A Savior in Bethlehem

Call to worship

I want to welcome everyone this morning and invite you to listen to the Word of God:

The Psalmist said,

“Praise the Lord. Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of his faithful people. Let Israel rejoice in their Maker; let the people of Zion be glad in their King. Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with timbrel and harp. For the Lord takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with victory. Let his faithful people rejoice in this honor and sing for joy on their beds.” (Psalm 149:1-5)

Let us stand and raise our voices this morning to our great God and King!

“O Praise the Name”

Words and Music by Leeland

PRAYER

Father, we praise You this morning because You are our God. We praise You for sending Your Son, who bled and died for us, so that we may know You. We long for the day when Jesus returns and that we may dine with Him at His Table. Help us to clear our minds and hearts so that we may be transfixed on your face. We know that You have been preparing us even before we entered this room, and we thank you for that. We ask these things in Jesus name, and all God’s people said, AMEN!

“O Little Town of Bethlehem”

Words and Music by Christ Tomlin

LIGHT ADVENT CANDLE

Jesus came into this world as a light in the darkness and we light these candles during the advent season to represent the great light of Christ. Our candle today is called the Bethlehem candle and it represents peace. Bethlehem was small town outside of Jerusalem, the smallest of the clans of Judah, yet was God’s perfect choice to bring His Son into this world. Micah said that Jesus is our peace, and today we celebrate that peace that only Jesus can give.

“What Child is this”

Words and Music by Chris Tomlin

LOOKING FORWARD TO CHRIST’S SECOND COMING

As we sing and reflect on the first coming of Christ, we also remember the promises from Jesus that he is coming again and look forward to His Second Coming. Peter reminds us in his letter that as we wait anticipating that great day, we are to be found in peace and living lives of holiness..

[ON SCREEN]

“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, (2 Peter 3:10-14)

PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION

Lord, we long to hear from You today. We ask at this time that You would send Your Spirit to saturate this room. We pray that You would remove every distraction from this place and open our hearts and minds so that we may internalize the words that You have for us. We ask that Your Spirit would make application into our lives and You would teach us how to become more like Jesus. We ask this in Jesus name, Amen.

SERMON

Introduction

Last week we talked about hope from the book of Isaiah. And we read the prophecy of the coming Messiah who would be a Light in this dark world. This week we are going to study another prophecy about Jesus from the book of Micah.

I am specifically choosing these passages from the OT because they are the very important prophecies about the coming of the Lord Jesus. And we as the people of God need to know these, because when we the devil begins to sow doubts in hearts, we can go back to these Scriptures and be strengthened by God’s Word.

Only God can predict the future. And the Word of God has demonstrated this over and over again. It has been said that Jesus has fulfilled over 300 prophecies during His ministry.

So when we know these prophecies and understand them as referring to Jesus, It grows our faith and moves us to trust God with more of our lives.

This morning we are going to look at a tremendous prophecy that tells exactly where the Messiah would be born. In fact, this is the passage that the religious leaders used to determine just where Jesus would would born.

Matthew 2:4–6 NASB95

Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet: ‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, Are by no means least among the leaders of Judah; For out of you shall come forth a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ”

God who sees everything revealed to the prophet Micah exactly where the Messiah would be born, and what life would be like under His rule.

Turn with me to Micah 5

God uses the least likely things to do incredible things

Micah 5:1–2 NASB95

“Now muster yourselves in troops, daughter of troops; They have laid siege against us; With a rod they will smite the judge of Israel on the cheek. “But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah, From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity.”

Background

This is a picture of Israel without the Christ

They were under siege

Micah could see visions into the future of what was coming

This is how the prophets would write their prophecies.

God would show them visions of what would come and they would proclaim it and write them down

Micah sees troops surrounding the walls of Jerusalem

And he calling for the people to prepare themselves for battle

They were humiliated

to be struck on the cheek isa metaphor for humiliation

These were the people of God whom should be leading all nations and here they are being overtaken by them

And soon they would be taken into captivity

“BUT” draws a contrast to their present condition and the future hope os a coming Ruler

This “One” will be far superior to any king Israel ever had

And notice he will come from a place that is so insignificant that it is hardly recognized

And this is where God chose to bring the greatest man who ever lived

Notice God is speaking in verse 2. “One will go forth from Me”

Micah is speaking in the rest of this passage, but here it is God who speaks

What dos this mean?

