The Greatest From The Least! Micah 5:2-5A

Christmas Day, The Nativity of our Lord                     12/25/21
Sermon Text: Micah 5:2-5a
Sermon Theme: “The Greatest From the Least!” By Rev. Nathan J. Rusert

I.N.R.I. “I have enough,” one brother said to another. His brother had just showered him with gifts. He rejoiced to be reconciled. Twenty years earlier arguing over family stuff had torn these twin brothers apart. Now Esau said to Jacob, who had showered him with gifts, “I have enough.” Jacob replied to Esau, “I have enough.” So this morning do you have “enough” or “enough”? The Hebrew words that are translated into English as “enough” say more than our language reveals. Esau uses the Hebrew word ‘rab’ meaning “I have much.” In Hebrew Jacob says “kol’, “I have it all.” So as you are gifted today will you have “much” or will have “all”?
      Having it all isn’t found in having the greatest number of presents, but having the “least.” This Christmas morn learn from the prophet Micah to rejoice in “The Greatest From the Least!”
      History records, “Micah 1:1 The word of the LORD that came to Micah of Moresheth in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.” True prophets didn’t make up their message to please the people. The Word of the Lord put His message into their mouths to preach. St. Peter would later testify, “2 Peter 1:20-21 knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, (21) for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” Micah called to be a prophet in the days of three Judean kings - descendants of David. He preaches from 750 - 686BC, along with Isaiah, Amos, and Hosea. Mercifully the Lord God sent forth His Word through these prophets calling the nations of Israel and Judah to repent and return to Him. Israel turned a deaf ear and would be taken captive in 722B.C. never to return from Assyria. Judah would be given more time to repent, but didn’t learn from her sister. She’d be led into the Babylonian captivity in 586B.C.. After 70 years a small remnant would return that God’s promise to Adam, Abraham, Judah, Jesse, and David might be fulfilled - the Messiah would come in the fullness of time.
        Why the history lesson? Our God is the God of history. History began with His Word, “Let there be light!” Our seven day week echos this fact that in six 24 hour days our world was created by God and the seventh day He gave us rest. History will find its fulfillment when Christ returns in power and glory speaking His Word, “Arise!” Heavens and earth will be dissolved in fire, nevertheless we look for new heavens and a new earth in which sin is forever gone and we dwell forever in Christ’s righteousness.History began a new era with the birth of Christ Jesus. This is echoed in our calendar dividing time from B.C. and A.D. or among those who try to deny the historical fact of Jesus’ birth - B.C.E. - “before common era” and C.E. - “common era.”They are still divided by the life of Jesus. Jesus birth begins making all things new again. Salvation comes through the least - a small infant boy nursing at the Virgin Mary’s breast is the Lord God Creator of the universe. He comes in humility to rescue us from our false pride of sin.
    Micah calls the people to repent of their worship of false gods. Idols are illusions of man’s mind, lies of Satan. They were certain that their fertility idols controlled the weather. If they followed the ritualized prostitution of their temples they could make it warmer, colder, bring rain, or seasonable weather for harvest. We may smile at their ignorance, but they were wiser than the majority of western culture. Wisdom teaches from nature around us that there is a Creator. We have become fools who say in our hearts that there is no god. We make an idol of our foolishness calling it science so that we can practice perversion, slaughter the unborn, destroy marriage, and mutilate bodies denying what is written on their chromosomes.
      Christianity is the root of modern science. Confessing the Creator who is Wisdom and Whose works are logical. Christian men and women studied God’s creation to understand His work. Speculation of origins isn’t science. Evolution is a man based religion masquerading as science. A false religion that makes an idol out of what men speculate not out of laws of nature that are observable, measurable, and repeatable.  
      Just as little as Judah and Israel’s worship of man made idols could change the weather. So little can our worship of man’s fallen thinking speculative science save us from fear of death. The Lord God chooses the weak, simple, and foolish things in the eyes of the world to undo Satan’s lie which has enslaved the mind of men. Study Micah’s prophecy. The sins he preaches against are endemic in our dying culture. As they destroyed Israel and Judah - they are destroying us. Our hope is not found in our plans, but in God’s gift.
        Micah preaches hope. (Vs.2) Jerusalem will be besieged and fall, but that will not stop God’s promise. From David’s town. Bethlehem - which means “House of Bread.’ The Bread from Heaven will be born. From “Ephrathah” which means “fruitful” will come the “Fruit of the Tree of Life” to restore life to this world through the tree of His cross. Out of Bethlehem comes forth a Ruler to follow the Father’s will perfectly. He will not allow a jot or tittle of God’s Holy Commandments to go unfulfilled. He keep the Law perfectly from the moment of His conception to the point of His death upon the cross. He does this all for you.
