O Little Town of Bethlehem

December 13, 2015

O Little Town of Bethlehem

O little town of Bethlehem

How still we see thee lie

Above thy deep and dreamless sleep

The silent stars go by

Yet in thy dark streets shineth

The everlasting Light

The hopes and fears of all the years

Are met in thee tonight

How silently, how silently

The wondrous gift is given!

So God imparts to human hearts

The blessings of His heaven

No ear may hear His coming,

But in this world of sin,

Where meek souls will receive him still,

The dear Christ enters in.

O holy Child of Bethlehem

Descend to us, we pray

Cast out our sin and enter in

Be born to us today

We hear the Christmas angels

The great glad tidings tell

O come to us, abide with us

Our Lord Emmanuel

1. Bethlehem: A promise made

   1. Background:

      1. Written by Phillip Brooks

      2. In Philadelphia in 1868

      3. Desire was to write a song to teach kids about how we are to worship Christ’s birth and how it relates to us

   2. This Christmas carol has no chorus, instead, it is meant to be heard like a story

   3. In the time of Micah, one of the prophets, Bethlehem, a small city in the nation of Judah is promised the future Savior of the nation of Israel

      Micah 5:2-4

      “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.” 3 Therefore Israel will be abandoned until the time when she who is in labor bears a son, and the rest of his brothers return to join the Israelites. 4 He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth.

      1. At the time of this prophecy, Bethlehem is about to be ravaged by the Assyrians during their conquest of the nation of Israel

   4. “The hopes and fears of all the years, are met with thee tonight”

      1. Upon the birth of Christ, the prophecy that all of Israel had been waiting for would be fulfilled.

2. The quiet gift

   1. As we shift from verse 1 to verse 2, the focus shifts to the individual

   How silently, how silently

   The wondrous gift is given!

   So God imparts to human hearts

   The blessings of His heaven

   No ear may hear His coming,

   But in this world of sin,

   Where meek souls will receive him still,

   The dear Christ enters in.

   
   

   2. The story continues to gift that Christ’s son bestows upon us.

   John 3:16
   For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

   
   

   3. Christ was born so that humanity could, inherit the blessings of heaven

      1. Romans 8:17 calls us co-heirs with Christ

      Romans 8:17
      Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

      
      

      2. Upon receiving Him, there is no fanfare on Earth, but Luke 15:10 tells us that there is rejoicing in Heaven when one sinner comes to repentance

In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

3. A Time of Yearning

   O holy Child of Bethlehem

   Descend to us, we pray

   Cast out our sin and enter in

   Be born to us today

   We hear the Christmas angels

   The great glad tidings tell

   O come to us, abide with us

   Our Lord Emmanuel

   
   

   1. The story moves to the individual now yearning for what Christ offers

      1. We must abide in Christ

   2. What does it mean to abide?

      1. Every decision, and desire aligns with God’s plan for our life

Communication Card

1. I will practice abiding in Christ this week.
2. I will work on aligning my decisions with God's plan for my life.
3. I will pray for the Christmas Eve Service.