The Humble Exalted In Baby Jesus! Micah 5 2 5
Series: Christmas Sermons - Old Testament
December 25, 2024
Rev. Nathan J. Rusert
Christmas Day, The Nativity of Our Lord 25-December-2025 Sermon Text: Micah 5:2-5a Sermon Theme: The Humble Exalted In Baby Jesus! I. Little Bethlehem Is Exalted By The Eternal King! (Vs.2). II. The Little Remnant Is Safely Gathered From Exile! (Vs.3) III. The Shepherd King Ever Lives To Feed Us Peace! (Vs.4-5) by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert.
Episode Notes
Christmas Day, The Nativity of Our Lord 25-December-2025
Sermon Text: Micah 5:2-5a
Sermon Theme: The Humble Exalted In Baby Jesus! I. Little Bethlehem Is Exalted By The Eternal King! (Vs.2). II. The Little Remnant Is Safely Gathered From Exile! (Vs.3) III. The Shepherd King Ever Lives To Feed Us Peace! (Vs.4-5) by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert.
I.N.R.I. “Who is like Yahweh?” “Who is like The Lord?” that is what the name of the prophet Micah means. Micah was from the sticks when the Lord God called him to preach His Word. He records: Mic 1:1 The word of the LORD that came to Micah of Moresheth in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem. Moresheth was a smaller village, near Gath a small town about twenty miles southwest of Jerusalem. It’s like being from Evanston, or New Boston - near Troy.
Micah is classified as one of the “minor prophets,” not because the Word of God he preached wasn’t just as important as that of his contemporary Isaiah preached. The minor prophets books are shorter. Micah’s book is only seven chapters long in our English translations, while Isaiah’s is sixty-six chapters long. The Lord God tirelessly sent His Word forth through His prophets in Micah’s day. The prophet Amos was sent to preach to the northern kingdom of Israel. Hosea was called to preach to both Israel and to the southern kingdom of Judah. Isaiah preached in Jerusalem to both kingdoms, as did Micah. They all preached the Word of God the Holy Spirit breathed into them and recorded it in writing for our learning as we live awaiting Jesus’ final advent in glory.
The Lord God sent forth an angelic preacher to humble Bethlehem shepherds on the night Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary. Rejoice that He still sends forth preachers to bring you the gift of His saving Word within His Church. The men, trained, called, ordained, and sent may change - their message never does: Luk 2:10-12 Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. (11) For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. (12) And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger."
Therefore this blessed Christmas morn. Listen to the message proclaimed over seven centuries before Jesus’ birth, yet echoed by the angelic preacher: The Humble Exalted In Baby Jesus! I. Little Bethlehem Is Exalted By The Eternal King! (Vs.2). II. The Little Remnant Is Safely Gathered From Exile! (Vs.3) III. The Shepherd King Ever Lives To Feed Us Peace! (Vs.4-5)
I. “O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie.”paints an idyllic picture of this small town about five miles from Jerusalem in our minds. In the first six books of our Holy Bible Bethlehem is mentioned a few times only in passing. With the book of Judges that changes – and not in a good way. In the final section of this Rated-R-for-Violence book, we have two stories, both repugnant, both associated with Bethlehem. In Judges 17 we learn of a Levitical priest for hire that hails from this small town. He does nothing good, but offers his services to the one who will pay him the most. First he endorses the idolatry of a man who stole from his mother. Then when a horde from Dan come looting the country side - he goes with them since the pay is better. We discover in Judges 18 that the priest for hire is the grandson of Moses - a Bethlehemite named Jonathan.
The second is even more repugnant, recorded in Judges 19-21, and involves a Levite and his concubine a woman from Bethlehem. She’s unfaithful to him, returns home. He woos her to come back with him and on the way stop overnight in Gibeah. The perverted men of the city demand the Levite to abuse, instead he hands over his concubine and she dies the next morning. There’s more to this nightmarish story, but you get the point. If the first narrative was about a cult, idolatry, theft, and the actions of a corrupt priest, this second is about a Levite with a heart of ice, a beastly mob of murderous rapists, and a poor girl without hope or life or even a decent burial.
Bethlehem’s redemption begins in the time of Judges, in the book of Ruth. Naomi returns home after the death of her husband and two sons. Her daughter-in-law Ruth will not forsake her. She follows the God of Israel and wants to spend her days caring for her mother-in-law. A wealthy relative Boaz takes notice of Ruth, marries her, and the Lord blessed them with a son they name “Obed”. History records, Rth 4:17 Also the neighbor women gave him a name, saying, "There is a son born to Naomi." And they called his name Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David. Israel and Judah turned away from the only true and living God to idolatry, theft, perversion, and corruption of the priesthood. They wanted prophets for hire preaching a theology of glory. They perverted the golden rule to mean, “He who has the gold makes the rules.” The poor were abused, the rich lived in luxury. God moved to judge both nations.
