Scripture: Luke 2:4-7
Sermon Series: Son of David, Son of God – Sermon 03
Are you a gambler? Do you like playing the odds? So, what are the odds that someone can predict where they will be born? What are the odds that someone could predict where someone 700 years later would be born?
That’s exactly what happened when Jesus was born? Seven centuries before Jesus was born, the Prophet Micah wrote: “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). Then, Luke 2:4-7 says: “And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn Son and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.”
Micah 5:2 is only one of over 60 major prophecies that Jesus fulfilled at His first coming. If you can find anyone living or dead, who can fulfil only half of these predictions, then I have $1000 for you. The following probabilities are taken from Peter Stoner (picture) in Science Speaks to show that all coincidence is ruled out by the science of probability.
Dr. Stoner, with the help of 600 students calculated the probability of one person fulfilling just eight of these prophecies is 1 in 10 to the power of 17. The prophecies are the place of Jesus’ birth (Micah 5:2). Preceded by a messenger, John the Baptist (Malachi 3:1). Entering Jerusalem on a donkey (Zechariah 9:9). Having His hands and feet pierced (Psalm 22:16). Sold for 30 pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12). The blood money of His betrayal thrown in God’s house and used to purchase a potter’s field (Zechariah 11:13). Silent before his accusers (Isaiah 53:7) and crucified (Psalm 22:16; Isaiah 53:12). The probability of that happening with one person would be one in 100,000,000,000,000,000 or 1 in a quadrillion.
To help us comprehend all of this, Stoner illustrates it by suggesting that: “We take 10 to the power of 17 silver dollars and lay them on the face of Texas. They will cover all of the state 2 feet deep. Now mark just one of these silver dollars and stir the whole mass thoroughly, all over the state. Blindfold a man and tell him that he can travel as far as he wishes, but he must pick up one silver dollar and say that this is the right one.
What chance would he have of getting the right one? Just the same chance that the prophets would have had of writing these eight prophecies and having them all come true in any one man…”
All of these prophesies came true in Christ’s first coming plus over 50 others. Jesus’ birth, life and sacrificial death were planned before the dawn of creation. God is not the God of chance. Or, as that great theologian Woody Allen (picture) said, “The notion that the universe is merely a fleeting idea in God’s mind is a pretty uncomfortable thought, particularly if you’ve just made a down payment on a house.”
Tonight, we want to focus on Bethlehem, the City of David. Luke 2:4 says, “And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David.” Bethlehem was the host of the Nativity, an event that 2,000 years ago the world hardly noticed yet changed the destiny of every human being. As Ralph W. Sockman (picture) observed, “The hinge of history is on the door of a Bethlehem stable.”
1. Jesus’ Birthplace in Bethlehem was prophesied. Micah 5:2 begins with the words, “But you…” In the Hebrew, there’s an accent mark over this phrase, which serves as a grammatical pause. This is followed by the expression, “O Bethlehem…!” Micah is making the contrast between the dire situation in Jerusalem of his day and the coming victory in Bethlehem.
“Ephrathah” is the ancient name of a district of Bethlehem. It was used to distinguish it from other towns of the same name. For instance, we’re in Burlington, Wisconsin which is a different place than Burlington, Vermont.
“Who are too little to be among the clans of Judah.” Each tribe was divided into its thousands or clans. If a community was too small to get a thousand people together, they were enfolded into other tribes. Bethlehem was so small that it wasn’t even counted among the possessions of the tribe of Judah. In the division under Joshua, it was omitted altogether. It was a village that was disdained because it was so small. Isn’t that just like Jesus? He spent so much of His life with those considered small and insignificant.
There are five parallels between this little town and the Christ-child born in Bethlehem…Rachel gave birth to Benjamin in Bethlehem (Genesis 35:18). Rachel died in childbirth but before dying, she named her son “Benoni,” which means “the son of sorrow.” But his father, Jacob, called him “Benjamin,” which means “the son of the right hand.” At Christmas, the Son of God entered into our sorrow. Remember the line from “O Little Town of Bethlehem:” “The hopes and fears of all the years are met in Thee tonight.” Jesus Christ was truly the man of “sorrows” as stated in Isaiah 53 and the Son of God the Father’s right hand.
