Messiah! In Bethlehem – Walking with Jesus
But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah – too little to be among the clans of Judah – from you One will go forth for Me – to be ruler of Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity.” Micah 5:2
God’s plan – to provide for us - a Messiah! – with true authority over all the earth – a Shepherd-King-Savior – finds its fulfillment, in Bethlehem in the gospel of Matthew chapter 2.
Messiah means: the anticipated one, who will be our savior or liberator. The annointed one.
J.B. Phillips once wrote: “We must never allow anything to blind us to the true significance of what happened at Bethlehem so long ago. Nothing can alter the fact that we live - on a visited planet.” 
Now after Jesus was born – in Bethlehem of Judea - in the days of Herod the king - magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet: ‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the leaders of Judah; for out of you – shall come forth a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’”
Then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him.” After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him – gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left, for their own country, by another way.
I suppose, that in the whole of the New Testament – the miracle that stands quite above all the rest for me, is that the Son of God, was conceived in the womb of Mary and that Jesus is fully God and fully Man! 
The identity of Jesus, if we find ourselves called to its discovery – is saturated by historical prophesy. Consider that the prophet Isaiah said that Jesus would be born of a virgin and He was. The prophet said that, at least 600 years before Jesus was born! The prophet Micah said Jesus would be born in Bethlehem and He was. The prophet Hosea said that He would be called out of Egypt and He was. Many prophets said He would be from Nazereth and He was. Matthew, in chapter 1 & 2 of his gospel - gathers up all of these prophesies - and puts the birth of Jesus, the Messiah – right smack in the center, of them all. Proper credentials, mind you – - – born of a virgin – and of the royal line of David, from the seed of Abraham. The Messiah had no earthly father – rather, His mother Mary became pregnant, by the Holy Spirit, not by a man. Matthew, in his gospel, gathers vital information – that down through the centuries – begs the question – “Is this the Messiah?”
Consider that Joseph had more than his share of difficulty putting his head around the idea of a Messiah! In Bethlehem! much less the idea that the Messiah was to be born of Mary – His fiance – who, with all the plans and the emotions of his heart – he had wrapped his whole world – around – his love for, Mary – - – only to find that she was pregnant – while insisting she was still a virgin!?! – Hello!?! I suppose its one thing to accept that Jesus might be the Messiah, from Bethlehem - and quite another, to believe that the “love of your life” is going to give birth to Him – and, that she is a …. virgin!? The story goes that because of his genuine love for her, not knowing what else he could do - Joseph decided to divorce her, quietly – to spare her the pain of public disgrace, and possibly even the risk of being stoned to death for her violation of their marriage vows - – - however, he was visited by an angel of the Lord – who carefully explained, just how such a situation had come to be - and who encouraged him to remain true to his love – which was all a part of God’s plan – for sending His Son – who was coming to save His people from their sin! I mean – this is huge! - Joseph was about to experience - the fulfillment of a prophecy – that was almost 800 years old! - that was spoken by the Lord, through the prophet Isaiah. Now while it was humanly impossible - for Mary to be pregnant and still a virgin - it was not only possible with God, but God Himself predicted it! I mean, there are over 300 prophecies of practically every aspect of Jesus’ life – and every one of them was fulfilled! in Bethlehem! I suppose, God will do exactly what He says He will do!
The baby was to be called “Immanuel,” which means “God with us” - He is the very presence of God with us! He came to live with us and in us! I suppose, that human history itself, tells the story of folks yearning for God- in one way or another - to break into human history – in a personal way. And He did just that – in the miracle of the Messiah! In Bethlehem! God with us! in the form of His Son, Jesus – who came to live among us and be our Shepherd-Savior-King – Messiah! – - – bringing us in to the presence of the Father. I find myself looking at a very different sort of God – than some distant “deity” – floating about “some where, out there” “over the rainbow” - observing our lives from afar. Nope! Messiah has come to us to draw us up close to the Father – to walk with us, as we walk with Him. He has come to us – in His Son and He is still with us today – near to us – as near as our faith will allow us to believe in Him …. to see His true identity. He desires to walk with us – daily – moment by moment – through the worries and the trials and the grief of this life.
I find myself inclined to agree I suppose, with John Wesley, who is to have said on his death bed, over 200 years ago – - “The best of all is – God Is – With Us!” – - – and against the backdrop of historical prophecy – about the true identity of Christ – and having witnessed the birth of my own child – - – I can imagine something like – Joseph and the shepherds, in a barn, or something like it – and an angel hovering there, watching over them. I can hear the cries of Mary – coming from behind a stack of hay bales - in the pains of labor – and a doctor, perhaps dressed in some form of a “sterile white robe” – with a first century-style stethoscope or something like it, hanging ’round his neck – helping her with the delivery – while Joseph paces – back and forth and back and forth, wringing his hands. A few minutes later, I can imagine the doctor appearing from around the bales of hay – with a big smile across his face, as he announces “Congratulations, Joseph. It’s a ….. well, it’s GOD!” I suppose that’s about the message the angel was giving Joseph. The baby born of Mary was – God with us! Our Messiah! Can you believe it?
I suppose, that in the whole of the New Testament – the miracle that stands quite above all the rest, is that the Son of God, was conceived in the womb of Mary and that Jesus is fully God and fully Man!
Comments