Instead of mighty Zion - Jerusalem - the stronghold of David. The Lord would begin again from Jesse’s roots in the little hick town of Bethlehem. Hear the Word of the Lord! (Vs.2) Fast forward at least a year after Jesus’ birth - when the wisemen from the east came seeking the One born King of the Jews they went to Jerusalem - it was the city of kings! Wicked King Herod, a descendant of Esau, couldn’t tolerate competition. History records: Mat 2:4-6 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. (5) So they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: (6) 'BUT YOU, BETHLEHEM, IN THE LAND OF JUDAH, ARE NOT THE LEAST AMONG THE RULERS OF JUDAH; FOR OUT OF YOU SHALL COME A RULER WHO WILL SHEPHERD MY PEOPLE ISRAEL.' “
You cannot find Jesus, the only Savior of sinners, apart from God’s Word. You don’t know Who Jesus, the Son of the Virgin Mary is, apart from the written Word of God. False teachers turn you to trust your feelings, a burning in the bosom, apart from the sixty-six books of the Holy Bible. Beth - means house. Lechem - means bread. Bethlehem means “House of Bread” for it was a rural farming town. “Ephrathah” means fruitful the Lord God blessed their crop land. Bethlehem was little among all the cities of Judah. God the Holy Spirit teaches, 1Co 1:27-29 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; (28) and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, (29) that no flesh should glory in His presence.
From the little town of Bethlehem - God would be born in our human flesh. He comes forth of the Virgin to obey His Father’s will in perfect humility. He is the eternal King promised to David. His Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom. He the eternally begotten Son of the Father. David’s grandfather “Obed’s” name means “Servant.” Jesus, although He is the eternal God, takes on our flesh to serve sinners. The humble are exalted in the Baby Boy born of the Virgin Mary and laid in a stone feeding trough in a cave stable in Bethlehem.
Humble yourself! Stop seeking to save self by your works to earn God’s favor. Instead confess your sins! Look only to Baby Jesus - in Him alone is the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior found!
He exalts humble sinners washing you forgiven in His blood flowing from His cross! Renewing, regenerating you by His Holy Spirit through baptismal waters sealing upon you the victory of Easter! Humbly kneel before Jesus - He draws near to you - wrapped in the swaddling clothes of His Word preached, baptism poured, His body and blood concealed in bread and wine at His feast of reconciliation. He feeds the humble on the food of immortality - His living flesh and blood! Come to Him as a sinner, let Him alone be your Savior!
II. Pastor Titus was called to serve a congregation of people described by one of their own as, “Tit 1:12 ,,,, always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons."..And they were Cretans, not Germans, or Americans. God’s loving kindness doesn’t save perfect people. The fallacy of fallen sons of Adam is that we can earn God’s favor, find our own way back to godhood. It is a spiritual lie that Satan promotes. It is God’s mercy alone in Jesus that saves sinners gathering us into His Church. (Vs.3) The kingdom of David would cease, until Jesus was born. Herod the Great feared Jesus’ usurping his throne. Jesus didn’t come to overthrow earthly governments. He overthrows the prince of darkness by His Holy precious blood and His innocent suffering and death upon the cross. He reclaims us as His own in baptism. He clothes us with His righteousness, innocence, and blessedness - life in His Kingdom - the Church. He gathers a remnant - not a majority - but an eternal communion by grace through faith in His work alone!
III. David, grandson of Obed, son of Jesse - served his family as a humble shepherd. Then the Lord called and anointed him to be king of Israel through the prophet Samuel. Of Jesus David confessed, “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.”(Ps. 23)
Behold the little precious Lamb born of the Virgin Mary - our eternal loving Shepherd King! (Vs4-5) Examine the promise God makes to you of Jesus here through the prophet Micah through David’s hymn of praise - the 23rd Psalm. Jesus crucified for our sins - is raised ever declaring you forgiven! He stands - King ruling over heaven and earth to feed you on the green pastures of His Word beside the still waters of His sacraments within His Church - the local congregation. His strength safely walks by your side in the dark shadowy death filled valley of our dying world. His Name gathers you together in His mighty fortress to feast you upon His overflowing cup of forgiveness - anointing you sons of the King in baptism oil and the healing balm of absolution. In Him we abide safely protected form Satan, the world, and especially our old fallen flesh. Our help is the Name of the Lord - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit who made heaven and earth!
In Him our Brother and our God - the Lord abides with us - as we journey through death to life eternal. He chases us with His goodness and mercy within His Church all the days of our pilgrimage - until He brings us through death and the grave to the resurrection of our bodies and the life of the world to come! He is Peace! Your Peace! Yesterday, today, and forever!
