europe at
the moment,
I'm not
sure if
you're across
the Brexit
deal,
it seems
there is
just instability
in large
parts of our
world at the
moment.
Be praying
for them.
For us
locally here
as a church,
Steve, our
senior minister,
is on a
sabbatical at
the moment.
He has
taken some
time out
of his
normal work
to work
on his
spiritual,
mental,
and physical
health.
And for us
as a church,
it is so
important that
he is a
leader who
is spiritually
well, so
that he does
not become
like the
leaders in
Micah's time,
so that he
is not trusting
in his
strength but
in God's
strength.
When situations
are desperate,
when political
leaders fail,
it is a
painful reminder
of why Jesus
is so
necessary.
He is the
leader who
is incorruptible,
who can't
be bribed,
bought,
or beaten.
And he
is powerful.
So we
shouldn't put
an unnecessary
amount of
trust in the
leaders of
this world.
They will
come and
go, they
will do
good things
and bad,
our political
leaders will
put in new
taxes and
they will
cut taxes,
but Jesus
is the only
one who
has climbed
to the top
of the
leadership
ladder by
obeying
God
perfectly
and dying
for us.
He paid
the cost
of our
sin and
our shame
and he
now sits
above every
throne and
he will
return in
glory.
Christmas
reminds us
of the kind
of leader
that Israel
is desperate
for.
It reminds
us of the
leader that
we are still
yearning for.
No one is
able to care
and to
lead and
to guide
us like
Jesus
is.
So when
we put
our trust
in him,
we will
not be
let down.
Let me
pray for
us.
We will
Thank you.