WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.100 Good morning. My name is Matthew Capone, and I'm the pastor here at Shine Mountain Presbyterian 00:00:06.100 --> 00:00:11.439 Church, and it's my joy to bring God's word to you today. Special welcome if you are new or 00:00:11.439 --> 00:00:16.399 visiting with us. We're glad that you're here, and we're glad that you're here not because you're 00:00:16.399 --> 00:00:21.740 filling a seat, but because we are following after Jesus together as one community, and as we follow 00:00:21.740 --> 00:00:26.760 Jesus together, we're convinced that there's no one so good that they don't need God's grace, 00:00:26.760 --> 00:00:31.920 and no one so bad that they can't have it, which means that God has something to say to everyone 00:00:31.920 --> 00:00:36.179 in his word. He has something to say to people who've been Christians their entire lives, 00:00:36.179 --> 00:00:40.500 and he also has something to say to people who might have doubts and questions and objections 00:00:40.500 --> 00:00:47.920 to Christianity, and so it's with that that we turn to God's word as we do every week. We are in 00:00:47.920 --> 00:00:52.000 the season of Advent, and as I've been telling you, Advent is an English word that comes from a Latin 00:00:52.000 --> 00:00:57.240 word, which means to arrive or to come, and Advent's the time of year when we celebrate that 00:00:57.240 --> 00:01:04.000 Jesus came to earth. We celebrate his first coming, and then we also look forward to his second coming. 00:01:04.960 --> 00:01:10.420 Of course, that's what we always do as Christians, but it's something that we focus on in a special way 00:01:10.420 --> 00:01:16.120 at Christmas, and we focus on the fact that Jesus became a man and was born in a manger in a stable. 00:01:16.120 --> 00:01:21.859 As we're going through Advent, we're in the book of Micah. Remember that Micah is a book filled with 00:01:21.859 --> 00:01:28.160 prophecies by a man named Micah, who is a prophet in the 8th century BC, and he prophesied to Judah, 00:01:28.280 --> 00:01:32.920 which was the kingdom of Israel that was in the south. He was coming after the time of the great 00:01:32.920 --> 00:01:39.780 king, so this is after David and Solomon, but it's also before the exile. It's before God's people 00:01:39.780 --> 00:01:44.580 went in exile to Babylon. It's that in-between phase, and we've seen that Micah is a book about both 00:01:44.579 --> 00:01:49.939 judgment and salvation. We looked at judgment with chapter one, and then last week we were in 00:01:49.939 --> 00:01:54.019 salvation with chapter four, looking at the coming kingdom that Jesus is going to bring about. 00:01:54.500 --> 00:01:58.859 Now, some of you have asked me, and even folks outside of our church have asked me, why in the 00:01:58.859 --> 00:02:05.560 world are we looking at Micah for Advent? Maybe you've been wondering that question. The answer is 00:02:05.560 --> 00:02:10.039 going to come out a little bit today. The reason that we're looking at Micah for Advent is that Micah 00:02:10.039 --> 00:02:16.199 is the only Old Testament book where it's predicted that Jesus is going to be born in Bethlehem. 00:02:16.919 --> 00:02:22.500 This is the book of the Bethlehem prophecy, and that's what we're going to look at today. We have 00:02:22.500 --> 00:02:27.419 been working our way up to this point. This is part of the reason we've been singing all these songs 00:02:27.419 --> 00:02:33.399 about Bethlehem this morning, and we're going to ask just a simple question. Why does it matter 00:02:33.400 --> 00:02:40.700 that Jesus was born in Bethlehem? You might ask it a different way. Jesus was born in Bethlehem. 00:02:41.099 --> 00:02:47.460 Who cares? Why do we make such a big deal out of it? Why do we have songs about it? 00:02:48.180 --> 00:02:53.620 What is it? Why is there such a huge emphasis at Christmas on the birthplace of Jesus? You notice, 00:02:53.740 --> 00:02:58.860 by the way, when I introduced myself to you, I didn't say, I'm Matthew Capone, and I was born in 00:02:58.860 --> 00:03:05.280 Waco, Texas. My birthplace is insignificant, but the Bible seems to make a big deal out of Jesus' 00:03:05.480 --> 00:03:10.720 birthplace. It's with that we're going to turn. We're in Micah chapter 5, starting at verse 1. 00:03:10.840 --> 00:03:16.600 As we come to this, remember that this is God's word. God tells us that his word is more precious 00:03:16.600 --> 00:03:23.040 than gold, even the finest gold. It is sweeter than honey, even honey that comes straight from the 00:03:23.040 --> 00:03:27.440 honeycomb. That's why we're going to read together now, starting at verse 1. 00:03:27.439 --> 00:03:52.979 Verse 3. 00:03:52.979 --> 00:04:22.959 Verse 5. 00:04:23.860 --> 00:04:27.000 I invite you to pray with me as we come to this portion of God's word. 00:04:30.560 --> 00:04:36.319 Our Father in heaven, we thank you that you speak to us, and even more than that, we thank you that 00:04:36.319 --> 00:04:41.620 you sent your Son to be not just a king and a ruler, but also to be a shepherd. 00:04:41.620 --> 00:04:49.240 We ask that you would shepherd us this morning by your word, that you would help us to understand more 00:04:49.240 --> 00:04:56.939 and more what it is about Jesus Christ that is glorious and wonderful, that should bring us both fear and joy. 00:04:56.939 --> 00:05:00.339 And we ask that you would do that by your spirit now. 00:05:00.339 --> 00:05:07.479 We ask these things boldly, not because we have earned them, but because Jesus has earned them for us. 00:05:07.519 --> 00:05:09.839 And so we ask them in his name. Amen. 00:05:09.839 --> 00:05:20.560 As you may remember from chapters 1 through 3, there was predictions of great judgment that was coming to Israel because of their sin. 00:05:20.560 --> 00:05:26.339 And that continues here in chapter 5, even though we're hearing about the salvation that God's going to bring. 00:05:26.420 --> 00:05:30.519 It's salvation that's going to come in the future because judgment's coming in the present. 00:05:30.639 --> 00:05:32.000 And that's what's here in verse 1. 00:05:32.000 --> 00:05:38.459 Muster your troops, O daughter of troops, is talking about the city of Jerusalem, which is going to be sieged. 00:05:38.519 --> 00:05:43.279 And most likely what's being talked about here is the siege that's going to happen in 701 B.C. 00:05:44.019 --> 00:05:45.620 by Sennacherib, who's an Assyrian. 00:05:46.199 --> 00:05:49.220 And this is going to be part of the beginning of the downfall of Judah. 00:05:50.160 --> 00:05:53.699 This attack is going to be, we find out, embarrassing for Israel. 00:05:54.879 --> 00:05:59.800 Their ruler, who Micah can't even call a king, bring himself to call a king, 00:05:59.800 --> 00:06:03.660 and said he calls him simply a judge, is going to be struck on the cheek. 