
Son of David: The Little Town of Bethlehem
Luke 2:8-20
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy
Faith Fellowship – December 23, 2018
Last week we read of the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, the City of
• We talked about how Jesus was born as the “son of David” in fulfillment of prophecy.
• We want to talk a little more about Bethlehem.
Luke 2:8-20 (NIV)
[8] And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. [9] An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. [10] But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. [11] Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. [12] This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” [13] Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, [14] “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” [15] When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” [16] So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. [17] When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, [18] and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. [19] But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. [20] The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
Bethlehem is the
• The birth of Jesus was the biggest news of all time.
• You could call Bethlehem the “Ground Zero” of God’s redemption plan.
• Here, the Word was made flesh and made His dwelling among us. (John 1:14)
Bethlehem means “House of
• Jesus later said: “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. (John 6:35)
• Bethlehem lies in the hill country of Judea about 5 miles southwest of Jerusalem.
• 2550 feet above sea level, about 100 feet higher than Jerusalem.
We see Bethlehem at several points in the Bible.
• The place where Rachel died—beloved wife of Jacob and mother of Joseph and Benjamin. (Genesis 35:16-20)
• It was also the scene of the story of Ruth, the Moabitess, where she gleaned in the fields.
• It is the birthplace of David and where Samuel came and anointed him to be future king. (1 Samuel 16:1-13)
• But most important, Bethlehem is the birthplace of our Lord, Jesus.
At the time of Jesus, Bethlehem was home to only
• Small town of families who knew one another.
• Joseph’s extended family was from this town and had migrated north to Nazareth.
• The word translated “inn” can mean an enclosed place of safety for travelers.
• It can also mean a guest area of a home.
• They may have been no room for them in the guest room of a relative.
Today, Bethlehem is a city of about
• Only about 14,000 are Christians.
• In the center, is Manger Square and the Church of the Nativity.
• More than a million visitors a year come to this one church.
• The Church of the Nativity is perhaps the oldest Christian church in the world.
It was built in 330AD by the Emperor
• It was partially destroyed by the Samaritans in 529BC.
• Today, it has a peculiar entrance through which you must bow to enter.
• It’s designed to slow down looters on horseback.
• You walk through a vast room lined with huge pillars.
Today, you may wait in line for an
• By comparison the average wait for the new “Frozen Ever After” ride at Epcot is consistently more than an hour, a ride that lasts 5 minutes.
• When waiting to see the place of Jesus’ birth, I am always reminded that over the years people travelled as long as two years to get to this spot.
• And the Jewish people waited for Emmanuel for many centuries.
At the
• You descend to a grotto below the altar area of the church to stand in a cave that has been venerated since about 160AD.
• Tradition says that this Grotto marks the spot of the birth of Jesus with a silver star.
Is this the
• The Gospels do not say that Jesus was born in a cave.
• They also don’t report that he was born in a stable.
• The Bible only says He was placed in a manger because there was no room for them in the Inn. (Luke 2:7)
• The caves in the Judean hills were commonly used to shelter animals.
• Mangers were feeding troughs generally cut from stone.
So is this the
• No one knows for sure.
• It is certainly nearby.
• It very well could be.
• Here is why…
After the
• Hadrian attempted to wipe out the memory of places related to Jesus and to Judaism.
• He built a pagan city called Aelia Capitolina.
• Over the location of the crucifixion they built a temple of Venus.
• Over the sight of Jesus’ birth they planted a grove dedicated to Adonis.
• So unwittingly, the Romans preserved the memory of these locations to be found later.
• Queen Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine, easily located most of the primary Christian sites remembered by people in the area.
The Little Town of Bethlehem has captured the imagination for generations.
• In 1868, an Episcopal minister named Phillips Brooks visited the Holy Land on horseback.
• He was a giant of a man at 6’8”.
• Minister of Holy Trinity Church in Philadelphia.
• He visited the still small village of Bethlehem, the shepherd’s fields, and the Church of the Nativity.
After he returned, Brooks wrote the now famous words…
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
The first two verses simply proclaim the wonder and charm of the birth of Christ.
For Christ is born of Mary
And gathered all above
While mortals sleep, the angels keep
Their watch of wondering love
O morning stars together
Proclaim the holy birth
And praises sing to God the King
And Peace to men on earth
The third and fourth stanzas consist of the nature of the Gospel and a prayer.
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.