Christmas’ Supporting Cast

Bethlehem: House of Bread

Luke 2:1-7

 

Opening Words: Martin Luther once wrote, “The mystery of the humanity of Christ, that He sunk Himself into our flesh, is beyond all human understanding.” Those words from the great reformer were written over five hundred years ago but they are still true today. How many of us really appreciate the incarnation of God, the real meaning of Christmas?

 

We began our Advent/Christmas sermon series, Christmas’ Supporting Cast, two weeks ago. We are looking at the supporting characters of the Nativity. To date, we have looked at the prophets and the angels. Next week, we will look at the shepherds. On Christmas Eve we will look at the leading character of Christmas, Jesus. The Sunday after Christmas we will be visited by the innkeeper’s wife. Today, we look at the role the Bethlehem played in the Nativity. We find ourselves in the first chapter of Luke, verses twenty-six through thirty eight. May God give you ears to hear. Let me call this message House of Bread.

 

Luke 2:1-7 1In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2(This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3And everyone went to his own town to register. 4So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

 

The Hebrew word is Bet Lehem. The literal translation is “House of Bread.” We simply call it Bethlehem. There are approximately 50,000 residents in Bethlehem, which is five miles south of Jerusalem. As a result of the 1995 Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement, Bethlehem is under control of the Palestinians. When I had the privilege of visiting there two years ago, it was more like a war zone then a holy shrine. Bethlehem reminded me that our world that our world is broken. Yet, Bethlehem will always be remembered as the birth place of our Lord. That is what the scripture reading told us today. Let us look at the text together.

 

The words you heard this morning are sacred words, usually reserved for Christmas Eve. They are part of the tradition, itself. Everyone who comes expects to hear them. If you didn’t hear them on Christmas Eve then you would wonder what was wrong. The only problem is they are just one of many Christmas Eve traditions. There are many traditions we hold near our hearts in those few sacred hours. I hate to say it but it is true. Many run by these words and miss their full impact. We don’t give them the time that they deserve. Today, I want to slow down and look at these words together. What does the text really say?

 

According to the first verse Rome had ordered a degree that a census should be taken. A census was taken periodically for taxation purposes. Verse two pinpoints which census, when Quirinius was governor of Syria. The first census was taken about the year 6 B.C. The second census was taken about the year 6 A.D. (Remember the calendar was adjusted later.) Verse three says everyone went to their own town to register, the town of their ancestral origin. Joseph’s ancestral origin was Bethlehem, he was from the line of David. So he traveled three days, about 70 miles, from his hometown of Nazareth to the home of his ancestors, Bethlehem. This is were the story gets complex.

 

Joseph’s carefree days of bachelorhood are about over. The text tell us he is engaged to young woman by the name of Mary. Life began early in their time. Mary may have been as young as fourteen, fifteen or sixteen years old. Joseph may have been as old as thirty. In those days marriages were arranged and a strict timeline was followed by the couple. According to Matthew 1:18, they are betrothed. They were legally bound together but there would be no sexual relationship. The problem is Mary is with child and Joseph knows he is not the father. The scriptures tell us she is a virgin. The trip to Bethlehem should have been a happy time. It was like a great family reunion, where everyone in the family could have met Mary for the first time. Instead, it is an uncomfortable time because Mary is pregnant. We know the story surrounding the baby but his generation was ignorant. Joseph must have asked the question, “how could this be worse?“ Well, Mary could give birth to this unwanted child while they were in Bethlehem. The problem is she does. It is while they are in Bethlehem that the baby boy is born. Our world celebrates the birth of that baby annually but Joseph’s family must have been shocked! Joseph must have asked himself, “why Bethlehem?”

 

This is the question I am going to try to answer this morning. Why Bethlehem? Jesus could have been born anywhere but God chose Bethlehem for three specific reasons. Each reason tells us something about Jesus’ ministry and his passion for us. So if you are ready to took at three reasons why God chose Bethlehem to enter this world say, “Amen!”

Identify with Us

Reason number one: God selected Bethlehem, the House of Bread, to enter the world to identify with us. Micah 5:2 says, “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times." What is Micah saying to us? He identifies Bethlehem as the birthplace of our Lord and he admits that Bethlehem is a unique place for the long awaited Messiah. Even his generation found it hard to believe.

