Get In The Word – The Best Word In The Bible

It’s Christmastime and Pastor Daniel Montgomery preached Micah 5:1-6 this past Sunday – the Shepherd-King for God’s people would come from Bethlehem and extend God’s greatness to the ends of the earth, ruling perfectly where all other rulers failed and/or died. The daily devotional and reading plan passed through Micah last week, but you can still find it archived online. The Minor Prophets are great books to read this week because so much of their prophecy is all about Jesus and the people’s need for Him as Savior. So jump in and read Micah. Or read through Zechariah, which is where the devotional resides this Christmas week (starting Tuesday). Join in this week and enjoy the roots of the telling of the Christmas story.

One thing stuck out during Pastor Daniel’s sermon. If you’ve been following along with the Old Testament series lately, you know that Israel was conquered and the people were exiled in Babylon. It was a crushing, demoralizing defeat. Micah, however, made his prophecies over 100 years before this all took place. Still, he pointed directly to the exile, warning Israel of that humiliating strike on the cheek that was on its way. Micah pointed forward to the exile, but he immediately pointed even further to the coming of a Shepherd-King from Bethlehem, whom we now know to be Jesus Christ. In essence, Micah is saying, ‘Look, you are going to be broken down. But keep looking! Salvation is coming.’ ‘But’. That’s a good word for the Christmas season.

This Christmas, I challenge you to put yourself in Micah’s sights. Let him point the finger at you. Hear his words that your sin is leading you down the path to humiliation and death. Then hear that most glorious word in all Scripture – but. But look even further with Micah and see that God sent a Shepherd-King after you – you straying sheep, you wandering child. If you truly live under the rule of this King, as Pastor Daniel preached so clearly, then you can face the future this Christmas knowing that your humiliation and death has been replace with honor and life because Jesus was born to die for you. You faced a steep penalty but Jesus Christ took it away from you.

The Scriptures continue to point forward. The second half of the Advent season, the half that often gets forgotten amid the emphasis on Jesus’ birth, is that Jesus is coming back, not as a child born into muck but as a King coming to rule forever. Jesus came and Jesus will come again! The finger of Scripture points to the day of Christ’s return as a day of defeat for many, but the finger of Scripture points even further and says that you – you who claim Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord (for you can’t separate those two) – you will enjoy peace, security and majesty in the presence of God forever.

That’s the best word this Christmas season.

At Sojourn, we are all about you getting in the Word - it’s God’s message for you, as you are, where you are.Right now we’re working through the Old Testament as a church body and it’s a big undertaking that can seem pretty intimidating. We want to assure you that nobody has to be a scholar to understand the Bible. God didn’t just speak to the brainiacs - he spoke to all of us. Still, a little help along the way is good. That’s why Sojourn has a daily Bible reading plan and devotional which can be found online here. For more on the daily devotional and how you can use it to help you get in the word, click here.