Little Bethlehem - December 22, 2024

LITTLE BETHLEHEM

 

Matthew and Luke differ in how they present the birth of Jesus. In Matthew’s testimony, wise men – men from Persia who studied the stars – came and found Jesus when he was under two years old and living in Bethlehem. They came to the palace of King Herod, a jealous and spiteful man, and asked, “Where is the one born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” 

            When you come into a palace and ask, “Where is the king?” it’s going to alarm the person sitting on the throne and bearing the title “king.” Matthew tells us that Herod was “troubled” by this news; disturbed. All of Jerusalem was disturbed with him. What does this mean? 

            Herod the Great was a violent man. It was nothing to him to have his own family members killed if they challenged his power and authority. You can imagine how he must have reacted when the wise men revealed the reason for their trek. 

            Consulting the scholars, Herod was told that the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem. That’s the text from Micah they were quoting. “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, 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,”(Micah 5:2). 

            Matthew adjusts the text a little, or quotes from a different manuscript. His reads, “And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah, for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel,” (Matt. 2:6). 

O little town of Bethlehem

How still we see thee lie

Above thy deep and dreamless sleep 

The silent stars go by

Yet in thy dark streets shineth

The everlasting light

The hopes and fears of all the years

Are met in thee tonight

            Herod’s reaction to this revelation casts a dark shadow over the Christmas Card image we have of the Nativity. The wise men found Jesus but were warned in a dream not to tell Herod anything. Realizing he has been tricked, Herod responds by slaughtering all the male children under aged two years. Given what we know of the population of Bethlehem at that time, twenty or thirty families would have grieved the murder of their little boys. Had Joseph and Mary not fled, Jesus would have been a victim of this slaughter as well. 

            You cannot help but think of your own child in an imagined parallel. How would you feel if your child were violently killed? The death of a child stirs outrage in our breasts. Even so, we have no idea how the parents of children killed in Palestine grieve today. Or do we consider the 75 thousand babies aborted in Canada each year? That’s a lot of littles who will not be opening gifts this Christmas. 

            Herod’s rage and selfishness reached out to claim the infant Jesus. Instead, Jesus and his guardians were forced to become refugees and flee to Egypt. There was a large Jewish community in Alexandria where political dissidents of Herod’s regime had fled. War, persecution, and oppression are not unknown to many in the world today. Thousands of refugees are without homes and country today.

            Jesus was nearly a victim of infanticide.

            Jesus was a political refugee.

            O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie…seems a bit romantic compared to the reality. Bethlehem, a sleepy backwater village. The town of David, yes, but since his day, who has emerged that had any renown? Yet this is where God chose to have his Son enter the world. 

            The world has always despised people from the wrong side of the tracks with the wrong family background and the wrong credentials. Men and women born on the wrong side have that inner impulse to rise above and prove themselves. And as they rise, whether they know it or not, they need to feel superior to others. That’s where everything about Jesus contradicts that impulse.

            The Bible teaches us not only that God does not operate according to this world’s impulse, but that he persistently operates in exactly the opposite way. That’s why the greatest human being who ever lived was born in Bethlehem with a feed trough for a cradle. God proclaims his message not through the mighty powers of Rome, Assyria, Babylon, or the like, but through the Jews, a tiny nation and little race that briefly knew national independence. God takes out Goliath, not with another giant, but with a shepherd boy. That’s how God works. He talks to Elijah, not through earthquake, wind, or fire, but through a still, small voice. 

            Family dynasties and legacies are passed on to and through the oldest sons. Not with God. He works through Abel, not Cain; through Isaac, not Ishmael; through Jacob, not Esau; through David (the youngest), not his brothers. At a time when women were valued for their youth and beauty, God chose old Sarah, not Hagar; Leah the weak-eyed, not Rachel. He chose Rebekah, who can’t have children; he chose Hannah, who can’t have children; he chose Samson’s mother, who can’t have children; Elizabeth, John the Baptist’s mother, who can’t have children. Over and over again. Why? God chooses little Bethlehem; he chooses the girl nobody wants; he chooses the boy everyone forgot. Why? 

            Does God like choosing underdogs? There’s something more going on, something about salvation in this. While every philosophy of this age teaches us to summon our strength and rise above, to better ourselves and improve, Jesus speaks a different message. He says, “I have come for the weak. I have come for those who admit they are weak. I will save them not for what they do but through what I do.” The disciples and the crowds that followed Jesus always wondered when Jesus would take power and save the world. Jesus’ response, “You don’t get it. I’m going to lose all my power, all my status, all respect and die – to save the world.” 

