Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Sermon - Midweek Advent 3 - Micah 5:2

Advent Midweek 1
Micah 5:1-6
December 20, 2017
“O Bethlehem”

You, O Bethlehem. Yes, I'm talking to you. The prophet Micah has got a word about you. Oh you're a sleepy little town, not worthy of note on your own. Just about the only claim to fame you have is being the hometown of King David. Sort of like Springfield, Illinois claims its most famous resident, Abraham Lincoln – but why else do you know or care about Springfield?

Bethlehem - You don't have the mighty temple, like Jerusalem. You don't have the seat of governmental power like, say, Caesarea. You're not a port city or at a major thoroughfare or crossroads. I mean, what can you say for yourself?

Well then there's that other prophecy about Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted. A prophecy of Jeremiah, the weeping prophet himself, because he lived to see the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. Before they carried off the people of Jerusalem into exile, they had a staging area at Ramah – kind of like a POW camp.

The same Ramah, where Rachel had died in childbirth, and was buried. But when she died, she was on her way to Bethlehem. And so Ramah and Bethlehem are connected.

Later on, when King Herod killed the innocent babes of Bethlehem, Matthew's Gospel quotes Jeremiah. The comparison is this: Bethlehem and Ramah – these little towns are associated with weeping and misery – because of the death or Rachel, because of the deportation of the exiles, and because of the murder of innocent children by Herod. Any way you slice it, none of this is really a point of boasting for little Bethlehem.

But don't worry, O Bethlehem, for our God has a way of bringing something out of nothing. He makes the first last and the last first. He raises up the lowly, and humbles the high and mighty. And you, O Bethlehem, little town that you are, God has plans for you.

[You] who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me
one who is to be ruler in Israel,
whose coming forth is from of old,
from ancient days.

You once brought forth a king, O Bethlehem. Though he was the smallest among his brothers, the youngest of 7. He guarded the sheep – fighting off bear and lion. He then proved his mettle when he took down the Philistine giant. But his mettle was not in his strength of sword or prowess in battle. He was a man after God's own heart. He gave God the credit for the victory. He knew going in God was with him. And afterward he kept no glory for himself. David lived by faith, as did all who lived and trusted God's Word, as do all believers, even today.

And now again, O Bethlehem, you are to bring forth the Son of David. The one who would rule on his Father David's throne. The one who would restore the fallen house to a mighty dynasty, the shoot from the stump of Jesse that would grow to a mighty oak. The people of Jerusalem would shout their Hosannas at his triumphant arrival. Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord!

But what's this – his origins are from of old? From ancient days? There's a hint, a glimmer of his true nature – his divine nature. For before there was, he was. He's the ultimate being, the very Yahweh. This is a human, but this one born in Bethlehem is also true God. He had his beginning here, but he also has no beginning and no end. His reign and rule are forever. His kingdom has no end.

But there's more, O Bethlehem. He's a Shepherd. Much like his ancestor David was a shepherd. But more, and better. He is the Good Shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep. Little shepherd boy David tended his father's flock in Bethlehem. The Good Shepherd Jesus tends to the flock his Father gives him – even the whole number of believers, the church – even to the ends of the earth.

Little shepherd David fought off the lion and the bear – all to protect his sheep. The Good Shepherd crushes the head of the Serpent. He stops the mouth of the roaring lion looking for someone to devour. He defeats even the dragon who would swallow him up – along with all of us. Our Good Shepherd is victorious, over sin, over devil, even over death.

And did you also know, O Bethlehem, that he brings peace? He is peace. Peace with God. Peace of conscience. Peace in the raging of all life's bitter struggles. The Assyrians – well they're just an example, a shadow of the many enemies we face. Fightings and fears within, without. Wars and rumors of wars. False teachers. Persecution. Nakedness, danger, sword. We are as sheep to be slaughtered, yet in all of it – more than conquerors through him who loved us. Through all of it, a peace that comes only through the Prince of Peace.

The wise men came from the east and asked old king Herod where the new king could be found. They'd seen your star, and it had led them this far. Herod's own wise men knew this ancient prophecy. The Messiah would be born in you – little Bethlehem. And so they went, and brought their gifts. These representatives of the nations laid their tribute before the king of the Jews and the king of kings. You, O Bethlehem, got to see it happen.

You are Bethlehem – which means “house of bread”. Isn't it fitting that the one born unto you, the one from of old, also called himself the Living Bread from heaven? The one who would feed the entire world with his own life. Bread, the staff of life, the most basic of foods, a most primary need – Yes, O Bethlehem, you are the house of bread, by bringing forth the one who gives life to the world.

And Ephratha, your other name, it means “fruitful”. You're the “fruitful house of bread”. Surely, here in the Babe of Bethlehem comes great fruitfulness. His fruits – his works – are righteousness. A fulfillment of the law, through a perfectly lived life. And the fruits of his cross – body and blood given and shed for you and for all for the forgiveness of sins. Well. These fruits are far better than the fruits of sin and death we've been eating since our first parents ate and died.

You, O Bethlehem. I guess there's more to say for you than one might think. Though you are small among the clans of Judah. Though no one's impressed with your population and pedigree and acreage and history. You have this one thing. You have the promise of the Messiah. And that's the best thing of all.

You, O Christian, have the same. In fact sleepy little Bethlehem, with not that much to say for itself – is like every humble person the Lord calls to faith. Little Bethlehem, among all the towns. Little Israel, among all the nations. Little old you and me, as insignificant as the world considers us to be. As worthless and despised as our sins have made us out to be.

Though you don't have much, and can't say much for yourself, of yourself - you really have it all. For the child born in Bethlehem is the Son of God born for you. The prophecy spoken by Micah, was spoken as much to you. Out of a backwater nowhere, God has brought his salvation to the ends of the earth, even unto Keller, Texas. Just as he created the world out of nothing, so has he brought salvation from next to nothing. For Christ is born for you, for me, for all. The Good Shepherd. The Bread of Life. Who gives us the fruits of his salvation. A Blessed Advent, and a Blessed Christmas to you, in him.

O holy Child of Bethlehem, Descend to us, we pray;
Cast out our sin and enter in, Be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels The great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us, Our Lord Immanuel.


Amen.

No comments:

Post a Comment