Winning Ways: “O Little Town of Bethlehem”

Almost a third of people in the UK do not know the town of Christ’s birth, according to a recent survey.

The question was one of several questions about Bible knowledge. Eighty-five percent correctly identified what Christians celebrate on Easter (Christ’s resurrection). About three-fourths of the respondents knew that Adam was the first man in the Bible and almost as many could name the four gospels that begin the New Testament. Seventy percent correctly identified Jesus’ race (Jewish).

According to the Gospel of Matthew, Christ’s birth in the town of Bethlehem was in fulfillment of prophecy. We’re going to look at that prophecy from Micah this Sunday:

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 from of old,
from ancient times.

The prophecy communicates the secret of true strength and security. You see, in Micah’s day, God’s people learned a bitter lesson about placing their ultimate trust in human means of security. Instead of depending on God, they trusted in their walls, their troops, and their unholy alliances with pagan nations. Soon, the southern kingdom of Judah became a cringing vassal state of Assyria.

But Micah made this promise to his people: One day God would save his people, but not through their walls, troops, and pacts. Instead, God would act in a tiny town through the birth of a tiny baby.

Have you discovered the source of true strength and security? We can learn it at Christmastime. The Christmas story is about an insignificant carpenter taking his fragile pregnant wife to his no-account hometown where she gave birth and put her child in a cattle trough for his first crib.

The Christmas story is a story about God’s strength displayed in human frailty. In fact, the more you read the Bible--and the more you experience God personally--the more you realize that’s the path God most often takes. My greatest strength can prove useless if I have not placed my trust in the Lord; my greatest weakness can become a source of power if my trust is found in God.

Join us for this important study this Sunday morning, December 16, at the 9:30am “Bold Blend” service or the 10:45am “Smooth Blend” service or listen online Monday (iTunes; website). And be sure to join us at 6:00pm this Sunday for our Festival of Christmas Music!

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