            Nine kilometers from his birthplace (Bethlehem) was the site of his death (Jerusalem). Instead of climbing steps to ascend his throne, he ascended a cross. This is the climax of his life. He conquered and became the king by suffering and succumbing to the weakness of the cross. And in this suffering, he saved us. How bizarre! How wonderful!

            O little town of Bethlehem, what a comfort you are to us today. A reminder of God’s unusual methods and means to bring us hope and peace. Bethlehem reminds us of Jesus’ humility. It doesn’t matter who you are or what you have done; as Tim Keller wrote, it doesn’t matter if you’ve been on the paid staff of hell; or what deep dark secrets you have, how badly you’ve messed up, or whatever…if you repent and come to God through Jesus, not only will God accept you and work in your life, but he delights to work through people like you. It’s what he does.

            But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption… (1 Cor. 1:27-30)

 

                                                AMEN

 

** Adapted from Timothy Keller’s book Hidden Christmas: The Surprising Truth Behind the Birth of Christ (Penguin Books, 2016). Chapter 4 Where is the King?

Joy to the World: Luke 2:1-12

JOY TO THE WORLD

 

During the California gold rush, two men prospecting in the gold fields found a rich strike worth thousands of dollars (millions today). The only problem was that the strike was not on their claim. A second problem occurred to them: they realized that if they talked too loudly about it, everyone for miles around would come and try to lay claim to the site or clean it out. So, they decided to quietly go down into town to discreetly file a claim and as calmly as possible, buy supplies. Having done this to perfection, they were about to make the trek back to their claims when they noticed a large crowd had begun to follow them. They were so careful to keep their secret, they wondered how the townsfolk knew something was up. Then they looked at each other. Their faces revealed what words couldn’t say. The curious followers knew these miners had something fantastic by the expressions on their faces.

            Our faces can be windows into our souls. What’s inside of us is better described by our faces than by words. This is especially true when our souls are filled with joy – we can hardly hide an experience of joy. 

            Joy seems elusive, doesn’t it? Even as I pondered this message, I found it difficult to define the experience of joy. If we would recount the times in our lives when we knew pure joy, it would take some time to recollect those moments. Sometimes happiness and joy blur together and we can hardly tell the difference. I once thought that joy surprised us, that it snuck up on you. Now I believe that you must pursue joy, you must choose joy. 

 

In the Nativity story of Luke 2 there are a couple of juxtapositions apparent in the narrative. Then there’s a third one I want to share with you in the conclusion. A “juxtaposition” is when two things are seen close together but are very different in nature. It is an oddity to see them in the same place.

Juxtaposition #1: Caesar and the shepherds. (a great ruler vs. nobodies in a nondescript field). The night that Jesus was born in the livestock section of a house full of people, angels visited some shepherds out in the field. That’s an oddity in itself – being visited by angels. 

            But Luke subtly inserts this contrast. We must look for it. He begins the narrative of Jesus’ birth saying, “In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree…” On the surface we are given a reason for Joseph and Mary to trek to Bethlehem. Beneath this observation is the birth of a King, Savior, Lord being announced not to the emperor, the most significant person in that realm, but to shepherds in a field. Augustus has the power to announce this birth to all the world. He was the internet/social influencer/twitter (X) of his day. If you want to get the word out, tell Caesar. How impactful is it to announce this birth to shepherds? Who are they going to tell? Who will believe them? 

            Shepherds, you know, were not well-regarded in Jewish society. They had a hard time keeping ceremonial law; they found it hard to observe all the hand-washings and rules and regulations while tending sheep. So, the super-religious thought of them as unclean and to be avoided in polite company. Now they may have even been the shepherds who kept the sheep for use at Temple, raising perfect, unblemished lambs for sacrifice. It is an ironic and beautiful thought that the shepherds who looked after Temple lambs were the first to see the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

            To these shepherds, the heavens were ripped open to present a glorious angel announcing the birth of God’s Son. Then this angel is joined by thousands upon thousands of angels singing praise to God. To these lowest of men comes heaven’s royal announcement that a King is born! Do you see the juxtaposition: Caesar vs shepherds? 

