Well, we begin our worship this evening by singing to God's praise from Psalm 1a, the
Sing Psalms version, Psalm 1a, page 1 of the Psalm books.
We're going to sing the whole of this, Psalm verse 1 to verse 6.
Blessed is the one who turns away from where the wicked walk, who does not stand in sinners
paths or sit with those who mock.
We'll sing from verse 1, the whole of the Psalm, to God's praise.
Blessed is the one who turns away from where the wicked walk, who does not stand in sinners
paths or sit with those who mock.
Instead, he finds the story of His joy and great delight.
He makes the precepts of the Lord this sunny day and night.
He prospers ever like a tree that's planted by a stream.
And in due season heals this fruit, this peace I always bring.
Not so the wicked day are like the child that's born away.
They will not stand when judgment comes or with the righteous day.
It is the Lord who sees and knows the way the righteous go.
But those who live and need the life the Lord will overthrow.
Let's bow our heads now in a word of prayer.
Let us pray.
Lord, our gracious God, as we continue to worship you this day, as we give thanks for your own
day, the Lord's day, as we gather as a people, not just here, but to all ends of the earth,
we thank you that your name is praised from the rising to the setting of the sun, that in
many different nations and among many different people, in many different languages, your name
is praised and your word is heard.
And we thank you that your word is that constant companion to your people, that in whatever language
it is heard and read, we thank you for its power.
We thank you for its strength to build up your people in any and every circumstance.
And we thank you for the reminder in what we have sung together there from the psalm, that
your people are blessed who turn not away from it.
We thank you, Lord, that you are the one who builds your people up, who makes them to flourish.
In the midst of everything that this world may throw at us, we thank you that faith is rooted
not in ourselves or the things of this world, but in you as our God, the one who is immovable
and unchangeable, the one same yesterday, today and forever.
And we thank you that as we come together anew this evening, that we have your word before
us and that longing and desire to hear it and to grow by it.
And we pray that every one of us here tonight will hear your word speaking to us, that whatever
else in the busyness of life we are hearing, the many different voices that clamor for our
attention and our thoughts, we thank you that your voice is powerful and that even when
we are deaf to it, even when we have no interest in it, that you have power by your Spirit to
open our ears to hear and to open our hearts to receive.
And we ask that as we join together and as we pray together, even just now, that you will
prepare our hearts, that you will prepare us in heart, mind and soul to meet with you and
to hear you and to know the great concern and compassion that you have towards us as your
people.
Yes, we may have strayed as so many do.
Yes, may we have wandered off and gone our own ways.
But we thank you that the word tells us of the great shepherd, the one you sent into this
world to shepherd your people, to gather your people, to bring them to yourself.
And we thank you that our great shepherd is the one who calls us, even this evening, who
calls us by name to come out and to follow him.
And we thank you that we have such a precious Savior.
The one who shepherds us is none other than your Son, Christ Jesus.
And we thank you that you saw our great need.
You saw our great lostness, how far away we had wandered, that you saw the great need to
send your Son as the only way to salvation, the only way to save your people from their
sins.
And we thank you that as your truth reminds us that a great price was paid for our sin,
the price that we could never pay ourselves.
Lord, we thank you that Jesus, in going to the cross, in bearing its shame, in all that
it entailed, the mocking, the cursing, the darkness, the pain, the sorrow of it, we thank
you that he bore our sins there.
And we thank you that we are reminded today that as he died, yes, he rose again.
And he is at your right hand even now.
And so we pray, Lord, that you will help us to be assured in that and confident in it,
that whatever security this world might offer us, that we would see it's nothing but temporary,
that the security we have in Christ is eternal and will last forever, never perishing.
So bless us together this evening.
Bless all our homes and our families represented here.
We thank you for all that we see before us and pray that you will bless us, Lord.
We thank you for all who tune in online as well.
And we pray blessing to them as well, wherever they gather.
We pray, Lord, that you will use your word to each and every one of us, that powerful word.
We pray that it will help us to know your great love and compassion that's unchanging,
to know the challenge it gives to us as well, to convict and to convert us.
When we lie in sin, Lord, we know that we are dead.
But we thank you for the life that it is in Christ, the life that he gives.
And so we pray that together as a people from youngest to oldest,
in our homes and our families and our community,
that your spirit will be working to bring life, to bring newness, to bring renewal for us,
even at the beginning of a new year, Lord.
We pray that as we go on in the seasons of this year,
as we see the darkness turning to light in the days and months ahead,
as we see the bare ground bearing its seed once again and giving growth,
we pray, Lord, that not just in these natural ways around us,
but also in a spiritual way that we would see progression in every way for your church this year,
to bring people from darkness to light, to see new growth and new life,
to see days of salvation, days of rejoicing in your goodness to us.
We pray that it will be true for ourselves as a people here
and that as we endeavor and go on in your strength and prayerfully
to reach out with the gospel to all around us,
we pray that you will direct our paths and give us a vision for it,
give us encouragement in it.
