1. Song: "O Little Town of Bethlehem"
He was known as the most dynamic and inspirational preacher of his time, but he had lost his fervor and could not seem to recover. In his mid-twenties he had become pastor of the Holy Trinity Church in Philadelphia. He recruited a super salesman named Lewis Redner to be his Sunday School Superintendent and organist. The church exploded in growth, partly because of Brooks' dynamic preaching, partly because of Redner's music.
But then the Civil War came and the mood in the church became somber. The national spirit was dying, women were wearing black due to a husband or son killed in battle, and darkness fell over every facet of the worship services. Brooks tried to be inspirational and encourage his church but it was draining him. When the war ended he thought the vitality and joy would return immediately but it did not.
Abraham Lincoln was assassinated and the pain intensified. Phillips Brooks was not the President's pastor, but because he was such a great orator, he was asked to preach the President's funeral. He reached down deep and found the appropriate words to say for the moment but later he was so burned out that he could not rekindle his own spiritual flame. So he asked the church for a sabbatical and took a trip to the Holy Land.
On Christmas Eve in Jerusalem, he mounted a horse and went off riding. At dusk, when the first stars were out, he rode into the village of Bethlehem. There was singing in the Church of the Nativity and he felt surrounded by the Spirit of God. It lifted Brooks spirits to be with a few feet of the very spot where Jesus was born.
Brooks wrote about his journey from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, where he assisted with the midnight service on Christmas Eve, 1865: "I remember standing in the old church in Bethlehem, close to the spot where Jesus was born, when the whole church was ringing hour after hour with splendid hymns of praise to God, how again and again it seemed as if I could hear voices I knew well, telling each other of the Wonderful Night of the Savior's birth."
When he returned he wanted some way to express the stirring in his soul and he decided it would be best communicated in the form of a poem. That was when "O, Little Town of Bethlehem," was written. Lewis Redner, the organist, provided the tune.
I hope Brooks' prayer in the last stanza of O Little Town of Bethlehem is your prayer today:-"O Holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us we pray. Cast out our sin and enter in; be born in us today. We hear the Christmas angels, the great, glad tidings tell. O come to us, abide with us, Our Lord Emmanuel." AMEN!
2. We Know Where, but When Was Jesus Born? A Theory:
* It is possible that Jesus was born between June and November with Pentecost (Harvest) and December 1 (Planting)
* Caesar Augustus -- 27 BC - 14 AD
* Luke 1 -- Birth of John the Baptist -- Herod was king
* The division of Abijah is key
o 20,000 -24, 000 priests for a 30x90 temple
o There were 24 divisions for the 24 Chief Priest families that returned from captivity -- each served for 2 weeks
o At Shavuot (Pentecost) the division of Abijah served -- early to mid-May
o Soon afterwards, Elizabeth was pregnant (June?)
o Elizabeth was 6 months pregnant when the angel visited Mary (December?)
o Hanukkah (Feast of Lights) is in December -- Mary may have conceived then by Holy Spirit
o Mary was pregnant when she visits Elizabeth (within a week?)
o This would make Jesus' birth in September at Sukkoth (Feast of Tabernacles)
o John 1.14 -- clue to his birth?
* Sukkoth (Tabernacles) liturgy song -- "Glory to God in the highest"
3. Bethlehem is a key place in scripture -- birthplace of Jesus
a. Rachel
b. Ruth
c. David
4. Luke 2.1-7
a. Ancestry back to Boaz and David -- Luke 3.23ff
b. Bethlehem was key
5. As Joseph and Mary journeyed to Bethlehem, what were they thinking?
a. Biblical accounts of Rachel? Ruth? David?
b. Prophecy of Micah?
Micah 5.2 (cf. Matthew 2.6)
"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 of old, from ancient times."
I. Bethlehem is the Culmination of Rachel's Story
A. The Weight of an Affliction
1. Rachel Longed for Children but Leah and their handmaids were giving Jacob sons
2. A challenge for her as well as others -- Sarah; Hannah; Elizabeth
3. God heard and heeded Rachel's request -- Genesis 30.22
B. The Way of Antagonism -- Rachel Vs. Leah
1. Jacob loved Rachel/Hated Leah
2. Deception of Laban and Jacob's 14 years of servitude
3. God blessed Leah with children -- Genesis 29.31-35
a. 6 of the 12 Sons
b. Rachel -- 2; Bilhah -- 2; Zilpah -- 2
II. Bethlehem is a Place of Connections -- Rachel's Death; Benjamin's Life
A. The Recognition of Rachel
1. Her Name means "Ewe" (Shepherd imagery of Laban)
2. She died on the way to Bethlehem -- she was not fully there [Slide of Rachel's Tomb
3. Others in Hebron -- Cenotaphs
4. A prophetic look to the One to come from Bethlehem -- Lamb of God
B. The Revelation of Two Sons
1. Joseph -- a Parallel of Jesus
* Beloved of the Father -- Genesis 37.3; Matthew 3.17
* Foretold He would Rule -- Genesis 37.7; Matthew 26.64
* Sent by Father for the Welfare of Brothers -- Genesis 37.14; Luke 20.13
* Rejected and Condemned to Die -- Genesis 37.18; Luke 23.21
* Falsely Accused -- Genesis 39.17-18; Matthew 26.60-61
* Promoted with Glory, Honor, New Name -- Genesis 41.41; Philippians 2.9
2. Benjamin -- two sides of Jesus
* "Son of My Sorrow" in Rachel's Death -- Genesis 35.16-21
o Picture of Jesus, the "Man of Sorrows" -- Isaiah 53.4-6
4 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned--every one--to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
o Pictured in the Matza
* "Son of My Right Hand" -- Acts 7.5-6; Hebrews 12.1-2
o Place of Prominence
o Place of Power
1. Rachel was buried alone in a Tomb near Bethlehem; All other Matriarchs are buried in Hebron with Abraham and Sarah
2. Tradition -- Rachel died because of Jacob's Oath to Laban -- Genesis 31.32
3. Rachel's "Reappearances" -- Jeremiah 31.15; Matthew 2.15
4. Bethlehem is a declaration of the greatness and compassion of God
5. From Pain to Praise
And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. Revelation 21:4
According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2,513,171 people died in America in 2011 from all causes. On average, 6,885 people died every day; 287 people every hour; 5 people every minute; one person every 12 seconds. In the time it takes you to read this devotional 5 to 10 people will die in America. At this moment, tears are being shed somewhere over the pain of loss. And that's just in America, which represents only 8.5 percent of the world's population. Is it any wonder Paul spoke of creation groaning for freedom (Romans 8:20-22)?
All of us will shed tears of pain and loss and grief at some time in life. But a day is coming when all those tears will be wiped away and will never be seen again. The sounds of pain will be replaced by the sounds of praise to the One who has redeemed us from a fallen world and ushers us into a new heaven and new earth.
If you are shedding tears of loss today, ask God to help you transition from pain to praise for the One who knows your every tear.
