1 00:00:00,400 --> 00:00:03,960 This morning we are continuing to work our way through Advent 2 00:00:04,440 --> 00:00:08,800 on our way toward Christmas. Remember that Advent means 3 00:00:08,800 --> 00:00:11,520 coming. We remember a time in our lives 4 00:00:11,520 --> 00:00:13,480 before Jesus came into our hearts. 5 00:00:14,160 --> 00:00:18,360 We remember Old Testament Israel before Christ's first coming, 6 00:00:18,640 --> 00:00:23,600 when he was born in Bethlehem. And we look forward to Christ's 7 00:00:23,600 --> 00:00:28,240 return and the resurrection of the dead, His second coming. 8 00:00:29,560 --> 00:00:32,040 Last Sunday our morning services were cancelled due to the 9 00:00:32,040 --> 00:00:34,600 weather, but Sunday evening we still had our Hanging of the 10 00:00:34,600 --> 00:00:37,360 Greens service and church decorating party. 11 00:00:37,840 --> 00:00:41,400 And Pastor Matt kicked off our Advent series with an inspiring 12 00:00:41,400 --> 00:00:44,840 message that reminded us about the traditions we look forward 13 00:00:44,840 --> 00:00:49,040 to every year. For Matt and Julie, they look 14 00:00:49,040 --> 00:00:52,400 forward to wrapping presents on Christmas Eve. 15 00:00:52,400 --> 00:00:54,960 All the presents together sounds like a pretty late night, while 16 00:00:54,960 --> 00:00:56,760 at the same time they like watching. 17 00:00:56,760 --> 00:00:59,800 It's a Wonderful Life also sounds like a pretty late night, 18 00:01:00,520 --> 00:01:03,240 but that's a tradition they look forward to every year. 19 00:01:03,240 --> 00:01:07,240 They don't tire of it. For my family, we have special 20 00:01:07,240 --> 00:01:09,680 food that comes to mind that we make only at the holidays. 21 00:01:09,960 --> 00:01:12,240 In the morning, we have a breakfast casserole with 22 00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:15,480 grapefruit, and then in the evening we have a Portuguese 23 00:01:15,480 --> 00:01:17,760 dish that we've nicknamed seaweed soup. 24 00:01:18,240 --> 00:01:21,040 And if you're curious about what that is, the UCC cookbook is on 25 00:01:21,040 --> 00:01:23,040 sale through the end of the year, so you're welcome to give 26 00:01:23,040 --> 00:01:27,240 it a try. So those are some private family 27 00:01:27,240 --> 00:01:29,400 traditions, but what about the gathered body? 28 00:01:29,400 --> 00:01:32,760 Our church family, we have traditions as well. 29 00:01:33,240 --> 00:01:35,880 And during Advent, we light the Advent wreath. 30 00:01:36,480 --> 00:01:41,560 It's rich with symbolism and the focus is not the wreath itself, 31 00:01:42,040 --> 00:01:45,600 but what it points to. The outlets look forward to 32 00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:48,840 their movie watching and their gift giving because it reminds 33 00:01:48,840 --> 00:01:52,440 them of a deeper generosity and thankfulness it represents. 34 00:01:53,120 --> 00:01:55,960 My family looks forward to the food because yes, it is 35 00:01:56,080 --> 00:02:00,320 delicious, but it also links us to people we enjoyed Christmas 36 00:02:00,320 --> 00:02:04,200 with years ago. Without a deeper purpose, these 37 00:02:04,200 --> 00:02:07,280 things can easily become dead rituals. 38 00:02:08,240 --> 00:02:12,400 For us here at UCC, the Advent wreath is a way that we tell the 39 00:02:12,400 --> 00:02:15,160 Christmas story in five movements. 40 00:02:15,960 --> 00:02:20,280 First we have the Hope and Prophecy candle, then we have 41 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:24,560 the Faith and Bethlehem candle, the Joy and Shepherd's candle, 42 00:02:25,200 --> 00:02:29,400 the Peace and Angels candle, and finally the Purity and Christ 43 00:02:29,400 --> 00:02:31,080 candle. And when we light it on 44 00:02:31,080 --> 00:02:34,440 Christmas Eve, Pastor Dan comes up and he lights his candle from 45 00:02:34,440 --> 00:02:38,280 the center candle of the reef, the Christ candle, and then more 46 00:02:38,280 --> 00:02:41,480 people light from that candle and it's Christ's light 47 00:02:41,720 --> 00:02:45,720 emanating out into the world, representing Christ as the true 48 00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:48,160 light coming into the world at Christmas. 