00:06:05.259 --> 00:06:11.000 The enemies are going to get so close that they're going to be able to shame God's king. 00:06:11.879 --> 00:06:13.980 Most likely this king here is Hezekiah. 00:06:14.259 --> 00:06:18.139 And you can read more about this in the historical books and also in portions of Isaiah. 00:06:18.840 --> 00:06:22.560 But it's not going to be well for Israel as this judgment is coming. 00:06:22.840 --> 00:06:26.900 And so as they're living in the present, looking at what's coming down the pike, 00:06:26.900 --> 00:06:29.480 which is going to be incredibly painful and destructive, 00:06:29.800 --> 00:06:34.520 it's with that that this word of hope comes in about Bethlehem. 00:06:37.079 --> 00:06:40.980 They, like us, we may not be experiencing judgment in the same way, 00:06:41.540 --> 00:06:44.819 but they, like us, live in a world that's filled with sin and brokenness. 00:06:46.360 --> 00:06:50.319 And they, like us, need a word of hope in the midst of that. 00:06:50.319 --> 00:06:55.399 And so as Micah likes to do, putting judgment and hope together, 00:06:55.480 --> 00:06:57.319 he starts with judgment and gives them that hope. 00:06:57.459 --> 00:07:01.339 Why is it that they should have hope in the midst of a coming judgment? 00:07:01.500 --> 00:07:04.079 Why should they have hope as destruction is on its way? 00:07:05.939 --> 00:07:10.800 What is it about this king that's going to give them hope? 00:07:10.800 --> 00:07:12.840 Why and how should they have confidence? 00:07:14.500 --> 00:07:18.960 Last week we saw in Micah chapter 4 they could have hope in the kingdom that's coming. 00:07:19.920 --> 00:07:24.180 And this week in Micah chapter 5 it's going to be hope not in the kingdom, but in the king. 00:07:25.560 --> 00:07:30.080 The first thing we find out about this king, verse 2, is that he's born in Bethlehem. 00:07:30.079 --> 00:07:42.139 In early 2008, Katie Couric, the news anchor, host, asked all the political candidates at the time, 00:07:42.180 --> 00:07:46.799 and the primaries hadn't completed, so it was many candidates on both sides, Democrats and Republicans. 00:07:46.959 --> 00:07:52.479 She asked them, if you end up in the Oval Office, which book are you going to take with you? 00:07:52.560 --> 00:07:55.379 If you could take any one book besides the Bible, what would it be? 00:07:56.519 --> 00:07:59.560 There was a variety of responses, most of them seeming pretty calculated. 00:07:59.560 --> 00:08:02.339 There was one that was a little bit surprising, and it came from Barack Obama. 00:08:03.680 --> 00:08:07.899 Obama said, I would bring one book, and it would be Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin, 00:08:08.060 --> 00:08:11.980 which was a Pulitzer Prize-winning biography of Abraham Lincoln. 00:08:12.680 --> 00:08:17.259 And then he went on to talk about the ways in which he liked Lincoln's leadership style 00:08:17.259 --> 00:08:18.939 and the ways that he wanted to follow after it. 00:08:20.019 --> 00:08:21.180 Now, this wasn't a coincidence. 00:08:21.420 --> 00:08:25.000 A year earlier, when he had announced his candidacy in 2007, 00:08:25.000 --> 00:08:30.839 he had decided he was going to announce it at the old state capitol in Springfield, Illinois. 00:08:32.059 --> 00:08:33.960 And he was doing this very intentionally. 00:08:34.100 --> 00:08:36.379 He had chosen this location to make a point, 00:08:36.460 --> 00:08:40.820 because it was the old state capitol where Abraham Lincoln had worked as a legislator, 00:08:41.279 --> 00:08:43.460 and then Obama had worked as a legislator. 00:08:43.919 --> 00:08:48.379 It was the old state capitol where Abraham Lincoln had given his house-divided speech. 00:08:48.379 --> 00:08:53.960 It was the old state capitol where Barack Obama was going to announce that he was running for president. 00:08:54.100 --> 00:09:00.360 And so he was trying to draw this parallel between himself and a previous ruler based on location. 00:09:02.100 --> 00:09:05.480 Now, whether you like President Obama, whether you don't like him, 00:09:05.539 --> 00:09:08.000 whether you agree with him, whether you disagree with him, that's not the point. 00:09:08.580 --> 00:09:09.539 The point is this. 00:09:09.639 --> 00:09:10.480 Place matters. 00:09:10.679 --> 00:09:12.460 Geography matters when it comes to rulers. 00:09:12.539 --> 00:09:15.820 It mattered back then, and it matters now. 00:09:15.820 --> 00:09:21.040 Obama was trying to make a point about the kind of president that he wanted to be. 00:09:23.200 --> 00:09:32.080 God, in Micah, is making a point about the kind of ruler that his king not wants to be, but will be. 00:09:33.480 --> 00:09:38.580 God understands location and the power of political symbolism even more than we do, 00:09:38.660 --> 00:09:42.860 and so he wants to make a powerful statement about his political leader. 00:09:42.860 --> 00:09:46.560 His leader is going to be a Bethlehem kind of leader. 00:09:48.539 --> 00:09:50.840 The original readers would have known instantly, 00:09:51.500 --> 00:09:57.019 just like news articles immediately picked up on the parallelism that was being drawn by Springfield, Illinois, 00:09:57.259 --> 00:09:59.120 between Abraham Lincoln and Barack Obama, 00:09:59.279 --> 00:10:02.779 so the readers of this would have understood this king that's coming, 00:10:02.919 --> 00:10:08.539 he is going to be born in the exact same birthplace as the great king of Israel, King David. 00:10:08.539 --> 00:10:14.059 This king is going to be a David-like king. 00:10:15.419 --> 00:10:17.860 He's going to follow in the lineage of David. 00:10:18.399 --> 00:10:21.419 He's coming from the hometown and the birthplace of David. 00:10:22.279 --> 00:10:26.299 Imagine for a second, remember, these folks are living in a time after the great kings. 00:10:26.419 --> 00:10:28.120 They're living when the kingdom has been divided. 00:10:28.899 --> 00:10:32.599 Rehoboam oversaw the division of the kingdom because of Solomon's sin, 00:10:32.659 --> 00:10:35.399 and so they're living in a time when the glory days are over. 00:10:35.399 --> 00:10:40.699 God gives them hope by telling them this new king that's coming, 00:10:41.199 --> 00:10:45.679 he is coming from the same place as the king of the glory days. 00:10:46.699 --> 00:10:49.079 He is going to be that kind of king. 00:10:49.519 --> 00:10:54.379 David was the king that Israel looked back to over and over as the model of the best king. 00:10:54.959 --> 00:10:58.220 He was the king that God had called a man after his own heart. 00:10:58.220 --> 00:11:03.899 And so their hope is that God is going to bring the glory days back again 00:11:03.899 --> 00:11:08.080 because it is going to be another Bethlehem king. 00:11:09.139 --> 00:11:13.019 This is going to be another king just like David. 00:11:14.820 --> 00:11:18.360 We find out, though, that it's going to be not just like David. 