    Jesus is born to be a King. The One Ruler in Israel. The One Ruler over all thing in heaven and earth. His birth proclaims peace between God and man. Heaven and earth are reconciled to one another through His flesh and blood. Lowly shepherds hear this good news and come to worship baby Jesus - laid in a feeding trough in a cave stable.   This Baby Jesus is the Christ - the Messiah. He is the Lord. God has become one with us. He has taken our humanity into the godhead - to buy us back from captivity to fear, sin, death, hell, lies, and Satan. Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega - the beginning and end - His goings forth are from of old , from everlasting - He is the eternally begotten Son of the Father. Though He is eternal - He humbles Himself to enter into our time and history - for there was no other way to effect our rescue. Just as a fireman has to enter the burning building to rescue victims trapped inside - so our God was born of the Virgin Mary to rescue us trapped by Satan and destined to burn eternally in hell.
    Today we hear the angels sing of our rescue to Bethlehem shepherds, seven centuries after Micah preached our rescue in Jesus. When it seemed all hope was lost Hope would be born in the flesh and blood of baby Jesus.
(Vs.3) Micah preached that it would seem that David’s line of kings had come to an end. The Messiah would be born when the Davidic line’s rule over Judah was a far distant memory. Herod the Great an Idumean, a descendant of Esau ruled what once was Judah and Israel. He ruled under the authority of the Roman empire. Powerful Caesar Augustus ordered a census and the world moved at his command. Caesar was God’s agent, the Lord ruled through him, in order that His Son would be born in Bethlehem. Dear Christian rejoice this day. The Babe born of Mary - now rules over all things in heaven and on earth. Earthly governments are not free agents, but only can go as far as our Lord allows. They serve Him to maintain peace and order that the Good News preached by angels, repeated by shepherds might be proclaimed still today throughout this world.
    When Jesus is born of the Virgin Mary - David’s Kingly line is redeemed and eternally restored to rule. Jesus gathers the remnant of the children of Israel. The lame, the blind, the weak, the sick, the sinner, are gathered by the Holy Spirit as Jesus preaches the Father’s reconciling Word. Jewish shepherds seek Him out the day of His birth - they are gathered to Him. Gentile wise men - magi - journey from the east to worship Him - He accepts their gifts. A sinful woman, washes His feet with her tears and dries them with her hair - He accepts her worship - she is gathered to Him. Ten men full of leprosy are gathered to Him crying out for mercy. He speaks and they are healed. Lifted up on the cross - Jewish leaders are gathered to mock Him, His followers gather to mourn, Gentile soldiers gather to guard Him, two other criminals are gathered to suffer with Him. A dying thief is gathered in his last hours looking to Jesus for mercy - his hellish torture only becomes the gate to paradise through Jesus. Dying a Roman centurion is gather to confess that Jesus is truly the Son of God. The True Israel - the Holy Christian Church - Jew, Gentile, male, female, free, slave - all are gathered to Jesus and at His table they feast on forgiveness of all their sins, life eternal, and certain salvation in the living flesh and blood of the King.
        Rejoice this day! Micah foresees the day in which you live. (Vs.4-5a) Our King born in David’s town of David’s line to rule eternally would be like David - a shepherd. David had sung of Mary’s little lamb 1000 years before His nativity - we still join David singing. ‘The Lord is my Shepherd”. Jesus would testify to the truth David sang and Micah preached saying, John 10:11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.” He isn’t a shepherd that you hire by your good deeds. He never will abandon to Satan’s wolfish lies to be devoured in hell. He knows you by name. He has called you into His flock by name saying, “I baptize you! Brand you with the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit” “I protect you with the sign of the Holy Cross!” “You are Mine! I save you!” Listen only to His voice: John 10:14-18 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. (15) As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. (16) And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd. (17) "Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. (18) No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father."
    Today! The Little Lamb born of the Virgin Mary, The Lamb of God who has taken away the sin of the world by His cross, He is here Shepherding you through His Word spoken, preached, poured, prayed, and fed you. He strengthens you with flesh and blood forgiveness. He places the Name of God upon you at the beginning and end of every service. He knits you together with all who dying in His arms now rest from their labors awaiting our eternal family reunion on the Last Day.
    Do you have “much” or do you have “it all”? Jacob had it all - He trusted in the promise of Jesus. The eternal God humbly clothed in our skin - “mild He lays His glory by, born that man no more may die, born to raise the sons of earth, born to give them second birth!” Amen.