We thank you for all the ongoing work and work that resumes again,
and even in this coming week,
for our young people with the toddler group and the explorers resuming in this coming week.
We pray for our young people.
We pray for them, not just in preschool and in primary school,
but up through high school and even into late teens and early adulthood.
We pray for your spirit to move among them, Lord,
for people to show an interest in them,
for us as a people, as your people,
to show an interest in all the lives that we see around us,
not just to criticize or to condemn,
but to encourage and to show them the love of Christ,
to show them a better way,
to show them your paths and your ways.
And we pray, Lord, that you will give us
prayerful insight into how to reach out to them,
how to show them a different life,
a different way.
We pray, Lord, that you will give us wisdom and help.
We pray that for every endeavor that we have to reach out with the gospel.
We thank you for Friday,
the free and the many connections that have been made there
and relationships being built up.
And we pray that you'll continue to bless every meeting of it in this coming year,
that we will see familiar faces coming through our doors again,
but also new faces coming in as well,
and people we can relate with and show love to and compassion to.
We pray for the 55 plus group as well as they continue to meet.
We thank you for every encouragement in this past year
as it's resumed once again.
And we pray, Lord, to continue to bless every meeting of it,
to encourage that fellowship with one another,
meeting up in an informal way and yet a constructive way as well,
and offering praise and worship to you.
So we pray, Lord, and thank you for all who help in all these endeavors.
And we pray that you will build us up as a people here,
that we will first and foremost be a praying people wherever we are,
and that we will be a willing people,
that you will make us willing and use us, Lord, for your glory.
Remember us in our particular needs as well as a people,
those who are unwell, those who are mourning,
those who are going through difficult periods in life,
just now, Lord.
We continue to pray for and uphold them in our prayers.
And we ask, Lord, that in all our different needs,
that you will surround us with your strength and with your grace.
We do pray for James and Donna and continue to commit them to you.
We pray, Lord, that the way ahead for Donna will be clearer and smoother in these days ahead,
that the infection would clear,
and that it would be able to give further treatment and surgery to her as required.
Uphold her and be her strength at this time.
And to James as well and all the family as we commit them to you.
And others too, Lord, in our belonging to us as a congregation,
we pray help and comfort and your grace towards those who need you.
And particularly in times of mourning just now and in funerals even to take place in this coming week,
we pray for your word to be blessed and your spirit to be present,
to comfort, to uphold.
So we ask all these things looking to you.
We thank you that you are the one we can call upon,
that you are near to your people,
that you hear us in our prayers,
and that you are the one we look to do abundantly more than we ask or imagine.
We pray that you will continue then to build your church up near and far,
to bless all your people, your praying people,
to bless those who rule over our nation and the many nations of this world.
We pray, Lord, to see days of peace,
days of your goodness and mercy towards us.
We ask all these things,
confessing our own sin,
how far short we fall on a daily basis.
And yet we thank you,
even as we will read in a moment,
of how you are able to cast our sins away.
And we thank you for that,
for the great salvation and the great God that you are,
that no God compares to you.
So hear us in our prayers and continue with us now,
pardoning us and cleansing us from all sin.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.
We're going to sing together again Psalm 103 in the Scottish Psalter Version.
Psalm 103, page 369.
And we'll sing from verse 8 down to verse 13.
Psalm 103 at verse 8.
Verse 12 says,
So far as east is distant from the west,
so far as he from us removed in his love all our iniquity.
So we'll sing from verse 8 down to verse 13 to God's praise.
The Lord our God is merciful,
and he is gracious.
He will not try continually,
nor keep his anger still.
With us he dealt,
nor does he sin,
nor did he quite adieu.
For us the heaven in his sight,
we are survived.
So great to know that you in here,
His tender mercies are.
As far as east is distant from the west,
so far hath he,
from us removed in his love all our iniquity.
Such pity as the Father hath
and to his children dear.
Like pity shows the Lord to such
as worship him in fear.
We'll turn together to read in the Old Testament
in the book of Micah.
We're going to read in chapter 7.
Micah chapter 7.
Find this around page 943 of the church Bibles.
Micah chapter 7.
Last Sunday morning it was,
we were looking at Micah chapter 6
and seeing the kind of judgment
that Micah was showing to the people
and how the Lord was speaking to the people.
In verse 3 of chapter 6 it says,
O my people, what have I done to you?
How have I wearied you?
Answer me.
The Lord calling to his people
and then showing the great things
that he has done for them
and seeking that they would return
and walk humbly with the Lord.
So we're going to continue on from that
into chapter 7.
Reading the whole of this chapter.
Woe is me, for I have become
as when the summer fruit has been gathered,
as when the grapes have been gleaned.
There is no cluster to eat,
no first ripe fig that my soul desires.
The godly has perished from the earth
and there is no one upright among mankind.