49 00:02:48,640 --> 00:02:51,600 It is beautiful imagery and always very moving. 50 00:02:52,640 --> 00:02:55,680 So we've walked through the candles and song together. 51 00:02:55,960 --> 00:02:58,840 However, it's only the second Sunday of Advent, so. 52 00:03:04,640 --> 00:03:07,920 So we're going to focus on the Faith and Bethlehem candle. 53 00:03:08,640 --> 00:03:12,120 Our text, which Rob and Kelsey read earlier in the service, is 54 00:03:12,120 --> 00:03:14,960 from Micah chapter 5. But before we read it again, 55 00:03:14,960 --> 00:03:19,440 let's have a little bit of background first, who is Micah? 56 00:03:20,120 --> 00:03:23,720 Micah is an Old Testament prophet and he's speaking to 57 00:03:23,720 --> 00:03:27,200 God's people, Israel. His ministry is spanning about 58 00:03:27,200 --> 00:03:31,320 50 years, from around 7:40 to 687 BC. 59 00:03:32,320 --> 00:03:36,000 During this time there is war going on between God's people 60 00:03:36,200 --> 00:03:40,800 and another Kingdom, Assyria, and in 722 BC the northern part 61 00:03:40,800 --> 00:03:45,040 of God's people is carried away and defeated by Assyria. 62 00:03:46,280 --> 00:03:49,360 So then we ask, who is Micah talking to? 63 00:03:49,480 --> 00:03:52,880 We remember that the Bible is written to a specific group of 64 00:03:52,880 --> 00:03:57,000 people in a specific time, but it's also written for us, and we 65 00:03:57,000 --> 00:04:00,040 can understand the message better for us when we understand 66 00:04:00,040 --> 00:04:03,920 who it was first written to. So it's the southern part, the 67 00:04:03,920 --> 00:04:07,960 southern Kingdom, God's people, threatened outside by Assyria 68 00:04:07,960 --> 00:04:13,880 and inside by its rulers. During Micah's life, King Jotham 69 00:04:13,880 --> 00:04:17,320 does what is right in the eyes of the Lord, but the people are 70 00:04:17,320 --> 00:04:20,839 still bowing down to false gods at the high places. 71 00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:25,600 King Jotham's son, King Ahaz, is awful. 72 00:04:26,320 --> 00:04:30,000 He's literally burning his own son to try and please a false 73 00:04:30,040 --> 00:04:32,000 God. Ahaz. 74 00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:35,120 His son King Hezekiah does better. 75 00:04:35,520 --> 00:04:38,640 There is spiritual renewal, there's reform all over. 76 00:04:39,280 --> 00:04:43,320 But in his arrogance, Hezekiah boasts so much about their 77 00:04:43,320 --> 00:04:47,160 wealth that he provokes the future plundering of the Kingdom 78 00:04:47,800 --> 00:04:50,840 over all things are not looking good for their future, and the 79 00:04:50,840 --> 00:04:54,000 people of God are spiritually starving. 80 00:04:55,680 --> 00:05:00,800 In the middle of all of this uncertainty, where will God's 81 00:05:00,800 --> 00:05:05,160 people put their faith? What will the people of Israel 82 00:05:05,160 --> 00:05:10,760 trust in when all of the rulers fail and horrible exile is 83 00:05:10,760 --> 00:05:14,040 promised? God opens Micah's mouth to speak 84 00:05:14,040 --> 00:05:17,360 words of assurance. And in case it feels abstract, 85 00:05:17,360 --> 00:05:21,000 in case the promises feel far off, the Lord makes it concrete 86 00:05:21,000 --> 00:05:23,640 for them. He gives them a place, a 87 00:05:23,640 --> 00:05:27,960 physical location to look for the fulfillment of their faith. 88 00:05:28,840 --> 00:05:31,720 He's sending help, and it won't appear in the distance. 