The Trails Church

In 1 Peter 5:1-5 we find a summary statement that speaks to the nature of, and relationships between, Christ, the elders of the church, and the people of God. In this exhortation to men who are called to lead, we also receive important instruction for the entire body, and our eyes are lifted to Jesus, the chief shepherd.

In 1 Peter 4:7–11, we find “A Picture of Life Together.” As the apostle writes to believers living in a world that is hostile to the message of the gospel and its messengers, we find three characteristics that by God’s grace should mark the people of God, and each local church.

The final words of the book of Micah are a word of doxology, a crescendo of praise that teaches much about God in only a few words. Micah 7:18–20 begins with a rhetorical question, “Who is a God like you?” and then answers it that we may know about, and even more, that we might know the Lord in three specific ways.

Micah 6:9-7:17 moves from darkness to light, from cursing to blessing. And the road between these contrasts is one of repentance. Through words of judgment, we feel the chill of sin; yet within the remnant of God’s people, signs of life begin to spring forth. These verses unfold to show the nation restored, a new exodus led by the Good Shepherd, and the nations of the world bowing in worship to the One True God.

We slow down our study of this minor prophet to explore how Micah 6:1-8 helps us understand not only what God requires of us, but also to marvel at what God has done for us. In this poetic courtroom scene, we realize that what was at stake in the lives of God’s people long ago is still an urgent matter for us today.

Micah 5 proclaims the good news of a ruler who will be born in the town of Bethlehem. This Promised Shepherd-King will govern his people, protect them, save them, and bring them peace. The chapter not only describes the coming ruler but also shows what his reign will mean for the lives of his redeemed people

From the ashes of judgment in the previous chapter, Micah 4 rises with a promise of restoration and renewal. The prophet is given a vision of a mountain from which the Word of the Lord goes forth, and the nations of the world flow upstream as God redeems what his people had done. Here we each find a truth we need to rehearse: whether it is to repent of specific sin, or for courage in a specific situation, we are invited to lift our eyes, turn our hearts to God, and hear the call, “Come let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord.”