They all lie in wait for blood
and each hunts the other with a net.
Their hands are on what is evil to do it well.
The prince and the judge ask for a bribe
and the great man utters the evil desire of his soul.
Thus they weave it together.
The best of them is like a briar,
the most upright of them,
a thorn hedge.
The day of your watchmen,
of your punishment has come.
Now their confusion is at hand.
Put no trust in a neighbour,
have no confidence in a friend.
Guard the doors of your mouth
from her who lies in your arms.
For the son treats the father with contempt.
The daughter rises up against her mother,
the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.
A man's enemies are the men of his own house.
But as for me,
I will look to the Lord.
I will wait for the God of my salvation.
My God will hear me.
Rejoice not over me, O my enemy.
When I fall, I shall rise.
When I sit in darkness,
the Lord will be a light to me.
I will bear the indignation of the Lord
because I have sinned against him.
Until he pleads my cause
and executes judgment for me.
He will bring me out to the light.
I shall look upon his vindication.
Then my enemy will see
and shame will cover her who said to me,
Where is the Lord your God?
My eyes will look upon her.
Now she will be trampled down
like the mire of the streets.
A day for the building of your walls.
In that day,
the boundary shall be far extended.
In that day,
they will come to you
from Assyria and the cities of Egypt
and from Egypt to the river,
from sea to sea
and from mountain to mountain.
But the earth shall be desolate
because of its inhabitants
for the fruit of their deeds.
Shepherd your people
with your staff,
the flock of your inheritance
who dwell alone in a forest,
in the midst of a garden land,
let them graze in Bashan and Gilead
as in the days of old,
as in the days when you came out
of the land of Egypt.
I will show them marvelous things.
The nations shall see
and be ashamed of all their might.
They shall lay their hands on their mouths.
Their ears shall be deaf.
They shall lick the dust like a serpent,
like the crawling things of the earth.
They shall come trembling
out of their strongholds.
They shall turn in dread
to the Lord our God,
and they shall be in fear of you.
Who is a God like you,
pardoning iniquity
and passing over transgression
for the remnant of his inheritance?
He does not retain his anger forever
because he delights in steadfast love.
He will again have compassion on us.
He will tread our iniquities under feet.
You will cast all our sins
into the depths of the sea.
You will show faithfulness to Jacob
and steadfast love to Abraham
as you have sworn to our fathers
from the days of old.
Amen.
And may God bless that reading
from his word.
Before we turn back
to look at this passage,
we'll sing again in Psalm 135
in the Scottish Psalter,
page 426 of the Psalm book.
Psalm 135.
We sing from verse 15
down to the end of the Psalm.
Psalm 135 at verse 15.
Psalm that speaks of the idols
of the nations made of silver
and of gold.
The idols of the nations
of silver and iron gold.
And by the hands of men
is made their fashion and mold.
Mouths they have,
but they do not speak.
Eyes, but they do not see.
Ears have they,
but hear not.
And in their mouths
no breathing be.
We'll sing from verse 15
down to the end of the Psalm
to God's praise.
Amen.
The idols of the nations
of silver and gold.
And by the hands of men
is made their passion and mold.
Mouths have they,
but they do not see.
Eyes, but they do not see.
Ears have they,
but hear not.
O Israel's house,
bless God,
and bless God,
O Israel's family.
O bless the Lord of the vices,
ye who his servants are.
And bless the holy name of God,
all ye the Lord that fear.
And blessed be the Lord our God,
from Zion's holy hill,
who dwelleth at Jerusalem,
the Lord, O praise ye still.
Well, we can turn back together
for a time to Micah chapter 7.
I'll read again at verse 18.
We're going to look really
from verse 13 down to the end,
but we can read again at verse 18.
Who is a God like you,
pardoning iniquity
and passing over transgression
for the remnant of his inheritance?
Really that question
that we're thinking about this evening,
who is a God like you?
What God compares to you?
I'm sure we're all familiar
with making comparisons
with different things.
We live in a world
where we often compare
and contrast things,
things that we enjoy,
maybe others don't,
and we speak about them.
We compare cars,
we compare athletes,
we compare holiday destinations,
we compare food.
We speak about all these things together,
and we all have our opinions
as to maybe what is better,
what is worse.
But one thing that we maybe
are familiar with comparing,
and it's always being thrown
in front of us through adverts,
especially on television,
is comparing insurance.
There's a constant barrage
of adverts telling us
to compare the market
or to go and compare,
to find the best deal
when it comes to insurance.
I'm sure many of you
have used these things,
but what do you look for
when you use these kind of places?
Do you look at just the price,
and are you looking just
for the cheapest deal,
or do you look at the details
behind the policy?
Do you look at actually
what's contained in your policy
that you might be buying,
and see, really, is it?
Are you getting value for money?
It may be cheap,
but us, we often hear,
buy cheap, pay dear,
is what we're often told.
