Msg#2549 O Little Town of Bethlehem
What The Bible Says
Good Samaritan’s Penny Pulpit by Pastor Ed Rice
O little town of Bethlehem, Bethlehem meaning “House of bread”, where the bread of life was to be born; also called Ephratrah, meaning “Out of ashes comes fruitfulness,” where Israel’s Rachel died in childbirth bringing Benjamin into the world (Gen35:18). Yet in the dark streets shineth the everlasting light, Jesus said it, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. … As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world, … the night cometh, when no man can work” (Jhn.8:12,9:4-5). Christ, in Hebrew, Messiah, meaning, “God’s Anointed One;” is born of Mary, NOT the “mother of God”, but the mother of JESUS which means Savior, “for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matt.1:21).
So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of his heaven. We were in the little town of Bethlehem in 2022 and have pictures of 10 church steeples, not one of those churches can, “Impart to human hearts the blessings of heaven.” In fact, judging from their names, not one is preaching the saved-by-grace, you-must-be-born-again gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ!
David wanted water from the well of Bethlehem (2Sam.23:15), but there was a Garrison of Philistines guarding it; they are still there, Jews are not allowed past the PLO checkpoint, but because of the Savior’s birth in Bethlehem, his death for the condemned, his burial and resurrection, Christ can give Living Water. “Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life” (Jhn.4:14). The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.
An Essay for week #49, Dec 7, 25
Msg in audio at www.GSBaptistChurch.com/audio/gs251207.mp3
Visit in Memory of www.gsbaptistchurch.com/audio/Evang_Mike_Patterson.html
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A weekly 300 word essay- The Penny Pulpit
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