Come to Bethlehem

Our nation is filled with little towns that are famous. Places like Plymouth and Valley Forge and Gettysburg are tiny in comparison to our biggest cities, yet they remain well known, because things happened there that ought not be forgotten.

Today we hear of another little town on the other side of the world that has become well known. That’s understating it by quite a bit. Today the prophet Micah tells us about a little town in which God’s own Son will be born. Micah speaks and says: “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you were small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”

Historians tell us that Bethlehem’s population was only in the hundreds at the beginning of the New Testament. Why not choose Jerusalem, the nation’s capital and largest city, the center of commercial and political power, where people of royalty and wealth and influence lived? Maybe it was to show that God was not sending a commercial Messiah, or a political Messiah—the glory of His Messiah would be His humility. The calling card of His Messiah would be servanthood.

God routinely uses people from the margins, voices from the edge, seemingly insignificant people to accomplish his ends. Think of Moses, wondering “why would God pick me to lead his people?” Who did Jesus choose to lay the foundation for His church? Fishermen, former tax collectors, a few radicals thrown in for good measure. In today’s Gospel, Mary is amazed that God would even want to bother with her, much less bless her in this most peculiar way.

God’s choice of the little town of Bethlehem is part of a bigger pattern; a pattern that continues right throughout the New Testament era right down to the present day. In 1^st Corinthians, St. Paul writes: “Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong…so that no one can boast before him.”

God’s choice of the little town of Bethlehem can remind you that you cannot be too little or too insignificant for God to bless you. Bethlehem is a reminder to you when you feel belittled by others; when you feel loaded with guilt; when you struggle with the consequences of bad decisions. God has chosen you and me, and we don’t deserve it. Your place in God’s kingdom, your place in His family, is a result of his greatness, not ours. That’s good news.

But this is also a warning to those of us who may be caught up in human greatness. We tend to apply the motto “bigger is better” to just about everything: military power, business organization, even our churches. We may come to trust in our accomplishments so much that we stop delighting in God’s activity in our lives. Standing at the threshold of Christmas today, we have yet another chance to stop and change direction; to repent and receive the forgiveness of sins and a new outlook on life; an outlook that boasts in the Lord; an outlook that trusts in His upside-down wisdom.

God’s choice of the little town of Bethlehem also has something to say about life here in the real world. What I mean is this: Bethlehem definitely had its share of tragedies and heartbreak. In Bethlehem there is a burial stone that was a monument to great love and great loss. Here Jacob’s beloved wife Rachel died. Jacob loved Rachel so much he worked 14 years for her hand in marriage. She died as she gave birth to their son Benjamin, whom she named with her last cry. Centuries later, when thousands of Israelites were led to Babylon as captives, the prophet Jeremiah would write that “A voice is heard in Ramah…Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because her children are no more.”

In today’s Gospel we see Mary rejoicing, but she will soon have to flee Bethlehem with Joseph as King Herod slaughters the innocent boys of Bethlehem in a crazed attempt to get at Jesus. And later, the mother of our Lord will weep at the foot of her son’s cross.

God’s choice of Bethlehem says this to you today: Right in the middle of inhuman cruelty and national failure; right in the middle of haunting grief and bitter disappointment; right in the middle of a world gone mad, Jesus comes to you, the living good news of God himself. The prophet Micah admits that Israel may appear to be abandoned, but there is no defeat. When the Ruler comes, the scattered people of God will be reunited, will have security, and will live in peace. While there are real problems around us and real pain inside, Jesus has come to set things right. He comes to console you with his unstoppable love, and to make you bold by his resurrection.

And last but not least, God’s choice of the little town of Bethlehem was intentional. It sent a clear message to those paying attention about the identity of the child. Bethlehem is the place where the shepherd boy David was born and where he was living when he was chosen to become the greatest king that Israel ever had. Under David, Israel conquered all its enemies, extended its borders, established peace, and brought about a time of spiritual renewal. Much later, a Roman census would bring Mary and Joseph to the town of David where the King of all Kings would be born.