89 00:05:32,240 --> 00:05:34,880 Their rescuer will come down right in their midst. 90 00:05:35,320 --> 00:05:37,760 He's coming in a little town called Bethlehem. 91 00:05:38,360 --> 00:05:40,920 So we'll read in our passage Micah chapter 5, beginning in 92 00:05:40,920 --> 00:05:43,600 verse 2. But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, 93 00:05:43,920 --> 00:05:46,920 who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you 94 00:05:47,320 --> 00:05:51,640 shall come forth for me, one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose 95 00:05:51,640 --> 00:05:55,640 coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. 96 00:05:56,320 --> 00:06:00,200 Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is 97 00:06:00,200 --> 00:06:04,040 in labor has given birth. Then the rest of his brothers 98 00:06:04,040 --> 00:06:09,800 shall return to the people of Israel, and he shall stand and 99 00:06:09,800 --> 00:06:13,520 shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the 100 00:06:13,520 --> 00:06:18,560 majesty of the name of the Lord his God, and they shall dwell 101 00:06:18,560 --> 00:06:22,880 secure for now. He shall be great to the ends of 102 00:06:22,880 --> 00:06:27,000 the earth, and he shall be their peace. 103 00:06:28,280 --> 00:06:30,480 There's a lot that we could digest here, but right now we're 104 00:06:30,480 --> 00:06:33,840 going to focus on the concrete locational aspect of the 105 00:06:33,840 --> 00:06:37,840 promise. Bethlehem is an ancient town. 106 00:06:38,640 --> 00:06:40,280 The book of Ruth takes place here. 107 00:06:40,280 --> 00:06:42,600 She's the ancestor of King David. 108 00:06:43,040 --> 00:06:45,880 And this is David's hometown, the place where he is anointed 109 00:06:45,880 --> 00:06:49,440 to be king of Israel. Nearly everyone connected with 110 00:06:49,440 --> 00:06:52,880 Bethlehem in the Bible is also connected with shepherding. 111 00:06:53,160 --> 00:06:56,760 David himself was a shepherd. This is a very humble profession 112 00:06:57,040 --> 00:07:01,640 and an obscure origin story. This town used to be called 113 00:07:01,640 --> 00:07:06,680 Ephrathah, as we saw this fall in Genesis chapter 35, Rachel 114 00:07:06,680 --> 00:07:10,240 Jacob's wife, she died, and the text says she was buried on the 115 00:07:10,240 --> 00:07:12,320 way to Ephrath. That is Bethlehem. 116 00:07:12,320 --> 00:07:16,360 So they're the same place. Micah here writes Bethlehem 117 00:07:16,360 --> 00:07:20,320 Ephratha to distinguish it from another town named Bethlehem, up 118 00:07:20,320 --> 00:07:23,440 in the northern Kingdom of Israel and probably already 119 00:07:23,440 --> 00:07:26,440 conquered by the time that Micah is writing. 120 00:07:26,680 --> 00:07:30,160 So the prophet is talking about a very specific place. 121 00:07:30,760 --> 00:07:34,640 Bet Lechem means House of bread and Ephrathah means 122 00:07:34,640 --> 00:07:36,960 fruitfulness. It probably got this name 123 00:07:36,960 --> 00:07:40,440 because of the fertile soil and typically good harvests in the 124 00:07:40,440 --> 00:07:43,360 area. It's a small town. 125 00:07:44,200 --> 00:07:46,800 Bethlehem never grows to be very big. 126 00:07:47,600 --> 00:07:52,040 It's overshadowed by the nearby cities of Hebron and Jerusalem, 127 00:07:52,320 --> 00:07:55,680 only 5 miles away. But back in our passage, Micah 128 00:07:55,680 --> 00:07:57,640 52. But you owe Bethlehem, 129 00:07:57,640 --> 00:08:00,640 Ephrathah, House of bread and fruitfulness. 130 00:08:00,840 --> 00:08:06,800 You who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, you 131 00:08:06,800 --> 00:08:11,360 easily overlooked insignificant little town. 132 00:08:12,480 --> 00:08:16,680 From you shall come forth for me, one who shall be ruler in 133 00:08:16,680 --> 00:08:19,840 Israel. God is going to use this near 134 00:08:19,840 --> 00:08:24,680 obscure place that is hardly noticed in order to do something 135 00:08:25,080 --> 00:08:29,840 amazing. We expect great things and great 136 00:08:29,840 --> 00:08:32,679 people to come from great places. 