“But as for (A)you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
Too little to be among the clans of Judah,
His goings forth are (D)from long ago,
From the days of eternity.”
3
Therefore He will (E)give them up until the time
When she (F)who is in labor has borne a child.
Then the (G)remainder of His brethren
Will return to the sons of Israel.
4
And He will arise and (H)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.
Have you ever felt insignificant, as if you really didn't matter? If so, consider Bethlehem. At the time of Jesus' birth, that town was a "nobody". The Message translation calls Bethlehem "the runt of the litter." We all have a town like that in our home county; perhaps you live in it! (In my home county, it's probably Nelson!) However, Jesus had to be born in Bethlehem in order to fulfill this prophecy. And, there had to be a census held at that time by the Roman government, in order to get Mary and Joseph (who did not live there) to that "city of David" in time for Jesus to be born.
Here's the crux of today's lesson: nothing is insignificant to God. Every word we speak, every decision we make, every action we take - - - it all has meaning. WE have meaning and a purpose, each and every one of us. When we start to feel down, worthless, used up, worn out, finished....remember that. God's purposes for each of us last past this life, through all eternity. He is not finished with us until we take our last breath here, and then He has plans for us in eternity with Him.
Did you know that King David, ancestor of Messiah and the "man after God's own heart" (1 Samuel 13:14 and Acts 13:22) was "the runt of the litter"? Yes, he was the youngest of Jesse's several sons. His father considered him so unlikely to be chosen by Samuel for service that David was not even called in from the field! Either that, or his father and brothers forgot about him - - - neither of these possibilities is terribly flattering, right? But, God did not forget about David; and, He has not forgotten about you either.
At the time of Jesus' birth, the Jews - - - well, some of them - - - believed that God had forgotten about them too. Here they were, in governmental servitude and bondage to the Roman Empire. There appeared to be no hope. The Message version puts it like this: "Israel will be in foster homes..."
They felt that God had "given them up", and He had set them aside for a time, until, as the verses above attest, "she who is in labor has borne a child" (Mary, bearing Jesus). See Isaiah 9:6.
Here is what is burdening me this morning: you, no matter who you are, no matter what you think of God and Jesus and Christmas, or your circumstances, your "failures", successes...whatever. You are a player in the Greatest Story Ever Told, whether you want to be or not. You are not insignificant, ever. Satan wants every person to believe that, because what God is able to do with and through you is terrifying to the enemy.
I LOVE G.F. Handel's "The Messiah", probably the best-loved choral oratorio since the birth of Jesus. On several occasions I have gone with a friend to hear the ATL Symphony Orchestra and Chorus perform it.
While I was typing this, I remembered that I was planning on checking to see when the Messiah sing-along is. See, there is this chamber chorale in "the ATL" that hosts this event every year. You just grab your old, battered, loved-to-death copy of the Messiah oratorio, jump in your car and drive to the meeting place, open your book and sing with gusto the Christmas section of the masterwork. It's FREE and open to everyone. I was afraid I had missed this wonderful Advent bon-bon, because sometimes they do it at the very beginning of the season. To my precious delight, I discovered that it is not too late! The sing-along will be held on Dec. 17th!
Even though the event is open to everyone, I have to choose to participate, you see.
When Jesus was born, lived, died, was resurrected, He began to "shepherd His flock, in the name of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord His God". He began to restore to Jehovah the children of Israel and to gather to Himself the Gentiles as well, (of whom I am one, praise be!) And, today, His name endures; it IS "from everlasting to everlasting".
It IS "The Greatest Story Ever Told". What part will you play in it?
Dear Father, you know how I love to act, in dramatic productions. And, because of Your grace and your most precious Gift, I get to act in The Greatest Story Ever Told! It's the best role ever, because it's the one for which You designed me. Thank you for not forcing it on me, but giving me the opportunity to choose You. I pray that those who read this - - - those who have already chosen You will not buy the enemy's lie, namely, that they are insignificant or no longer matter. And, for those who are not sure or even think this is all a farce - - - I pray that You will reveal Yourself to them in a mighty way, in a way that will let them know unmistakably that You are God, the Lover of their souls. Amen!
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