The Greatest Story Ever Told [Bethlehem]
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
So far in this Christmas series we have looked at some of the people God involved in “The Greatest Story Ever Told.” But today we are going to look at a place, the little town of Bethlehem.
In both Matthew and Luke the town of Bethlehem is mentioned as the birthplace of Jesus.
1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem,
4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David,
Bethlehem is the most important town in the world for it is the place that God chose for Jesus to step out of eternity into time to be born so He could die for our sin!
4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
But historically, Bethlehem was considered a rather unimportant place. Joshua 15:20–61 contains a list of towns and villages that the tribe of Judah inherited as part of the dividing of the Promised Land. Ninety-six towns are listed by name—but Bethlehem is not among them. Likewise, Nehemiah 11:25–30 lists 17 cities of Judah, but the town of Bethlehem is not on that list, either.
There are three major prophecies in the OT that point to Bethlehem being the birthplace of the Messiah.
The first comes from Jacob to his 12 sons;
10 The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes; And to Him shall be the obedience of the people.
The prophet Micah records two observations about the little town of Bethlehem;
Micah 5:2 (NKJV)
2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little [insignificant] among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.”
8 And you, O tower of the flock, The stronghold of the daughter of Zion, To you shall it come, Even the former dominion shall come, The kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem.”
The second prophesy is possibly the shelter in which Jesus was born, a place in the northern part of Bethlehem called Migdol Eder. This was a watchtower with a place underneath that shepherds used during the lambing season to shelter the newborn lambs that would later be used as sacrifices in the Jerusalem temple.
So in both of these prophecies, God through Jacob and Micah announces the birthplace of Jesus.
What was so important about this little town of Bethlehem?
Text; 1 Samuel 16 1-13
1 Now the Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go; I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. For I have provided Myself a king among his sons.”
2 And Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.” But the Lord said, “Take a heifer with you, and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’
3 Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; you shall anoint for Me the one I name to you.”
4 So Samuel did what the Lord said, and went to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, “Do you come peaceably?”
5 And he said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons, and invited them to the sacrifice.
6 So it was, when they came, that he looked at Eliab and said, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before Him!”
7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
8 So Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.”
9 Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.”
10 Thus Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen these.”
11 And Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all the young men here?” Then he said, “There remains yet the youngest, and there he is, keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him. For we will not sit down till he comes here.”
12 So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with bright eyes, and good-looking. And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him; for this is the one!”
13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel arose and went to Ramah.
1. God Chose Bethlehem; 1-3
1. God Chose Bethlehem; 1-3
God provided for Himself a king from Bethlehem to fulfill the scriptures concerning His Son.
Remember Saul was chosen by the people of Israel to be their king because they rejected God. Saul was from the tribe of Benjamin called to be commander of the armies of God and then he was chosen by the people to be king.
7 And the Lord said to Samuel, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.
But David was from the tribe of Judah and from the little town of Bethlehem. It is fitting that the first king that “God chose” to reign over Israel would come from Bethlehem.
Bethlehem had to be the birthplace of the first king of Israel or the linage of Jesus would not have come from there and Joseph would not have returned there for the census and Jesus would have been born somewhere else making the scriptures false.
1 And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.
2 This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria.
3 So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.
4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David,
All scripture is God breathed and truth. Therefore every detail of scripture must be fulfilled precisely or God would be a liar and Christ would be con-man and we would still be in our sin! The Covenant that God made with David states;
16 And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever.” ’ ”
2. God looks at the Bethlehemite Heart; 6-7
2. God looks at the Bethlehemite Heart; 6-7
When God chose David to be king He looked at his heart not his outward appearance like Israel had done with Saul.
Saul was chosen by men partly because of his appearance and stature.
2 And he had a choice and handsome son whose name was Saul. There was not a more handsome person than he among the children of Israel. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people.
Even though David was good looking [v. 12], nothing like Saul, God chose him for his heart.
14 But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.”
David had a believing heart
1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
David had a confident heart
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
David had a honest/truthful heart
1 Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill?
2 He who walks uprightly, And works righteousness, And speaks the truth in his heart;
David had a transparent heart
2 Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; Try my mind and my heart.
David had an obedient heart filled with God’s Word
8 I delight to do Your will, O my God, And Your law is within my heart.”
David had a repentant heart
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Davis had a humble heart
1 Lord, my heart is not haughty, Nor my eyes lofty. Neither do I concern myself with great matters, Nor with things too profound for me.
David’s heart is symbolic of the heart of Christ. Jesus’ physical appearance was nothing to write home about but His heart was set on the Father’s will.
2 For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him.
7 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come— In the volume of the book it is written of Me— To do Your will, O God.’ ”
3. God’s chose a Shepherd of Bethlehem; 11
3. God’s chose a Shepherd of Bethlehem; 11
God’s choice of king had to truly represent Him well. He had to be a shepherd for God is the Shepherd of Israel.
1 Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, You who lead Joseph like a flock; You who dwell between the cherubim, shine forth!
11 He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, And carry them in His bosom, And gently lead those who are with young.
David was a shepherd from Bethlehem who cared for his sheep
36 Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God.”
37 Moreover David said, “The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you!”
Jesus is the Good Shepherd of Bethlehem
7 Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.
8 All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.
9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.
10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.
4. Anointed in Bethlehem; 13
4. Anointed in Bethlehem; 13
Anointed means “chosen one”. David was the first king chosen and anointed by God to rule His people. David was filled with the Holy Spirit at Bethlehem to guide Him in the way of the Lord.
Jesus is the “Anointed One”, the last and eternal King of Israel and He too was led by the Holy Spirit to walk in the way of His Father in Heaven.
Close;
Bethlehem Ephrathah is an important little town.
Bethlehem means “the house of bread” and the Child born to Mary would later make this statement;
51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.”
Ephrathah means “fruitfulness or fruit-bearing.” That same Child would later become the firstfruits of the resurrection.
20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
Bethlehem played host to the “Greatest Story Ever Told”. Ralph W. Stockman once phrased it this way, “The hinge of history is on the door of a Bethlehem stable.”
Have you entered through that door?