Let’s Go TO and FROM Bethlehem: 1. Preparing

 Luke 2:1-8 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. ² This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governing Syria. ³ And everyone went to register, each to his own town. ⁴ And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the town of Nazareth, into Judea, to the town of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was from the house and family line of David. ⁵ He went to be registered with Mary, his wife, who was pledged to him in marriage and was expecting a child.

⁶ And so it was that while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. ⁷ And she gave birth to her firstborn son, wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. ⁸ There were in the same country shepherds staying out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock at night.

Jesse is in his early thirties. He’s the head shepherd. He’s taken over from his father. He oversees the several hundred sheep that graze in the Bethlehem fields.

Jesse’s father, Amos used to be the head shepherd. But since he’s in his late fifties, he spends most of his time dealing with the Levites and priests in Jerusalem. Once in a while, though, Amos goes into the fields to be with his sons.

This is a family business. Jesse’s brothers are all shepherds. His eldest son, Malachi, is twelve. When Malachi is done with school, he comes out to the fields to learn how to shepherd along with his father, uncles, and grandfather.

Amos and his sons have the lucrative contract to raise the lambs that will be sacrificed in the Hebrew month of Nisan (our March/April) in Jerusalem. Every spring, new lambs are born. As the head shepherd, Jesse makes sure the lambs are well-fed, cared for and injury-free.

When the lambs are one year old, the males without blemish or defect or injury are driven to Jerusalem. When they are of age, the Bethlehem lambs are sold in the temple courtyard so Jewish travelers can purchase the lambs for their Passover Festival.

It is a year-long preparation for Jesse and his brothers to prepare these lambs for the Passover.

Right now it is the Hebrew month of Tebeth (our December). The shepherds keep their flocks out in the fields, working twelve-hour shifts, keeping watch over them day and night.

The shepherds don’t realize the parallels of their preparation for the Passover with God’s preparation with the Passover.

A baby will be born late in the month of Tebeth. There is no room for husband and his very pregnant wife in the Bethlehem inn. So, the couple from Nazareth is placed for the evening in a cave used for sheep when they’re housed indoors. When the mother gives birth, the father immediately wraps the child in strips of cloth because that’s all the poor couple has for baby blankets. The child is laid in a manger because there is nothing else that can be used for a crib.

When the child is of the right age, he will be driven to Jerusalem during the Passover Festival. There the priests and Levites will prepare him for sacrifice. He will be placed on the altar of the cross. He is without blemish or defect. Though the two men crucified on either side of him will have their legs broken, his legs will remain whole.

This Child is born in the month of Tebeth to be sacrificed thirty-three years later in the month of Nisan. The Bethlehem Lamb grows up to become the perfect Passover Lamb. He is sacrificed to take away the sin of the world.

This Advent season let’s go to Bethlehem with the shepherds. We are not preparing the lambs for Passover. Instead, we are preparing to worship the Passover Lamb, the Babe of Bethlehem, the Son of God and the Son of Mary.

The way you prepare to meet Jesus is by putting aside everything else. It is a very real temptation if you are worshiping online to do other things while listening to the worship service – make dinner, wash dishes or fold laundry.

It is an equal temptation if you are worshiping in the sanctuary to go through the motions of worship. Not paying attention to the prayers, not contemplating the lyrics of the hymns, or not applying God’s Word to your life.

Neither one of these is being prepared. Both ways are being physically present, but spiritually absent.

Prepare for Jesus by coming to church earlier than the last minute. Take ten minutes before worship to confess, meditate, pray and read through the Scripture lessons and hymns.

Prepare for Jesus by closing the computer or turning off the phone after your online worship. Talk with your family about what you’ve heard. Discuss the sermon. Contemplate the hymns. Add your prayers to those you heard earlier in the service.

You need to prepare to worship your Savior. But many of your friends and family are not prepared to worship Jesus. That’s because, sadly, they don’t have faith in him as their Savior.

Jesus has gone to the cross for them as the perfect, innocent Passover Lamb. He has died to take away their sins. He has earned their salvation and won a place for them in heaven.

But perhaps they haven’t heard. They don’t realize that Jesus has given his life for their salvation. These folks remain in ignorance.

Or perhaps they’ve heard and are just too busy doing other things, making other plans, and they intend, someday, to get around to believing – just now right now.

It makes little difference if someone isn’t prepared to meet Jesus either because of ignorance or because salvation is not a high priority. The result is the same. They are unprepared to receive the salvation their Passover Lamb has won for them. They cannot claim their place in heaven.

That is why we who have already been blessed with faith need to make use of every opportunity of pointing people to Jesus and to all the blessings that come from knowing him as the Christ in the crib and on the cross.

The Son of God deserves your preparation – both before and after worship. He deserves your preparation in telling others about the salvation he won for them. He is the divine Savior born in a Bethlehem barn. He comes to the shepherds as they go about their ordinary jobs. Doing them quietly and faithfully. Just like we do ours.

God comes to meet them on the job. He comes to them sweating and stinking. God comes into their real, ordinary lives. Just like Jesus comes into your real, ordinary life. He breaks through the sweat and stink of a normal day. He busts through the driving through traffic, the Zoom meetings, and online classes. He comes to you where you are. Jesus comes to be your Savior.

He is the Babe of Bethlehem, born to be the perfect Passover Lamb. To take away the sins of the world. To take away your sins. To take away the sins of those you tell about him.

Let’s go to Bethlehem. Prepare to meet him.  

 

Sing We the Song of Emmanuel

1. Sing we the song of Emmanuel
This the Christ who was long foretold
Lo in the shadows of Bethlehem
Promise of dawn now our eyes behold
God Most High in a manger laid
Lift your voices and now proclaim
Great and glorious, Love has come to us
Join now with the hosts of heaven