Now What?
By Rev. Heidi L. Barham | February 1, 2026
Click here to listen to the service
Read Micah 6:1 – 8 (NIV)
Our text this morning is one of the suggested readings from the Lectionary. As you may be aware, these suggested readings are part of a three-year track that is designed to help ministers and laypersons alike to look at the Bible in totality over the course of the three years.
Now what this means is that... by design... every three years, we find ourselves presented with the same set of suggested texts for any given Sunday. Now, as you have probably heard me share in the past, I like to go back and look at my previous sermons to see what God placed on my heart when I have used a particular text before.
It is rather interesting to see how things may have changed over the course of three, six, or nine years... and it is equally interesting to see how often things have remained the same.
So, in preparing for this morning’s sermon, I did go back and look at the sermon I preached in 2020 from this passage found in Micah 6. At that time, we were watching protests taking place in the Nation’s Capitol during the impeachment trial of the President... and not long after that, the world came to an almost complete stop as the COVID-19 pandemic spread faster and farther than any could have imagined.
It was a time when people were scrambling for answers as they tried to figure out what to do in the midst of so much chaos and confusion. However, as we fast forward to today... it feels just as unsettling now as it did then... although for somewhat different reasons.
In 2020, we were dealing with the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak along with political unrest... as well as the ongoing issues of gun violence, police brutality, and the systemic racism that had been plaguing our country for decades.
Today, while we seem to have a better handle on how to manage viruses like COVID-19, norovirus and the flu... we are watching real time as average everyday citizens are being used as pawns in a political chess game in the face of yet another government shutdown in which no one is likely to emerge as a winner... because as quiet as it’s kept, there are still federal employees waiting to receive their backpay from the last shutdown... which ended not quite 3 months ago.
And as bad as that may seem that is not the worst part... protests are taking place across the country in response to the killing of United Stated citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, on the streets of Minneapolis at the hands of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents... and adding insult to injury, journalists have been arrested and charged in federal court simply for having the audacity to cover the protests.
And let’s not even talk about Venezuela, Greenland, and our withdrawal from the World Health Organization. With all of this and so much more that we are seeing take place... it has likely left us with far more questions than answers.
And I honestly wish I could stand here and tell you that I had all the answers... unfortunately, I do not. However, I can say without fear of contradiction that I do know the One who does have all the answers... and I can say without a shadow of a doubt... He is still in control... and His will shall be done. And while there are many questions that we could ponder, there is one that I would encourage us to consider this morning which is simply: NOW WHAT?
We are bearing witness to things we probably did not think we would see at this stage in our lifetimes, which is what begs the question... NOW WHAT?
Let me suggest, that regardless of everything that has happened already and in spite of all the uncertainty surrounding what lies ahead, we need to look to God’s Word... because that is where we will find the answers to whatever questions may be troubling our hearts.
Now, as we reflect on our text this morning... it would seem that none of what is happening in our world today is really anything new… there are only different players in a different day and time.
And the words that God spoke through the prophet Micah back then have just as much relevance today as they did all those centuries and generations ago.
It was somewhere between the mid-700s to the late 600s BC that God used the prophet Micah to issue words of warning about the judgment that was coming upon the people of Israel. Along with those warnings, God also offered words of pardon for those who were willing to repent.
The entire book of Micah is devoted to describing the judgment that the people were facing as a result of their sins. But Micah also brought a word of hope and consolation that because of God’s love for His children... His desire was for them to repent so they could be delivered from their sins.
As we focus on this passage that calls for our attention this morning... the opening verses invoke an image of a courtroom where God, the righteous judge, is instructing the defense to state their case... while also reminding them of just how much had been done for them in the past.
Then it is time for the people of Israel, the defendants, to plead their case... however, rather than mounting a defense for their actions... they ask what, if any, sacrifices can be made that would appease the judge.
And that brings us to last verse of the text that could potentially help us to answer the question before us today... NOW WHAT?
It is in verse 8 of the text that we read, “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.”
It does not matter what we see happening in the world around us... regardless of the actions of others to the contrary... when we ask the question, NOW WHAT? the answer has not changed from what Micah proclaimed more than 2,000 years ago... God still desires for us to DO JUSTICE, and to LOVE KINDNESS and to WALK HUMBLY with Him.
That means that we are to be fair in our dealings with other people in spite of how they may treat us. We are to show mercy to those who have wronged us. And we are to live with a spirit of humility.
To do anything less is to dishonor God.
So, let’s take just a moment or two and look at each of these requirements.
The first thing that the Lord requires is for us to DO JUSTICE... in other words to be fair in how we deal with other people. In Proverbs 31 (8-9), we read, “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.”