But what about when it comes
comparing God in this world,
comparing salvation in this world?
Where are we looking
for that insurance?
Where are we looking
for that guarantee?
Are we looking for just
the cheapest option
available to us,
the easiest option
available to us,
or are we looking at
the fine detail
of what's involved?
Are we looking at
the details behind everything
that life entails
and what eternity entails?
When we look at life
as it's offered to us
in this world,
it's so often just,
go on and do your own thing.
Live your life to the full.
Don't concern yourself
with God or eternity
or anything that the Bible says.
And yet, when you look
at the Bible
and what the Bible says,
it gives a very different picture.
It gives every instruction
that we need for life
and also the seriousness
of eternity
and what insurance
we need for that.
And that's what's behind
this question
in verse 18.
Who is a God like you?
What in this world
compares to having you
as God?
Because the people here
in Micah's day,
as you see as you read through
the book of Micah
and also the book of Isaiah
written about the same time
as well,
is that the people
in these days
were turning away
from their God,
the God of Israel,
the God of these people,
the God who had,
as we see in chapter 6,
led them through Egypt
out of slavery
and bondage there
who had brought them
to the promised land.
They were turning away
from this God.
They weren't seeing him
as the one
who was able
to give them
a full life.
And there were other idols,
other gods
that were tempting them away.
A way that in many ways
maybe seemed easier.
A way that didn't entail
much suffering.
A way that entailed
maybe short-term gain.
And yet a way that entailed
eternal loss.
And that's the seriousness
of why God sent prophets
such as Isaiah,
such as Micah,
and others
as we read of
in the Old Testament
to see that the people
of God
who were turning away
from this insurance
and this guarantee
and looking at
the cheap alternatives,
they were perishing
and being lost.
And God sent them
to call them
back to himself.
So the book of Micah
is one that's full
of warning
to the people
and it's full of warning
to ourselves as well.
It's a book
that speaks of judgment
that will come.
Judgment as we saw
the last time
as we were looking
at chapter 6.
Judgment for not
listening to God.
For turning away from him.
For not trusting him
as a guarantee
for salvation.
in that question
that God was asking
of the people
in verse 3
of chapter 6.
God is challenging
the people there.
He's challenging them.
Where is your security?
Where is your insurance?
Oh my people,
what have I done to you?
Have I wearied?
Answer me.
What have I done
that you have turned away from me?
Is it too much
for you to follow me?
And he went on
to explain
what he had done for them
in verse 4.
For I brought you up
from the land of Egypt.
I redeemed you
from the house of slavery.
I sent before you
Moses and Aaron
and Miriam.
What God
compares to this?
Is there any God
that they could look to
around them
that compares
to this God
and the miracles
that he had done
to lead them
out of Egypt
through the Red Sea,
through the wilderness?
Show me,
he's saying,
a God
that compares
to this.
And Micah,
as he comes
to the end
of this book,
is saying,
who is a God
like you?
Saying to the people
then and saying
to ourselves today,
who is a God
like you?
There are consequences,
as we see in Micah,
for not listening
to what God
is saying to us.
But then we ask
ourselves,
what are the benefits
then
to listening
to what God
is saying to us?
And as you come
into chapter 7,
as you read through
the book of Micah,
what you see is,
yes,
there's much judgment
in this book.
But as it comes
to a conclusion,
it's reminding us
of the wonderful love
of God.
Verse 18
to verse 20
there really
highlights for us
who is a God
like you?
Who is a God
that can pardon
our iniquities?
Who is a God
that does not
retain anger
forever?
Who delights
in steadfast love?
Who will have
compassion on us?
Who threads
our iniquities
underfoot?
Who will cast
our sins
into the depths
of the sea?
All of these things
that you see
in these verses,
have you found
another God
in this world,
in this life,
who compares
to the God
of the Bible?
The God
of steadfast love,
the God
who forgives sin,
the God
who offers life
and life eternal.
Have you found
another God
that compares
to this?
You haven't
and you won't
because there is
no God
like this God.
God.
And when you look
at Micah himself,
his name
actually means
who is
like you
as Lord.
That is the root
of Micah's name.
Who is like
the Lord?
And this is the prophet
that God sent.
And when we listen
to God,
when we begin
to see
that no God
compares
to this God,
then we realize,
truly realize,
the steadfast love
and the security
that this God
offers
to his people.
Psalm 34,
it says to us,
O taste
and see
that the Lord
is good.
Blessed
is the one
who takes
refuge in him.
We sang
in Psalm 1
that man
hath perfect
blessedness
who walketh
not astray.
The blessing
of knowing
God.
The joy
of knowing
that security
of his steadfast love
and the salvation
that he offers
to us.
But are we looking
to him?
Or are we looking
and comparing
and looking
for a cheaper
alternative?
We're surrounded
by idols
and false
gods
ourselves.
What the world
tells us
we need
success
and money
and status
power.