Micah - “Who Is Yahweh?” He is the Son of God. He is the Son of Man. Eternally begotten of the Father’s love within the Godhead as the Holy Spirit proceeds through Them. Conceived by the Holy Spirit into our flesh in the womb of the Virgin Mary through the promise preached by the angel Gabriel. He is One with you - to save His people - you and I - from our sins! Amen.
Sermon Text: Micah 5:2-5a
Sermon Theme: The Humble Exalted In Baby Jesus! I. Little Bethlehem Is Exalted By The Eternal King! (Vs.2). II. The Little Remnant Is Safely Gathered From Exile! (Vs.3) III. The Shepherd King Ever Lives To Feed Us Peace! (Vs.4-5) by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert.
I.N.R.I. “Who is like Yahweh?” “Who is like The Lord?” that is what the name of the prophet Micah means. Micah was from the sticks when the Lord God called him to preach His Word. He records: Mic 1:1 The word of the LORD that came to Micah of Moresheth in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem. Moresheth was a smaller village, near Gath a small town about twenty miles southwest of Jerusalem. It’s like being from Evanston, or New Boston - near Troy.
Micah is classified as one of the “minor prophets,” not because the Word of God he preached wasn’t just as important as that of his contemporary Isaiah preached. The minor prophets books are shorter. Micah’s book is only seven chapters long in our English translations, while Isaiah’s is sixty-six chapters long. The Lord God tirelessly sent His Word forth through His prophets in Micah’s day. The prophet Amos was sent to preach to the northern kingdom of Israel. Hosea was called to preach to both Israel and to the southern kingdom of Judah. Isaiah preached in Jerusalem to both kingdoms, as did Micah. They all preached the Word of God the Holy Spirit breathed into them and recorded it in writing for our learning as we live awaiting Jesus’ final advent in glory.
The Lord God sent forth an angelic preacher to humble Bethlehem shepherds on the night Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary. Rejoice that He still sends forth preachers to bring you the gift of His saving Word within His Church. The men, trained, called, ordained, and sent may change - their message never does: Luk 2:10-12 Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. (11) For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. (12) And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger."
Therefore this blessed Christmas morn. Listen to the message proclaimed over seven centuries before Jesus’ birth, yet echoed by the angelic preacher: The Humble Exalted In Baby Jesus! I. Little Bethlehem Is Exalted By The Eternal King! (Vs.2). II. The Little Remnant Is Safely Gathered From Exile! (Vs.3) III. The Shepherd King Ever Lives To Feed Us Peace! (Vs.4-5)
I. “O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie.”paints an idyllic picture of this small town about five miles from Jerusalem in our minds. In the first six books of our Holy Bible Bethlehem is mentioned a few times only in passing. With the book of Judges that changes – and not in a good way. In the final section of this Rated-R-for-Violence book, we have two stories, both repugnant, both associated with Bethlehem. In Judges 17 we learn of a Levitical priest for hire that hails from this small town. He does nothing good, but offers his services to the one who will pay him the most. First he endorses the idolatry of a man who stole from his mother. Then when a horde from Dan come looting the country side - he goes with them since the pay is better. We discover in Judges 18 that the priest for hire is the grandson of Moses - a Bethlehemite named Jonathan.
The second is even more repugnant, recorded in Judges 19-21, and involves a Levite and his concubine a woman from Bethlehem. She’s unfaithful to him, returns home. He woos her to come back with him and on the way stop overnight in Gibeah. The perverted men of the city demand the Levite to abuse, instead he hands over his concubine and she dies the next morning. There’s more to this nightmarish story, but you get the point. If the first narrative was about a cult, idolatry, theft, and the actions of a corrupt priest, this second is about a Levite with a heart of ice, a beastly mob of murderous rapists, and a poor girl without hope or life or even a decent burial.
Bethlehem’s redemption begins in the time of Judges, in the book of Ruth. Naomi returns home after the death of her husband and two sons. Her daughter-in-law Ruth will not forsake her. She follows the God of Israel and wants to spend her days caring for her mother-in-law. A wealthy relative Boaz takes notice of Ruth, marries her, and the Lord blessed them with a son they name “Obed”. History records, Rth 4:17 Also the neighbor women gave him a name, saying, "There is a son born to Naomi." And they called his name Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David. Israel and Judah turned away from the only true and living God to idolatry, theft, perversion, and corruption of the priesthood. They wanted prophets for hire preaching a theology of glory. They perverted the golden rule to mean, “He who has the gold makes the rules.” The poor were abused, the rich lived in luxury. God moved to judge both nations.