This aligns with what Jesus commanded… to love our neighbors as we love ourselves and to care for those who are hungry, thirsty, homeless, naked, sick and in prison.
However, if we are being honest... it would seem that when it comes to actually doing justice... we have a justice system that is all out of whack.
It is not the rights of the poor and the needy that are being defended. Instead, it is the poor and the needy who are most often found as defendants… caught in a vicious cycle of injustice that essentially criminalizes poverty. And because of limited access to resources... it is almost impossible for the poor and needy to get out of the system.
There is a book entitled, “Just Mercy” that was written by Bryan Stevenson... who is actually scheduled to be here in Cleveland this May at the City Club... his book, which was written back 2018, chronicles story after story of persons, young and old, who have fallen victim to a “justice” system that is so skewed that it is boggles the mind.
It seems unfathomable to think that there have been children placed on death row and given life sentences for crimes in which there was no loss of life. It is unthinkable that since 1973, there have been 202 people who were wrongly convicted and sentenced to death in the United States who have been exonerated.
In the grand scheme of things, perhaps 202 people does not sound like a large number... but let’s put it into some context. For every 8 people who have been executed... 1 person has been exonerated... that equates to roughly 11% of those who were sentenced to death were wrongfully convicted.
Sadly, many of these people were poor and did not have equal access to the resources needed in order to defend themselves in the first place. Thankfully, the Equal Justice Initiative, the organization founded by Mr. Stevenson, was able to step in and give them the help that they needed which literally saved their lives.
But there is still much work that needs to be done. That is why, we as Christians have to answer the call to DO JUSTICE... and help those who are most in need. Lives literally depend on it.
Now, the second thing that the Lord requires is for us to LOVE MERCY.
While grace is getting what we do not deserve, God’s unmerited favor; mercy, on the other hand, is not getting what we do deserve…
I came across a story quite some time ago about a mother who supposedly approached Napoleon asking for a pardon for her son. The emperor replied that the young man had committed a certain offense twice and that justice demanded death as the rightful punishment.
The mother explained that she was not asking for justice... she was pleading for mercy. However, Napoleon replied, “Your son does not deserve mercy.”
The mother cried, “Sir, it would not be mercy if he deserved it, and mercy is all I ask for.”
“Well, then,” the emperor said, “I will have mercy.” And he spared the woman’s son. (Credited to: Luis Palau, Experiencing God's Forgiveness, Multnomah Press, 1984. Retrieved from: http://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/m/mercy.htm)
That is a touching illustration of mercy... however, it can be hard for us to extend mercy to others. We have very few qualms when it comes to people paying for the wrongs they have done to us. In fact, it only seems fair. That is until we hold the mirror up to ourselves and remember how merciful God has been to us…
Just think how much better this world would be... if we would just give to others what has been given to us... if only we would do as Jesus commanded and forgive others as we have been forgiven.
Several years ago, we saw this concept of forgiveness played out across various media outlets when a young man named, Brandt, stood up at the sentencing hearing for the police officer who had been convicted of killing his brother, Botham Jean, while he was sitting in his own apartment in Dallas, TX.
In that moment, Brandt taught everyone who watched a lesson on forgiveness. He told the former police officer, Amber Guyer, “I forgive you… I don’t even want you to go to jail. I want the best for you, because I know that’s exactly what Botham would want. Give your life to Christ. I think giving your life to Christ is the best thing Botham would want for you.”
(Retrieved from: https://www.iheart.com/content/2019-10-03-brother-of-botham-jean-hugs-and-forgives-amber-guyger-in-court/)
To love mercy means saying, “I want what’s best for you regardless of how much you may have hurt me and how much you may have done wrong in your life. In spite of all that, I still want what’s best for you.”
The person who truly loves mercy says, “I want you to give your life to Christ because He is mercy personified.”
Jesus gave us the ultimate example of what it means to love mercy. In essence saying, “I will go to a cross at Calvary for you, because I love you just that much.”
Jesus wants nothing but the best for us, which is eternal life with God... And because of His mercy toward us, Jesus was willing to give His life in exchange for ours... in spite of all that we have done in the past and will likely do in the future.
DO JUSTICE and LOVE MERCY…
Which brings us to the third thing that the Lord requires us to do... which is to WALK HUMBLY WITH YOUR GOD.
But what does it mean for us to walk humbly? It means that we are intentional about walking in a spirit of humility… recognizing that we can do nothing in and of ourselves.
