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Micah - Zac
Sermon Summary
Zac finishes our series on the prophet Micah: The sermon teaches that despite the corruption and brokenness among God's people, true hope is found in repentance—turning back to God with a humble and honest heart, just as Micah did, trusting in God's steadfast love and forgiveness through Jesus.
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Hope rises in Micah 7 not by denying the darkness but by locating God’s character within it. After surveying a community unraveling with corruption, betrayal, and spiritual deafness (Micah 7:1-6), the prophet lifts his eyes and declares a God who pardons iniquity, passes over transgression, and delights in steadfast love (Micah 7:18-20). The shift is decisive: from lamenting the collapse of trust among God’s people to anchoring confidence in the Lord’s mercy. The crisis is not “out there” in the world; it is among the covenant people themselves, and the way forward runs through repentance.
Two repeated words frame the turning point: “But as for me.” Micah separates from the prevailing compromises, not by superiority, but by surrender—filled with the Spirit to speak truth (Micah 3:8) and resolved to look to the Lord, wait for the God of his salvation, and trust that God hears (Micah 7:7). He owns his sin and submits to God’s discipline (7:8-9), modeling the repentance he calls for. Judgment in Micah is not God’s spite; it is a revelation of where their choices lead. In love, God exposes their trajectory so they might turn before destruction hardens into destiny.
The hope, then, is repentance—real, honest, specific, and Godward. Like the prodigal who discovers that repentance returns him to his father’s embrace, turning leads into presence, not into punishment. Because Jesus has borne the cost, God’s people do not bring sacrifices to earn favor; they bring a broken spirit and a contrite heart. Repentance is not a doorway to shame but a pathway to communion. It softens what sin hardens and restores what disobedience erodes: the ability to hear God, to live justly, love kindness, and walk humbly with him (Micah 6:8).
This is an invitation to live differently. Not as those chasing fleeting pleasure or muted by compromise, but as those who first let God search the heart and then courageously speak and act with integrity. Lift your eyes. Shift your focus. Tell the truth about your sin. Receive mercy that treads iniquities underfoot and casts sins into the sea. God’s promises remain steady. The call is simple and searching: humble, truthful, repentant.
Key Takeaways
1. Hope appears through honest repentance: Repentance is not self-loathing; it is returning to the Father who delights in steadfast love. Turning to God restores what sin corrodes: clarity, communion, and courage. Real hope isn’t optimism about circumstances; it is confidence in God’s character when we come clean.
2. Choose “but as for me”: In a compromised culture, the decisive act is personal alignment. Micah turns his gaze from horizontal chaos to the Lord who hears, waits, and saves. Resolve becomes the hinge between lament and light: “I will look to the Lord.”
3. Judgment reveals consequences, not spite: God’s indictments in Micah are loving disclosures of where their path leads. He shows the end of unjust choices so they can turn before the damage becomes permanent. Consequence is a teacher; repentance is the way back to wisdom.
4. Repentance restores presence, not performance: The prodigal’s return is met with embrace, not a lecture. God’s goal is reunion, not humiliation; he runs to meet those who come home. Turning is less about fixing oneself and more about falling into faithful arms.
5. Live Micah 6:8 in Jesus’ victory: Because Jesus paid the price, the way is open to walk humbly, love mercy, and do justice. Daily contrition keeps the heart tender and the ears open. This is not rule-keeping; it’s responsive friendship with God.
Daily Hope Devotionals
Day 1: Who is a God Like You? Steadfast Love
Scripture:
Micah 7:18-20 (NIV)
'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. You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea. You will be faithful to Jacob, and show love to Abraham, as you pledged on oath to our ancestors in days long ago.'
https://www.bible.com/bible/111/MIC.7.18-20
Devotional:
In Micah, a book that can feel heavy, hope shines as God is revealed as the One who forgives, restores, and delights in steadfast love. He does not cling to anger; He moves toward compassion. He tramples our iniquities and throws our sins into the deepest sea. You can always come back to the altar; it is joy, not shame, to come near. The Holy Spirit is with you; you are not alone.
Reflection:
What specific sin or burden will you trust God to throw into the depths this week, and how will you bring it to Him in prayer today?
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, I thank You for Your abundant love and compassion. I hand my sins to You now as I recollect them - especially my desire to do things my own way. Thank You for casting them into the sea. Amen.
Day 2: But As For Me: Choosing a Different Focus
Scripture:
Micah 7:7 (NIV)
'But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me. '
https://www.bible.com/bible/111/MIC.7.7
Surrounded by corruption—even among God’s people—Micah chose a different path. He lifted his eyes from the ground-level mess and fixed them on the Lord. He resolved to wait for the God of his salvation and trusted that he would be heard. You can make the same pivot today. Separate yourself from what pulls you off-course by looking to Him and waiting with hope.
Reflection:
Where do you need to pivot from scanning the mess to lifting your eyes to the Lord, and what simple practice of waiting (silence, a daily Psalm, a set prayer) will you adopt for the next three days?
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I turn my eyes to You. Thank You for being the pure example of love and justice. Help me to be different than the world around me - to be more like You even if it might mean I face opposition. Amen.
