Tuesday, Dec 10

Scriptures: Matthew 2:1b-2 (NCV) – “When Jesus was born, some wise men from the east came to Jerusalem. They asked, ‘Where is the baby who was born to be king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.’”

Micah 5:2 (NCV) – “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are too small to be among the army groups from Judah, from you will come one who will rule Israel for me. He comes from very old times, from days long ago.”

Message: Have you driven through a very small town and wondered, “Who would want to live here?”, or “What do they do for fun?”.

Bethlehem was that kind of town. Located five miles from Jerusalem, it was far from a bustling metropolis. With a population between four hundred and one thousand, it probably never made anyone’s bucket list. Yet, this is where the prophets said the Messiah would be born.

Jerusalem, on the other hand, was “the place” to see. About 40,000 people lived there, but that number could swell to more than 200,000 during the festivals. It was the “Manhattan” of Israel.

Even the wise men thought so. After following the star for months, they ended up in Jerusalem. Makes sense: if you want to find a king, head to the big city, the most important city in Judaism. But although Jerusalem may have been the most logical place, it was the wrong place.

Where will you find Jesus this Christmas? It might be in a sermon, or in a Christmas musical, a homeless shelter, or a mall. Don’t try to guess where He may be. Ask the Father to open your eyes to see His Son – maybe it will be where you least expect to find Him.

Prayer: Father, open the eyes of my heart Lord to see Jesus in fresh ways and in fresh places during this Christmas season and always. Amen.

Pastor Tom Pieper
First published in Advent 2015
In memoriam