All of you know that Anne is a stay at home mom...but did you also know that she has also held some pretty important positions here in Kentucky as well. I have to tell you she will probably accuse me of being a smart alec for saying this but I really mean it....she has taught an exercise class called "Stroller Fit"...she has represented and continues to represent a company called Juice Plus....but I think the most interesting thing she has done while we have lived here is a thing called Mystery shopping.
Now the basic premise behind this job is that you get paid to go and shop. It was right up her alley. Basically, the company she worked for would call her or email her with a store that they wanted her to go and check out. She had to go and evaluate the store and its staff on things like cleanliness, professionalism, knowledge and other things. The kicker, though, was that none of the employees or the manager knew what she was doing...hence the name Mystery shopping...pretty clever, huh? This way Anne could get and give the company that assigned her this task a good idea what was going on day in and day out in that company. She and the parent company would get a good idea about how that particular store and its staff treated their customers.
The really funny thing is that she kept doing the same store every month for about a year...and she never had to buy anything. It was also one of these stores that didn’t have any clothes for larger people....so I guess I could never shop there....but Anne always had to ask for something that they didn’t carry....like a larger size than they sold. Now..Anne is not a big girl so I don’t know how she got them to believe that she needed this particular size...but, if they had any employee retention at all...you would think they would catch on...something like here comes that red headed lady that is always wanting something 6 sizes larger then what she actually wears...either she is our mystery shopper evaluating us, she has amnesia, or she is the most persistent person on the face of the Earth.
Now, we’ve had a little bit of a laugh about this at our house over the past year or so...but...if they did catch on...or if Anne went in there with a big sign around her neck saying "Evaluator" on it...how do you think she would be treated? Do you think that it is fair to say that she might be treated a little bit better than she might ordinarily be treated? Even if the store staff is usually friendly and outgoing..don’t you think they would have stepped it up a little bit had they known?
The fact of the matter is...if we know who particular people are...if we are ever in the presence of "important" or powerful people...don’t we act just a little bit different? Or at least don’t some of us do that?
Another quick example for you....sometimes when I play golf I play alone and the folks who work at the golf course pair me up with some other guys to help the pace of play. Now, ladies, let me tell you, when a bunch of guys get together and they don’t know each other...one of the first questions that gets asked is "what do you do." It’s usually by the third hole that the conversation turns to our occupations. Men, as you probably know, take a lot of pride in their jobs and it becomes a large part of their identity. Now there have been some guys I have played with that every other word out of their mouth was of the four letter variety and every joke was filthy...and then the question gets asked...So, Mike, what do you do? Well, I am a pastor of a church....and most of the time you can just kind of see the color drain out of their faces....and the swear words and dirty jokes stop for the rest of the round. I have to admit...it’s pretty refreshing and it makes me a lot more comfortable...but I still find it a little bit amusing...their attitude toward me and the way they act toward me and around me changes dramatically when they find out my profession.
We are talking this entire month about a baby...but this wasn’t just any ordinary baby...we said it last week and we will continue to repeat it throughout the month...the fact of the matter is that the birth of this child was the most important event in the history of the world....and this entire month we are attempting to take a look at the birth of this child named Jesus through the different eyes that played a role in this event. Last week, we talked about what the birth of Jesus meant through the eyes of the Father...why he sent his son to Earth in the form of a human. And today we move on to another player in this story...but he is one that we probably haven’t really given much thought too...today we look at this through the eyes of a Bethlehem innkeeper. All of us have heard this story...and the mention of the innkeeper often brings up feelings of ill will and judgmental attitudes. Here is one example of these ill opinions: Pat Cook tells the story of a Jewish lady named Mrs. Rosenberg who many years ago was stranded late one night at a fashionable resort - one that did not admit Jews. The desk clerk looked down at his book and said, "Sorry, no room. The hotel is full."
The Jewish lady said, "But your sign says that you have vacancies."
The desk clerk stammered and then said curtly, "You know that we do not admit Jews. Now if you will try the other side of town..."
Mrs. Rosenberg stiffened noticeable and said, "I’ll have you know I converted to your religion."
The desk clerk said, "Oh, yeah, let me give you a little test. How was Jesus born?"
Mrs. Rosenberg replied, "He was born to a virgin named Mary in a little town called Bethlehem."
"Very good," replied the hotel clerk. "Tell me more."
Mrs. Rosenberg replied, "He was born in a manger."
"That’s right," said the hotel clerk. "And why was he born in a manger?" Mrs. Rosenberg said loudly, "Because a jerk like you in the hotel wouldn’t give a Jewish lady a room for the night!"