137 00:08:33,480 --> 00:08:36,919 We expect the best football players to come from the biggest 138 00:08:36,919 --> 00:08:41,440 and wealthiest colleges. We expect the best music and art 139 00:08:41,440 --> 00:08:46,400 to come from New York City. We expect the most reliable car 140 00:08:46,400 --> 00:08:51,680 to be the most expensive car. But God totally subverts our 141 00:08:51,680 --> 00:08:55,000 expectations. It's just how He works. 142 00:08:55,800 --> 00:08:58,640 Later in the Bible, in First Corinthians chapter 1, Paul 143 00:08:58,640 --> 00:09:02,840 writes this for Consider your calling, brothers and sisters. 144 00:09:03,520 --> 00:09:06,760 Not many of you were wise according to worldly standards. 145 00:09:07,360 --> 00:09:10,880 Not many were powerful. Not many were of noble birth. 146 00:09:11,840 --> 00:09:16,800 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise. 147 00:09:17,600 --> 00:09:20,960 God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong. 148 00:09:21,880 --> 00:09:25,360 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even 149 00:09:25,360 --> 00:09:29,480 things that are not to bring to nothing, things that are, so 150 00:09:29,480 --> 00:09:33,400 that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 151 00:09:34,200 --> 00:09:39,680 God has a way of using humble places and unlikely people. 152 00:09:40,840 --> 00:09:43,280 And this brings us to our next text, straight from the 153 00:09:43,280 --> 00:09:46,800 Christmas narrative, Luke chapter 2, beginning in verse 4. 154 00:09:47,840 --> 00:09:51,160 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of 155 00:09:51,160 --> 00:09:55,240 Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David, which is called 156 00:09:55,240 --> 00:09:59,280 Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to 157 00:09:59,280 --> 00:10:02,280 be registered with Mary his betrothed, who was with child. 158 00:10:02,680 --> 00:10:05,560 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth, 159 00:10:06,800 --> 00:10:10,640 and she gave birth to her first born son, and wrapped him in 160 00:10:10,640 --> 00:10:14,040 swaddling clothes and laid him in a Manger, because there was 161 00:10:14,040 --> 00:10:19,280 no place for them in the inn. God has a plan. 162 00:10:20,320 --> 00:10:22,840 It's pretty amazing. Joseph and Mary don't live in 163 00:10:22,840 --> 00:10:25,240 Bethlehem. Their baby should have been born 164 00:10:25,240 --> 00:10:29,080 in a different small town. No one expected their baby to be 165 00:10:29,080 --> 00:10:34,560 born 100 miles from their home. Politically, anyone would expect 166 00:10:34,560 --> 00:10:37,680 the city of David to be associated with Jerusalem. 167 00:10:38,200 --> 00:10:41,200 After all, that's where King David ruled for most of his 168 00:10:41,200 --> 00:10:43,440 life. That's the capital city of 169 00:10:43,440 --> 00:10:46,920 Israel, in the stronghold where they placed their faith and 170 00:10:46,920 --> 00:10:51,640 their trust in the past. But didn't even that stronghold 171 00:10:52,040 --> 00:10:56,960 once become defeated? God knew all along what would 172 00:10:56,960 --> 00:11:00,560 happen, He told us through Mike a hundreds of years earlier. 173 00:11:01,280 --> 00:11:05,360 God knew Joseph, a descendant of King David, would be the adopted 174 00:11:05,360 --> 00:11:08,680 father of Jesus. He knew his census would just 175 00:11:08,680 --> 00:11:11,920 happen to be called when Mary was ready to give birth, 176 00:11:12,160 --> 00:11:15,960 requiring Joseph to return to the home of his ancestors at 177 00:11:15,960 --> 00:11:19,200 this time. And God knew that he wanted the 178 00:11:19,200 --> 00:11:23,760 Messiah associated forever, not with the powerful political city 179 00:11:23,760 --> 00:11:26,160 of Jerusalem, of David's rule as king. 180 00:11:27,320 --> 00:11:32,200 No, God wanted the Messiah associated first and foremost 181 00:11:32,400 --> 00:11:36,760 with the humble origins of David, the insignificant singing 182 00:11:36,920 --> 00:11:41,960 shepherd boy, the one who looked as unlikely to slay a giant as 183 00:11:41,960 --> 00:11:43,960 it looked for him to lead a nation. 