Boaz redeemed Ruth from her poverty in Bethlehem (Ruth 2:4). Ruth, a foreign refugee and widow, found redemption from her pain and past in Bethlehem. Jesus, our Redeemer came to Bethlehem to redeem us from the ravages of sin.
King David was born in Bethlehem and was anointed king there. Our King of Kings and Lord of Lords, who counted David in His genealogy, was born in Bethlehem’s stable.
Bethlehem means “house of bread” and Ephrathah means “fruitfulness.”
Jesus is the Bread of Life and said in John 6:35: “Whoever comes to Me shall not hunger.” The slopes surrounding Bethlehem were filled with figs, almonds, grapes and olives. Jesus came so that we might bear spiritual fruit.
The Messiah had to come through the tribe of Judah. Bethlehem is in Judah and Jesus’ genealogy is traced through the line of Judah. Genesis 49:10 states that the ruler would come out of Judah: “The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until He comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his.”
2. Jesus’ birthplace in Bethlehem was promised. “from you shall come forth for Me one who is to be ruler in Israel.” Bethlehem was too small to be included among the movers and shakers of Judah, and yet out of her was to come forth one who will be the Ruler. That’s often true of great leaders. President Ronald Reagan (picture) was born in an apartment above a bakery in Tampico, Illinois, a village of approximately 700 people.
The phrase, “for Me,” includes the idea “of me” which indicates that the coming ruler would come from God himself. It’s similar to what Abraham said in Genesis 22:8: “God Himself will provide the lamb.” The lamb would come from God, just like the Ruler will come from Him.
It’s the mystery of the incarnation; that God the Father would send God, His Son, to become a man who was sacrificed as the payment for our sins. The angel picked up on God’s promised plan when he declared, “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to Him the throne of his father David” (Luke 1:32).
3. Jesus’ birthplace in Bethlehem welcomed an eternal Person. Jesus’ life didn’t begin in Bethlehem when he was born. Jesus lived and was busy long before Bethlehem. The Lord Jesus created space, matter, and time. He created all things in the vast physical universe and the spiritual immaterial universe. He created us. After that Jesus sustains the universe and our very lives to bring us to the purpose for which God has created all things.
Micah concludes his prediction of Jesus’ birthplace by focusing “whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.” This phrase literally means, “From the days of eternity.” The word translated “from of old” is used elsewhere to describe the eternality of God. In fact, this expression in Hebrew is used only to describe God. Habakkuk 1:12: “Are you not from everlasting, O Lord my God, my Holy One?”
There’s no doubt that the coming Ruler to be born in Bethlehem will be human, yet fully divine. He was born humbly but He is Holy and everlasting. He was born in Bethlehem but didn’t have His beginnings there.
Micah was expecting a supernatural Savior who’d be physically born in Bethlehem. In actuality He’s existed for all eternity as the 2nd person of the Trinity. Jesus has always been. Jesus made this clear when He stated, “I tell you the truth, before Abraham was born, I am!” (John 8:58).
4. Bethlehem’s tax plan was God’s plan. We come now to another little village that wasn’t very well known or even respected (map), Nazareth. A teenage girl is pregnant, and her fiancé is trying to figure out how it happened. An angel is sent to help him understand in Matthew 1:20-21: “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”
Nazareth is located 80 miles north of Bethlehem. For Micah’s prophetic words to be fulfilled, a very pregnant Mary had to somehow get from this northern village to Bethlehem, located about 5 miles south of Jerusalem.
God had it all under control. He used a Roman version of the IRS to accomplish His plan. “In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered (or taxed). This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David” (Luke 2:1-5).
During the day, Bethlehem was packed with those coming to register for the Roman census. All the inns were full. It was there, in the still of the night when most were asleep, that a spiritual event occurred that changed the world forever. It happened in an animal food trough right there under their noses. All but a very special few woke up the next morning and went about their day and lives as though nothing unusual had happened, except for the Roman census. That’s how it was when Jesus first came. It’s how it will be when He comes again.
In his wonderful Christmas carol, Phillip Brooks (picture) captures this hidden tension so marvelously, “O Little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie; above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by.”
Conclusion: An almost forgotten prophet named Micah was moved by the Holy Spirit to record a prophecy about Assyria attacking the northern kingdom and almost destroying Jerusalem. About 150 years later, the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and snuffed out King Zedekiah, the last king in the line of David. Micah states that the Messiah had to be born in a predetermined place called Bethlehem. 700 years pass until one day God explodes into human history with the fulfillment of His promised plan by sending a profound person, from the line of King David to be carried in the womb of a virgin named Mary.