We're surrounded
by all of these
idols.
An idol
is a false
God that comes
between us
and the living
God.
And when we
listen to the
idols of this
world,
we will perish.
That is the
warning of Scripture.
But when we
listen to God,
we find life
and hope.
So is there
a God
that compares
to this God?
Well, there are
three things
that Micah
shows to us
in these verses
in the closing
part of chapter 7
that show us
that no God
compares
to this God.
And I want us
to see it
in three ways.
Three ways
that Micah
shows us
no God
compares
to him.
And the first
is no God
compares to him
as a shepherd,
a shepherd king.
No God,
secondly,
we'll see,
compares to him
as sovereign
over this world.
And then thirdly
and finally,
we see no God
compares to him
as saviour.
These three things
Micah shows
to us.
The shepherd,
the way God
is sovereign
and the salvation
that God offers
that no God
compares to him.
So first of all,
we see
the shepherd.
When you look
at verse 13,
it's the end
of a section
that's speaking
about
desolation
coming
to people,
destruction
coming to people.
In verse 13,
it says,
but the earth
will be desolate
because of its
inhabitants
for the fruit
of their deeds.
The land
is made
desolate.
Destruction
is all around.
But yet,
there's hope.
There is hope.
There is a seed
of recovery.
There is a sunrise
after the night
of darkness.
And you see
that Micah
himself
has made
known that
in verse 7
where it says,
but as for me,
I will look
to the Lord.
I will wait
for the God
of my salvation.
My God
will hear
me.
Rejoice
not over me,
O my enemy.
When I fall,
I shall rise.
When I sit
in darkness,
the Lord
will be a light
to me.
That there is hope,
that there is
darkness
in his day,
but there is
hope of the light
to come.
And Psalm 30
is another
wonderful psalm
that speaks
to us
in verse 5
of tears
enduring
for a night,
but joy
comes
in the morning.
And what
makes the difference
in these
circumstances?
When there is
darkness,
when there is
suffering,
but there is
hope.
even
there is
a hope
that we
cannot yet
see,
but there
is a hope.
What makes
the difference?
Well,
it's that God
has not forgotten
his people.
Because you
see that
in the prayer
that Micah
offers up
in verse 14.
Shepherd
your people
with your
staff.
The flock
of your
inheritance
who dwell
alone
in a forest
in the midst
of a garden
land,
let them
graze
in Bashan
and Gilead
as in
the days
of old.
As in
the days
when you
came out
of the
land of
Egypt.
I will
show them
marvelous
things.
There is
hope.
What makes
the difference?
Who is
a God
like you?
As Micah
says,
when it
comes to
this situation,
there is
no God
who will
shepherd
in this
world
apart from
our God.
Shepherd
your people
with your
staff.
The people,
your inheritance,
who you
know and
who you
love so
well.
When you
look at
the shepherd
imagery in
the Old
Testament,
it's always
a picture
of knowledge.
It's always
a picture
of concern
and compassion
when you
think of
a true
shepherd.
It's the
image that
we see
so often
throughout the
Old Testament,
most particularly
as we see
it in
Psalm 23.
The shepherd
was one
who ruled
well over
his flock,
who provided
for them
in every
way,
who remembered
them and
knew them
intimately,
knew every
sheep,
every face
before him.
He knew
if there
was one
missing.
He knew
if there
was one
suffering
or hurting.
That is
the knowledge
that we
see in
the shepherds
of the
Old Testament.
And that
is the
knowledge of
God
for his
people.
That is
the knowledge
that Psalm
23 speaks
about so
wonderfully.
The Lord
is my
shepherd,
no want
shall I
know.
I will
not lack
anything
because my
shepherd knows
what I
need.
And this
is the
care that
God has
for his
people at
all times,
and especially
in their
suffering.
In Exodus
2,
we've quoted
this before,
but when
God was
looking upon
his people
in Egypt
as they
were suffering
there,
it says
in verse
24,
God heard
their groaning
and God
remembered his
covenant with
Abraham,
with Isaac,
and with
Jacob.
God saw
the people
of Israel
and God
knew.
He knew
what had
to be done.
He knew
that action
was required.
Why?
Because his
sheep were
suffering.
His people
were suffering.
And God
has this
knowledge for
his people
at all
times.
Psalm 100,
another psalm
that speaks
so wonderfully
about the
shepherd and
the sheep.
Know that
the Lord,
he is God.
It is he
who made us
and we are
his.
We are his
people,
the sheep
of his
pasture.
He remembers
our frame.
He remembers
our need.
He remembers
our weakness.
He remembers
everything
about us.
And this
is the
plea that
Micah is
making here
in verse 14.
There is
desolation,
there is
suffering,
but Micah
is saying,
who is a
God that
compares to
you as our
shepherd?
Shepherd your
people with
your staff.
the flock
of your
inheritance.
May they
come again
and graze
in Bashan
and Gilead
as in the
days of
old.