There is a quote attributed to a man named Andrew Murray which says:
Read Micah 6:1 – 8 (NIV)
Our text this morning is one of the suggested readings from the Lectionary. As you may be aware, these suggested readings are part of a three-year track that is designed to help ministers and laypersons alike to look at the Bible in totality over the course of the three years.
Now what this means is that... by design... every three years, we find ourselves presented with the same set of suggested texts for any given Sunday. Now, as you have probably heard me share in the past, I like to go back and look at my previous sermons to see what God placed on my heart when I have used a particular text before.
It is rather interesting to see how things may have changed over the course of three, six, or nine years... and it is equally interesting to see how often things have remained the same.
So, in preparing for this morning’s sermon, I did go back and look at the sermon I preached in 2020 from this passage found in Micah 6. At that time, we were watching protests taking place in the Nation’s Capitol during the impeachment trial of the President... and not long after that, the world came to an almost complete stop as the COVID-19 pandemic spread faster and farther than any could have imagined.
It was a time when people were scrambling for answers as they tried to figure out what to do in the midst of so much chaos and confusion. However, as we fast forward to today... it feels just as unsettling now as it did then... although for somewhat different reasons.
In 2020, we were dealing with the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak along with political unrest... as well as the ongoing issues of gun violence, police brutality, and the systemic racism that had been plaguing our country for decades.
Today, while we seem to have a better handle on how to manage viruses like COVID-19, norovirus and the flu... we are watching real time as average everyday citizens are being used as pawns in a political chess game in the face of yet another government shutdown in which no one is likely to emerge as a winner... because as quiet as it’s kept, there are still federal employees waiting to receive their backpay from the last shutdown... which ended not quite 3 months ago.
And as bad as that may seem that is not the worst part... protests are taking place across the country in response to the killing of United Stated citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, on the streets of Minneapolis at the hands of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents... and adding insult to injury, journalists have been arrested and charged in federal court simply for having the audacity to cover the protests.
And let’s not even talk about Venezuela, Greenland, and our withdrawal from the World Health Organization. With all of this and so much more that we are seeing take place... it has likely left us with far more questions than answers.
And I honestly wish I could stand here and tell you that I had all the answers... unfortunately, I do not. However, I can say without fear of contradiction that I do know the One who does have all the answers... and I can say without a shadow of a doubt... He is still in control... and His will shall be done. And while there are many questions that we could ponder, there is one that I would encourage us to consider this morning which is simply: NOW WHAT?
We are bearing witness to things we probably did not think we would see at this stage in our lifetimes, which is what begs the question... NOW WHAT?
Let me suggest, that regardless of everything that has happened already and in spite of all the uncertainty surrounding what lies ahead, we need to look to God’s Word... because that is where we will find the answers to whatever questions may be troubling our hearts.
Now, as we reflect on our text this morning... it would seem that none of what is happening in our world today is really anything new… there are only different players in a different day and time.
And the words that God spoke through the prophet Micah back then have just as much relevance today as they did all those centuries and generations ago.
It was somewhere between the mid-700s to the late 600s BC that God used the prophet Micah to issue words of warning about the judgment that was coming upon the people of Israel. Along with those warnings, God also offered words of pardon for those who were willing to repent.
The entire book of Micah is devoted to describing the judgment that the people were facing as a result of their sins. But Micah also brought a word of hope and consolation that because of God’s love for His children... His desire was for them to repent so they could be delivered from their sins.
As we focus on this passage that calls for our attention this morning... the opening verses invoke an image of a courtroom where God, the righteous judge, is instructing the defense to state their case... while also reminding them of just how much had been done for them in the past.
Then it is time for the people of Israel, the defendants, to plead their case... however, rather than mounting a defense for their actions... they ask what, if any, sacrifices can be made that would appease the judge.
And that brings us to last verse of the text that could potentially help us to answer the question before us today... NOW WHAT?
It is in verse 8 of the text that we read, “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.”
It does not matter what we see happening in the world around us... regardless of the actions of others to the contrary... when we ask the question, NOW WHAT? the answer has not changed from what Micah proclaimed more than 2,000 years ago... God still desires for us to DO JUSTICE, and to LOVE KINDNESS and to WALK HUMBLY with Him.
That means that we are to be fair in our dealings with other people in spite of how they may treat us. We are to show mercy to those who have wronged us. And we are to live with a spirit of humility.
To do anything less is to dishonor God.
So, let’s take just a moment or two and look at each of these requirements.
The first thing that the Lord requires is for us to DO JUSTICE... in other words to be fair in how we deal with other people. In Proverbs 31 (8-9), we read, “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.”
This aligns with what Jesus commanded… to love our neighbors as we love ourselves and to care for those who are hungry, thirsty, homeless, naked, sick and in prison.