            Can you imagine the many facial expressions of the shepherds? First there was fear: the invasion of heavenly beings on a quiet night now terrifying these poor men. Angels always make people afraid. Was it any comfort for the angel to say, “Do not be afraid…”? 

            The second expression on their faces must have been bewildered curiosity. If the angel’s announcement was to be believed, the Son of David, the Savior, Christ the Lord was born in Bethlehem. Okay, odd choice of town for a king to be born (think Riverside vs. Toronto). But odder yet, they were supposed to find this baby in the feeding trough reserved for cattle. This brings us to our second major juxtaposition…

Juxtaposition #2: The announcement and the baby. (The announcement of a king...being born in a stable). We have already exposed the second juxtaposition in the King of kings being born in a backwater town. What is terribly strange is the response of the shepherds to what they see.

            The angel announces, “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you: he is Christ the Lord,” (2:10-11). Those are some pretty big titles.

The child will be a Savior. A savior delivers people from danger, from enemies. Caesar Augustus promoted himself as a savior of the common folk, a savior of the world, who brought peace and order. The angels call Jesus “Savior” meaning that he is going to rescue people from a real danger. We call it “sin.” Matthew 1:21 says of Mary, “She will bear a son, and you will call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” Someone said you can tell how big a fire is by the number of firefighters and fire engines sent to fight against it. Judging by the magnitude of God’s action in sending his only Son to rescue us from sin, sin must be an enormous problem. 

The child will be the Christ. That’s the Greek term for Messiah, the anointed One, the King of Kings, the promised Son of David who would rule forever. As we said, “How many fire engines do we need to put out this blaze?” 

The child will be the Lord. This is staggering. Even the shepherds knew that “the Lord” means Lord of the Universe, Yahweh, Almighty God.

            The juxtaposition is this: Hearing these titles, the shepherds say to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” And they go, they see the baby, and they spread the word about this baby, and everyone’s amazed. They see a baby and are filled with joy. It’s true. We have seen the Lord! A baby? Big deal! They've seen babies before. What is it about this baby that's so special? We have to go back to the angelic announcement: A King is born and this will be the sign...he will be lying in a manger (a feed trough for livestock) and wrapped in cloths (helpless and frail). But they see him and this sign and they believe what the angel said. Then they go and enthusiastically tell everyone what they heard and what they saw. 

            What convinced the hearers of this good news that was so convincing? What made people believe the shepherds? The third expression on their faces: joy!

            Mother Teresa said, “A person filled with joy preaches without preaching.” The joy in the shepherds’ hearts spoke volumes. But what is joy?

            James M. Boice gave this definition: “What is joy? Joy is a supernatural delight in God and God’s goodness. And it is a very different thing from happiness…Happiness is circumstantial, but not joy. Joy is an inner quality of delight in God, or gladness, and it is meant to spring up within the Christian in a way totally unrelated to the adversities or circumstantial blessings of this life.” It is a gift from God. Joy comes from the Holy Spirit revealing the truth about Jesus to you as a flood of clarity.

            Think about Habakkuk 3 and the prophet rejoicing even though there are no cattle in the stall, no grapes on the vine...Joy that is not dependent on outer successes and achievements but solely on the fact that the Lord is God. 

Juxtaposition #3: Joy and anxiety. How do you find joy? You must seek it and choose it. The shepherds heard the good news but had to go and search for "joy." How do I know this? I discovered it this week as I considered this theme of joy.

            Paul told the Philippians that joy is not reserved for Christmas but for each and every day. He said, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (Phil. 4:4). Do you hear that? You must choose to rejoice in all situations. But this is more than a positive attitude; this is a choice to rejoice in the Lord! To believe that no matter how unbelievably horrible your life may seem, the Lord is able to save you and to make all things abound to you. It is believing that no matter what you don’t have, you have all things in Christ (see 4:11-13 "I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstance. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or living in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.").

            The juxtaposition in this context comes as Paul reveals the antichrist of joy, anxiety.The presence of anxiety will steal your joy. So, deal with the anxiety through prayer. He writes, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus,” (6-7). How do you find joy? By casting all your anxiety on Jesus and saying, “I admit, you’re stronger than I am. You carry this.” 

            Tony Campolo wrote, “Joy in Christ requires a commitment to working at the Christian lifestyle. Salvation comes as a gift, but the joy of salvation demands disciplined action. Most Christians I know have just enough of the gospel to make them miserable, but not enough to make them joyful. They know enough about the biblical message to keep them from doing the things which the world tempts them to do; but they do not have enough of a commitment to God to do those things through which they might experience the fullness of his joy.” 