God has a pattern of using insignificant things in big ways

God chose David, the least of his seven brothers to be king over all of Israel

He was the smallest

He was the youngest

David was so insignificant that he was not even considered when Samuel came to his house

And do you know where David was born? IN Bethlehem (the place that was not even considered among the clans of Israel)

God used Gideon

Gideon had 32,000 soldiers and God said thats too many

Get rid of them until you have only 300

And God gave them the victory!

God chose Ruth

Ruth was not even an Israelite!

She was a Moabite widow whom God selected to be the grandmother of king David and in the line of the Messiah

God chose Peter and Andrew who were uneducated fishermen to expand the gospel all over the world!

God chose Matthew who was a sinful tax collector to do mighty things and write a gospel account of Jesus’ life!

Why?

1 Corinthians 1:27–29 NASB95

but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God.

God takes the insignificant of this world and does great things through them, so that He will be glorified

God does the impossible so that all men will know only God could have done that

Application

If God you think God cant use you because you feel you are insignificant, YOU ARE MISTAKEN!

You are the exact model God would choose because it will bring Him the most glory!

Do not look at your life like, or your gifts, the way the world sees it!

Do not look at this tiny church the way the world sees it!

Do not look at our gospel work the way the world sees it!

God loves to use the insignificant to do great things!

What does this teach us about Jesus The Messiah?

This Savior that Israel so desperately needed would be born in Bethlehem

This was written over 700 years before Jesus was born

How did Micah know?

Because God inspired all Scripture

2 Peter 1:21 “for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.”

This is why we can rely upon the Word of God?

It is PERFECT!

It is without error And it is without contradiction!

It is a reliable as God Himself is

It is reliable as the sun which comes up every morning

It is reliable as the oxygen that we breathe!

What God says will come to pass!

Its not a maybe, it is a fact that has already be put into motion!

He named the place where the Savior would be born.

HE WAS ALREADY THERE!!

God’s Word is so reliable that you can bet your life on it!

God said Jesus would come, and He came

God said Jesus is coming again, and His is

And Peter said we better all be living like He is coming tomorrow, because God is already there!

BUT this also tells us that Jesus is eternal

He was BORN in Bethlehem BUT His origins are from eternity

The birth of Jesus was not His beginning, it was His incarnation into human flesh!

Jesus has always existed

There has never been a time when Jesus was not!

Jesus stepped out of eternity to come to earth to be our Savior and King

He emptied Himself of some of His attributes so that he could become fully human and die for the sins of the world!

John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

Jesus will restore the brethren and shepherd the flock

Micah 5:3–4 NASB95

Therefore He will give them up until the time When she who is in labor has borne a child. Then the remainder of His brethren Will return to the sons of Israel. And He will arise and shepherd His flock In the strength of the Lord, In the majesty of the name of the Lord His God. And they will remain, Because at that time He will be great To the ends of the earth.

Explanation

Before Jesus comes, it says God will “give them up”

Meaning He will turn away from them

Leave them to their own devices

Allow them to continue down the path of sin they have chosen

God will not be there to hold their hand any longer

He will not step in and protect them from their enemies

He will not send more prophets in an attempt to call them back to Him

He will let them go until an appointed time

And this is exactly what He did with Israel

Listen to how Jeremiah describes Israel when God gave them up

Jer 4:30-31 “And you, O desolate one, what will you do? Although you dress in scarlet, Although you decorate yourself with ornaments of gold, Although you enlarge your eyes with paint, In vain you make yourself beautiful. Your lovers despise you; They seek your life. For I heard a cry as of a woman in labor, The anguish as of one giving birth to her first child, The cry of the daughter of Zion gasping for breath, Stretching out her hands, saying, “Ah, woe is me, for I faint before murderers.”

What happens when God gives us up?

Desolation

Application

It is a fearful thing to be given up by God!