However, if we are being honest... it would seem that when it comes to actually doing justice... we have a justice system that is all out of whack.
It is not the rights of the poor and the needy that are being defended. Instead, it is the poor and the needy who are most often found as defendants… caught in a vicious cycle of injustice that essentially criminalizes poverty. And because of limited access to resources... it is almost impossible for the poor and needy to get out of the system.
There is a book entitled, “Just Mercy” that was written by Bryan Stevenson... who is actually scheduled to be here in Cleveland this May at the City Club... his book, which was written back 2018, chronicles story after story of persons, young and old, who have fallen victim to a “justice” system that is so skewed that it is boggles the mind.
It seems unfathomable to think that there have been children placed on death row and given life sentences for crimes in which there was no loss of life. It is unthinkable that since 1973, there have been 202 people who were wrongly convicted and sentenced to death in the United States who have been exonerated.
In the grand scheme of things, perhaps 202 people does not sound like a large number... but let’s put it into some context. For every 8 people who have been executed... 1 person has been exonerated... that equates to roughly 11% of those who were sentenced to death were wrongfully convicted.
Sadly, many of these people were poor and did not have equal access to the resources needed in order to defend themselves in the first place. Thankfully, the Equal Justice Initiative, the organization founded by Mr. Stevenson, was able to step in and give them the help that they needed which literally saved their lives.
But there is still much work that needs to be done. That is why, we as Christians have to answer the call to DO JUSTICE... and help those who are most in need. Lives literally depend on it.
Now, the second thing that the Lord requires is for us to LOVE MERCY.
While grace is getting what we do not deserve, God’s unmerited favor; mercy, on the other hand, is not getting what we do deserve…
I came across a story quite some time ago about a mother who supposedly approached Napoleon asking for a pardon for her son. The emperor replied that the young man had committed a certain offense twice and that justice demanded death as the rightful punishment.
The mother explained that she was not asking for justice... she was pleading for mercy. However, Napoleon replied, “Your son does not deserve mercy.”
The mother cried, “Sir, it would not be mercy if he deserved it, and mercy is all I ask for.”
“Well, then,” the emperor said, “I will have mercy.” And he spared the woman’s son. (Credited to: Luis Palau, Experiencing God's Forgiveness, Multnomah Press, 1984. Retrieved from: http://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/m/mercy.htm)
That is a touching illustration of mercy... however, it can be hard for us to extend mercy to others. We have very few qualms when it comes to people paying for the wrongs they have done to us. In fact, it only seems fair. That is until we hold the mirror up to ourselves and remember how merciful God has been to us…
Just think how much better this world would be... if we would just give to others what has been given to us... if only we would do as Jesus commanded and forgive others as we have been forgiven.
Several years ago, we saw this concept of forgiveness played out across various media outlets when a young man named, Brandt, stood up at the sentencing hearing for the police officer who had been convicted of killing his brother, Botham Jean, while he was sitting in his own apartment in Dallas, TX.
In that moment, Brandt taught everyone who watched a lesson on forgiveness. He told the former police officer, Amber Guyer, “I forgive you… I don’t even want you to go to jail. I want the best for you, because I know that’s exactly what Botham would want. Give your life to Christ. I think giving your life to Christ is the best thing Botham would want for you.”
(Retrieved from: https://www.iheart.com/content/2019-10-03-brother-of-botham-jean-hugs-and-forgives-amber-guyger-in-court/)
To love mercy means saying, “I want what’s best for you regardless of how much you may have hurt me and how much you may have done wrong in your life. In spite of all that, I still want what’s best for you.”
The person who truly loves mercy says, “I want you to give your life to Christ because He is mercy personified.”
Jesus gave us the ultimate example of what it means to love mercy. In essence saying, “I will go to a cross at Calvary for you, because I love you just that much.”
Jesus wants nothing but the best for us, which is eternal life with God... And because of His mercy toward us, Jesus was willing to give His life in exchange for ours... in spite of all that we have done in the past and will likely do in the future.
DO JUSTICE and LOVE MERCY…
Which brings us to the third thing that the Lord requires us to do... which is to WALK HUMBLY WITH YOUR GOD.
But what does it mean for us to walk humbly? It means that we are intentional about walking in a spirit of humility… recognizing that we can do nothing in and of ourselves.
There is a quote attributed to a man named Andrew Murray which says:
The humble man feels no jealousy or envy. He can praise God when others are preferred and blessed before him. He can bear to hear others praised while he is forgotten because ... he has received the spirit of Jesus, who pleased not Himself, and who sought not His own honor. Therefore, in putting on the Lord Jesus Christ he has put on the heart of compassion, kindness, meekness, longsuffering, and humility. (Retrieved from: http://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/h/humility.htm)
It is a reminder of what Paul wrote to the Philippian Church, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others” (Philippians 2:3-4).