 

One of the things I love about God is that He does things in the most unorthodox ways. With all the locations to enter the world He chose Bethlehem. It didn’t have to be that way. There were certainly other places. There were other more exciting spots. He could have chosen Rome. It had the attention of the entire western world. He could have waited a little longer and selected London? There was a time when the sun never set on a British flag. He could have selected Washington DC. Many believe the world hangs on every word that comes out of our nation’s capitol. Have you ever thought to consider how the world would have changed if God would have selected Peking today? There are more living souls in China then in any other country in the world. (I think God should have chosen Warren. Just think how the world would have changed?) God could have chosen any place at any time but God chooses Bethlehem. Why? Because Bethlehem was an ordinary place filled with ordinary people. That theme ran through out his earthly ministry.

 

He wasn’t born in the palace or at a hospital in a private room. He was born in a barn filled with animals. (You better watch were you step!) We have promoted Mary and Joseph to sainthood but they were just ordinary people. When the announcement came that the Messiah was born, it came to the blue collar of that generation, the shepherds. When he was thirty years old he preformed his first miracle at a wedding surrounded by common people. He saved the party! When he taught about the Kingdom of God he went to the people and never had the people come to him. Bethlehem was a ordinary town but it was sign of the things to come. The House of Bread, Bethlehem illustrates for us that Jesus came to identify with us! The God of the universe became one of us! And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”

 

Teach Us

This is reason number two: God selected Bethlehem, the House of Bread, to teach us about His sovereignty. Look at the words from Micah 5:2 again, “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times." Micah lived twenty-seven hundred years ago. That means he they were seven hundred years old when Christ was born. That means that God does have a plan and God’s plan will trump any plan that you and I may have in our lives. God is sovereign!

 

During World War II a B-29 took off from Guam with her deadly load. Her primary target was Kokura, Japan. When they reached that spot on the map the crew was frustrated that thick clouds prevented them from bombing that site. They circled Kokura for about an hour and finally gave up. They dropped their bombs on a secondary target. Everyone was disappointed. However, days later their attitude changed. According to military intelligence the Japanese had moved countless American prisoners of war to Kokura days before the scheduled bombing. Those frustrating clouds had saved American lives! Now, you tell he. Where the clouds just a coincidence? Or were those clouds placed there by God to save lives? The older I grow the less I believe in coincidences and the more I believe in God‘s sovereignty.

 

It is impossible to hear the story of Christmas and not believe in God’s sovereignty. Do you think it was a coincidence that Jesus was born in Bethlehem? Jesus’ earthly father, Joseph was from Nazareth. People didn’t travel in those days. He lived 99% of his life in Nazareth. However, Micah said the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. What a coincidence! Rome demanded a second census to be taken. That second census forced Joseph to leave his home and travel to his ancestral home. What a coincidence! His ancestral home is Bethlehem because he is from the line of David. He would only be there a few short days. What a coincidence. It is with those few short days that Mary gives birth to her incredible son, Jesus, the Messiah. What it all a coincidence or was it God’s sovereignty? If you believe in the sovereignty of God say, “Amen!”

 

Satisfy Us

This is reason number three: God selected Bethlehem, the House of Bread, to satisfy our spiritual hunger. Never underestimate the significance of names in the Bible. Bethlehem means ‘the House of Bread.“ Christ means “the Bread of Life.” The point is clear! Jesus, the bread of life, was born in the Bethlehem, the house of bread” to satisfy our spiritual hunger. John 6:35 says, “Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.”

 

One of the saddest stories to come out of Hollywood in the past few years is the passing of John Travolta’s son, Jett. He was sixteen years old and was found dead in the bathroom after suffering from a seizer. How can you read the stories and not be moved? We expect to die in chronological order but it doesn’t always happen. The gossip magazines have been filled with the details. However, one fact from the story grabbed my attention. It has been reported that John Travolta is ready to walk away from his faith, Scientology. Why? Because it offered him no real comfort or hope. Scientology was created by L. Ron Hubbard in 1952. It is a self help system and only calls itself a religion. It offers no real hope of salvation. No wonder it offered the Travolta‘s not real comfort or hope. If you want to satisfy your spiritual hunger and receive some hope in some of life’s most challenging situations then look to Jesus, our only hope of salvation. And all of God’s people said, “Amen!” Let me end with these words.

 

Bethlehem will always be remembered. The Jews will remember Bethlehem as the place where Rachel was buried. Where Ruth gleaned Boaz’s field and where David was anointed as king! However, Christians will always remember Bethlehem as the place where Jesus was born. Did you know there are three Christmas celebration in Bethlehem each year? The Western Church celebrates Christmas Eve on December 24. The Orthodox Church celebrates Christmas Eve on January 6. The Armenians celebrate Christmas Eve on January 19. The dates really don’t matter. The only things that matters is Bethlehem, the House of Bread! For it was in Bethlehem that the world saw the face of God for the very first time. And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”