Episodes
Wednesday Dec 27, 2017
The Coming of the King: Luke 2:4-5; various texts
Wednesday Dec 27, 2017
Wednesday Dec 27, 2017
The Coming of the King
Luke 2:4-5, 10-14; various texts
Why Bethlehem?
- Was Jesus’ birth in the Bethlehem a matter of coincidence or was there more to it?
- Bethlehem has a rich history before the birth of Jesus
- It is near where Rachel, Jacob’s beloved wife, was buried (Gen. 35:19)
- One of the minor judges, Ibzan, was a Bethlehemite (Jdg. 12:8-10)
- A Bethlehemite girl was the victim of a sever lack of hospitality by the men of Gibeah (Jdg. 19-20)
- An irony lost on the people of Bethlehem in Jesus’ day
- It was the hometown of Naomi and became the adopted home of Ruth
- And it was the hometown of David
- Because of its connection with David, Bethlehem became associated with the coming Messiah (Mic. 5:2-5a)
- Thus, Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem was not coincidence
- But rather, part of God’s orchestrated plan
- And a clear declaration that Jesus came to be Messiah!
What is Messiah?
- Messiah is the promised king of Israel
- From the lineage of David
- Called Christ in Greek
- The expectation of the Jews of Jesus’ day was that Messiah came to conquer Israel’s enemies
- Seen as Rome in that time period
- But, the people’s expectations were wrong
- Something He was suspected of (John 7:42)
- Something He was mocked for (Mark 15:32)
- Something He was arrested for (Luke 23:2)
- Jesus came to be Messiah
- The king who would win victory over the enemies of God’s people
- The king who would bring peace (Isa 9:6-7)
- But, the enemy was not Rome or some human institution
- It was sin & death
- And the peace He offers is not simply a lack of conflict
- But real peace with God (Rom 5:1)
- That was the message that the shepherds heard that night over 2000 years ago (Luke 2:10-14)
So What?
- Do you know Jesus as King?
- Do you have peace with God through Jesus?
- That is what why we celebrate this time each year
Meditation Verse: Luke 2:14
Version: 20240320
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