O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see the 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 Little Town Of Bethlehem, 1868, Phillips Brooks

This carol was written by Phillips Brooks (1835–1893), an Episcopal priest. According to the story, Brooks traveled on horseback between Jerusalem and Bethlehem on Christmas Eve in 1865. “Before dark, we rode out of town to the field where they say the shepherds saw the star . . . Somewhere in those fields, we rode through, the shepherds must have been. As we passed, the shepherds were still ‘keeping watch over their flocks,’ or leading them home to fold.” 

Brooks participated in the Christmas Eve service that night. The service lasted from 10 P.M. to 3 A.M.!”

The tune also has a story. Lewis Rednar was the organist at the church where Phillips Brooks served. He writes, “As Christmas of 1868 approached, Mr. Brooks told me that he had written a simple little carol for the Christmas Sunday-school service, and he asked me to write the tune to it. The simple music was written in great haste and under great pressure. Neither Mr. Brooks nor I ever thought the carol or the music to it would live beyond that Christmas of 1868.”

We will not miss the hope presented in this simple carol today. We will see it and be changed. 

Hope Is Here!

Luke 2:4-7 (NLT) And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. 5 He took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now expecting a child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. 7 She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped Him snugly in strips of cloth and laid Him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.

Bethlehem had a Visitor that Night. Almost no one noticed. It could have flown under the radar. This simple but beautiful carol captures the image of a city lost in its challenges. An ordinary couple wanders into town. Only the innkeepers even meet them we suppose. There was kindness. It wasn’t much, but it ended up kind of perfect.

There was No Room for Hope in Bethlehem. There was no room for hope because there was no room for light in the darkness. The politics and the government were harsh. That’s the only reason they were there. Life was hard. Such times make for hard, cynical, and hopeless people. There was no room for hope because there was no room for another needy person. But, that didn’t stop hope. Hope still came to Bethlehem. Hope still came to the world.

What the World Calls a Crisis, God Makes an Opportunity for Hope. This was a crisis pregnancy. Hope often comes wrapped in another crisis. God showing up tends to create a crisis for us. But His purpose is always the same; He intends to bring the hope of Jesus into our world through us.

Unless, Of Course, Hope Is There

Luke 2:15-16 (NLT)  When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” 16 They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger.

Why Did the Angels Go to The Outsiders? God likes the underdog. If he rooted for football, he would probably be a “______” fan. (You fill in the blank). Jesus walked among the simple people of the day, the ordinary people.

1 Corinthians 1:27 (NLT) Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. 

Do you see that God cares about you here? You might be the black sheep of your family, the failure, the hot mess. It doesn’t matter. God sent the message to you. THERE IS HOPE. There is hope for you. There is light for the present darkness.

Why Did the Outsiders Go into Town? They went into town because that is where the hope was. The Angels were in the field. And of course, that was very cool. But, the hope that had come was in town. In a barn in town. Not in the fields.

What a ruckus!  In the middle of the night, a squad of shepherds comes running through the streets of Bethlehem. Were they knocking on doors? How loudly did they ask around? How would you have felt about answering that door?

How Far Would You Go For Hope? What would you give up for hope? What if hope meant that you had to leave some things behind? Is real hope worth time on your calendar? Is it worth your reputation? Is it worth being misunderstood? Is it worth being disliked, or even hated? What would you change for Hope?

Conclusion: Never Lose Hope

Luke 2:17-20 (NLT) After seeing Him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. 18 All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, 19 but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. 20 The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.

Keep the Hope. Mary kept this night very close and thought about it often. I bet raising Jesus was weird. AND being the Mother of God’s Son!? Talk about pressure. And don’t forget the prophecy. “A sword will pierce your heart also.” I bet when Isaiah 53 was read in the synagogue, she struggled.

Share the Hope. These crazy shepherds were outsiders, but unafraid to say, “I know what I saw.  I know what I experienced that night.”

There is Hope. No matter how dark the times, or how desperate the season, there is real hope. And, this hope can be yours. Do you have hope today?