The name Bethlehem means ‘house of bread’ in Hebrew, and it was located in an area called ‘fruitful’—Ephrathah. Compared to the city of Jerusalem, it is small. Not only in size but in significance. “[T]his birthplace of David would also become the birthplace of his greatest descendant, the Messiah (Barker 96)."
Bethlehem was marked for a change. Because of the way other nations used the term ‘king’ it was often avoided by the prophets, choosing instead to use the word ‘ruler’. This ruler of verse 2 comes forth “first of all for the Lord’s benefit and His plans, and only secondarily in response to Israel and her distress (Kaiser 63-64)." “for me” in verse 2 is placed in the emphatic position demanding our attention.
Isaac Ryan Brown is not a huge star by the world’s standards. He’s had recurring roles in some television shows like How to Get Away with Murder and Disney’s Raven’s Home. He was raised to know he was the Church wherever he was. He said, “I feel like, if you praise him out in the open, he’ll praise you out in the open. And I feel like that’s the major reason for my success (McGee).”
In an interview he shared how he prayed before he went into the audition.
“I gave him the praise, honor and glory. I’ve been working on that because I notice sometimes my head gets a little too big, sometimes I gotta bring myself back down, but God — he’s the reason for the season (ibid.).”
In Believe, Clarence isn’t the oldest, smartest, or even the most normal of kids. What he has, beside endless energy, is a certainty that he has been tapped to play the angel Gabriel in the town’s Christmas pageant. In the face of not having the pageant Clarence still believes.
What Clarence models is a certainty of hope in which God is the director. The opposite of this is seen in the wishes written to North Pole by children, the adults who vote wishing for a change that doesn’t come, and those who pray their laundry lists of tasks for God to do for them.
NATURE OF HOPE
Hope is the certainty that God will do what is right, when the season is write, by means that honor Himself. Listen to Galatians 4:3-5
3 In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world. 4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.
The interaction between Elizabeth and Mary demonstrates a settle hope between these two. Elizabeth is not envious of the child Mary carries. She is awed that Mary would come to her and let her experience the presence of her Lord. John, in her womb leaped like a playful lamb for joy at the sound of her voice.
In Mary’s song, the Magnificat, she looks at her present situation in terms of the assurance of God’s presence and protection. R. C. Sproul said, “Mary’s song, the Magnificat, is one of the most important hymns in the history of the church (Sproul).” Baptist theologian and teacher E Stanley Jones says of this passage, “The Magnificat is the most revolutionary document in the history of the world. (Rogers)."
The reason for such hesitancy and respect is that it shows the world the outcome of the one prophesied by Micah to come from Bethlehem. The Lordship of Christ overturns the world’s sense of order and importance.
As Mary gives voice to her faith she rejoices in “God my Savior” v 47, the word used in the Greek Old Testament for salvation. It is not her holiness that makes God attend to her. She, like us, needs a Savior. Pride is nipped in the bud as she praises by recalling her humble situation and undeserving place, much like Bethlehem in Micah.
Her magnification of God is to extol, enlarge, and to celebrate God’s actions. Coupled with the intense idea of ‘rejoice’ she expresses a supreme joy. Like Issac Brown who gave God all the praise, honor, and glory, that is our stating point in praising God. “We are to magnify his name, and no one or nothing else (Fritz)."
NATURE OF WISHING
Let me read something that should shake us to our core.
"Society never actually wanted the Incarnation. "Emmanuel, God-with-Us" does not sell computer games or cologne. Society wanted the cute stuff--rustic stable, adoring shepherds, fluffy sheep, cows, donkey, holy family, infant Jesus, gift-bearing kings, stars, angels, St. Nicholas, reindeer, fir trees, holly, and presents. The pagan stuff they will retain--even if they do dye the trees powder blue and decorate them with miniature hanging appliances and Disney ornaments (Jais-Mick)."
For the most part we are content with the belief that Jesus’ birth looked like 13th century northern Italian stable, set in a hillside. That’s the reality of all our nativity scenes. St. Francis Assisi built one for a sermon illustration (Nuwer). That Christmas Jesus was born in a first century village overrun by people who didn’t want to be there, paying a tax they hated to pay, and having to show deference to a rule they hated with their whole being. They wished things were different. They prayed things would be different. Some even believed things would be different.
Little did they realize Micah 5 was coming true in their town. Randy Stonehill has a song named A Christmas Song for All Year. Here is the first verse and chorus,
"I wonder if this Christmas they'll begin to understand
The Jesus that they celebrate is much more than a man
'Cause the way the world is I don't see how people can deny
The only way to save us was for Jesus Christ to die.
And I know that if St. Nicholas was here he would agree
That Jesus gave the greatest gift of all to you and me
They led Him to the slaughter on a hill called Calvary
And mankind was forgiven when they nailed Him to the tree (Stonehill Lyrics)."
Wishing involves luck, not God. Wishing puts us at the center of the universe, the will of God. Wishing involves blowing out birthday candles, seeing a falling star, and not walking under a ladder or breaking a mirror. God is not a wishing well into which we toss our desires and wait for Him to do what we want.
Here is how wishing vs hoping is working out in my life today. I’m facing a serious health crisis there is not getting around it. Why, when, how, are questions that do not matter because I lack a DeLorean and Flux Capacitor to take me back in time and change any of it.
A few weeks ago, I could have wished this would go away. I could even have prayed God take this away. It’s inconvenient, I don’t like it etc…I could have tried to ignore it and just carry on as best as I could. Living life by wishing would have meant I’d be dead now. Of this fact there is not a doubt in my mind.
Instead, I took a step of faith in which I realized God has this and me. I started doing what the medical professionals said and I’m a bit better. I’m not cured, nor will I be this side of Christ’s Kingdom. But I know if I die in ten years or next week God is in control not me. I am certain that He will bring about His good and perfect will in spite of my past sins and errors. I simply want to echo Mary’s statement to Gabriel, “Let it be to me according to your word” Let’s pray
WORKS CITED
Barker, Kenneth L. Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah. Vol. 20. Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1999. Print. The New American Commentary.
Fritz, Freddy. "The Magnificat." Sermon Central. 2012. Web. 8 Dec. 2021.
"Issac Ryan Brown." Facts Ninja. Web. 11 Dec. 2021.
Jais-Mick, Maureen. "Ready or Not: The Return of Christmas" (Cresset, Dec. 1995 ). Christianity Today, Vol. 40, no. 14.
McGee, Ny. "Issac Ryan Brown Says God Is The 'Reason For My Success'." EURweb. 2016. Web. 11 Dec. 2021.
Nuwer, Rachel. "The First Nativity Scene Was Created In 1223." Smithsonian 2012: n. pag. Print.
Stonehill, Rand y. "Christmas Song For All Year-Round Lyrics." Lyricbox.com. 2021. Web. 10 Dec. 2021.
