"Love Came Down," Pastor Doug Kamstra, Micah 5:2-4, December 22, 2019 AM

Covenant Christian Reformed Church

Love Came Down (Advent Series: Because of Bethlehem; Message Four)

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are 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.” 3Therefore Israel will be abandoned until the time when she who is in labor bears a son, and the rest of his brothers return to join the Israelites. 4He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth” (Micah 5:2-4)

“O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie; above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by...”

A. We picture Bethlehem as a Hallmark Hamlet; it’s actually dirty and smelly

B. Bethlehem (lit, “house of meat” in Arabic or “house of bread” in Hebrew) was

where shepherds raised sheep for temple sacrifices

1. Shepherding was top on the rabbi’s list of most despised occupations

2. Shepherds were stereotyped as dishonest, thieving, disreputable people

3. Bethlehem was a village no one would visit unless it was home or the

law required it...

C. A visit to Bethlehem reminds us how far God will go to meet our deepest need

D. Bethlehem becomes a testimony of God’s love for sinners

WE CAN REJECT HIM

A. We could initiate the list with the innkeeper...

B. There was the overbooked and pre-occupied town

1. This is a default “no” rejection. This may be the most dangerous kind

2. How many say “no” to Jesus simply because they don’t have time or

space for him in their lives?

C. Herod’s rejection was overtly violent and blatantly brutal

“Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted because they were no more.” (Matthew 2:18)

D. Every rejection it is a tragic response and results in a catastrophic ending

WE CAN RECEIVE HIM

A. The angels, Mary, the shepherds and magi recognized the one who lay in

the manger was the hope of the world 1. Recognizing is not a one-time event, but a continual awareness of

what God has done and continues to do in us and in his world

2. We need to recognize God’s love came down at Christmas in the birth of

Jesus. God was willing to sacrifice his Son to provide for a fallen world

B. The angels, Mary, the shepherds and magi “received” him with reverence

1. The angels sang a song of praise (Luke 2:14); Mary “pondered these

things in her heart” (2:19); the shepherds “hurried off to see the child”

(2:15); the magi “bowed and worshipped him” (Matthew 2:11)

2. Today, will you receive him with reverence and worship? And tomorrow?

C. Luke points out everything is suddenly different for the shepherds...

1. Before they were “just” shepherds; now they are shepherds with a mission;

now they have a message; now they are life changers

2. They were eager to reveal to others what they had seen

3. If shepherds can be witnesses for Jesus, anyone can be a witness to Jesus

CONCLUSION

A. Despite the probability of rejection, God himself came

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son...” (John 3:16)

1. The only reason anyone would leave heaven is because of love

2. In his incarnation, God says “I love you” “You don’t have to clean up

first, you don’t have to bring a gift, you don’t even have love me like

I love you...but you do need to come...”

“Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about and when we have seen him to go and spread the word...” (Luke 2:15b, 17b)

B. Love came down at Christmas. “The Lord is come! Let earth receive her king”