00:11:18.879 --> 00:11:21.200 This king is going to be greater than David. 00:11:21.379 --> 00:11:23.460 Verse 2, at the very end, we're told, 00:11:23.460 --> 00:11:27.320 this king's coming forth is from old, from ancient days. 00:11:28.019 --> 00:11:29.480 We could take this several ways. 00:11:29.580 --> 00:11:32.360 Some people take this phrase to mean that this is an eternal king. 00:11:32.840 --> 00:11:37.040 This is a king who had existed, had preexisted the time of this prophecy. 00:11:37.120 --> 00:11:37.920 It could mean that. 00:11:39.100 --> 00:11:39.900 We don't know for sure. 00:11:39.980 --> 00:11:42.040 There's other ways this phrase is used in the Old Testament. 00:11:42.139 --> 00:11:43.660 We know this at least. 00:11:45.040 --> 00:11:48.240 There has been a prophecy of a king from Judah 00:11:48.240 --> 00:11:50.440 all the way back from the book of Genesis. 00:11:51.659 --> 00:11:56.299 In Genesis chapter 49, there's a prophecy that says that Judah 00:11:56.299 --> 00:12:02.240 is going to have a king and the nations are going to be under him. 00:12:03.899 --> 00:12:08.019 And so even David had not fulfilled the prophecies 00:12:08.019 --> 00:12:10.259 about the great king coming from Judah. 00:12:11.120 --> 00:12:15.139 From of old, from the time before Israel was even a nation, 00:12:15.240 --> 00:12:16.580 it was just the patriarchs, 00:12:16.580 --> 00:12:19.180 there was an expectation that they were going to have a king 00:12:19.180 --> 00:12:20.580 who would be a ruler over him, 00:12:20.600 --> 00:12:23.180 and he would be so great and so powerful 00:12:23.180 --> 00:12:27.240 that he would rule over what we saw last week in Micah chapter 4, 00:12:27.379 --> 00:12:30.320 a reign that would include all peoples coming to him. 00:12:32.520 --> 00:12:35.340 What kind of king is going to give them hope? 00:12:35.440 --> 00:12:39.259 It is going to be a David kind of king, but even better. 00:12:39.259 --> 00:12:43.500 We see that also in verse 4. 00:12:45.419 --> 00:12:48.700 He is going to be great to the ends of the earth. 00:12:50.259 --> 00:12:53.519 The great king that Israel has been waiting for, 00:12:53.919 --> 00:12:58.120 the king that is even better and more glorious than King David, 00:12:58.439 --> 00:12:59.639 is on his way. 00:12:59.639 --> 00:13:04.360 And we know that he's going to be greater and more glorious. 00:13:04.879 --> 00:13:09.419 We know that he's on his way in part because he is a king from Bethlehem. 00:13:11.559 --> 00:13:14.939 David's origins and his origins are the same. 00:13:14.940 --> 00:13:19.160 The point is this. 00:13:20.260 --> 00:13:22.600 Jesus is a political figure. 00:13:23.600 --> 00:13:26.820 He is a real king coming with real power 00:13:26.820 --> 00:13:30.140 to set real world peace on this earth. 00:13:31.420 --> 00:13:35.220 He is not just some sentimental figure at Christmas 00:13:35.220 --> 00:13:36.800 that reminds us of a nice story, 00:13:37.100 --> 00:13:40.260 but he is a powerful political ruler 00:13:40.260 --> 00:13:44.180 who is going to bring full and final peace to this earth. 00:13:44.179 --> 00:13:47.979 Remember that the folks reading this, receiving this, 00:13:48.039 --> 00:13:49.979 are people facing a real political threat. 00:13:50.120 --> 00:13:52.039 They have a ruler who's coming up against them, 00:13:52.120 --> 00:13:53.459 who's going to destroy them. 00:13:53.839 --> 00:13:56.559 And so, of course, they're looking for someone just as, 00:13:56.620 --> 00:13:58.679 in fact, not just as, but even more powerful 00:13:58.679 --> 00:13:59.979 to be able to defend them 00:13:59.979 --> 00:14:02.159 from the threats that are coming up against them. 00:14:03.319 --> 00:14:05.639 This king is going to be that kind of king. 00:14:06.799 --> 00:14:09.339 And we see that in the story of Jesus' birth. 00:14:09.919 --> 00:14:12.559 Jesus comes as a political threat. 00:14:12.559 --> 00:14:15.659 He shows up in Luke 2. 00:14:16.119 --> 00:14:17.479 And those of you who are in Sunday school 00:14:17.479 --> 00:14:18.459 have been warmed up for this. 00:14:18.519 --> 00:14:20.819 He showed up in Luke 2, and the angels show up. 00:14:21.219 --> 00:14:23.459 What do the shepherds do in response to the angels? 00:14:24.559 --> 00:14:26.339 Do they say, oh, bless their hearts? 00:14:28.419 --> 00:14:29.939 No, they're very afraid. 00:14:30.079 --> 00:14:30.339 Why? 00:14:30.419 --> 00:14:31.639 Because it's a host of angels. 00:14:31.719 --> 00:14:33.699 And the word host is a word for an army. 00:14:34.059 --> 00:14:36.419 There is a military force that shows up 00:14:36.419 --> 00:14:37.619 when Jesus is born, 00:14:37.620 --> 00:14:38.940 because the king, of course, 00:14:39.000 --> 00:14:41.179 would not show up without his army. 00:14:43.980 --> 00:14:45.700 I grew up in a church where there was, 00:14:45.860 --> 00:14:47.399 just like here, some military folks. 00:14:47.620 --> 00:14:49.560 And there was a man who was in the military, 00:14:49.560 --> 00:14:51.340 and he was present at one time 00:14:51.340 --> 00:14:54.799 when President Bush was on a ship out in the sea. 00:14:55.080 --> 00:14:56.259 I don't remember the exact incidents. 00:14:56.379 --> 00:14:57.419 I think there were multiple times 00:14:57.419 --> 00:14:58.580 when President Bush was on a ship. 00:14:58.580 --> 00:15:01.759 But he said, as soon as the president disappeared 00:15:01.759 --> 00:15:03.600 and was off the ship, 00:15:04.240 --> 00:15:06.860 all these divers just started popping up in the water. 00:15:09.139 --> 00:15:11.060 They'd been underwater the whole time, 00:15:11.139 --> 00:15:13.180 just waiting, just in case something went wrong. 00:15:13.460 --> 00:15:14.340 They could come in. 00:15:14.620 --> 00:15:16.540 They weren't just gonna have protection from the air. 00:15:16.620 --> 00:15:18.060 They weren't just gonna have protection on the ship. 00:15:18.120 --> 00:15:19.540 They were gonna have protection in the water, 00:15:19.580 --> 00:15:20.259 all around them. 00:15:22.180 --> 00:15:24.720 From an earthly perspective, we might say, 00:15:25.379 --> 00:15:26.640 man, that's so powerful. 00:15:26.639 --> 00:15:30.519 Only a great man and a great leader 00:15:30.519 --> 00:15:33.120 would have people not just on the boat, 00:15:33.199 --> 00:15:34.480 but surrounding and in the water, 00:15:34.559 --> 00:15:36.840 ready to take action in case a threat appeared. 00:15:38.720 --> 00:15:40.319 From a heavenly perspective, 00:15:41.639 --> 00:15:42.439 oh, isn't that cute? 00:15:43.419 --> 00:15:45.000 I bet he felt really safe. 00:15:46.960 --> 00:15:48.699 God's king shows up, 00:15:48.919 --> 00:15:50.539 not with men in the water, 00:15:50.620 --> 00:15:51.840 but with angels in the air, 00:15:52.240 --> 00:15:55.819 because he is a king coming to his people. 00:15:57.240 --> 00:15:59.100 Herod is a real king who is threatened. 