God then moves in the heart of a pagan Roman emperor, who lived 1500 miles from Israel, to declare that a census was to be taken of the entire world…and not just any census. People had to travel back to their family’s hometown in order to be counted. It just so happened that Joseph was from the family of David. That meant he had to go to Bethlehem.
Don’t you love how precisely God orchestrated everything that first Christmas? Mary was close to her delivery date, so Joseph decided to bring her along on the 80-mile journey to Bethlehem. Technically, he could have gone by himself. When they finally arrive, Mary goes into labor and Jesus is born in the place that Micah foretold. But what would have happened if their journey had been 4 weeks earlier or 2 weeks later? In His sovereignty, God made sure that they were in the right place at just the right time.
My friend, it’s no accident that you’re here tonight. God brought you here to this place at this time so that you could hear the message of Micah and believe in the Savior born in Bethlehem for you.
The great question left before us is simply: Is Jesus your Savior? Have you ever received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? You may be saying, “I believe in Jesus” and that’s good. But have you ever welcomed Him into your heart? Jesus can be in the Bible. He may be in the church and in the carols, we sing, and in your Christmas cards. He can be in the nativity scene in your yard, but it doesn’t mean anything unless Jesus is also in your heart.
Do you want to know that you’re forgiven? Do you want to know that you have peace with God and have His peace in your heart? Would you like to know that you’ll go to heaven someday? Would you like to be saved? John 1:12 says, “But to all who believed Him and accepted Him, He gave the right to become children of God.”
Don’t miss this. There’s no human limit to the number of people who can be saved. “To all who” includes me and you! Many have received Him. What about you? Many have welcomed him. What about you? Many have opened their hearts to Him. What about you? So, how do you receive Jesus?’
- Admit your need of Him—Are you aware of your need of a Savior from your sin?
- Believe the facts about Jesus—Do you believe He is the Son of God from heaven who lived on the earth as God in human flesh, who loved you enough to die in your place, paying for all of your sins? Do you believe He rose from the dead on the third day and that He is now exalted at the right hand of the Father in heaven?
- Welcome Him as your Lord and Savior—Are you ready to open the door of your heart and receive Him into your life? Receiving Christ involves trusting all that you are to all that He is. Christ stands even now knocking at the door of your heart. Will you let Him in?
In one of his sermons, Pastor Bruce Goettsche (picture) tells the delightful story of Wallace Perling—a little boy who’d been given a big part in the church’s annual Christmas program. This year though Wallace had a speaking part. He only had one line, but he was thrilled. Wallace was given the part of the Innkeeper who would turn Mary and Joseph away. His job was to answer the knock at his door, listen to the plea of Joseph and say, “No! Begone!”
The night of the Christmas pageant finally arrived. Wallace had practiced and practiced. He was ready. As the production began, he listened with great intensity to the Christmas story. Finally, Mary and Joseph came to his door. His heart was pounding. When Wallace opened the door there stood Mary and Joseph. They looked so tired. Joseph told how Mary was expecting a baby and they were so weary. But Wallace looked straight ahead and said, “No! Begone!” And this is where the story gets interesting. You see, Wallace didn’t shut the door. Instead, he watched the couple walk dejectedly away.
Finally, little Wallace blurted out, “Wait, you can have my room!” Some thought the Christmas pageant had been ruined, but others thought it was the best Christmas program ever.
My friend, that’s what it means to receive Christ. You receive Jesus by opening the door and inviting Him to come into your life.
I’d like to wrap up this up with a simple prayer of personal commitment. If you’ve never received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, perhaps these words will be the vehicle that God uses to create faith in your heart and bring you into His forever family. May God help you to trust Christ and to receive Him by faith.
“Lord Jesus, for too long I’ve kept you out of my life. No longer will I close the door when I hear you knocking. Right now, I open the door and invite you to come into my heart and life. I gratefully receive your gift of salvation.
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for coming to Bethlehem and coming to earth. With all my heart I believe you are the Son of God who died on the cross for my sins and rose from the dead on the third day.
Thank you for giving me the gift of salvation and eternal life. Come into my heart, Lord Jesus, and be my Savior. There is room in my heart for you. In Jesus Name. Amen.”