Matthew 2 4 18 Bethlehem Matthew 2 4

Matthew 2 : 4 -18 Bethlehem

Matthew 2: 4 -18 “When King Herod had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. "In Bethlehem in Judea, " they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written: " 'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel. '”

Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him. " After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.

When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. "Get up, " he said, "take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him. ” So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: "Out of Egypt I called my son. ”

When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: "A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more. "

Bethlehem Genesis 35: 19 “So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). ”

Jacob and Rachel – Genesis 29, Christ’s marriage (to the Church) – Revelations 19.

Some of us may not know Jesus as our Lord yet – would you not accept His love and love Him back ? Those of us who do look to Jesus as our Savior – would you not honor Him and live your life in a way worthy of Him ?

Ruth & Naomi (Ruth’s mother-in-law)

Ruth 1: 16 & 17 “Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. ”

Ruth 4: 11 -12 “Then the elders and all those at the gate said, "We are witnesses. May the LORD make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you have standing in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem. Through the offspring the LORD gives you by this young woman, may your family be like that of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah. ”,

God looks with favor on those who are loyal, to the point of making a sacrifice. We also learn that God blesses those who are willing to make that proclamation – “the Creator God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, will be my God. ”

Redemption and Adoption Ruth 4: 7 -10 “(Now in earlier times in Israel, for the redemption and transfer of property to become final, one party took off his sandal and gave it to the other. This was the method of legalizing transactions in Israel. ) So the kinsmanredeemer said to Boaz, "Buy it yourself. " And he removed his sandal. Then Boaz announced to the elders and all the people, "Today you are witnesses that I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelech, Kilion and Mahlon. I have also acquired Ruth the Moabitess, Mahlon's widow, as my wife, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property, so that his name will not disappear from among his family or from the town records. Today you are witnesses!" ”

Redemption and Adoption Ruth 4: 7 -10 Ruth 4: 13 “(Now in earlier times in Israel, for the redemption and “So Boaz took Ruth andfinal, sheonebecame transfer of property to become party tookhis off his wife. and Then to. This her, and the of sandal gave he it towent the other. was the method legalizing transactionsher in Israel. ) So the kinsman. LORD enabled to conceive, and she redeemer said to Boaz, "Buy it yourself. " And he gave birth to a son. ” removed his sandal. Then Boaz announced to the elders and all the people, "Today you are witnesses that I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelech, Kilion and Mahlon. I have also acquired Ruth the Moabitess, Mahlon's widow, as my wife, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property, so that his name will not disappear from among his family or from the town records. Today you are witnesses!" ”

Redemption and Adoption, part 2 Ruth 4: 14 -17 “The women said to Naomi: "Praise be to the LORD, who this day has not left you without a kinsmanredeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel! He will renew your life and sustain your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth. " Then Naomi took the child, laid him in her lap and cared for him. The women living there said, "Naomi has a son. " And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David. ”

2 Samuel 23: 14 -17 “At that time David was in the stronghold, and the Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem. David longed for water and said, "Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!" So the three mighty men broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out before the LORD. "Far be it from me, O LORD, to do this!" he said. "Is it not the blood of men who went at the risk of their lives? " And David would not drink it. ”

Micah 5: 2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times. ”

Micah 5: 2 “But you, Bethlehem (= House of Bread) though you are small among the clans of Judah, of you will come for me Johnout 6: 33 will of be God ruler is over “Forone thewho bread He. Israel, who comes down whose origins are from of old, from heaven and gives life to the world. ” from ancient times. ” John 6: 35 “Then Jesus declared, "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. ”

Micah 5: 2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah (= Fruitfulness), though you are small among the clans of Judah, of you will come for me Johnout 15: 8 one who will be ruler over Israel, are fromglory, of old, that you bear “Thiswhose is to origins my Father's fromfruit, ancient times. ” yourselves to be my much showing disciples. ”

we can bear fruit for Christ by : 1. Loving God even if it costs us dearly 2. Being Loyal to God and to the people of God 3. Giving God our best

we can bear fruit for Christ by : 1. Loving God even if it costs us dearly 2. Being Loyal to God and to the people of God 3. Giving God our best a. Before we can love God, we must accept that He loves us deeply

we can bear fruit for Christ by : 1. Loving God even if it costs us dearly 2. Being Loyal to God and to the people of God 3. Giving God our best a. Before we can love God, we must accept that He loves us deeply b. Then we move on to start knowing God * You have the Bible – read it

we can bear fruit for Christ by : 1. Loving God even if it costs us dearly 2. Being Loyal to God and to the people of God 3. Giving God our best a. Before we can love God, we must accept that He loves us deeply b. Then we move on to start knowing God * You have the Bible – read it * Involve God in your life – through Prayer

we can bear fruit for Christ by : 1. Loving God even if it costs us dearly 2. Being Loyal to God and to the people of God 3. Giving God our best a. Before we can love God, we must accept that He loves us deeply b. Then we move on to start knowing God c. Take steps (whether baby or big) of faith in response to God’s Word

we can bear fruit for Christ by : a. Before. God weeven can iflove God, we must accept 1. Loving it costs us dearly that. Loyal He loves deeply 2. Being to Godus and to the people of God 3. our beston b. Giving Then God we move to start knowing God c. Take steps (whether baby or big) of faith in response to God’s Word d. Through it all, we will experience the blessings of God. As our love for God grows, we will continue to act in obedience – and so we will bear even more fruits for Jesus

If we are not aware of Him, it is not because He is not with us. It is, in part, because our consciousness is so under the influence of other interests that it cannot turn to Him with the loving attention which might soon discern Him.

That is the persisted failure of the consciousness that is not freed. It can be so preoccupied by lesser realities that it does not sense the presence of the divine Reality surrounding and sustaining your very breath.

Something therefore has to take place to end that absorption in other affairs, so that the consciousness can turn its attention to God.

It is a tragic life that becomes conscious of God only in those events that shatter our worldly thoughts and dreams and compel us to recognize God’s presence and activity.

What makes life splendid is the constant awareness of God. What transforms our spirit into His likeness is intimate fellowship with the Holy Spirit. We are saved – from our pettiness, our earthiness, selfishness and sin – by an intentional communion with God’s love, greatness and holiness.

Matthew 2 : 4 -18 Bethlehem