Instead of mighty Zion - Jerusalem - the stronghold of David. The Lord would begin again from Jesse’s roots in the little hick town of Bethlehem. Hear the Word of the Lord! (Vs.2) Fast forward at least a year after Jesus’ birth - when the wisemen from the east came seeking the One born King of the Jews they went to Jerusalem - it was the city of kings! Wicked King Herod, a descendant of Esau, couldn’t tolerate competition. History records: Mat 2:4-6 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. (5) So they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: (6) 'BUT YOU, BETHLEHEM, IN THE LAND OF JUDAH, ARE NOT THE LEAST AMONG THE RULERS OF JUDAH; FOR OUT OF YOU SHALL COME A RULER WHO WILL SHEPHERD MY PEOPLE ISRAEL.' “
You cannot find Jesus, the only Savior of sinners, apart from God’s Word. You don’t know Who Jesus, the Son of the Virgin Mary is, apart from the written Word of God. False teachers turn you to trust your feelings, a burning in the bosom, apart from the sixty-six books of the Holy Bible. Beth - means house. Lechem - means bread. Bethlehem means “House of Bread” for it was a rural farming town. “Ephrathah” means fruitful the Lord God blessed their crop land. Bethlehem was little among all the cities of Judah. God the Holy Spirit teaches, 1Co 1:27-29 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; (28) and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, (29) that no flesh should glory in His presence.
From the little town of Bethlehem - God would be born in our human flesh. He comes forth of the Virgin to obey His Father’s will in perfect humility. He is the eternal King promised to David. His Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom. He the eternally begotten Son of the Father. David’s grandfather “Obed’s” name means “Servant.” Jesus, although He is the eternal God, takes on our flesh to serve sinners. The humble are exalted in the Baby Boy born of the Virgin Mary and laid in a stone feeding trough in a cave stable in Bethlehem.
Humble yourself! Stop seeking to save self by your works to earn God’s favor. Instead confess your sins! Look only to Baby Jesus - in Him alone is the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior found!
He exalts humble sinners washing you forgiven in His blood flowing from His cross! Renewing, regenerating you by His Holy Spirit through baptismal waters sealing upon you the victory of Easter! Humbly kneel before Jesus - He draws near to you - wrapped in the swaddling clothes of His Word preached, baptism poured, His body and blood concealed in bread and wine at His feast of reconciliation. He feeds the humble on the food of immortality - His living flesh and blood! Come to Him as a sinner, let Him alone be your Savior!
II. Pastor Titus was called to serve a congregation of people described by one of their own as, “Tit 1:12 ,,,, always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons."..And they were Cretans, not Germans, or Americans. God’s loving kindness doesn’t save perfect people. The fallacy of fallen sons of Adam is that we can earn God’s favor, find our own way back to godhood. It is a spiritual lie that Satan promotes. It is God’s mercy alone in Jesus that saves sinners gathering us into His Church. (Vs.3) The kingdom of David would cease, until Jesus was born. Herod the Great feared Jesus’ usurping his throne. Jesus didn’t come to overthrow earthly governments. He overthrows the prince of darkness by His Holy precious blood and His innocent suffering and death upon the cross. He reclaims us as His own in baptism. He clothes us with His righteousness, innocence, and blessedness - life in His Kingdom - the Church. He gathers a remnant - not a majority - but an eternal communion by grace through faith in His work alone!
III. David, grandson of Obed, son of Jesse - served his family as a humble shepherd. Then the Lord called and anointed him to be king of Israel through the prophet Samuel. Of Jesus David confessed, “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.”(Ps. 23)
Behold the little precious Lamb born of the Virgin Mary - our eternal loving Shepherd King! (Vs4-5) Examine the promise God makes to you of Jesus here through the prophet Micah through David’s hymn of praise - the 23rd Psalm. Jesus crucified for our sins - is raised ever declaring you forgiven! He stands - King ruling over heaven and earth to feed you on the green pastures of His Word beside the still waters of His sacraments within His Church - the local congregation. His strength safely walks by your side in the dark shadowy death filled valley of our dying world. His Name gathers you together in His mighty fortress to feast you upon His overflowing cup of forgiveness - anointing you sons of the King in baptism oil and the healing balm of absolution. In Him we abide safely protected form Satan, the world, and especially our old fallen flesh. Our help is the Name of the Lord - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit who made heaven and earth!
In Him our Brother and our God - the Lord abides with us - as we journey through death to life eternal. He chases us with His goodness and mercy within His Church all the days of our pilgrimage - until He brings us through death and the grave to the resurrection of our bodies and the life of the world to come! He is Peace! Your Peace! Yesterday, today, and forever!
Micah - “Who Is Yahweh?” He is the Son of God. He is the Son of Man. Eternally begotten of the Father’s love within the Godhead as the Holy Spirit proceeds through Them. Conceived by the Holy Spirit into our flesh in the womb of the Virgin Mary through the promise preached by the angel Gabriel. He is One with you - to save His people - you and I - from our sins! Amen.
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