00:15:59.199 --> 00:16:01.819 He's so threatened that Jesus has to go 00:16:01.819 --> 00:16:03.980 into political exile in Egypt. 00:16:04.860 --> 00:16:06.100 Herod wants to kill him, 00:16:06.159 --> 00:16:07.120 and because he can't, 00:16:07.159 --> 00:16:10.019 he goes on to kill every child who's a man 00:16:10.019 --> 00:16:12.240 who's under the age of two in Bethlehem. 00:16:12.519 --> 00:16:14.340 That's how threatened he is by Jesus. 00:16:16.840 --> 00:16:19.259 When we started this worship service this morning, 00:16:19.259 --> 00:16:21.019 we sang a political anthem. 00:16:21.019 --> 00:16:24.740 We sang Jesus shall reign. 00:16:26.399 --> 00:16:29.840 We were declaring that he is the king who is coming, 00:16:29.939 --> 00:16:31.620 the king that is greater than David 00:16:31.620 --> 00:16:36.000 to bring peace and justice to this world. 00:16:38.899 --> 00:16:40.399 Bethlehem reminds us 00:16:40.399 --> 00:16:43.699 that Jesus is a real king 00:16:43.699 --> 00:16:47.079 who comes to shake the powers of evil to their core. 00:16:47.080 --> 00:16:50.660 And not only does he come to do that, 00:16:50.720 --> 00:16:52.660 he's powerful enough to accomplish it. 00:16:54.139 --> 00:16:57.840 Jesus is the true and real and greatest king. 00:16:58.379 --> 00:17:00.800 He is a Bethlehem kind of king. 00:17:00.799 --> 00:17:05.680 Jesus is just as real 00:17:05.680 --> 00:17:09.139 and infinitely more powerful 00:17:09.139 --> 00:17:12.019 than John F. Kennedy and Jimmy Carter 00:17:12.019 --> 00:17:13.740 and Barack Obama and Donald Trump 00:17:13.740 --> 00:17:16.099 and Bill Clinton and George W. Bush 00:17:16.099 --> 00:17:17.980 and George H. W. Bush and Ronald Reagan. 00:17:20.460 --> 00:17:23.159 He is no less of a leader. 00:17:23.279 --> 00:17:24.740 In fact, he is so much more. 00:17:24.740 --> 00:17:29.500 Yes, he comes to bring peace in our hearts. 00:17:30.500 --> 00:17:32.980 He also comes to bring peace to this world. 00:17:35.120 --> 00:17:38.000 These are people who feel a real threat, 00:17:38.799 --> 00:17:39.819 a physical threat. 00:17:40.480 --> 00:17:42.740 And the promise is that Jesus is coming. 00:17:43.380 --> 00:17:46.620 We proclaim when we sing about our Bethlehem king 00:17:46.620 --> 00:17:49.400 that God's power is in this world 00:17:49.400 --> 00:17:52.799 to destroy evil and to rule us. 00:17:52.799 --> 00:17:56.299 That's what we confess this morning 00:17:56.299 --> 00:17:57.419 in our confession of faith. 00:17:57.779 --> 00:17:59.359 And so why does Bethlehem matter? 00:18:01.819 --> 00:18:03.819 Christmas is a political holiday 00:18:03.819 --> 00:18:06.819 because we celebrate the birth 00:18:06.819 --> 00:18:09.319 and coming and reign of our king. 00:18:11.480 --> 00:18:14.700 And he is a greater and more powerful king 00:18:14.700 --> 00:18:16.319 than any other on this earth. 00:18:19.259 --> 00:18:21.579 He is a Bethlehem king. 00:18:22.799 --> 00:18:27.720 For the folks receiving this word 00:18:27.720 --> 00:18:29.039 in the eighth century, 00:18:29.779 --> 00:18:32.099 they don't just have to look back 00:18:32.099 --> 00:18:33.559 to the glory days of David, 00:18:34.299 --> 00:18:37.559 but they also have to wait. 00:18:38.659 --> 00:18:40.399 Something more powerful and greater 00:18:40.399 --> 00:18:41.500 than David is coming. 00:18:42.000 --> 00:18:43.139 And verse three, 00:18:44.279 --> 00:18:45.359 they're going to have to wait 00:18:45.359 --> 00:18:46.859 seven centuries to get it. 00:18:46.859 --> 00:18:51.000 Something more powerful and greater 00:18:51.000 --> 00:18:52.119 than David is coming. 00:18:52.240 --> 00:18:53.339 And they're going to have to wait 00:18:53.339 --> 00:18:56.159 seven centuries for it to actually happen. 00:18:57.859 --> 00:18:58.500 Verse three, 00:18:58.599 --> 00:19:00.639 he shall give them up until the time 00:19:00.639 --> 00:19:02.919 when she who is in labor has given birth. 00:19:04.279 --> 00:19:05.779 Now this could be metaphorical here. 00:19:05.779 --> 00:19:08.740 It could be referring to the pains of Israel 00:19:08.740 --> 00:19:10.439 as they work through exile. 00:19:10.559 --> 00:19:11.719 It could be referring to Mary. 00:19:11.720 --> 00:19:13.019 Either way, 00:19:13.100 --> 00:19:15.019 there's going to be a long wait. 00:19:17.519 --> 00:19:18.700 And this long wait 00:19:18.700 --> 00:19:20.200 is going to be like childbirth. 00:19:22.120 --> 00:19:23.720 It's going to be incredibly painful. 00:19:25.759 --> 00:19:27.299 And once the wait is over, 00:19:28.240 --> 00:19:30.019 who cares how painful it was? 00:19:32.519 --> 00:19:34.019 Because something so glorious 00:19:34.019 --> 00:19:35.139 and wonderful is there, 00:19:35.220 --> 00:19:36.700 that it eclipses everything 00:19:36.700 --> 00:19:37.599 that came before. 00:19:40.460 --> 00:19:42.960 Just like the people receiving this word, 00:19:43.119 --> 00:19:44.379 we also wait. 00:19:45.980 --> 00:19:47.119 Remember I said earlier 00:19:47.119 --> 00:19:48.700 that prophecy is often 00:19:48.700 --> 00:19:50.259 not an on and off switch, 00:19:50.319 --> 00:19:51.220 but a dimmer switch. 00:19:52.200 --> 00:19:53.220 The king has come. 00:19:55.339 --> 00:19:56.500 And we still wait. 00:19:58.680 --> 00:20:00.259 The people receiving this word 00:20:00.259 --> 00:20:01.339 waited seven centuries. 00:20:01.519 --> 00:20:02.920 We have been waiting 2,000 years 00:20:02.920 --> 00:20:04.120 for Jesus to come again. 00:20:04.320 --> 00:20:05.460 And we, like them, 00:20:05.580 --> 00:20:07.279 continue to wait in hope. 00:20:09.480 --> 00:20:10.960 Because we trust and know 00:20:10.960 --> 00:20:11.480 and believe 00:20:11.480 --> 00:20:13.100 that the Bethlehem king is coming. 00:20:16.100 --> 00:20:17.060 And he is coming 00:20:17.060 --> 00:20:18.900 to be an even greater king. 00:20:19.019 --> 00:20:19.680 And so Jesus 00:20:19.680 --> 00:20:23.900 is a king worth waiting for. 00:20:26.300 --> 00:20:28.460 This current age will pass. 00:20:30.880 --> 00:20:32.660 This too shall pass. 00:20:32.920 --> 00:20:35.680 And until it does, 00:20:35.779 --> 00:20:37.220 we continue every Sunday 00:20:37.220 --> 00:20:38.360 together as a church 00:20:38.360 --> 00:20:39.400 to pray the Lord's prayer 00:20:39.400 --> 00:20:39.860 and say, 00:20:40.140 --> 00:20:40.960 your kingdom come 00:20:40.960 --> 00:20:42.480 and your will be done 00:20:42.480 --> 00:20:44.200 on earth 00:20:44.200 --> 00:20:45.440 as it is in heaven. 00:20:46.700 --> 00:20:48.700 Because we are waiting with hope 00:20:48.700 --> 00:20:49.539 for our great 00:20:49.539 --> 00:20:50.759 and mighty king. 00:20:50.759 --> 00:20:58.539 Now it makes sense 00:20:58.539 --> 00:20:59.420 that they were looking 00:20:59.420 --> 00:21:01.700 for a political liberator. 