Sermon -- 4th Sunday of Advent (December 22, 2024)

MICAH 5:2-5a

THIS ONE WILL BE THEIR PEACE.

In the name + of Jesus.

     When the Lord first promised a Savior, he was pretty vague about how we would know him.  The Lord spoke of the seed of the woman, which could have been anyone.  He narrowed the scope just a little bit when the Lord referred to the seed of the woman as “he.”  But that only limited the possibilities to a male child.  The Savior could come from anyone in half of the world’s population.  But this one, whoever he might be, would be their peace.  As time went by, the Lord continued to narrow the scope.  The Lord promised Abraham that the Savior would come through him.  The scope was further refined when it was revealed that the Savior would be the Son of David.  Later, the prophet Micah limited the scope even more. 

     Micah declared this word from the Lord: “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, from you, will go out the one who will be the ruler for me in Israel” (Micah 5:2).  Since Bethlehem is a small town, that limits significantly the number of people who would qualify as the Savior of the world—a boy, from the line of David, born in Bethlehem.  Still unnamed to the people of the Old Testament, this one would be their peace.

     The Savior would have a birthday and a birthplace.  However, Micah also declared, “His goings forth are from the beginning, from the days of eternity” (Micah 5:2).  Micah prophesied about 700 BC, seven centuries before the Christ would be born in Bethlehem.  Yet, Micah tells us that this ruler who would come to Israel had his origins long before Micah was born.  He goes back to the beginning of all things, in fact, into eternity.  Therefore, the baby to be born in Bethlehem is eternal.  And if he is eternal, he is God.  The eternal God would enter our world at a specific time and place.  And this one would be their peace.

     Micah told us where the Savior would enter the world.  He also gave us a hint at the timing of his coming.  He said, “The Lord will give them up, until the time when the woman who is in labor bears a child” (Micah 5:3).  And who does the Lord give up?  The rulers from Judah.  God would allow their reign to come to an end.  This happened when Herod the Great assumed power as King of the Jews.  Up to that point in time, the people of Israel were always ruled by a fellow Israelite.  His power may have been insignificant, but it was always an Israelite who ruled over Israel.  Herod the Great was no Israelite.  He was from the nation of Edom.  Jacob’s yoke had finally been broken off of Esau’s neck (cf. Genesis 27:40).  The throne of David, powerless as it was, had finally expired.  But at that time, the woman who was in labor would bear a child, the Savior.  This birth would take place in Bethlehem.  Despite the small size of Bethlehem, someone great would come forth from there.  This one would be their peace.

     Micah helps us identify the Savior.  And when you consider all the other Old Testament prophecies, Jesus is the only one who could be the Savior.  Only Jesus has fulfilled every prophecy foretold and every promise sworn.  Besides identifying where and when he will enter the world, Micah also tells us what he will do.  “He will stand and shepherd with the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.  They will dwell securely, for at that time he will be great to the ends of the earth.  This one will be their peace” (Micah 5:3-5).  

     It is no small thing when Micah says that the Savior will allow his people to dwell securely.  The Promised Land has always been a hotbed of conflict.  The Promised Land was a crossroads between Asia, Africa, and Europe.  Besides traders, many armies travelled the roads through Israel.  Sometimes they passed through, although not without helping themselves to materials and supplies.  Other times, they came to kill, to conquer, and to make Israel a source of revenue for themselves.  In the days of Micah, the Assyrian nation came and took into exile the tribes of the north.  The people of Judea also suffered at the hands of the Assyrians until the Lord provided a miraculous deliverance.  But the violence and warfare have never stopped.  To this day, this plot of land in the Middle East remains a land of blood, currently with Israel and Lebanon and Gaza battling each other.  A ruler who would ensure peace would be welcomed and celebrated when he came.

     And wouldn’t such a ruler be welcomed and celebrated now, too?  The entire world is in chaos.  Jesus warned us it would be this way until his return.  He alerted us, “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars.  See that you are not alarmed, because all these things must happen; but that is not yet the end.  Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.  There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.  But all these things are only the beginning of birth pains.  … Then many will fall away from faith.  They will betray each other and hate each other.  Many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.  Because lawlessness will increase, the love of many will grow cold” (Matthew 24:6-8,10-12).  It isn’t a rosy picture, is it?  But we see it unfold in front of us day by day, year after year.  The pundits may sing, “All we are saying is give peace a chance,” but according to Jesus, you won’t find it here.  It is not that we favor war and chaos; it is that we should not be surprised by it.