Day 3: Honest Lament that Leads to Repentance
Scriptures:
Psalms 139:23-24 (NIV)
'Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.'
https://www.bible.com/bible/111/PSA.139.23-24
Micah 7:9 (NIV)
'Because I have sinned against him, I will bear the Lord ’s wrath, until he pleads my case and upholds my cause. He will bring me out into the light; I will see his righteousness. '
https://www.bible.com/bible/111/MIC.7.9
Devotional:
Micah names the brokenness plainly; he doesn’t hide from the reality of sin. He also owns his part, consenting to God’s discipline and trusting God to plead his cause. Honest lament becomes a doorway into repentant hope. Invite God to search your heart without fear; His conviction is not to shame you but to heal you. This sincerity keeps your heart tender and teachable before Him.
Reflection:
Set aside some quiet time today to pray Psalm 139 in your own words. What one attitude or habit does the Spirit gently bring to mind for repentance?
Prayer:
Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Day 4: Repentance Brings the Father’s Loving Presence
Scripture:
Luke 15:20-24 (NIV)
'So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.'
https://www.bible.com/bible/111/LUK.15.20-24Devotional:
Repentance is not groveling; it is returning. Like the son who came to his senses, you can turn from empty pursuits and come home. The Father runs, embraces, and restores before the apology is finished. God shows consequences not to crush you but to turn you toward life. His presence meets you on the road back, and joy rises where despair once sat.
Reflection:
If you pictured the Father running toward you, what specific apology would you offer first, and what tangible step home could you take today (a conversation, a confession, ending a harmful pursuit)?
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You that You always have open arms to welcome me back when I turn to You in repentance! I pray that You would reveal any area that I need to change in my life so that I can have nothing between You and me. Amen
Day 5: Walk Humbly: Do Justice, Love Kindness, Daily
Scripture:
Micah 6:8 (NIV)
'He has shown you, O mortal, 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. '
https://www.bible.com/bible/111/MIC.6.8Devotional:
Because Jesus paid the price, you are free to live differently. Micah 6:8 shows the shape of a repentant life: doing justice, loving kindness, and walking humbly with God. Daily repentance keeps you close to His voice and soft to His leading. The choices you make today will shape tomorrow’s path, so choose what aligns with His heart. You don’t need elaborate sacrifices—bring a broken spirit and a willing heart, and walk it out.
Reflection:
Choose one concrete way to do justice, one act of kind love, and one posture of humility this week. Which will you start today, and when will you do the others?
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank You that You are just, full of mercy, and call me to humility - the true understanding of who You have created me to be. I submit my life to You and ask for Your leading and courage as I seek to follow You in this way. Amen
Day 6: The Hope of Healing and Repentance
Scripture:
Isaiah 53:5-6 (NIV)
'But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. '
https://www.bible.com/bible/111/ISA.53.5-6When we read these verses, we see a picture of deep sacrifice and incredible love. Jesus took on the punishment for our sins so that we could be healed. This healing isn’t just physical—it’s spiritual, emotional, and relational. It’s the healing that comes when we stop running our own way and turn back to God.
We all make choices that lead us away from God’s best for us. But the good news is that Jesus bore the weight of our sin. His wounds bring us healing. We are invited to turn from our own ways and receive the healing Jesus offers.
Reflection:
Are you living your own way, like the sheep who have gone astray?
Are you willing to come before God honestly and repent, knowing that Jesus has already paid the price for your healing?
Will you choose to look up to God, like Micah, and wait for His salvation?
Prayer:
Lord, thank you for the sacrifice of Jesus, who bore my sins and brought me healing. Help me to turn from my own ways and to look to You daily. Fill me with Your Spirit, that I might walk humbly and live in Your steadfast love. Amen.
Day 7: Focusing on and Trusting in God Despite Your Circumstances
Scriptures:
Micah 7:7 (NIV)
'But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me. '
https://www.bible.com/bible/111/MIC.7.7
Psalms 55:16-17 (NIV)
'As for me, I call to God, and the Lord saves me. Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice. '
https://www.bible.com/bible/111/PSA.55.16-17
Devotional:
Life can often feel overwhelming, especially when we look around and see brokenness, corruption, and disappointment—in our own lives or among those closest to us. Micah, a prophet living in a time of great turmoil among God’s people, paints a vivid picture of this reality. He describes a world where trust is broken, and even family members turn against one another. Yet, in the middle of this darkness, Micah makes a powerful choice: he shifts his focus from the chaos around him to God Himself.
This shift in focus is a reminder for us today. When life feels heavy and the world around us seems to be falling apart, we are invited to stop fixating on the problems and instead lift our eyes to God. Like Micah, we can choose to wait on God—not with despair, but with hope and confidence in His steadfast love and faithfulness.
Waiting on God means trusting that He is at work, even when we cannot see it. It means surrendering our impatience and our need for control, and resting in the assurance that God hears our prayers and will respond in His perfect way.
Reflection:
What circumstance do you need to surrender to God today?
Take a moment to focus on God and praise Him for who He is.
Prayer:
Lord the circumstances around me sometimes feel overwhelming. Thank You that You are sovereign and mighty. You are my creator and loving Father. I surrender my life and circumstances to You and trust that You are in control. I rest in Your lovingkindness. Amen.
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