The choice of Bethlehem for the birthplace of the Messiah was predicted by Micah (5.1-5a) hundreds of years before the event took place.
God chose Bethlehem, the smallest (little, insignificant) among the cities of Judah but no means least (in importance).
1. God Chooses To Work Through Insignificant People and Places.
Bethlehem verifies that.
When I received word early Friday morning of Katharina having the stroke, I though immediately of all this dear person did for this church. Her hands were used to make outfits for the children among many other things. This Thursday night a the nursery school Christmas Pageant the children will all be wearing the costumes she designed and made by her own hands. A true labor of love for nearly 20 years the children of Good Shepherd Nursery School have enjoyed these gifts.
That night the world, save a few shepherds, was unaware of what was happening. Even Herod, did not find out until the wise men probably 18months to 2 years later told him about it when they came to worship the Baby Jesus.
If we judge significance according to size we are missing the mark. I'm rereading the book about Bob Pierce, Let My Heart Be Broken With the Things That Break the Heart of God. I took it with me to China last spring. One of the things he wanted to accomplish in inviting the reporter who wrote the book along on a trip was to let people know of the heroes of insignificant places in Asia. His desire was fulfilled.
If you are feeling insignificant or like you're an unimportant person today you are either being used by God or a prime candidate to be used by Him.
2. Bethlehem was/is the City of David.
Remember how he was chosen? I Samuel 16
Jesse had 8 sons- 7 present Samuel was told to go anoint one.
v.11 Are these all the sons you have? - Samuel
Jesse- There is still the youngest but he is tending the sheep. The implication was: "Certainly you would not anoint the youngest, a shepherd by to Israel's king?!"
Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him.
We see by the Psalms and his life that David was a man of prayer and the Word of God.
The Shepherd boy became Israel's most beloved king.
The Good Shepherd became the King of kings, the Savior of the World.
Both were born in Bethlehem.
3. That is How God Chooses People to Work Through Today.
The extremely talented often trip over those talents and other issues.
Pauls' testimony I Corinthians 1.26-2.5
Luke 12.32 gives us Jesus' perspective on church size.
The Widow's mite and the Feeding of the 5,000 with a lad's lunch shows how God uses small seemingly insignificant things and how He views them.
When a church or person promotes themselves it has drunk the poison of its own death, moving out of the line of its Leader and LORD and where He was born and how He came and what He is about.
Jesus was born in Bethlehem. That makes it wonderful.
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