     Perhaps your tragedies are more personal.  Sin makes itself evident in many ways.  Sometimes it is family strife.  This is the time of year when families are supposed to get together and to enjoy one another’s company.  But sin produces feuds, divisions, and divorces.  Often, the problems are self-inflicted.  Perhaps you are the one who caused the rift with some poorly chosen words.  Or you are the one who bears the grudge, preferring your pride to forgiveness.  The holidays accentuate these family problems and underscore loneliness.  We use words like “dysfunctional” and “blended” and “broken” to describe families and homes.  This is not what God has intended, but it is what sin has produced. 

     Sin also makes itself evident from the anxiety we endure.  We get anxious about our health, the economy, job security, politics, elections, our popularity, and the expectations of other people.  We even get anxious about scenarios that we dream up in our minds which never happen.  And why the anxiety?  Because nothing in this world is secure.  As a result, people become depressed or angry or even suicidal.  Some choose to cope with life’s problems with intoxication.  But the problems don’t go away.  For as much as people talk about peace during the Christmas season, it is often elusive.  Life remains chaotic.  The world is still broken.  And people still seek hope and peace.

     The prophet Micah preached to troubled people at a troubled time.  His words still bring comfort to us today.  Micah promised us a Savior.  He said, “He will stand and shepherd with the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.  They will dwell securely, for at that time he will be great to the ends of the earth.  This one will be their peace” (Micah 5:3-5).  

     Listen carefully to Micah’s words.  He does not promise that the world will be at peace.  He said, “This one will be their peace” (Micah 5:5, emphasis added).  Jesus himself is the peace that you long for.  He delivers what nothing in the world will bring you.  The everlasting God comes into the world to bring everlasting hope and peace to people.  It’s not necessarily that he will make your world better.  It is that he will deliver you to a better world.  Only in the kingdom of heaven will you get life without war and crime, without pain and loss, without mental and emotional distress.  If this is what you long for, then cling to Jesus.  This one will be your peace.

     Jesus Christ makes promises that he has backed up with his very life.  He has taken care of the sins that have plagued you.  Jesus assures you that all your sins have been wiped out.  The Bible declares, “As distant as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our rebellious acts from us” (Psalm 103:12).  When the eternal God removes sins from you, they are taken away forever.  Therefore, you do not need to live with guilt or regret.  And this is nothing you have to wait for.  The payment for your sins has been made at Jesus’ crucifixion.  In his word and sacraments, Jesus delivers you this forgiveness now.  So, if you want your conscience to be at rest, this one will be your peace.

     Jesus also puts you at ease regarding your death.  Death will come; that is the wages of sin.  But Jesus delivers you from the terrors of death.  He went into death for you.  The flesh-and-blood Savior who came from Bethlehem had his body placed in a grave after he died to pay for your sins.  But the grave could not hold him.  Your flesh-and-blood Savior departed from the grave.  He rose with a glorified body, and assures you that, since you are his, you too will rise with a glorified body.  These bodies suffer all kinds of health problems.  We see that with the need for glasses, hearing aids, prescription medication, and intensive care units.  As you get older, the problems will increase in frequency and intensity.  All of that will be done forever.  Death will be undone.  The frailty of this flesh will be rectified.  No matter what difficulties you have now Jesus will fix.  You will be renewed and robust forever.  This one will be your peace.

     The world is still a troubled and troubling place.  Even after Micah declared that the ruler from the little town of Bethlehem would enable his people to live securely, Israel was invaded.  Its temple was destroyed.  Its people were taken into exile.  Life in the world was not any easier.  You should not expect it to be any different for you.  Wars and rumors of wars will not cease.  Natural disasters will not subside.  The world will still deceive and discourage you.  There is no peace, not in a world that has been marred by sin. 

     But Jesus Christ allows you to dwell securely in the knowledge that your eternal salvation is set.  That is the goal, and Jesus secures it.  This one, Jesus Christ, will be your peace.  The struggles in this world may be painful, but they are temporary.  The glories of heaven are eternal.  Nothing in this world can compare with them, and nothing in this world can take them from you.  All who believe in Jesus are safely preserved unto eternal life.  This peace stands in the midst of distress, disease, and death.  Our God is eternal.  His kingdom endures.  His love is steadfast.  And his peace is unending.

In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.