            Campolo makes it sound difficult to find joy. But in truth it is a decision to reorient our passions and loves towards Jesus, to find in him our delight in life. It is choosing not to dwell on the negatives, or what might happen, but resting in the truth that God can do all things (Phil. 4:13).

 

If our faces are a window into our souls, do people see the joy of Christmas in our expressions? Joy is a compelling and profound quality of life that transcends the events and disasters which we may face. Joy finds its foundation in the certainty that God loves us enough to send Jesus, his Son, to be born in the straw, in the messiest condition of life, to be our Savior. The Hebrew word for “joy” means “to leap or spin around with pleasure.” Joy is a celebration. 

            I wonder if the shepherds were leaping about in celebration when they saw the baby. I also wonder if we are willing to pursue and choose this joy for ourselves. May we indeed choose to find joy in the birth of Jesus, God become man. 

 

            Joy to the world!

 

                                                AMEN

Baptism Sunday: Dressing for the Part Ephesians 4:17-32

BAPTISM SUNDAY:

DRESSING FOR THE PART

 

According to the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, “What people wear influences how they feel and act.” 

            It’s true! Imagine showing up for a classy banquet wearing a pair of old jeans and a sweatshirt. Everyone else is in tuxedos and formal gowns. You feel out of place; you will act self-consciously and try to remain inconspicuous. You will even try to leave early. 

            Now imagine wearing a power suit, you know, the latest color and cut, with a dazzling silk tie and handkerchief to a volleyball game. There’s Brent at one of Griffin’s tournaments walking around like a boss. He may not be dressed for the occasion, but he stands out impressively and probably feels formidable. 

            What people wear influences how they feel and act. If you dress like an outlaw, you will feel like an outlaw. In certain circumstances, I like to pretend I’m as bad as all that. 

In other situations, when I don my doctoral regalia, I feel a certain sacred authority and prestige. And I will act according to my regalia. I admit that it changes how I perceive myself. 

When we dress for the part, we are elevated to a higher level of self-awareness. 

            Paul uses this imagery to make a similar point. If what people wear influences how they feel and act, then we must consciously put off the clothing of the old life “before Christ” and put on the new clothing of the new life “in Christ.” 

            I see in this a picture of baptism. Baptism is like taking off the old rags and putting on new white robes. At some point in the history of the church, candidates for baptism literally took off their clothing and were baptized naked. When they emerged from the water, a new robe symbolizing a changed life was presented to them. We won’t do that except in a figurative sense. What we will do is use Paul’s words to describe how the baptized believer is now clothed.

Putting off the Old Man: Life without Christ (4:17-19)

 

“So, I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.”

            We are talking about the old life we leave behind in these verses. The picture of the Gentile style of life is painted in the darkest terms. Paul is not interested in accentuating the positives of Greek influence – their language, their culture, their contribution to democracy in politics – He wants to provide decisive reasons why they should “put off” the “old man” – a common term for the sinful past – and be distinctively Christian. The more drastic the contrast the better. 

            This is harsh. The Greeks (Gentiles) of that day were big on wisdom and philosophy. People still read the Greek classics today. Darryl Dash, however, says you could substitute “Canadians” for Gentiles: “You must no longer live as the Canadians do…” 

            How does Paul describe them? Three ways:

One – They are futile in their thinking. When you reject God, you disconnect your thinking from reality. Your mind is deceived and intellectually blind. Those who say there is no God ordering the workings of the world will later talk about Mother Nature. They reject God and put another in his place. Darkness shrouds the mind of the unbeliever so that he cannot see the confusion of his own statements. 

Two – They are separated from the life of God. The word that Paul uses is “alienated.” To be so estranged from God that faith in Jesus is foreign – that’s alienated. When people move away from the reality of God choosing instead to believe in man’s ability to save himself, they harden themselves in their hearts and cannot grasp anything of Christian thought. 

Three – They are morally corrupt. This is a downward spiral. Having been separated from God, they become desensitized to sin and its effects. A callous builds up on the heart. You can’t feel anything when there’s a callous on the skin. Feeling the sting of sin gets less and less as you indulge in it more and more. You get used to it, but you also want more of it. Martin Luther called sin: a human being curved in upon itself. 