We are all so desperately in need of Him in every area of our lives

There is so much protection and care that He gives to us, much of which we do not even realize

BUT there is a point that we can cross as a people where God says, they’ve gone too far

And I can’t help but wander, how close we are to that point in this country

And I can’t help but wander, how close some are to that in their lives

We must never the the grace of God for granted, for it is a precious thing that sustains us.

And we must at any opportunity turn from our sins and cry out o God for mercy

What is the alternative to being given up by God?

It is to be shepherded by the king “He will arise and shepherd His flock”

The woman gave birth to the Child

The Child that was born was Jesus

And Jesus brought together all those who returned to Him

What does it look like to be shepherd by Jesus?

David said, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows. Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23)

We will never know Peace without the rule of Jesus Christ in our lives

He completely satisfies us!

He knows when we need rest!

He knows how to restore our souls!

He guide us into righteousness

He is within us!

He protects us!

He is good and kind to us all the days of our lives and we will always be with him forever! We cannot be separated from Him when we are under Him!

He will be here to the ends of the earth calling men and women to come, follow Him!

Come lay down your lives!

Come take up your cross and walk with Christ through this world!

Let Him be your Shepherd! And let him be your treasure!

Jesus is our Peace

Micah 5:5–6 NASB95

This One will be our peace. When the Assyrian invades our land, When he tramples on our citadels, Then we will raise against him Seven shepherds and eight leaders of men. They will shepherd the land of Assyria with the sword, The land of Nimrod at its entrances; And He will deliver us from the Assyrian When he attacks our land And when he tramples our territory.

Explanation

Assyria was Israel’s great enemy. They were the most powerful nation and dominating the world as they knew it!

All nations feared Assyria entering their land and taking them captive.

They were like lambs waiting to be slaughtered

But they looked forward to this One who would “be their peace”

What does it mean to “be our peace”

In this context it is absence of war and security

In our days it means much more!

⇒ Christ’s atonement provides peace between God and the human race:

“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ro. 5:1).

“For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us” (Ep. 2:14).

“And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven” (Col. 1:20).

⇒ Christ instills peace in the heart, soul, and mind of every believer—a peace that passes all understanding, a perfect peace that transcends the circumstances and sufferings of this life:

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (Jn. 14:27).

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (Jn. 16:33).

“And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Ph. 4:7).

⇒ Christ’s Spirit and the new life He imparts establish peace and unity between individuals, between all who truly follow Him and become a part of His church (the assembly of His people):

“And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one” (Jn. 17:22).

“So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another” (Ro. 12:5).

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus” (Ga. 3:28).

“That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him” (Ep. 1:10).

⇒ And a day is coming when Christ’s rule will establish peace between all nations:

“He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire” (Ps. 46:9).

“And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more” (Is. 2:4).

“And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off: and he shall speak peace unto the heathen: and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth” (Zec. 9:10).

Conclusion

When you look at your life, so you have this peace? Does the peace of God rule your heart?

How can you have this peace?

Do just what this Scripture says

Micah 5:3 (NASB95)

Therefore He will give them up until the time When she who is in labor has borne a child. Then the remainder of His brethren Will return to the sons of Israel.

Return to the Lord and give Him your life

Let Him be Your Shepherd and you will find the peace that surpasses all understanding!

~PRAYER~

RESPONSE

PUBLIC INVITATION

“Lord I Need You”

Words and Music by Matt Maher

Prayer of Confession

Father, we are so thankful for the way you have chosen to save the world through Your Son Jesus. We all like sheep have gone astray, each one has turned to his own way, but You have laid on Him the iniquity of us all! Open our minds that we may know our sins and confess them to You. We ask for Your forgiveness of our sins and that You would wash us as white as snow. We pray this in Jesus name, Amen.

John reminds us,“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

OFFERING

(no song)

SENDING

Announcements

Christmas breakfast

Members meting Dec 18

I will not be here next week

No Wed night service next week

Please come and support this man who is preaching

The last time I was of, there were only four people here and that makes a statement about us

John 14:26-28 “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. “You heard that I said to you, ‘I go away, and I will come to you.’”