That is often the attitude we take when it comes to this innkeeper...isn’t it? Can I suggest another way to look at this? Turn with me over to the first chapter of Luke.
As you are turning let me kind of bring you up to speed on what is going on....there has been a census ordered by the ruler of what was then basically the entire world. Caesar Augustus, the Roman Emperor. This census requires every man to return to the city of their family....so Joseph, being a descendent of David...goes to Bethlehem with Mary to be counted in the census.
I have to tell you...this census was even less liked then our census that occurs every ten years...if you think filling out a bunch of forms is annoying...try traveling several miles in the desert. Let’s also not forget about the aversion the people had to counting themselves...David got in trouble over that very thing...so a census was not a very popular thing to Israel. In fact, Josephus tells us that a later Roman ordered census sparks a riot amongst the Jews. This census, however, passes quietly despite the ill feelings about it.
So, Joseph goes to Bethlehem to comply with the decree and we’ll pick it up in verse six...
There are only a few angles that I have ever heard used when the innkeeper or the inn is mentioned in the Christmas story. One of them we have already touched on...to judge and put down the innkeeper and the other is to ask the question is there room in your Christmas for Christ? Some have taken this statement of Luke about there being no room in the inn and used it as an analogy for our lives....and in many ways it is a very valid analogy....if not necessarily the most historically valid one.
Today though...we are going to take a different angle as we look at this Bethlehem inn keeper. You see, I think that many of us, if we told the truth, have villified the man for far to long. We look at the words here from Luke and how he says that there was no room at the inn and we see that Mary is VERY pregnant at this point...if not already in labor and we think to ourselves...how horrible...he kicked them out into the barn. I think that many times we miss out on the meaning here...because when we look at the birth of Christ through the eyes of the inn keeper we see not the birth of the Messiah...not the birth of the Savior of the World...and not the birth of Jehovah God in the flesh...instead we see the birth of a common, everyday, average Hebrew boy...born to common everyday, average Hebrew parents. You see...just like our mystery shopping example....and just like me on the Golf course....there were no signs...Joseph did not try to check into the hotel and say...oh, yeah, by the way...my wife is about to give birth to God...so if you have a room that would be wonderful. No, instead they were treated just like every other Hebrew couple would have been treated.
But, Mike, you might say...Mary was pregnant...VERY pregnant....she might have even been in labor when they tried to check in. We aren’t told that directly but it definitely seems to be a possibility....how could the innkeeper have put them out in the barn? Admittedly, it seems awful harsh to have done that...but we need to remember that this is the first century we are talking about...this is a culture that was very different than our own. It was not uncommon for families to have several children. In fact, as a Hebrew woman, it was a source of pride for you to be able to give your husband a lot of children. They didn’t plan like we did...so pregnant women were very common. Don’t forget...why is the inn full? Because of the census...there were a lot of people in Bethlehem at that time that ordinarily would not be there. How many pregnant women were already staying at that inn...or had already been turned away...or...how many were turned away after Mary and Joseph had already been given the barn? Now, don’t get me wrong...there were a lot fewer pregnant women then ones who were not pregnant...but I think it safe to say that per capita...due to the differences in culture...there were more than there are in our present day. And since that is how we often view this story...through our 20th century eyes...we vilify that innkeeper...and often times I think we do so unjustly....because we have the benefit of hindsight...we can read the scriptures and see what it was exactly that Jesus became...who he was...but the innkeeper...he only saw a young Hebrew couple. Granted, if Mary was in labor we would expect someone to open their doors and find a place for them...but...we can’t forget that we are viewing this through the eyes of our own culture and our own practices...so maybe, just maybe, the innkeeper he did all that would have been expected of him at that time for this seemingly, everyday average couple.
Now...I think we could reasonably expect the outcome to be much, much different had the innkeeper known who he was dealing with...there’s a knock on the door and there stands Gabriel...or Michael the arch angel...announcing that God was about to be born as a human...how do you think the innkeeper would have reacted? I think he would have found some place for Mary and Joseph...if nothing else his own room would have served. But...instead he provides his barn...and I say thank God for that.