            This is the old man of sin, the clothing of that former life without Christ. Is there hope for change in us? Shall we try harder to change? Paul says we can change, not by trying harder, but learning Christ. 

 

Putting on the New You: How do we do that? (4:20-24)

 

That, however, is not the way of life you learned when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life to put off your old self which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. 

            A person may recognize their need to change their lifestyle: give up smoking, quit drinking, eat less junk food. But to become a better person is not easy. It’s hard to change. Do you know that real change doesn’t happen as we try to change ourselves? Change occurs when we look at Jesus, see what he has done, learn about him, and get to know him. As we enter into the school of Christ, his Spirit takes this burgeoning relationship with Jesus and changes us.

            Look how Paul describes this change: We learned Christ when we heard about Christ. Someone said it this way: Jesus is the subject of our teaching; Jesus is the teacher; and Jesus is the atmosphere in which the teaching takes place. It’s all about Jesus. Let me make this clear: we are not learning some doctrine, we are focusing on a person, on Jesus. 

            We believe that Jesus Christ is a person whom we come to know through preaching and teaching the Scriptures. But learning Christ is not only about learning about him, it is being shaped by him, the risen Christ who is the source and the prototype of the new life. 

            Self-help programs promise a new body, a healthier lifestyle, and more. But you have to do the work. In learning Christ, there is work to do as well, but it is empowered by the Holy Spirit. He is the power in our change. He is the One who helps us take off the old man and become the “new you.” 

            Harry Ironside put it like this: In what sense am I being renewed in the spirit of my mind? How am I being renewed in my physical strength? I am strengthened physically by eating those foods that are nourishing and that will build a strong body. Then how am I renewed in the spirit of my mind? I am strengthened spiritually by feeding on His Word, enjoying communion with Him and fellowship with His beloved people. In all these ways we are being renewed in the spirit of our minds. You never saw a strong Christian who was not a Bible-loving Christian. You never saw a strong Christian who was not one who delighted in communion with fellow believers.

 

The Changed Life: What’s different about you? (4:25-32)

 

If you look at your life and determine that you have not changed that much, don’t be discouraged. What is hidden in the Greek of verse 25 is a tense that implies an ongoing experience. The “putting off” and “putting on” is a process that encompasses your whole life. You’re not there yet? I’m not either. It’s a journey. It’s got a big word to describe it: Sanctification! That means the Holy Spirit is doing the work in you as you give him permission to do so. 

            Christianity has been described as a religion of do’s and don’ts. It looks like Paul is affirming that in these verses. I believe the difference between the do’s and don’ts of religion and of our faith is that Paul gives a reason for them. (see the chart). 

Verses	Put Off	Put On	Why
25	Falsehood	Speak Truthfully	We are members of one body
26-27	Do not sin in your anger	Resolve your anger	Gives the devil a foothold
28	Stealing	Work	Something to share
29	Unwholesome Talk	Words that build up	Benefits your listeners
30	Don’t grieve the Holy Spirit	Unity	You were sealed
31-32	Bitterness, rage, anger, etc.	Kindness, compassion, forgiveness	God forgave you

He tells us to put off the old behaviors, put on the new behaviors, and gives a motivation for doing so.

            A change of clothes will be obvious. So will a change of speaking and behaving. 

            In 1562, a man named Caspar Zacher was accused of being an Anabaptist, but the court record reports that since he was an envious man who could not get along with others, and who often started quarrels, as well as being guilty of swearing and cursing and carrying a weapon, he was not considered an Anabaptist. 

            In 1570, another man named Hans Jager was brought before the court on suspicion of being an Anabaptist primarily because he did not curse but lived an irreproachable life. 

            Kara is going to tell you her story of meeting with Jesus in a moment. You will hear how she changed after her encounter and why she wants to be baptized today. Sharon and I will affirm that we have seen the change in Kara. 

            She has begun the process of stripping away the old rags of the old life. Kara knows the path of Jesus and she wants to follow it.

            Kara has not yet arrived at the perfection of speaking and acting but is allowing herself to be shaped by the person of Jesus Christ, her Lord and Savior.

            Kara is being restored to right thinking through the work of the Holy Spirit in her life and that leads to right conduct, holiness and godliness before God

            Let us rejoice with her as she demonstrates her allegiance to Jesus through baptism.

 

            BTW, the name “Kara” means “Joy” in Greek. 

 

 

                                                            AMEN