It's The Small Things

“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.”

-from Micah 5:2-5a

"He has brought down rulers from their thrones

but has lifted up the humble."

-from Luke 1:39-55

This is the fourth week of our Advent 2024 series, "The Weary World Rejoices." 

Find our livestream and archive of previous sermons on our church center channel.

"Everything is backwards in Luke's story, and that's the point. He is showing how God's Kingdom was first revealed in these dirty places, among the poor because Jesus is here to bring salvation by turning our world order upside down."

- Luke 1 -2, The Bible Project

One rarely thinks of Paul's message to the Corinthians as a Christmas passage. But whenever I read 1 Corinthians 1, I think of this famous Christmas story in Luke.

In that letter, Paul writes of God's people:

"God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him."

- 1 Corinthians 1:27-29 (NIV)

We do not need to look further than these first chapters of Luke to see that Paul is correct about Paul's habit. God chooses Bethlehem, the beleaguered small backwater of Bethlehem under Roman rule; he silences the priest Zachariah's doubt; God welcomes the questions of poor Mary.

The peace of God comes and turns our expectations and, even more, it turns the whole world upside down.

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Reflection Questions:

Using the pattern of Paul in 1 Corinthians, we might say God chose the small things over the large to bring Peace on Earth.

1. Read Luke 1:5-38. Compare Zechariah and Mary.

   1. How would you describe Zechariah and Mary?

      - Is one in a position of more influence than the other?

   2. What are each of them told?

      - How would you describe their response?
      

2. Now, read Luke 1:39-80. Zechariah and Mary both sing songs.

   
   

   a. Mary's song says of God: "He has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly." (v 51-53). Where can we see evidence of this in the Christmas story?

   
   

   b. Zechariah's song says of God, "[He] has remembered his holy covenant, the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham to grant us that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies, might serve him without fear." (NRSV, v. 73-75). Where can we see evidence of this in the Christmas story?
   

3. What does God choosing Israel, choosing Bethlehem, choosing Mary, tell us about the purpose and character of God? What does it tell us about God, that this is how salvation comes? (Take a look at the video at the top of the post, if you would like more background information).