00:21:02.099 --> 00:21:02.599 It makes sense 00:21:02.599 --> 00:21:03.420 that people were confused 00:21:03.420 --> 00:21:04.980 by Jesus when he did come. 00:21:05.539 --> 00:21:06.299 He's presented here 00:21:06.299 --> 00:21:07.019 as a solution 00:21:07.019 --> 00:21:08.920 to a war that's happening. 00:21:10.400 --> 00:21:11.319 But he's not just 00:21:11.319 --> 00:21:12.799 a great and mighty king. 00:21:12.879 --> 00:21:13.700 That's not the only thing 00:21:13.700 --> 00:21:15.339 that Bethlehem tells us. 00:21:16.500 --> 00:21:17.839 Go back to verse 2. 00:21:17.839 --> 00:21:20.279 But you, O Bethlehem, 00:21:20.399 --> 00:21:20.980 Ethraphah, 00:21:21.099 --> 00:21:22.339 who are too little 00:21:22.339 --> 00:21:23.659 to be among 00:21:23.659 --> 00:21:24.759 the clans of Judah. 00:21:27.220 --> 00:21:28.879 Bethlehem is a nothing city 00:21:28.879 --> 00:21:30.319 that no one cares about. 00:21:32.259 --> 00:21:33.399 Micah chapter 1, 00:21:33.439 --> 00:21:33.980 if you remember 00:21:33.980 --> 00:21:34.740 two weeks ago, 00:21:34.799 --> 00:21:36.139 we read a list of cities 00:21:36.139 --> 00:21:37.599 that were going to be destroyed 00:21:37.599 --> 00:21:38.500 by God's judgment. 00:21:39.819 --> 00:21:40.519 Guess which city 00:21:40.519 --> 00:21:41.559 wasn't on the list? 00:21:43.740 --> 00:21:44.299 Bethlehem. 00:21:44.299 --> 00:21:46.419 Because no one cares 00:21:46.419 --> 00:21:47.319 about Bethlehem. 00:21:49.359 --> 00:21:50.960 In Joshua chapter 15, 00:21:51.019 --> 00:21:51.680 and this is probably 00:21:51.680 --> 00:21:52.859 what's being referenced here, 00:21:52.940 --> 00:21:53.639 there's a list 00:21:53.639 --> 00:21:54.700 of all the cities 00:21:54.700 --> 00:21:55.220 that belong 00:21:55.220 --> 00:21:56.119 to the tribe of Judah. 00:21:56.299 --> 00:21:57.099 Guess which city 00:21:57.099 --> 00:21:58.139 doesn't make the cut? 00:22:00.639 --> 00:22:01.079 Bethlehem. 00:22:03.399 --> 00:22:04.619 Bethlehem is not 00:22:04.619 --> 00:22:06.200 where we would expect 00:22:06.200 --> 00:22:07.220 a ruler to come from. 00:22:07.319 --> 00:22:08.180 It is silly 00:22:08.180 --> 00:22:09.700 to think of Bethlehem 00:22:09.700 --> 00:22:10.639 as a place of power 00:22:10.639 --> 00:22:11.500 and strength. 00:22:11.500 --> 00:22:13.720 We would expect 00:22:13.720 --> 00:22:14.339 that this would be 00:22:14.339 --> 00:22:15.319 a ruler who maybe 00:22:15.319 --> 00:22:16.299 came from Jerusalem. 00:22:17.740 --> 00:22:18.460 Maybe he's a ruler 00:22:18.460 --> 00:22:19.200 from Dan 00:22:19.200 --> 00:22:20.259 up in the north. 00:22:22.500 --> 00:22:23.180 But no, 00:22:23.279 --> 00:22:23.880 it's a ruler 00:22:23.880 --> 00:22:24.539 from a city 00:22:24.539 --> 00:22:26.000 that no one's heard of 00:22:26.000 --> 00:22:28.299 outside of the fact 00:22:28.299 --> 00:22:28.759 that David 00:22:28.759 --> 00:22:29.900 happened to be born here. 00:22:32.180 --> 00:22:32.960 This king 00:22:32.960 --> 00:22:33.900 will be strong 00:22:33.900 --> 00:22:36.859 and he will shame 00:22:36.859 --> 00:22:37.779 the strong things 00:22:37.779 --> 00:22:38.319 of this world 00:22:38.319 --> 00:22:39.259 because he will also 00:22:39.259 --> 00:22:40.500 be a king of weakness. 00:22:40.500 --> 00:22:42.240 He is the great 00:22:42.240 --> 00:22:43.220 and mighty king. 00:22:44.140 --> 00:22:45.180 He's also the weak 00:22:45.180 --> 00:22:45.920 and humble king. 00:22:48.359 --> 00:22:49.240 Bethlehem tells us 00:22:49.240 --> 00:22:49.779 both things. 00:22:49.839 --> 00:22:50.640 This is going to be 00:22:50.640 --> 00:22:51.619 a great leader 00:22:51.619 --> 00:22:53.519 but he's not going 00:22:53.519 --> 00:22:54.299 to come from Harvard. 00:22:56.599 --> 00:22:57.259 He's going to have 00:22:57.259 --> 00:22:58.039 a two-year degree 00:22:58.039 --> 00:22:59.259 from a community college. 00:23:01.440 --> 00:23:02.539 He's not going to come 00:23:02.539 --> 00:23:03.660 from Colorado Springs. 00:23:05.079 --> 00:23:05.779 He's going to come 00:23:05.779 --> 00:23:06.240 from Lyman. 00:23:06.240 --> 00:23:10.599 He's not going to come 00:23:10.599 --> 00:23:11.440 from the east coast 00:23:11.440 --> 00:23:12.299 or the west coast. 00:23:13.880 --> 00:23:14.579 He's going to come 00:23:14.579 --> 00:23:15.460 from some little town 00:23:15.460 --> 00:23:16.099 in the Midwest 00:23:16.099 --> 00:23:17.019 that you've never heard of. 00:23:20.160 --> 00:23:21.240 Jesus is not just 00:23:21.240 --> 00:23:22.079 a great king. 00:23:22.180 --> 00:23:22.880 He's not just great 00:23:22.880 --> 00:23:23.359 and strong 00:23:23.359 --> 00:23:24.039 but he's humble 00:23:24.039 --> 00:23:24.539 and weak. 00:23:24.620 --> 00:23:26.339 He is a powerful leader 00:23:26.339 --> 00:23:27.599 coming with a heavenly army 00:23:27.599 --> 00:23:29.700 and he's also 00:23:29.700 --> 00:23:30.319 a little baby 00:23:30.319 --> 00:23:31.000 born in a manger. 00:23:31.000 --> 00:23:35.839 If he was only 00:23:35.839 --> 00:23:37.500 great and strong 00:23:37.500 --> 00:23:39.579 Jesus would not 00:23:39.579 --> 00:23:40.140 save us. 00:23:42.099 --> 00:23:43.259 And if he were only 00:23:43.259 --> 00:23:44.420 unexpected and weak 00:23:44.420 --> 00:23:45.640 he could not save us. 00:23:47.480 --> 00:23:48.799 If Jesus were only 00:23:48.799 --> 00:23:49.839 great and strong 00:23:49.839 --> 00:23:51.099 he would not save us. 00:23:52.579 --> 00:23:53.680 And if he were only 00:23:53.680 --> 00:23:54.380 humble and weak 00:23:54.380 --> 00:23:55.500 he could not save us. 00:23:56.619 --> 00:23:58.380 And yet the Bethlehem king 00:23:58.380 --> 00:23:59.339 is both. 00:23:59.339 --> 00:24:01.839 The Bethlehem king 00:24:01.839 --> 00:24:02.859 is both great 00:24:02.859 --> 00:24:03.519 and strong 00:24:03.519 --> 00:24:03.980 and humble 00:24:03.980 --> 00:24:04.439 and weak. 00:24:04.599 --> 00:24:05.500 He is both 00:24:05.500 --> 00:24:06.699 a king showing up 00:24:06.699 --> 00:24:07.339 with his army 00:24:07.339 --> 00:24:07.959 and a baby 00:24:07.959 --> 00:24:08.679 born in a manger. 00:24:10.679 --> 00:24:11.599 That's the kind 00:24:11.599 --> 00:24:12.519 of king that Micah 00:24:12.519 --> 00:24:13.199 is promising 00:24:13.199 --> 00:24:14.240 for these people. 00:24:15.379 --> 00:24:16.059 And so what we need 00:24:16.059 --> 00:24:16.720 is a great 00:24:16.720 --> 00:24:17.500 and strong 00:24:17.500 --> 00:24:17.959 and humble 00:24:17.959 --> 00:24:18.740 and weak king 00:24:18.740 --> 00:24:19.579 savior shepherd. 