And it's
interesting now
how in
verse 15
it ties
back to
verse 3
and 4
of chapter
6.
As in the
days when
you came
out of the
land of
Egypt,
I will
show them
marvelous
things.
The Lord
is here
speaking.
And this
is in
contrast to
what he
was saying
to them
in verse
3 and
4.
Oh my
people,
what have
I done
to you?
How have
I wearied
you?
Answered
me,
for I
brought
you up
out of
Egypt
and
redeemed
you from
the house
of slavery.
I have
done all
these things
for you.
And what
is he
saying?
I will
do it
again.
I will
do it
again.
as in
the days
when you
came out
of the
land of
Egypt,
I will
show them
marvelous
things.
And he
will
remind us
again and
again that
no God
compares
to him.
And for
the people
of the
Old
Testament,
even into
the New
Testament,
as you
think of
the feast
of the
Passover,
the Exodus
was a
great
remembrance
deliverance
for them,
the
deliverance
of God,
the marvelous
things that
he did in
shepherding
his people,
in leading
them,
is so
well.
Well,
what has
he done
to show
his great
love for
us today?
Can we
say,
does any
God compare
to this
God who
sent his
own son,
the shepherd
of his
people?
Shepherding
us through
Jesus Christ,
remembering
us in
all our
great needs,
even though
we are
standing
before him
just as
they were
in the
days of
Micah,
saying,
well,
God has
left us,
God has
abandoned us,
God has
turned his
back on us,
God has
weeded us
with all
his laws
and all
of these
things.
How?
How
compared to
this God
who shows
us love,
his steadfast
love,
through shepherding
us through
his own
son,
the son
Jesus Christ
who,
in John
10,
verse 14
and 15
says,
I am the
good shepherd,
I know
my own,
and my own
know me,
just as the
Father knows
me,
I know
the Father.
And what
does he go
on to say
and I
lay down
my life
for the
sheep?
That is
the love
of the
shepherd,
the shepherd
that Micah
is pleading
for,
to shepherd
your people,
to lead
your people.
As we
were hearing
this morning
how Jesus
led his
disciples out,
here's another
great example
of that as
well.
Shepherd,
lead
your people.
The shepherd
in the Old
Testament,
not like
us today
who go
behind the
sheep,
trying to
force them
the way
we want
them to
go.
The shepherd
always led
from the
front.
And so
our good
shepherd,
he has
led from
the front.
He has
gone before
us to
the cross
to bear
our sin,
to give
us life
through him,
that he
would show
us marvelous
things.
Even as
in the
days of
old and
even better,
that we
have a
great shepherd
to watch
over us.
Is there
any God
that compares
to this?
Is there
anything in
this world
that compares
to the love
of this
Savior?
There is
nothing.
There may
be cheap
alternatives,
but they're
no use at
the end of
the day.
We need
this shepherd.
And the
second thing
we see
here is
in verse
16 and
17,
where we
see the
promise,
the sovereign
promise that
God gives.
And this
is more a
sign that
God will
rule over
all people
and all
nations,
the good
and the
bad.
The nation
shall see
and be
ashamed of
all their
might.
They shall
lay their
hands on
their mouths,
their ears
shall be
deaf.
They shall
lick the
dust like
a serpent,
like the
crawling
things of
the earth.
They shall
come trembling
out of their
strongholds.
They shall
turn in
dread to
the Lord
our God,
and they
shall be
in fear
of you.
The nations
shall see
and be
ashamed.
They will
turn in
dread to
the Lord
our God.
All the
nations
of this
world
will see.
But what
do the
nations
say today?
What were
the nations
saying in
the days
of Micah?
They were
saying to
Micah,
where is
your God?
Where is
your God?
God.
And so
they say
to this
day as
well,
where is
your God?
We often
say that
time goes
by so
quickly.
The years
go by
so quickly.
Later on
this year,
it's more
than 20
years in
September
since the
terrorist
attack.
September
the 11th
in the
United
States.
It's
amazing to
think just
how quickly
the time
has gone
past.
Boxing
Day last
year now,
2023,
was 19
years since
the tsunami
in the
Far East
struck.
Where were
you when
these things
happened?
I'm sure
for many
people here
these events
they still
stand out
in your
mind.
You maybe
remember
exactly where
you were
when you
heard these
events were
happening and
saw them on
your television
screens.
They were
huge events,
monumentous
events for
our world
and all
the world
saw this
happening.
All ends
of the
earth saw
these things
taking place.
And it's
so often
in these
times when
people will
question,
where was
God?
Where was
God when
these things
happened?
John Blanchard,
an author,
he wrote
a book
and the
title of
the book
was Where
Was God
on September
the 11th?
And in the
book he
highlights the
challenge that
these kinds
of tragedies
bring to
us and
especially
bring to
faith.
How do we
respond when
people say
these questions?
Where was
God when
all of this
was happening?