Simply put... it is not about us. We are called to walk in humility, just as Christ did. And that is why, if we keep reading in Philippians 2 (6-8), we find these words:
Simply put... it is not about us. We are called to walk in humility, just as Christ did. And that is why, if we keep reading in Philippians 2 (6-8), we find these words:
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!
Now, the really good news is that because Jesus was obedient to death, even death on a cross – the punishment for our sins has already been paid and the call for us to walk in humility no longer involves us having to walk to a cross at Calvary.
But it does involve us looking to the needs of others and serving God, rather than serving ourselves. And that is not always easy in a society that seems to be all about self… After all, the “selfie” has become one of the biggest phenomena in this age of technology.
People are so consumed with self that they feel a need to take pictures of themselves to share on Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok or whatever other social media platforms are out there... to ensure that those other people who might be busy with their own lives do not miss out on the opportunity of seeing them.
But let me suggest, that when we spend so much time looking at ourselves and trying to get others to look at us as well... we run the risk of not seeing God’s hand at work in our lives and consequently miss the opportunity to be a blessing to someone else.
To WALK HUMBLY with God means taking the focus off of self and doing what God has commanded, which is to, “’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’”
(Matthew 22:37-39).
In the midst of everything that is going on in the world, the answer to that question NOW WHAT… is that we love God and we love our neighbor because when all is said and done, love is the only thing that will last. It is the only thing that is stronger than hate. And it is truly what this world needs now... love, sweet love.
We love because God first loved us and because God calls us to love one another.
Now, let me be the first to say... it can be more than a little challenging to love others in the midst of the chaos and confusion swirling around us... when it seems like everyone else is losing their minds…
And yet those are the very times when we need to show love more than ever.
It is in those times that we need to shine the light of Christ everywhere we go, so that the world will see that there is a Living Savior… and so they will know that despite what circumstances may look like... all hope is not lost.
It is up to us to be living witnesses... that whatever trials and tribulations come our way, we have the assurance that we will not have to face them all alone.
We can trust that the Lord will be with us every step of the way, wherever and whenever we need Him.
Because when we trust that the Lord is with us, we will be able to do what He requires of us... which is to DO JUSTICE, to LOVE MERCY and to WALK HUMBLY with our God... in essence to follow Jesus and the example He has set for us.
So, NOW WHAT? How about we stand and sing our Hymn of Discipleship: I Have Decided to Follow Jesus #344.
Amen.
Back
But it does involve us looking to the needs of others and serving God, rather than serving ourselves. And that is not always easy in a society that seems to be all about self… After all, the “selfie” has become one of the biggest phenomena in this age of technology.
People are so consumed with self that they feel a need to take pictures of themselves to share on Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok or whatever other social media platforms are out there... to ensure that those other people who might be busy with their own lives do not miss out on the opportunity of seeing them.
But let me suggest, that when we spend so much time looking at ourselves and trying to get others to look at us as well... we run the risk of not seeing God’s hand at work in our lives and consequently miss the opportunity to be a blessing to someone else.
To WALK HUMBLY with God means taking the focus off of self and doing what God has commanded, which is to, “’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’”
(Matthew 22:37-39).
In the midst of everything that is going on in the world, the answer to that question NOW WHAT… is that we love God and we love our neighbor because when all is said and done, love is the only thing that will last. It is the only thing that is stronger than hate. And it is truly what this world needs now... love, sweet love.
We love because God first loved us and because God calls us to love one another.
Now, let me be the first to say... it can be more than a little challenging to love others in the midst of the chaos and confusion swirling around us... when it seems like everyone else is losing their minds…
And yet those are the very times when we need to show love more than ever.
It is in those times that we need to shine the light of Christ everywhere we go, so that the world will see that there is a Living Savior… and so they will know that despite what circumstances may look like... all hope is not lost.
It is up to us to be living witnesses... that whatever trials and tribulations come our way, we have the assurance that we will not have to face them all alone.
We can trust that the Lord will be with us every step of the way, wherever and whenever we need Him.
Because when we trust that the Lord is with us, we will be able to do what He requires of us... which is to DO JUSTICE, to LOVE MERCY and to WALK HUMBLY with our God... in essence to follow Jesus and the example He has set for us.
So, NOW WHAT? How about we stand and sing our Hymn of Discipleship: I Have Decided to Follow Jesus #344.
Amen.