00:24:22.399 --> 00:24:23.699 One man says this 00:24:23.699 --> 00:24:25.299 he is the lion 00:24:25.299 --> 00:24:25.799 of Judah 00:24:25.799 --> 00:24:27.259 but he's also 00:24:27.259 --> 00:24:28.119 the lamb of God. 00:24:29.339 --> 00:24:30.240 He is a lion 00:24:30.240 --> 00:24:31.000 hearted lamb 00:24:31.000 --> 00:24:32.319 but a lamb 00:24:32.319 --> 00:24:32.959 like lion. 00:24:34.679 --> 00:24:35.619 He's the lion 00:24:35.619 --> 00:24:36.059 of Judah 00:24:36.059 --> 00:24:37.159 but he's also 00:24:37.159 --> 00:24:38.039 the lamb of God. 00:24:38.879 --> 00:24:39.519 He's a lion 00:24:39.519 --> 00:24:40.220 hearted lamb 00:24:40.220 --> 00:24:41.419 but a lamb 00:24:41.419 --> 00:24:41.980 like lion. 00:24:43.259 --> 00:24:43.859 And so it's not 00:24:43.859 --> 00:24:44.539 just good news 00:24:44.539 --> 00:24:45.019 that Jesus 00:24:45.019 --> 00:24:46.099 is a great king. 00:24:47.059 --> 00:24:48.119 It is good news 00:24:48.119 --> 00:24:48.659 that he is 00:24:48.659 --> 00:24:49.519 our king. 00:24:51.599 --> 00:24:52.379 It's not just 00:24:52.379 --> 00:24:52.759 good news 00:24:52.759 --> 00:24:53.119 that Jesus 00:24:53.119 --> 00:24:54.139 is a great king. 00:24:54.439 --> 00:24:55.359 It's good news 00:24:55.359 --> 00:24:55.879 that he is 00:24:55.879 --> 00:24:56.659 our king. 00:24:56.660 --> 00:24:57.640 And he's only 00:24:57.640 --> 00:24:58.240 able to be 00:24:58.240 --> 00:24:58.940 our king 00:24:58.940 --> 00:24:59.620 because he 00:24:59.620 --> 00:25:00.300 is both. 00:25:02.140 --> 00:25:02.860 He's king 00:25:02.860 --> 00:25:03.380 of the world 00:25:03.380 --> 00:25:05.300 and he also 00:25:05.300 --> 00:25:06.060 chose to make 00:25:06.060 --> 00:25:07.019 himself a small 00:25:07.019 --> 00:25:07.420 child. 00:25:08.600 --> 00:25:09.540 The reason he 00:25:09.540 --> 00:25:10.340 chose to make 00:25:10.340 --> 00:25:11.140 himself a small 00:25:11.140 --> 00:25:11.840 child is because 00:25:11.840 --> 00:25:12.620 that's the only 00:25:12.620 --> 00:25:13.380 way that he 00:25:13.380 --> 00:25:14.320 could save us. 00:25:16.080 --> 00:25:16.800 He needed 00:25:16.800 --> 00:25:17.640 not just to come 00:25:17.640 --> 00:25:18.019 and rule 00:25:18.019 --> 00:25:18.540 and reign. 00:25:18.660 --> 00:25:19.019 That would be 00:25:19.019 --> 00:25:19.960 only bad news. 00:25:20.040 --> 00:25:20.620 We saw what that 00:25:20.620 --> 00:25:21.420 was like in chapter 00:25:21.420 --> 00:25:21.759 one. 00:25:22.620 --> 00:25:23.720 But also to 00:25:23.720 --> 00:25:24.640 suffer and save. 00:25:24.640 --> 00:25:32.540 Bethlehem says 00:25:32.540 --> 00:25:33.440 both. 00:25:34.720 --> 00:25:35.160 Excuse me. 00:25:36.360 --> 00:25:36.800 And so he's 00:25:36.800 --> 00:25:37.680 great because 00:25:37.680 --> 00:25:38.180 he's God. 00:25:39.480 --> 00:25:40.520 He's unexpected 00:25:40.520 --> 00:25:41.800 because he's 00:25:41.800 --> 00:25:42.060 human. 00:25:43.040 --> 00:25:43.960 He's great 00:25:43.960 --> 00:25:44.840 because he's 00:25:44.840 --> 00:25:45.540 the most powerful 00:25:45.540 --> 00:25:45.900 king. 00:25:46.780 --> 00:25:47.500 And he's 00:25:47.500 --> 00:25:48.259 unexpected because 00:25:48.259 --> 00:25:48.860 he came for 00:25:48.860 --> 00:25:49.600 something much 00:25:49.600 --> 00:25:50.160 greater than 00:25:50.160 --> 00:25:51.180 political liberation. 00:25:51.420 --> 00:25:52.040 The reason 00:25:52.040 --> 00:25:53.680 they are experiencing 00:25:53.680 --> 00:25:54.380 oppression is 00:25:54.380 --> 00:25:54.780 because of 00:25:54.780 --> 00:25:55.300 their sin. 00:25:56.300 --> 00:25:56.660 Remember 00:25:56.660 --> 00:25:57.380 chapters one 00:25:57.380 --> 00:25:57.860 through three. 00:25:58.880 --> 00:25:59.380 And so this 00:25:59.380 --> 00:26:00.420 great king is 00:26:00.420 --> 00:26:00.920 going to come 00:26:00.920 --> 00:26:01.400 for both. 00:26:01.500 --> 00:26:01.820 He is going 00:26:01.820 --> 00:26:02.320 to free 00:26:02.320 --> 00:26:04.360 them from 00:26:04.360 --> 00:26:04.960 the national 00:26:04.960 --> 00:26:05.540 and political 00:26:05.540 --> 00:26:06.160 forces that 00:26:06.160 --> 00:26:06.680 are up against 00:26:06.680 --> 00:26:06.960 them. 00:26:07.620 --> 00:26:08.500 And he's also 00:26:08.500 --> 00:26:09.100 going to free 00:26:09.100 --> 00:26:09.580 them from 00:26:09.580 --> 00:26:10.400 their own sin. 00:26:11.640 --> 00:26:12.340 We find out 00:26:12.340 --> 00:26:12.860 verse four, 00:26:13.000 --> 00:26:13.400 he is going 00:26:13.400 --> 00:26:14.180 to stand and 00:26:14.180 --> 00:26:14.700 shepherd his 00:26:14.700 --> 00:26:15.480 flock in the 00:26:15.480 --> 00:26:16.360 strength of 00:26:16.360 --> 00:26:16.780 the Lord. 00:26:18.200 --> 00:26:18.720 And of course 00:26:18.720 --> 00:26:19.280 we see this 00:26:19.280 --> 00:26:20.000 fulfilled in 00:26:20.000 --> 00:26:20.300 Jesus. 00:26:20.420 --> 00:26:20.840 We don't just 00:26:20.840 --> 00:26:21.180 see this 00:26:21.180 --> 00:26:21.700 fulfilled in 00:26:21.700 --> 00:26:22.180 Jesus in the 00:26:22.180 --> 00:26:22.780 sense that Jesus 00:26:22.780 --> 00:26:23.440 is born in 00:26:23.440 --> 00:26:24.019 Bethlehem. 00:26:25.080 --> 00:26:26.220 We also see it 00:26:26.220 --> 00:26:26.700 fulfilled in 00:26:26.700 --> 00:26:27.299 Jesus because 00:26:27.299 --> 00:26:28.180 Jesus tells us 00:26:28.180 --> 00:26:28.799 in John chapter 00:26:28.799 --> 00:26:29.620 10 that he 00:26:29.620 --> 00:26:30.440 is the good 00:26:30.440 --> 00:26:30.759 shepherd. 00:26:32.460 --> 00:26:33.039 Shepherds are 00:26:33.039 --> 00:26:33.620 like kings. 00:26:33.779 --> 00:26:34.259 David, by the 00:26:34.259 --> 00:26:34.860 way, was a 00:26:34.860 --> 00:26:35.120 shepherd. 00:26:35.559 --> 00:26:36.200 He protected 00:26:36.200 --> 00:26:36.820 his flock. 00:26:37.559 --> 00:26:37.980 He also 00:26:37.980 --> 00:26:38.580 nurtured them. 00:26:40.120 --> 00:26:40.500 We're told 00:26:40.500 --> 00:26:41.039 that it's the 00:26:41.039 --> 00:26:41.720 good shepherd 00:26:41.720 --> 00:26:42.740 that lays down 00:26:42.740 --> 00:26:43.660 his life for 00:26:43.660 --> 00:26:44.160 the sheep. 00:26:44.420 --> 00:26:44.980 That is the 00:26:44.980 --> 00:26:45.700 kind of shepherd 00:26:45.700 --> 00:26:46.740 that Jesus is 00:26:46.740 --> 00:26:47.840 as our Bethlehem 00:26:47.840 --> 00:26:48.120 king. 00:26:48.220 --> 00:26:48.779 He is great 00:26:48.779 --> 00:26:49.360 and powerful. 00:26:49.359 --> 00:26:51.599 And he also 00:26:51.599 --> 00:26:52.959 dies for us. 00:26:56.199 --> 00:26:57.459 He uses that 00:26:57.459 --> 00:26:58.359 to shame the 00:26:58.359 --> 00:26:59.259 smart things of 00:26:59.259 --> 00:26:59.779 this world. 00:27:00.419 --> 00:27:01.500 Dying on a 00:27:01.500 --> 00:27:02.619 cross as God 00:27:02.619 --> 00:27:03.819 for the sins of 00:27:03.819 --> 00:27:04.619 your people is a 00:27:04.619 --> 00:27:05.519 Bethlehem move. 00:27:07.599 --> 00:27:08.240 That's a 00:27:08.240 --> 00:27:09.159 Bethlehem kind of 00:27:09.159 --> 00:27:09.779 thing to do. 00:27:11.679 --> 00:27:12.399 That's not the 00:27:12.399 --> 00:27:13.259 way the Assyrians 00:27:13.259 --> 00:27:13.859 would have done 00:27:13.859 --> 00:27:13.959 it. 00:27:14.019 --> 00:27:14.779 And so it's the 00:27:14.779 --> 00:27:16.079 weak things of 00:27:16.079 --> 00:27:17.179 this world that 00:27:17.179 --> 00:27:18.119 God uses to shame 00:27:18.119 --> 00:27:18.579 the strong. 