Text: “And everyone went to his own town to register” (Luke 2:3).
Before God created mankind, he had a plan on the drawing board. His plan was to create an environment in which he would place mankind. The environment would be self-sustaining and man’s primary function would be to communicate with God the Father. After God created man, he created woman as a helpmate for man.
The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him” (Genesis 2:18). God put Adam to sleep and took one of his ribs and from the rib formed woman. Now man had a mate and God had mankind created in his own image. Adam and Eve were placed in a beautiful environment called the “Garden of Eden”.
The Garden of Eden was the first home created on earth and Adam and Eve were privileged to live in this beautiful home. This home had everything anyone could ask for. God provided shelter in the garden as well as many trees with edible fruits. The water supply was plentiful due to a river that flowed through the garden. God placed Adam and Even in the Garden of Eden to work the soil and take care of the garden. There was no need for Adam and Eve to worry about weather conditions, storms, hurricanes, or tornadoes because conditions were like a well-controlled hothouse.
God wanted Adam and Eve to be obedient to him and to one another. God said to them, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die” (Genesis 2:16). At this particular time, there was no such thing as death. Nothing died, nothing rotted, and nothing spoiled.
Adam and Eve had a wonderful setup. It included a beautiful home and a Father who walked with them daily. God not only walked with them, but they also walked with God giving him all the honor and glory he deserved.
Since God created Adam and Eve, he knew their hearts, he knew what they could do, and he knew what they would do, so in his major plan he allotted a minor plan that would take care of what he knew would happen. God did not want puppets on a string, so he gave mankind the privilege of making choices. Satan knew this and convinced Eve that eating from the tree of knowledge and evil was permissible. Satan said to Eve, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:2-3).
Eve not only ate of the fruit, but also convinced Adam to partake of the fruit. It was at this very moment that their home life changed. “Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves” (Genesis 3:7).
This action was the fall of mankind. This was the original sin and this sin caused them to be separated from God and to lose their happy home in the Garden of Eden.
God did not destroy mankind, but he could have. Instead, God put part 2 of his plan into action. This of the plan was to give mankind an opportunity to regain status in God’s eternal home.
Our Scripture reading indicated that an order or decree was sent out from Caesar Augustus to count the people. Caesar Augustus was the emperor of Rome. The Roman Empire extended all over the Mediterranean Sea area all the way over to Britain and eastward into Asia. Under the leadership of Caesar Augustus, the Roman Empire was very wealthy, powerful, and authoritative.
In order for the census or the count to take place, people had to return to their own town to register. Joseph and Mary were from the town of Nazareth which is about 70 miles from Bethlehem where they had to register.
Isaiah said, “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit” (Isaiah 11:1). Jesse was the father of David and the family lived in Bethlehem. The Branch referred to is the Messiah.
The prophet Jeremiah said, “In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David’s line; he will do what is just and right in the land” (Jeremiah 33:15). This verse refers to the first coming of the Messiah who would reign in the hearts of believers.
Ezekiel recorded these words: “My servant David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd. They will follow my laws and be careful to keep my decrees” (Ezekiel 37:24). The Messiah is sometimes referred to or called David because he is David’s descendent. Although David was a good king, he was not perfect like the great King, the Messiah.
I am trying to get you to understand why Joseph and Mary had to go to Bethlehem, their home, to register and be counted. They had to go to Bethlehem because they were both descendents in David’s royal line and David’s home town was Bethlehem. Joseph and Mary had to make the trip from Nazareth in Galilee to Bethlehem of Judea. As you will see, this was also a major part of God’s plan of action.
There were some things the Jews did not have to do for the Roman government, but there were also some things that were mandatory. The Jews did not have to serve in the Roman army, but they did have to pay taxes to the Roman government. This is just like today whereby some people have never served in the military, but nevertheless, they still have to pay taxes to the United States government.
Both Joseph and Mary had to make the trip to Bethlehem be registered or counted and to pay their taxes. They left their home in Nazareth to go to their lineage home in Bethlehem.
You might think this was a cruel call by Caesar Augustus, but in essence, it was a part of God’s plan. This was the time when God would bring his Son into the world. Mary was pregnant and near the end of her pregnancy during this trip. Joseph and Mary were poor people, so when they entered the town looking for a place to stay, no one really bothered to notice she was pregnant and they probably did not care. The crowd was large and there were probably many other pregnant women, because pregnancy was very common. Also, there were mostly poor people in the multitude, so who cared.
God never said life was going to be easy for any of us. Life is not always easy for a pregnant woman of this day and age, and it was not easy for Mary. Mary was a very young woman and this whole pregnancy scenario was new to her. Like any other first-time mother-to-be, Mary probably did not know what to expect. However, Mary accepted the news of the pregnancy with the words, “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said” (Luke 1:38). Mary believed God could do anything, including the impossible. God is the same today as he was yesterday, and as he will be tomorrow. We should be like Mary and willingly accept the hand God deals us.