And he
tells of a
story when
he was
challenged
himself about
the question,
where was
God?
And there
was a time
when he
met with
a lawyer
called
Edward
Tabash.
Edward
Tabash
comes from
a five
unbroken
generation of
Orthodox
Jews.
But the
Holocaust
impacted
his family
and it
claimed the
lives of
two of his
own family
members.
And it
turned him
into a
passionate
atheist,
turned his
back on
faith and
religion.
And behind
it all was
this question,
how could
God allow
this to
happen?
And in
one debate
that he was
having,
it was in
California,
he said
this,
Edward
Tabash,
if the
God of
the Bible
actually
exists,
I want
to sue
him for
negligence,
for being
asleep at
the wheel
of the
universe when
my grandfather
and uncle
were gassed
to death
in
Auschwitz.
And you
can just
imagine the
pain that
he's suffering
thinking on
these events,
but to say
I want to
sue the
God for
negligence,
for being
asleep at
the wheel
of the
universe.
Was God
asleep when
these things
happened?
When Auschwitz
happened and
so many
lost their
lives there?
John Blanchard
went on to
speak about
this about
September the
11th and
he said,
when I was
asked where
was God
when religious
fanatics
killed those
3,000 people
in America,
I replied
exactly where
he was
when religious
fanatics
killed his
son,
Jesus Christ,
in complete
control of
everything that
happened.
This is a
clear teaching
of Scripture,
he goes on
to say.
Those who
combined to
have Jesus
crucified were
wicked men,
yet his
death was
according to
God's set
purpose and
foreknowledge.
as the
book of
Acts,
chapter 2,
verse 23,
makes clear.
It is hard
to answer
some of
these questions.
Where was
God when?
But that is
the greatest
answer we
can give.
Exactly where
he was when
religious
fanatics killed
his son,
Jesus Christ,
in complete
control of
everything.
And that's
hard sometimes
for us to
accept.
But isn't
it such a
great assurance
to us to
know that
God is
sovereign,
that God
is in
control?
Because what
does this
world have
to offer
us in
terms of
security and
control?
Who is in
control?
Who is in
charge of
events and
everything that's
happening in
this world?
Is it just
chance?
Do we just
leave it to
go on as
it is with
no thought
of anything
or anyone
being in
control?
Well, God
is in
control.
What God
compares to
him?
And the
knowledge that
he is in
control.
We are all
sinners, as
verse 18
makes clear
for us.
But he
does not
retain his
anger forever.
He has
mercy.
And that is
something wonderful
for us to
think on.
Not to
turn to
atheism.
Not to
turn away
from God
completely and
accuse him of
being asleep at
the wheel of
the universe
when all
these things
happen.
But it's a
time to
come to
God, to
look to
him, to
trust in
him, because
there is no
other way to
salvation.
There is no
other way to
security.
There's no
other policy that
this world can
offer us that
will give us
comfort and
confidence in
all of these
situations apart
from God.
Jesus said on
the cross,
Father, forgive
them, for
they know not
what they do.
And to
know that
forgiveness, to
know that
peace that he
is offering, to
know that
steadfast love
that we have
in him.
When we
listen to
God, we
see his
sovereign over
all the good
and the wicked
and all events
of this world.
And we can
leave them in
his hands, for
we'll never
understand some
things.
But God
does and God
knows.
And is that
not enough
for us to
know that
he is
sovereign?
Well, thirdly
and finally, we
see here that
he is the
Savior.
And no
God compares
to him when
it comes to
salvation.
In verse
18 to
verse 20,
make that so
wonderfully clear
for us.
Who is a
God like you,
pardoning iniquity,
passing over
transgression for
the remnant of
his inheritance?
He does not
retain his
anger forever
because he
delights in
steadfast love.
He will again
have compassion
on us.
He will tread
our iniquities
under foot.
He will cast
all our sins
into the
depths of
the sea.
What a
wonderful God
we have.
Is there any
God in this
world who can
do this for
us?
Show us
steadfast love,
pass over our
transgression,
cast our sins
into the depths
of the sea?
No.
There is no
other.
Our greatest
need is a
saviour.
And we have
one here in
Jesus Christ.
Because Jesus
himself said,
no one comes
to the Father
but by me.
And he also
said, it is
finished.
I have opened
the way.
The way is
prepared.
I will lead
you as my
people.
But what
kind of
people are
we?
Where is
our confidence?
Where is
our assurance
today?
Is it in
anything else
but God?
Who is a
God like
you?
A question
was once
asked in a
newspaper article.
and it
was seeking
responses.
And the
question was
this, what's
wrong with
the world?
A simple
short
question.
But a
question that
could lead to
many different
answers.
How would
you answer
that question
today?
Where do
your thoughts
immediately go
when you hear
that question?
What's wrong
with the
world
today?
Well, there
was a
number of
correspondents
that were
sent in to
the paper
with answers.