184 00:11:44,800 --> 00:11:48,400 And yet from boyhood, his faith was in something far greater 185 00:11:48,640 --> 00:11:54,560 than himself. How insignificant do you feel? 186 00:11:56,840 --> 00:12:01,600 How unlikely does it seem that God would want to use you in his 187 00:12:01,600 --> 00:12:05,760 perfect plan? The message of Bethlehem is that 188 00:12:05,760 --> 00:12:10,120 God wants you not because of your resume, but because of His 189 00:12:10,240 --> 00:12:13,240 love. You see, we don't have to prove 190 00:12:13,240 --> 00:12:15,280 ourselves to be worthy of His love. 191 00:12:16,400 --> 00:12:18,960 We don't have to worry that we haven't done great things for 192 00:12:18,960 --> 00:12:20,120 God. That's not the point. 193 00:12:20,960 --> 00:12:26,000 The point is that God is doing great things through us and even 194 00:12:26,000 --> 00:12:29,640 in spite of us. God makes streams in the desert. 195 00:12:30,800 --> 00:12:33,080 He makes the barren womb give birth. 196 00:12:33,560 --> 00:12:37,400 He makes the tiny overlooked town the birth place of the one 197 00:12:37,520 --> 00:12:39,680 true King that will reign forever. 198 00:12:40,520 --> 00:12:43,840 God makes the unimpressive life significant. 199 00:12:45,400 --> 00:12:49,880 The strength of your faith does not depend on you, but on the 200 00:12:49,880 --> 00:12:52,960 strength of what you put your faith in. 201 00:12:53,880 --> 00:12:58,680 Let me put that another way. Our faith is only as strong as 202 00:12:58,720 --> 00:13:01,120 its object. If you put your faith in 203 00:13:01,120 --> 00:13:04,360 something that seems strong, like financial security, or an 204 00:13:04,360 --> 00:13:07,360 impressive list of accomplishments, or even just 205 00:13:07,360 --> 00:13:11,000 your own capabilities, that is sure to fail at some point when 206 00:13:11,000 --> 00:13:16,920 all of those things fail. But if your faith is in 207 00:13:16,920 --> 00:13:20,760 something like the testimony of Bethlehem, if your faith is in 208 00:13:20,760 --> 00:13:24,760 something unlikely and yet absolutely sure because of God's 209 00:13:24,920 --> 00:13:28,240 promise, then that is a strong faith. 210 00:13:29,560 --> 00:13:33,400 It will not fail you because at the end of the day, it depends 211 00:13:33,720 --> 00:13:40,080 on an unfailing God. faith in God and His promises, no matter 212 00:13:40,080 --> 00:13:43,880 how distant and unlikely they seem, will never fail you. 213 00:13:45,080 --> 00:13:48,600 That is the story of Bethlehem, and that is the story of our 214 00:13:48,600 --> 00:13:52,880 Savior's humble birth. Would you please pray with me? 215 00:13:54,920 --> 00:13:58,440 Our Heavenly Father, we thank you for the goodness of Jesus in 216 00:13:58,440 --> 00:14:04,160 the message of Christmas time. Lord, we thank you that when we 217 00:14:04,160 --> 00:14:08,520 find ourselves weak, all the more we find you to be strong. 218 00:14:09,240 --> 00:14:14,240 We thank you for calling us to be part of your Kingdom, and we 219 00:14:14,240 --> 00:14:18,520 thank you for the humble example of your Son, Jesus Christ. 220 00:14:18,880 --> 00:14:22,920 We pray that at this Christmas time, in the midst of the glory, 221 00:14:23,600 --> 00:14:28,760 we would see His humility and be moved to behold and adore our 222 00:14:28,760 --> 00:14:31,800 Savior. We pray this in Jesus name and 223 00:14:31,800 --> 00:14:33,560 by the Spirit, Amen.