Mary was very content at home in Nazareth, but willingly made the trip to Bethlehem with Joseph. The trip was 70 miles and the mode of transportation was walking or riding on a donkey. I don’t know how many days it took to reach Bethlehem, but I don’t think too many women near the end of pregnancy would venture to walk or ride a donkey 70 miles. If what we do is in God’s will, we can be assured he will follow through and make it meaningful in his plan. Mary was in God’s will and she had God’s favor.
Scripture says, “While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn” (Luke 2:6-7). The birth took place in Bethlehem in a dirty stable, but who cared. Caesar Augustus could have cared less about another baby born in Bethlehem. Other people in Bethlehem didn’t really care because babies were always born. What was so special about this one? No one knew except Mary.
This birth was prophesied by Micah. He said, “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” (Micah 5:2). Bethlehem is located in the district of Ephrathah. Micah predicted Jesus’ birthplace, and Jesus, the Messiah, hundreds of years before Jesus birth.
God continued his plan for the redemption of mankind. He came to live among his children in the form of God the Son, Jesus Christ. On the night Jesus was born Caesar Augustus was a towering powerful figure in the Roman government. People never thought that this little child would live on for eternity in his kingdom, but the name of Caesar Augustus would only be an echo in time past. The name Jesus will never be forgotten.
John Buchan wrote in a chapter that described Augustus’ funeral, men “comforted themselves, reflecting that Augustus was a god, and that gods do not die.” It is true that Augustus was powerful, but that power went down in the grave with him when he died. Buchan also said, “The one born in Palestine was to proclaim a kingdom mightier than the Roman, and to tell of a world saved not by Man who became God, but by God who became Man.”
Caesar Augustus sent out a decree or order that all were to go to their home town, register, pay their tax, and be counted. Scripture says, “But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons” (Galatians 4:4-5).
God has always been in control. Caesar Augustus’ decree went out because the timing was right according to God’s master plan. People had to report home so the prophesy concerning the Messiah could come to fruition. Home for Joseph and Mary was in Bethlehem because they were of the line of David. It was in the dirty little stable that God came home to mankind.
It is a wonderful feeling to have a home. Why is this true? What is there about home? For one thing, a home is very familiar to the people who live there. A home is very comfortable and pleasant because of the material things, like carpeting, furniture, curtains, TV, soft couch, rockers, Lazy Boy lounge chairs, etc. A home is a place where family communicates with one another, shows love and affection for each other, engages in games and activities, attends to the needs of each other, laughs together and cries together, worships together, and shines with the love of Jesus.
There are times we go on vacation, or visiting, staying with family or friends, or staying at a motel or hotel, but we are always anxious to get back home. There is no place like home. During this time of year, Christmas, most people want to spend at home. Service personnel stationed in the far corners of the earth wish they could spend Christmas at home with their families. People travel from one part of the country to the other to spend time with their families at their home. Sometimes people can’t get home for Christmas for whatever reason.
Bing Crosby had a hit song in 1943 titled “I’ll Be Home for Christmas”:
I’ll be home for Christmas;
You can count on me.
Please have snow and mistletoe
And presents on the tree.
Christmas Eve will find me
Where the love-light gleams.
I’ll be home for Christmas
If only in my dreams.
All of us are on a journey through life. Yes, we have a home her on earth, but it is only temporary. Yes, we celebrate this Christmas Eve Sunday together here and later with our families, but we are not truly home. Our true home is what God has prepared for us and that is with him in his kingdom.
Story: “Our Father’s Home”
Two strangers, a small boy and an older man, were fishing from the banks of the Mississippi River.
As time passed they discovered that, although the fishing was rather poor, conversation was good.
And by the time the sun began to sink in the west they had talked of many things.
At dusk a large river boat was seen moving slowly in the distance.
When the boy saw the boat, he began to wave his arms that he might attract the attention of those on board.
The man watched for some time and then said: “Son, you’re foolish if you think that boat is going to stop for you. It’s on its way to some unknown place and it surely won’t stop for a small boy.”
But suddenly the boat began to slow down and then it moved toward the river bank.
To the man’s amazement, however, the boat came near enough to the shore that a gang-plank could be lowered.
The boy entered the boat and, turning to the new friend on shore, said: “I’m not foolish, mister. You see, my father is captain of this boat and we’re going to a new home up the river.” (Author unkown)
We are all going to a new home, some sooner, and some later. It is our choice as to whether or not we will make it home for Christmas.
There was no room for Jesus in the inn. Was there no room in the inn because Joseph and Mary arrived late? Maybe there was no room because the innkeeper was fed-up with all the other people and just turned them away. Would there have been room for Joseph and Mary and the baby-to-be if the innkeeper had knowledge of who Mary’s child would be?
God’s master plan was to redeem each one of his children so that they could be home for Christmas in his kingdom. Jesus said, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost” (Luke 19:10).
Jesus also said, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again” (John 3:3).
There were many people in Bethlehem trying to find a place to stay, but the innkeeper was overwhelmed. Jesus is trying to enter the inn of your heart, but there are too many worldly distractions and you are overwhelmed and ignore him.
There was no room for Jesus in the inn. Is there any room for him in the inn of your heart?
Unless we confess our sins, repent of our sins, and ask Jesus to come into our heart, we will never be home for Christmas.
Amen.