Why? Because it meant that Jesus was born as a commoner...it means that Jesus lived as a common man...a laborer...a carpenter from Nazareth. It means that not only did he take on flesh but he took on the form of a man who had to struggle to make ends meet...who knew what it was like to be tempted to worry about where the next meal would come from...to be tempted to lie or cheat to get ahead....to be tempted to succumb to the day to day temptations that you and I face as common, everyday, average people. It would have been so easy for him to have come as a prince or as a king in the flesh...but it would have greatly diminished his accomplishments as a man. Yes, he could have still led that sinless life and maybe even have been crucified...although it would have been much more difficult to crucify a literal physical king then it was a carpenter...but even if all of that was accomplished....let me ask you...wouldn’t it have diminished his work just a little? Most of us are...in the world’s eyes...unimportant people. We aren’t kings. We aren’t presidents. We are middle class...we are the factory workers, the farmers, the housewives...and we find it much easier to relate to the physical person of Jesus because of his status as a carpenter...he is one of us not just in his mortality but in his status as well.
That’s what we see when we look at the birth of this special baby through the eyes of that Bethlehem inn keeper...we see not just the miracle of the beginning of a new life...but we see the beginning of the new life of an average, Hebrew boy. Oh, we know that there was nothing average about him...but if you look at from the perspective of the guy running the inn...there is nothing special about him at all...and thus we can relate to him. Let’s look briefly at one more verse of scripture...John 15: 15.
Jesus here is talking to his disciples and the time of his execution is getting closer and closer. In fact, in just a few hours he will face the cross. He has spent the last few years with these guys...and here he tells them this:
Pretty cool, huh? In effect, Jesus is telling them that they, by all rights, could have been his servants. In fact, they were his servants. As Israelites they had pledged their devotion and allegiance to Jehovah God...and as we learned last week Jesus was just as much God as the Father...John tells us that the Logos...Jesus...was with God and he WAS God from the beginning. But as we just read here....Jesus....he doesn’t call these men from Galilee servants...they are his friends. And I think that it is quite safe to say that Jesus and the disciples...they would not have been friends had he come as a King or as a ruler...because the disciples would have been unable to relate. But, they were able to relate because fishermen are able to hang out with carpenters...and they face the same dilemmas...such as where is my next meal coming from...how am I to relate to the Roman government? What does it mean to follow God? Their worldview was the same...thus their attitudes and beliefs and fears were the same.
That, I think, is one of the reasons that we should take a look at the birth of Christ through the eyes of that Bethlehem innkeeper...to realize how common of an event it actually was...sure we can use it to ask ourselves if we have room for Christ at Christmas or has he been pushed out of our lives at this time of year by all of the hustle and the gifts...but let’s also use it as an occasion to remember...there was nothing special in the way of special announcements to this innkeeper. To him, this was just an ordinary couple having an ordinary baby.
Like I said earlier though...we know better...we know how special this night and that this was the most important birth to ever occur. And now that we are able to recognize just how special the ordinary circumstances of his birth were...how much more precious does that make this day that we call Christmas? We have all heard that old song "Because He Loved Me So" and the line "Why did he choose a lowly birth" and the answer is the song’s title...because he loved me so...but it is about much more than just salvation and the cross...and even the resurrection. Sure he has defeated death and he has made it possible that we can one day go to the Father...but because he was a common, everyday man who led a sinless life he has also defeated the very things that you yourself struggle with....and the Bible tells us that because he is victorious then we are victorious. The feelings of hopelessness you feel? Jesus has felt them too...and defeated them. The feelings of jealousy, rage, doubt, fear...each and everything that is a part of your life...Jesus has felt them too and he has defeated them...he knows exactly what it is you are going through. That is the type of King we worship...one who not only rules and reigns supreme but has been where we are...who has felt what we feel...and who has not only defeated them...but gives us, his friends, and as far as humanity goes...his peers the opportunity to have the victory as well. That, I think, is the real benefit of looking at this event through the eyes of that Bethlehem innkeeper.
So, as we come to our time of invitation...I want to invite you to look at this event as you have never viewed it before...through the eyes of that innkeeper standing there at the door...and seeing a young, peasant Hebrew couple who are about to have a baby...but with the knowledge that you also have that the birth of this seemingly ordinary baby...it is actually the most important event that has ever occurred. Even on an impersonal level...this is the biggest event ever....even our very concept of time is dependent on it...think about it...BC and AD?
But on a personal level...it means much more than that...it means forgiveness and pardon and acceptance...and....not the least of all, understanding. Understanding of your struggles and hope for the victory because a victory has already been won. It also means the promise of friendship...regardless if you have tons of friends or you are the most unpopular person in the world....because this baby that was born...when he walked this earth as a human...he was just like you...he didn’t have to be...but he was...because you are that valuable to him. If you have never accepted his gift and his friendship...if you have never submitted yourself to this God/man who is both carpenter and King...then today is your day. I am going to invite you to make your way down front and make that confession...to accept the friendship he offers...even if you have already made the profession and you just need to recommit yourself to him...won’t you do so this morning?
