July 11-13, 2015 Pastor Timothy J. Spaude Text: Micah 5:2 “IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS THAT COUNT!”

MAJORING IN THE MINORS: MICAH

July 11-13, 2015

Pastor Timothy J. Spaude

Text: Micah 5:2

“IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS THAT COUNT!”

1.     God likes to use the little things.

2.     God likes to be served in the little things.

3.     But He accomplishes big things.

Micah 5:2    (NIV 1984) "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."

          So, what do you want to be when you grow up? I’ve read quite a few answers on papers in the halls at a school. Many children dream of being something big like an astronaut or an NFL quarterback or the President of the United States. It’s good and fun for us to aspire to do big things, however in his book the prophet Micah reminds us that with God, it’s the little things that count. I don’t know what it was the prophet Micah wanted to be when he grew up but this small town boy from Moresheth was used by God to bring a big message to God’s people. His overall message was much the same as some of the other Minor Prophets we have looked at already. God is not willing to let unrepentant sin hold court in the hearts of His people. Micah lived at a time of prosperity and greed had taken root. Things were valued more than people so that people were oppressed and things treated like gods. There would chastisement. If you have been reading the Meditations book this past week you know that God used these hard things to help his people repent of their sins. Then there would be forgiveness and relief. As Micah wrote at the end of his book, (Micah 7:2) “Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.” Interspersed in Micah’s call to repentance and promise of forgiveness we find one of those important truths for Christian living. It’s the little things that count. It’s the little things that count because God likes to use the little things.

There’s a neat little game out there that maybe some of you know of or have played. It’s really easy. It’s called Tribond. You get a list of three things that don’t seem to be related  but they have something in common. Let’s try one. Red. White. Blue. That would be colors of the American flag. Let’s try another one. Gideon’s 300 soldiers. 5 barley loaves with 2 small fish. The widow’s mite. Those are a little things that accomplished big things when used by God. God used the 300 to rout the entire Midianite army. He used the five loves and two fish to feed 5000 men not counting the women and children with 12 baskets of leftovers to boot. He used the widow’s mite to teach millions of believers that trust and love is at the heart of Christian giving. One more. Bethlehem. A baby. A cross. Little things that God likes to use. It may have felt like Christmas in July a few minutes ago and that’s because God included this Christmas gem in Micah’s book.  "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."

As the Christmas carol says, Bethlehem was a little town. It wasn’t big enough to be listed among the clan cities. It wasn’t a Milwaukee, Madison or Green Bay. It wasn’t a Waukesha oven a Greenfield. It was a Raymond, or Vernon or Neosho. A little town. But that’s what God chose to use as the birthplace of His only Son, our Savior, the King of kings and Lord of lords, ruler of all believers, whose origin is so ancient we can’t fathom because He is eternal. In little Bethlehem a little baby boy was born to a little known couple named Mary and Joseph. Are we starting to see a pattern here? It’s the little things that count because God likes to use the little things. Do you see what that means? God likes to use people like us. The Apostle Paul echoed this truth when he wrote to our brothers and sisters in Corinth. “Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.”

This is true for us. By human standards not many if any of us are movers and shakers in the Milwaukee area. But don’t let the Devil trick you into thinking you are useless. God likes to use the little things. Children He desires to use you. Those of you whose bodies are failing God wants to use you too and all of us in between. It’s the little things that count and God likes to use the little things.

          He’s also likes to be served in the little things. I’m going to be 48 in a month. I guess somewhere in here I’m supposed to have a mid life crisis, this time when you look at your life and get depressed. What great things have I accomplished? How have I made an impact on the world? It goes back to what do I want to be when I grow up. We aspire to do great things in the eyes of the world. We exchange the glory of God for the value system of the world that hates Him! Oh that we would rather aspire to do great things in the eyes of the Lord. Oh that we could be more excited about kids showing daily kindness than scoring a goal. It’s the little things that count. God through Micah reminded the people of what He looks for when he said in Micah 6  "My people, what have I done to you? How have I burdened you? Answer me.4 I brought you up out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery. I sent Moses to lead you, also Aaron and Miriam. 6 With what shall I come before the LORD and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? 7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? 8 He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” It’s the little things that count. God reminded the people of all He had done for them. He was hurt that they felt burdened serving Him. He wasn’t asking for anything big, something they couldn’t do like sacrifice their children or give what they didn’t have. He wanted to be served in the little things. Act justly. Obey. Love mercy. Kindness. Walk humbly. Attitude. It’s the little things that count. Children, it’s great if you want to be an astronaut but God wants to see you obeying your parents and talking respectfully and being kind to each other right now. It’s the little things that count. Mid life crisis. What have I accomplished? Have I been a loving faithful spouse? Do I train my children in the way of the Lord? Do my work faithfully. Am I a truth teller daily. Do I pray and worship God the way He wants. It’s the little things that count. So you can’t walk so well anymore. You can pray for others. What did Jesus put in His top ten list? I was hungry and you fed me, naked and you clothed me, sick and you took care of me. The things a mother does over and over again. It’s the little things that count and God likes to served in the little things.

          He accomplishes the big things. A little town, a little baby, an average cross. God used that to provide forgiveness of sins. You and I are going to run through the gates of heaven like someone whose name just got called on The Price is Right not because we served God so well but because Jesus did for us and took away our sins. A little water, words, bread and wine. Little things but God uses them for the work of bringing people to faith and keeping our faith strong. For the sake of 10 little believers God would have spared the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. The little prayers of a little believers have changed the course of lives and history. Little children have often been the reason adults who refused to step into a church have changed their mind. Through the small town prophet Micah God gave hope to believers who lived in a country of people who had fallen away and marked for all to see where the Savior could be found. Wise men found him there because of it. 1300 little souls, some weak, some strong and God is providing affordable Christian Education for 250 lambs, weekly worship opportunities, mission support for a Synod that proclaims the Good News of Jesus in our country and 25 more and a high school that teaches almost 800. It’s the little things that count. God does the big things.

          So what do you want to be when you grow up? Well I’m not really sure I want to grow up. It’s now that counts. Since we also serve the God who  pardons sin and forgives transgression and who does not stay angry forever but delights to show mercy let’s be people who on a daily basis act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with our God. It’s the little things that count. Amen.