God’s choice of Bethlehem can steady you in life’s uncertainties. God is in control, it says. All rulers and powers will bow before Him. Jesus will always use His Kingly power to direct all things for your good.

One of the oldest Christian churches in the world, the Church of the Nativity, allegedly covers the site that made little Bethlehem the greatest location in Judah. What is unusual about the church is that the once normal entrance to the cave area is now so small that only one person can enter at a time, and you must stoop as you go in. Why it is that way? Reportedly, at one time Islamic horsemen rode into the church and trampled the cave areas, so to prevent future desecration—certainly to block a horse and rider—the doorway was made much smaller, and now you have to stoop to get in.

As we go to Bethlehem in spirit today and tomorrow, this is what we need to do. Stoop down. Humble yourself. Block everything else out, if only for a few devotional moments, and kneel at the manger of Jesus. Bow at the bedside of God in the flesh. See the baby whose goodness fills your emptiness; whose love consoles you in your sorrow; whose power will steady you in all the changes of life. Where meek souls will receive Him, still, the dear Christ enters in.

A Choice to Rejoice

Do you know who said these words?

“I live in a world of fools…Merry Christmas after Merry Christmas…what is Christmas time to you but a time for paying bills without money, a time for finding yourself a year older and not an hour richer? If I could work my will, every idiot who goes about with Merry Christmas on his lips should be boiled with his own Christmas pudding and burned with a stake of holly through his heart…Merry Christmas! Friends! Love! What could be more idiotic? Bah! Humbug!”

That’s Ebenezer Scrooge, of course, introduced to the world in 1843 in Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” When you try to find joy in material things, as Scrooge did, everything is humbug, because it doesn’t work. Now, that doesn’t stop us from trying. Preparing for Christmas seems to bring this to the forefront. If you are looking for joy in material things, if everything has to happen just perfectly in order for you to have joy, then it’s inevitable: you’re going to be tired and disappointed, and not only that. If you buy into this idea that the path to joy is found in newer, bigger, faster, better stuff, you’re going end up being cynical. You will end up with a fundamental distrust of everything. Why? Because more stuff cannot soothe a guilty conscience. More stuff does not satisfy our appetite. And finally, more stuff cannot prevent your eventual death. Chasing after more stuff is a trap, as the character Ebenezer Scrooge finds out before it’s too late. Many more real people keep up the chase, and remain cynical, joyless, and isolated. I’m here today to tell you: God offers something different to His people.

The words of today’s Old Testament reading were spoken by a man who lived in the seventh century before Christ, a time much like ours; a time of power struggles and change. The prophet Zephaniah saw power plays in government, financial dealings in the marketplace, strife among social groups, debate about proper religious practices. In other words, business as usual; but Zephaniah is singing a sad song, because so few people are really seeking the Lord. So few are asking about the Lord God or even seem to care.

Zephaniah witnessed the cruelty of rulers, the dishonesty of merchants, the violence of neighbors, the complacency of the wealthy, the hypocrisy of the priests, and the willingness of the people to adopt any religion that would help them get what they want. When things get to that point, there’s nothing good to say. Zephaniah describes the people in total as “obeying no one” and “accepting no correction.” And the prophet proclaims that God’s judgment is near and coming quickly. Not a fun message to proclaim, but that’s the burden of being a prophet. The even deeper burden Zephaniah bore is that he knew that chasing after stuff could never bring true and lasting joy, and he had to watch as his people—his own people—kept racing after junk and racing toward their own destruction.

Now this is as good a point as any for me to stop and ask the question, “Does any of this sound familiar?” Yes, Zephaniah was talking about people in a long ago place. But when he describes people whose hearts have turned away from God and turned to satisfying themselves; when he describes people as disobedient to God, people who accept no correction; when he describes people who try desperately to find joy in more stuff, don’t we have to look around…and look inwardly? Like I said, not a fun message to proclaim. But it’s like breaking a bone in order to reset the thing. It’s necessary. Painful, but necessary.

