Episode 24, "The Road to Bethlehem" featuring Andrea and Maureen

Charles George Missions Presents Day 23, “The Road to Bethlehem” 

Hello and welcome to Day 24, of our Christmas Podcast entitled, “The Road to Bethlehem.” Today we are going to talk about the prophecies of Christ’s birth with a specific focus on Bethlehem. We will start our presentation with two Christmas memory shares from Andrea of Ohio, and Maureen of Iowa, followed by a commentary on their contributions.

 If you are joining us for the first time, we invite you to listen to our previous daily podcasts which began on December 1st. These podcasts are brought to encourage you and to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Stay with us to the end to hear Christmas music and announcements.

This is Stephanie Wright. Let’s get started.

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Transcript

Charles George Missions Presents Day 23, “The Road to Bethlehem” 

Hello and welcome to Day 24, of our Christmas Podcast entitled, “The Road to Bethlehem.” Today we are going to talk about the prophecies of Christ’s birth with a specific focus on Bethlehem. We will start our presentation with two Christmas memory shares from Andrea of Ohio, and Maureen of Iowa, followed by a commentary on their contributions.

 If you are joining us for the first time, we invite you to listen to our previous daily podcasts which began on December 1st. These podcasts are brought to encourage you and to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Stay with us to the end to hear Christmas music and announcements.

This is Stephanie Wright. Let’s get started.

 This is Andrea D.’s Christmas Memory Share

My favorite Christmas memory is being a part of the Christmas productions.

Whether community or church productions. Bringing joy and putting smiles on people’s faces gives me great satisfaction.
 
Thank you, Andrea.

 This is Maureen’s Christmas Memory Share

As much as I enjoy the rituals, music, lights, and food of Christmas, it is the absence of all those things that is my favorite Christmas memory that I continue to enjoy. The silence. I was young when I first noticed this as we drove through empty streets to midnight services. The next morning when the house was filled with celebration – the space outside was so still. As a child, I soon discovered that this remarkable quiet did not occur around other religious or national holidays. As an adult, I know that are rational explanations too. I’ve even had to admit to myself that Jesus was not born into peaceful silence since the roads and inns were filled with travelers. Nonetheless, on Christmas, I still step outside and stand in the silence to think about the birth of Jesus and the generations of people of faith who included my parents and now me and suddenly feel very small again.
 
 Commentary

Thank you, Andrea and Maureen. Both of these ladies are an inspiration for today’s podcast on Bethlehem. Andrea because she loves to sing (and she has a beautiful voice by the way) and she has also directed major Christmas productions. And Maureen because she got me to thinking about Bethlehem and how it could not really have been such a “Silent Night.” Also, even though Maureen did not mention it, she and her husband board rescue horses and take care of other animals on their farm, so naturally, I thought about the stable where Jesus was born, hence Maureen and her husband Russ’s barn. 

“The Road to Bethlehem”

 Now, let’s talk about Bethlehem. 

Bethlehem was a busy city. After all, according to the Bible, there was a census and people were coming from all parts of the country to be registered. Furthermore, there was no room in the inn for Mary and Joseph even though Mary was “great” with child (Luke 2:5). (Man, she was probably big as a house and they couldn’t find a room for her? But I do digress.) In other words, all the hotels were filled, so you know things were hectic. Nevertheless, prophecy was fulfilled in Christ being born in Bethlehem. Micah, 5:2 reads, “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.” Thus, God spoke through his prophet, Micah some 700 years earlier, and declared Bethlehem to be the city chosen for our Savior’s birth. 

 It is fitting that Bethlehem is the city of his birth because its name signifies “House of Bread’” and Jesus is the “Bread of Life.” In John 6:35, Jesus proclaimed himself the “True Bread from Heaven” and the “Bread of God” which came down from heaven, to give life to the world. 
 John 6:32‑33. He further said that whoever came to Him would never hunger and never thirst. John 6:35.

 Bethlehem was also known as the City of David and Jesus was called the “Son of David.” This title was based on promises made by God to David that David’s throne would be established forever. (2 Samuel 7:12‑13; Psalm 89:3‑4; Isaiah 9:6‑7). This is accomplished only through Christ who will return to earth and sit on the throne of David to rule eternally. Isaiah 9:7 There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. Matthew 25:31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Revelation 11:15, I Kings 2:45, Luke 1:33; Hebrews 1:8.

 I am sure there is much more we could say about Bethlehem, but we will make only one more final point. Bethlehem has an interesting history when it comes to water. Jesus said we would never thirst nor hunger if we came to Him. Bethlehem was also known for its aquifers (a system that naturally filters groundwater). Bethlehem’s water system was a major source of and played a critical role in providing water to Jerusalem. Thus, Jesus was also born in a city that signified Him and the Holy Spirit as the living water. John 4:10, John 7:37‑39 (referencing the Holy Spirit). 

 There are some who doubt the biblical account of Christ’s birth yet offer no definitive proof of His being born other than in Bethlehem. I count myself among the believers and stand in total amazement at how God orchestrated the convergence of lives and events that led to His son’s holy, divine birth. For example, God knew a young girl would say “yes” to being His son’s mother; Joseph would be espoused to Mary and say “yes” to being Jesus’ earthly father; and according to the Bible, the Roman government would require Joseph to return to his ancestral home, Bethlehem, when Jesus was to be born. And all this would occur at just that time to fulfill Micah’s and other prophecies of Christ’s birth. 

God paved the way to Bethlehem more than 2,000 years ago for Jesus’ birth. He paves the way every day for you and me to our Bethlehem, to our Bread of Life, and our Living Water. My prayer is that this Christmas if you do not know Jesus, the Bread of Life and Living Water, you will get to know Him. And if you do know Him, you will commit to walking that Bethlehem journey daily for fresh bread and the only water to quench your thirsty soul. And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. John 6:35