00:27:19.359 --> 00:27:21.179 There's a whole 00:27:21.179 --> 00:27:22.139 section of the 00:27:22.139 --> 00:27:22.539 New Testament 00:27:22.539 --> 00:27:23.059 about this. 00:27:23.119 --> 00:27:23.319 I'm going to 00:27:23.319 --> 00:27:24.519 read a little 00:27:24.519 --> 00:27:25.199 bit for you from 00:27:25.199 --> 00:27:25.779 1 Corinthians 00:27:25.779 --> 00:27:26.579 chapter 1. 00:27:27.619 --> 00:27:28.219 Because God 00:27:28.219 --> 00:27:29.039 talks about this 00:27:29.039 --> 00:27:29.899 dynamic that he 00:27:29.899 --> 00:27:30.719 is going to use 00:27:30.719 --> 00:27:31.740 weak things to 00:27:31.740 --> 00:27:32.299 shame strong 00:27:32.299 --> 00:27:32.699 things. 00:27:33.279 --> 00:27:33.659 He's going to 00:27:33.659 --> 00:27:34.419 use Bethlehem 00:27:34.419 --> 00:27:35.219 kind of things to 00:27:35.219 --> 00:27:36.279 shame great 00:27:36.279 --> 00:27:36.639 rulers. 00:27:37.939 --> 00:27:38.439 1 Corinthians 00:27:38.439 --> 00:27:39.240 chapter 1 00:27:39.240 --> 00:27:39.919 verse 18. 00:27:40.099 --> 00:27:40.619 For the word of 00:27:40.619 --> 00:27:41.259 the cross is 00:27:41.259 --> 00:27:42.199 folly to those 00:27:42.199 --> 00:27:42.859 who are perishing, 00:27:43.359 --> 00:27:44.099 but to us who 00:27:44.099 --> 00:27:44.799 are being saved 00:27:44.799 --> 00:27:45.439 it is the power 00:27:45.439 --> 00:27:45.899 of God. 00:27:47.059 --> 00:27:47.859 In other words, 00:27:48.099 --> 00:27:48.759 as one man has 00:27:48.759 --> 00:27:49.379 put it, God 00:27:49.379 --> 00:27:50.079 takes an 00:27:50.079 --> 00:27:50.640 instrument of 00:27:50.640 --> 00:27:51.920 torture, the 00:27:51.920 --> 00:27:53.099 cross, and he 00:27:53.099 --> 00:27:54.140 uses it as an 00:27:54.140 --> 00:27:54.700 instrument of 00:27:54.700 --> 00:27:55.180 salvation. 00:27:56.259 --> 00:27:56.980 He uses 00:27:56.980 --> 00:27:57.759 something foolish 00:27:57.759 --> 00:27:58.660 and weak, a 00:27:58.660 --> 00:28:02.379 cross, to bring 00:28:02.379 --> 00:28:03.039 about something 00:28:03.039 --> 00:28:03.740 great and 00:28:03.740 --> 00:28:04.140 powerful. 00:28:08.140 --> 00:28:08.920 Then in verse 00:28:08.920 --> 00:28:09.680 20, where is the 00:28:09.680 --> 00:28:10.400 one who is wise? 00:28:10.519 --> 00:28:10.940 Where is the 00:28:10.940 --> 00:28:11.319 scribe? 00:28:11.400 --> 00:28:11.759 Where is the 00:28:11.759 --> 00:28:12.500 debater of this 00:28:12.500 --> 00:28:12.879 age? 00:28:13.299 --> 00:28:14.000 Has not God 00:28:14.000 --> 00:28:14.460 made foolish? 00:28:14.460 --> 00:28:17.279 For since in 00:28:17.279 --> 00:28:17.860 the wisdom of 00:28:17.860 --> 00:28:18.480 God the world 00:28:18.480 --> 00:28:19.039 did not know 00:28:19.039 --> 00:28:19.559 God through 00:28:19.559 --> 00:28:20.640 wisdom, it 00:28:20.640 --> 00:28:21.340 pleased God 00:28:21.340 --> 00:28:21.720 through the 00:28:21.720 --> 00:28:22.340 folly of what 00:28:22.340 --> 00:28:22.980 we preach to 00:28:22.980 --> 00:28:23.740 save those who 00:28:23.740 --> 00:28:24.160 believe. 00:28:24.840 --> 00:28:25.680 For Jews demand 00:28:25.680 --> 00:28:26.600 signs and Greeks 00:28:26.600 --> 00:28:27.519 seek wisdom, but 00:28:27.519 --> 00:28:28.480 we preach Christ 00:28:28.480 --> 00:28:29.840 crucified, a 00:28:29.840 --> 00:28:30.819 stumbling block to 00:28:30.819 --> 00:28:31.860 Jews and folly to 00:28:31.860 --> 00:28:32.420 Gentiles. 00:28:32.980 --> 00:28:33.700 But to those who 00:28:33.700 --> 00:28:34.380 are called both 00:28:34.380 --> 00:28:35.180 Jews and Greeks, 00:28:35.340 --> 00:28:36.160 Christ the power 00:28:36.160 --> 00:28:37.360 of God and the 00:28:37.360 --> 00:28:38.059 wisdom of God. 00:28:38.240 --> 00:28:39.180 For verse 25, 00:28:39.180 --> 00:28:40.180 the foolishness 00:28:40.180 --> 00:28:41.440 of God is 00:28:41.440 --> 00:28:42.400 wiser than men 00:28:42.400 --> 00:28:43.980 and the weakness 00:28:43.980 --> 00:28:44.880 of God is 00:28:44.880 --> 00:28:45.500 stronger than 00:28:45.500 --> 00:28:45.759 men. 00:28:46.640 --> 00:28:47.720 We might say 00:28:47.720 --> 00:28:48.740 the foolishness 00:28:48.740 --> 00:28:51.340 of God becoming 00:28:51.340 --> 00:28:52.320 man in a manger 00:28:52.320 --> 00:28:54.539 is wiser than 00:28:54.539 --> 00:28:56.560 men and the 00:28:56.560 --> 00:28:57.299 weakness of that 00:28:57.299 --> 00:28:59.360 little baby is 00:28:59.360 --> 00:28:59.980 stronger than 00:28:59.980 --> 00:29:00.259 men. 00:29:02.480 --> 00:29:04.500 The gospel, the 00:29:04.500 --> 00:29:05.140 news that Jesus 00:29:05.140 --> 00:29:05.880 has come and 00:29:05.880 --> 00:29:07.279 died for us as 00:29:07.279 --> 00:29:08.420 God made man, 00:29:09.180 --> 00:29:10.220 strength is 00:29:10.220 --> 00:29:11.259 Bethlehem logic. 00:29:13.740 --> 00:29:14.560 It is the 00:29:14.560 --> 00:29:15.279 weakness of this 00:29:15.279 --> 00:29:16.580 world used for 00:29:16.580 --> 00:29:17.000 strength. 00:29:19.860 --> 00:29:20.840 Finally, we find 00:29:20.840 --> 00:29:21.539 out what happens 00:29:21.539 --> 00:29:22.320 when we have a 00:29:22.320 --> 00:29:23.299 Bethlehem king, a 00:29:23.299 --> 00:29:24.240 king who is both 00:29:24.240 --> 00:29:25.019 great and mighty 00:29:25.019 --> 00:29:25.840 and powerful, the 00:29:25.840 --> 00:29:27.799 David-like king, and 00:29:27.799 --> 00:29:28.900 also unexpected and 00:29:28.900 --> 00:29:29.640 humble and weak. 00:29:29.880 --> 00:29:30.740 What does that king 00:29:30.740 --> 00:29:31.200 lead to? 00:29:31.279 --> 00:29:34.380 Verse 5, he shall 00:29:34.380 --> 00:29:36.160 be their peace. 00:29:39.180 --> 00:29:41.259 The people in 00:29:41.259 --> 00:29:42.620 this passage who 00:29:42.620 --> 00:29:43.620 have Assyria coming 00:29:43.620 --> 00:29:44.519 up against them are 00:29:44.519 --> 00:29:47.120 not secure, but 00:29:47.120 --> 00:29:48.320 they will be one 00:29:48.320 --> 00:29:48.640 day. 00:29:51.039 --> 00:29:52.440 We who live in 00:29:52.440 --> 00:29:53.539 this world now at 00:29:53.539 --> 00:29:54.720 the end of 2019 00:29:54.720 --> 00:29:56.180 are not fully and 00:29:56.180 --> 00:29:57.759 finally secure, but 00:29:57.759 --> 00:29:58.880 we will be one 00:29:58.880 --> 00:29:59.200 day. 00:30:00.799 --> 00:30:02.279 We see it in part 00:30:02.279 --> 00:30:03.440 with Jesus at his 00:30:03.440 --> 00:30:04.600 birth in Bethlehem, 00:30:04.599 --> 00:30:05.679 and we will see 00:30:05.679 --> 00:30:07.299 it in full at his 00:30:07.299 --> 00:30:08.099 second coming when 00:30:08.099 --> 00:30:09.299 he comes to bring 00:30:09.299 --> 00:30:11.199 in his kingdom and 00:30:11.199 --> 00:30:12.159 answer our prayers 00:30:12.159 --> 00:30:13.279 that he will make 00:30:13.279 --> 00:30:14.859 his kingdom on 00:30:14.859 --> 00:30:16.099 earth as it is in 00:30:16.099 --> 00:30:16.339 heaven. 