There might be a little voice inside you saying, “I don’t know if I want to be different from the world.” But listen to Zephaniah. He’s speaking a warning that this world and its ways will fail you. This world and its ways will always take more than they give you. This world and its ways will one day come crashing down. What’s the alternative?

This is it: Zephaniah offers a clear invitation to seek the Lord again. The message coming through the prophets like Zephaniah and John the Baptist is the message of making a choice. The prophets urge you and me; they plead with you to choose to put aside pride, to put aside dishonesty, to put aside the other gods that we’ve chased after. Choose to put aside the things that block God from coming to you. Confess these things as sin. Hand over your cynicism, your disappointment, and your fear to him. Look to the Lord Jesus for meaning in life. Look to him for fulfillment. When you learn to enjoy God; I mean, really treasure who He is and what He’s done every day, you will finally have what you’ve been running after. You’ll have peace and purpose that can’t be changed by circumstance. You’ll have security that flows from a God who defeated death. You’ll have joy because the things that cause guilt have been removed from you. Listen to the prophets. Choose to turn around. The arms of your Father God are open and waiting. What’s this God like? Zephaniah tells us:

“The Lord has taken away your punishment; he has turned back your enemy.” This is the surprise of the Gospel; the twist ending that leaves us breathless. Just imagine you’re on death row, awaiting execution. You hear the steps of the guards. They are coming for you. They go past you. Somebody else is taken. The death hood is placed over that person, and he is marched out and executed. Then the guards appear at your cell and tell you that you’re free to go. They open the heavy door. Later you learn that the person who died in your place was guilty of no crime, and what’s more, they volunteered to take your place. Jesus did that by going to the cross. It is for that reason that Jesus came into the world. And get this. The Bible tells us that it was for the joy set before Him that Jesus endured the cross. What was the joy set before Him? It was the joy of knowing you forever. He wanted to enjoy a relationship with you so much it killed Him. The horror of his suffering and death was worth it to Him, because it meant that he could be with you always.

Listen to the prophets. Choose to turn around. But know this: Jesus chose you first. That’s where real joy comes from.

Don't You Like My Present?

As you do your Christmas shopping, there are many things to consider. Here’s two: How well do you know the person you’re shopping for? And how do you present the gift? It’s fairly easy to find the right gift if you know a person’s interests and hobbies. And the way you present your present matters a lot too; If you leave the price tag on or you say, “Here’s something I made, but I didn’t quite get it finished,” that’s not going to be very impressive.

There’s a lot of preparing going on this time of year in order to present things in just the right way. The question for you this morning is, are you preparing to present your heart to God? Is that even on your list?

The words disciple and discipline go hand in hand; a disciple of Jesus is going to use discipline to counteract the busyness of December with quiet moments. A disciple of Jesus will use discipline to carve out time for our eyes to see the Savior; our ears to hear of his love; our lips to sing his praises; our hands to serve those around us so that with our minds and hearts we might truly, truly celebrate the greatest birth the world has ever known. Are you preparing to present yourself to Jesus?

In this morning’s Old Testament Lesson, we meet Malachi, whose name actually means “my messenger.” And Malachi’s message is that the Lord is going a send a Messenger before Him. Did you get that? This is a prophetic reference to John the Baptist, whose ministry was all about preparation. But John the Baptist did not show up to say “Prepare the Christmas Goose” or “Prepare to shop for an iPad mini.” John showed up to say “Prepare your heart for the Lord to come in. Make a straight path for Him to come into your life and renovate.” How does your life line up with that message? Is there a straight path for Jesus to take to get into your heart? Or is it more like an obstacle course? What do you have to shove aside in order to clear the path?

