A Christmas Message – Bethlehem Cameos For The Greater Picture Series

A CHRISTMAS MESSAGE – BETHLEHEM CAMEOS FOR THE GREATER PICTURE

Christmas is a blessed time for many, for families, for singing, for getting the message of a Saviour out to people, and a chance to look into scriptures related to Christmas that normally are not considered through the year.

These Christmas scriptures are precious and are full of light and hope as Christ the Messiah came as a babe to Bethlehem. Most of us know the advent story very well, but there are some interesting cameos present in the accounts that foreshadow a greater picture. We are going to look at those with the relevant scriptures. Let us look into the glory of God’s word.

NUMBER 1. THE SHEPHERDS AND THE GREATER SHEPHERD

{{Luke 2:8-14 “In the same region there were some SHEPHERDS staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. An angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terribly frightened, and the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people for today in the city of David there has BEEN BORN FOR YOU A SAVIOUR who is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”}}

{{Luke 2:16-18 and they came in haste and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child, and all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds,}}

{{Luke 2:20 The shepherds went back, GLORIFYING AND PRAISING GOD for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.”}}

It is not without significance that God chose the shepherds to be the first to witness the Lord Jesus in His crib/manger. Throughout the Old Testament shepherds are mentioned a great deal, and we all know the greatest of the Psalms – the Shepherd Psalm, 23. The Lord will shepherd His people.

However, some of the worst condemnation in the Old Testament belongs to the false shepherds of Israel/Judea and Ezekiel wrote strongly against these hypocrites. Now to honour the birth of the Messiah in Bethlehem, God chooses a group of good shepherds to visit the One who had come for them (“been born FOR YOU the Saviour”) as well as for all. These men went to Bethlehem and saw and what the angel had told them, and then they continued on glorifying and praising God. These men with a shepherd’s heart were thrilled at the One who had come to be their Saviour.

The greater Shepherd is the Lord Jesus Christ, He who is the Shepherd of the sheep, the Good Shepherd and the Chief Shepherd. This One who laid down His life for the sheep, and now shepherds His sheep, will return to Israel as the Great Shepherd at the second advent (Second Coming).

This lovely cameo is of the Lord who is the Shepherd, being adored by shepherds, and is a wonderful picture of the precious ministry that is wholly His.

NUMBER 2. THE MANGER AND THE ROYAL ABODE OF HEAVEN

{{Luke 2:7 “and she gave birth to her first-born son, and she wrapped Him in cloths and laid Him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn.”}}

The most simple and humble conditions were present at the birth of the Lord. Not even a simple, dilapidated room was available. He who created the animals shared the animals’ abode in His birth. The animals’ home became His birthplace. From heavenly heights to the meager manger.

Eye has not seen, nor ear heard what the Lord has prepared for those who love Him. Nor has eye seen, nor ear heard what unexplainable splendour is the Lord’s as He sits on His mighty throne at the right hand of the majesty on high. We can not comprehend it all. Yet the Ruler of the universe and the mighty God once lay at peace in a lowly manger.

Once in royal David's city

Stood a lowly cattle shed,

Where a mother laid her Baby

In a manger for His bed:

Mary was that mother mild,

Jesus Christ her little Child.

=========================

He came down to earth from heaven,

Who is God and Lord of all,

And His shelter was a stable,

And His cradle was a stall;