00:30:17.339 --> 00:30:18.579 And so he shall be 00:30:18.579 --> 00:30:19.199 our peace. 00:30:19.299 --> 00:30:19.819 He will be our 00:30:19.819 --> 00:30:20.939 peace with God, 00:30:22.039 --> 00:30:22.719 saving us from 00:30:22.719 --> 00:30:23.079 sin. 00:30:23.740 --> 00:30:24.799 And he will be our 00:30:24.799 --> 00:30:25.799 peace from God, 00:30:26.799 --> 00:30:28.439 the political peace 00:30:28.439 --> 00:30:29.139 that the folks in 00:30:29.139 --> 00:30:30.519 this passage long for 00:30:30.519 --> 00:30:31.419 and wait for in 00:30:31.419 --> 00:30:31.699 hope. 00:30:31.700 --> 00:30:34.140 And so he's 00:30:34.140 --> 00:30:34.720 going to bring us 00:30:34.720 --> 00:30:36.960 true and full and 00:30:36.960 --> 00:30:37.720 final peace. 00:30:39.640 --> 00:30:40.980 Sometimes it's hard 00:30:40.980 --> 00:30:41.779 to wrap our minds 00:30:41.779 --> 00:30:42.500 around what peace 00:30:42.500 --> 00:30:42.980 looks like. 00:30:43.039 --> 00:30:43.920 There's a phrase that 00:30:43.920 --> 00:30:44.420 people will throw 00:30:44.420 --> 00:30:44.980 around at Christmas 00:30:44.980 --> 00:30:45.519 saying, you know, 00:30:45.559 --> 00:30:46.500 Jesus brings peace 00:30:46.500 --> 00:30:48.340 in our hearts, and 00:30:48.340 --> 00:30:49.140 he certainly does. 00:30:50.360 --> 00:30:51.480 But he also brings 00:30:51.480 --> 00:30:52.680 peace in this world. 00:30:52.740 --> 00:30:53.519 And as I think about 00:30:53.519 --> 00:30:54.360 peace, and I'll close 00:30:54.360 --> 00:30:54.880 with this, I'm 00:30:54.880 --> 00:30:55.660 reminded of a 00:30:55.660 --> 00:30:57.200 Peanuts cartoon. 00:30:57.680 --> 00:30:58.460 I was still alive, 00:30:58.519 --> 00:30:58.960 by the way, when 00:30:58.960 --> 00:30:59.779 Charles Schultz died. 00:30:59.860 --> 00:31:01.380 I'm probably the last 00:31:01.380 --> 00:31:02.040 of a generation 00:31:02.040 --> 00:31:03.440 that remembers him. 00:31:03.500 --> 00:31:04.800 I remember one of 00:31:04.800 --> 00:31:05.200 the things my 00:31:05.200 --> 00:31:05.860 brothers and I love 00:31:05.860 --> 00:31:06.840 to do is grab the 00:31:06.840 --> 00:31:07.580 cartoons from the 00:31:07.580 --> 00:31:08.540 weekend, the 00:31:08.540 --> 00:31:09.260 weekend Washington 00:31:09.260 --> 00:31:09.700 Post. 00:31:10.680 --> 00:31:11.520 When we subscribed, 00:31:11.700 --> 00:31:12.060 that was what we 00:31:12.060 --> 00:31:12.940 tried to secure and 00:31:12.940 --> 00:31:13.480 compete over. 00:31:14.720 --> 00:31:15.640 And there's one where 00:31:15.640 --> 00:31:16.440 Charlie Brown talks 00:31:16.440 --> 00:31:17.640 about security. 00:31:17.860 --> 00:31:18.380 He's talking with 00:31:18.380 --> 00:31:19.000 Peppermint Patty. 00:31:20.300 --> 00:31:21.320 And she says this, 00:31:21.440 --> 00:31:22.060 Lately, everything 00:31:22.060 --> 00:31:23.200 seems to bother me. 00:31:24.360 --> 00:31:25.260 Charlie Brown, how 00:31:25.260 --> 00:31:25.780 do you mean? 00:31:27.200 --> 00:31:28.020 Peppermint Patty, what 00:31:28.020 --> 00:31:29.200 do you think security 00:31:29.200 --> 00:31:30.280 is, Chuck? 00:31:30.279 --> 00:31:32.899 This is what Charlie 00:31:32.899 --> 00:31:33.500 Brown says. 00:31:34.660 --> 00:31:35.180 Security. 00:31:36.440 --> 00:31:37.599 Security is sleeping 00:31:37.599 --> 00:31:38.839 in the back seat of 00:31:38.839 --> 00:31:39.240 the car. 00:31:40.399 --> 00:31:41.319 When you're a little 00:31:41.319 --> 00:31:43.660 kid, and you've been 00:31:43.660 --> 00:31:44.539 somewhere with your 00:31:44.539 --> 00:31:46.559 mom and dad, and it's 00:31:46.559 --> 00:31:48.379 night, and you're 00:31:48.379 --> 00:31:49.319 riding home in the 00:31:49.319 --> 00:31:50.879 car, you can sleep in 00:31:50.879 --> 00:31:51.480 the back seat. 00:31:52.779 --> 00:31:54.019 You don't have to worry 00:31:54.019 --> 00:31:54.700 about anything. 00:31:54.700 --> 00:31:57.840 Your mom and dad are in 00:31:57.840 --> 00:31:59.640 the front seat, and 00:31:59.640 --> 00:32:00.500 they do all the 00:32:00.500 --> 00:32:00.880 worrying. 00:32:02.440 --> 00:32:03.640 They take care of 00:32:03.640 --> 00:32:04.100 everything. 00:32:06.420 --> 00:32:07.380 Peppermint Patty says 00:32:07.380 --> 00:32:08.039 this, that's real 00:32:08.039 --> 00:32:08.360 neat. 00:32:10.660 --> 00:32:11.940 Charlie Brown replies, 00:32:12.279 --> 00:32:13.180 but it doesn't last. 00:32:13.779 --> 00:32:14.640 Suddenly, you're grown 00:32:14.640 --> 00:32:16.000 up, and it can never be 00:32:16.000 --> 00:32:16.759 that way again. 00:32:18.059 --> 00:32:19.059 Suddenly, it's over, 00:32:19.279 --> 00:32:20.500 and you'll never get to 00:32:20.500 --> 00:32:21.480 sleep in the back seat 00:32:21.480 --> 00:32:21.900 again. 00:32:22.640 --> 00:32:23.040 Never. 00:32:24.180 --> 00:32:24.840 Peppermint Patty, 00:32:25.340 --> 00:32:25.720 Never? 00:32:26.960 --> 00:32:27.700 Charlie Brown, 00:32:28.380 --> 00:32:29.700 absolutely never. 00:32:32.900 --> 00:32:33.560 Peppermint Patty, 00:32:33.680 --> 00:32:34.640 hold my hand, Chuck. 00:32:37.540 --> 00:32:38.680 Why does it matter that 00:32:38.680 --> 00:32:39.440 Jesus was born in 00:32:39.440 --> 00:32:39.940 Bethlehem? 00:32:40.759 --> 00:32:42.160 It matters because he 00:32:42.160 --> 00:32:43.200 is the king that brings 00:32:43.200 --> 00:32:44.759 us true peace and 00:32:44.759 --> 00:32:45.240 security. 00:32:46.700 --> 00:32:48.100 We know that when it's 00:32:48.100 --> 00:32:51.360 dark, he's the one who 00:32:51.359 --> 00:32:52.419 has everything under 00:32:52.419 --> 00:32:52.839 control. 00:32:54.959 --> 00:32:56.959 We know that we don't 00:32:56.959 --> 00:32:57.719 have to worry about 00:32:57.719 --> 00:32:58.879 anything because he is 00:32:58.879 --> 00:33:00.500 in the front seat, and 00:33:00.500 --> 00:33:01.559 he will take care of the 00:33:01.559 --> 00:33:01.879 worrying. 00:33:02.559 --> 00:33:03.819 He will take care of 00:33:03.819 --> 00:33:04.159 everything. 00:33:05.639 --> 00:33:07.359 He will be our peace, 00:33:07.919 --> 00:33:11.259 and it will last forever. 00:33:13.759 --> 00:33:14.839 Why does it matter that 00:33:14.839 --> 00:33:15.619 Jesus was born in 00:33:15.619 --> 00:33:16.079 Bethlehem? 00:33:16.139 --> 00:33:17.859 It matters because he is 00:33:17.859 --> 00:33:19.199 a great and mighty king, 00:33:19.200 --> 00:33:21.200 and it matters because he's 00:33:21.200 --> 00:33:22.440 a humble and a weak king, 00:33:22.960 --> 00:33:24.600 and because he's both and 00:33:24.600 --> 00:33:25.460 not just one. 00:33:26.220 --> 00:33:28.620 He will be our peace. 00:33:29.819 --> 00:33:30.740 Please pray with me. 00:33:30.740 --> 00:33:32.160 I will be our peace. 00:33:32.779 --> 00:33:47.900 I run for you. 00:33:47.900 --> 00:33:50.299 You see you soon. 00:33:50.299 --> 00:33:52.200 From yours...