Malachi continues: “The suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come.” I want you to realize that about 450 years after Malachi spoke these words, they came true in a most unlikely way. The Lord came to his Temple as an eight-day-old baby, brought by Mary and Joseph. The Lord came to his temple as 12-year-old boy and taught the teachers about God’s Word. And throughout his thirty-three years the Lord Jesus would return to His temple to participate and teach and finally to warn and to cleanse.

When the Lord shows up, things have to change. That’s where Malachi goes when he says “Who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears?” When Jesus appears in your life, one thing you have to let go of is the idea that your good deeds and performance are going to get you anywhere with him. The Lord is holy. You’re not. Something’s got to give. Furthermore, Malachi says “He will be like a refiner’s fire and a launderer’s soap.” The Lord comes to get rid of our impurities. He comes to clean us up. Going from impure to pure and dirty to clean is not an easy process. That’s why the Lord comes to do it to us. We could never do it ourselves. We’re working at a pretty deep level here, a long way from sentimental Silver Bells. But this is what it takes. It’s very easy for our Christmas preparation to slip into ritual and routine. What Malachi’s talking about is very different. It’s almost like the prophet is saying that the day is coming, faster than you can imagine, when it won’t matter that you found the right Lego set; it won’t matter that you left the pie in the oven too long. The only thing that will matter is: are you ready to meet the Lord Jesus? Did you prepare for that moment by living a life of faith?

What you present to God says a lot about how prepared you are to see Him. Again, the prophet Malachi says, “[The Lord] will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the Lord will have men who bring offerings in righteousness.” That life of faith that I’m talking about is built on this foundation: we trust that Jesus purified and cleansed us with his blood at Calvary. This is God’s gift to you. He does not owe it to you. He does not have to give it. But He gives it because he loves. God’s present to you is a new life. What’s your present to him?

Might I suggest something He’d like? How about a change of mind? A change in attitude? A changed life? As much as the word “repentance” might seem foreign or strange to us, that’s what it means: a change for the better. A new emphasis on going God’s way. A new effort to really be a disciple of Jesus; a follower of Jesus Christ; making that straight path for Him to come in and take over. Then the Refiner can come in and purify you; then Jesus can come in with the strange soap of His blood and thoroughly clean your soul. All of God’s spokesmen, all the prophets, including Malachi and right up to John the Baptist and Jesus himself have said the very same thing: Repent and believe the good news! Change direction! Return to the Lord and receive the blessing that He can only give to those who admit their sins. Don’t stop him from the remodeling project he wants to do in you.

Have you ever given someone a Christmas present, and you can just tell they don’t really like it? It reminds of a story about a classroom of second graders that did a Christmas gift exchange. It was the old draw a name out of a hat type thing. Well, one little girl got the name of another girl in the class that she really did like and wanted to be better friends with. So the eight-year-old went through a lot of thought and piggy-bank expense (although Mom did chip in) to select just the right present for the occasion. She had high hopes that her classmate would take one look at the gift and a great new friendship would be born.

But on the day of the Christmas Party, with the second grade class decked out in red and green sweaters and Santa hats, and the time came for each child to open their presents, well, it happened something like this. The girl who had been so carefully shopped for calmly tore open the wrapping paper, looked at the gift with a blank expression, and tossed it to the side, where it fell off the side of the desk. Not even a fake “thank you.”

“But I picked it out just for you!” the little girl said, crushed by the rejection. As the teacher tried to salvage the situation, the girl stood in front of her classmate’s desk and asked, in disbelief, “Don’t you like my present?”

Sometimes I think that God’s heart breaks the same way. He looks at all the things we chase after and says, “Don’t you like my present?” Don’t you like the gift of my Son? Don’t you like having a new, clean, pure life?” What would you say to him?

One thing I know is He will never reject you. He will never toss you aside. This Christmas, He wants to give you the riches of heaven itself. Let Him. Amen.