But one
winning answer
was chosen.
And it was
the shortest
answer that
was given.
And the
response was
this.
In response
to your
question,
what's wrong
with the
world?
I am.
Yours
faithfully,
G.K.
Chesterton.
G.K.
Chesterton
is a writer,
an author,
a Christian
author.
And that
was his
response.
Is that
the first
response that
comes to
your mind
when you
hear that
question?
Or is it
our natural
inclination
just to go
away and
think of
something and
somebody else?
Or do we
look to
ourselves
and say,
what's wrong
with the
world?
Begin with
I am.
My heart
not being
right with
God.
My not
trusting in
him with
all my
heart.
Me not
depending on
him for
security and
salvation as
is offered in
the scripture.
that's what
was wrong
in Micah's
day.
It's what's
wrong in
our day
too.
It's the
sin of
our heart
that is
wrong with
this world.
We are
alive today
because,
as we sang
in Psalm
103,
God does
not treat
our sin
as it
deserves
or repay
us according
to our
iniquities.
Or to
put it in
a more
positive way
as Lamentations
3 says,
because of
the Lord's
great love
we are not
consumed.
That is
how we
are alive
today.
Who is
a God
like you?
Peter,
when he
was asked
and the
disciples were
asked,
will you
also go
away?
Will you
turn away
from this
God who
is offering
salvation
through Jesus
Christ?
What a
wonderful
response he
gave.
To whom
else can
we go?
For you
alone have
the words
of eternal
life.
There is
nowhere else
to go.
There is
no place
we can go
and find
assurance
and insurance
for eternity
apart from
this God.
God.
So where
do we
go?
Who is
a God
like you?
There is
no other.
And when we
listen to
him, we
see the
benefits that
he offers
to his
people.
He will
shepherd.
He will
lead his
people.
He is
sovereign over
all people
of this
world.
And he
is preparing
a salvation
for his
people like
nothing else
that this
world can
offer.
Paul, when
he wrote
to the
Corinthians,
in chapter
2 of
1 Corinthians,
it says,
But as it
is written,
what no eye
has seen,
nor ear heard,
nor the heart
of man imagined,
what God
has prepared
for those
who love
him.
No God
compares
to this
God.
who is
a God
like you.
There is
no other.
We can
compare
every other
idol and
false God
of this
world,
and at the
end of the
day, none
will help.
Apart from
this God,
we have
nothing.
Psalm 77
says,
in verse
13,
O God,
most holy
are your
ways.
What God
compares with
you,
you are
the God
of miracles,
whose power
the nations
view.
There is
no God
who compares
with him.
And whatever
the world
puts in front
of us
and shows
us,
whatever
tempts us
away
from this
God,
may we see
there is
no benefit
now or
for eternity
in any
other God
apart from
this God
who will
shepherd,
this God
who is
sovereign,
and this
God who
can save.
Let us
pray.
our Father
in heaven,
we rejoice
in your
word to
us and
we thank
you that
it speaks
to us
of your
judgment
in so
many ways
and your
sovereignty
over all
people,
but your
great assurance
to your
people that
you will
shepherd,
that you
will save.
And we
pray,
Lord,
that you
will help
us to
hear your
voice in
the midst
of all
others,
to hear
and to
listen and
to follow
you.
For we
ask it in
Jesus'
name.
Amen.
We're
going to
conclude by
singing to
God's
praise in
Psalm 135.
We sang the
end of this
psalm from
the Scottish
Psalter,
which reminded
us of the
idols of
this world.
But the
beginning of
the psalm
reminds us
of the
greatness
of our
God.
Praise the
Lord,
all you
as servants.
Praise his
name with
glad accord.
You who
serve God
in his
temple,
in the
dwelling of
the Lord.
Then verse
5 says,
For I know
the Lord
is mighty,
greater than
all gods
he is.
He is
sovereign in
the heavens,
on the
earth,
and in
the sea.
Psalm 135,
the Sing
Psalms version,
page 176.
We'll sing
from verse
1 to 6.
Praise the
Lord, all
you
who
servants,
praise his
name with
glad accord.
You who
serve God
in his
temple,
in the
dwelling of
the Lord.
Praise the
Lord, for
this is
victory.
He is
good, his
praise
proclaim.
Praise the
Lord, for
it is
pleasant
to sing
praises to
his name.
For
the Lord
has chosen
Jacob
to be
known to
him
alone,
Israel
to be
his
treasure,
set apart
to be
his
own.
For
I know
the
Lord
is
mighty,
greater
than
all
gods
he
be.
He is
sovereign
in the
heavens,
on the
earth
and in
the
sea.
After
the
benediction,
I'll go to
the door to
my left.
We'll
close with
the
benediction.
Now may
grace,
mercy and
peace from
God,
Father,
Son and
Holy Spirit
rest upon
and abide
with you
all,
now and
forevermore.
Amen.
will
pray.
Pray for
you
them