The fourth lesson: The prophet Micah foretells the glory of little Bethlehem
But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,are only a small village among all the people of Judah.
Yet a ruler of Israel will come from you,
one whose origins are from the distant past.
The people of Israel will be abandoned to their enemies
until the woman in labor gives birth.
Then at last his fellow countrymen
will return from exile to their own land.
And he will stand to lead his flock with the Lord’s strength,
in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
Then his people will live there undisturbed,
for he will be highly honored around the world.
O Little Town of Bethlehem
Phillip Brooks, 1867
O little town of Bethlehem
How still we see thee lie
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting light
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight.
O morning stars together
Proclaim the holy birth
And praises sing to God the King
And peace to men on Earth
For Christ is born of Mary
And gathered all above
While mortals sleep, the angels keep
Their watch of wond'ring love.
How silently, how silently
The wondrous gift is given
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of his heav'n
No ear may hear his coming
But in this world of sin
Where meek souls will receive him still
The dear Christ enters in.
O holy Child of Bethlehem
Descend to us, we pray
Cast out our sin, and enter in
Be born in us today
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell
O come to us, abide with us
Our Lord Emmanuel!
"An Unfinished Story" is based off of a bulletin from a church service I attended in South Africa. I will give credit to individuals throughout the series, but the bulletin is from St. Thomas' Anglican Church, Linden, from the 18th of December 2011 at 6:30 pm. I edited to make it more modern.
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