12/6/2009
No Room in the Inn
Matthew 1:18-25
Introduction-
Good morning everyone, we have just seen several skits on Christmas.
There are some points I wanted you to think about.
wise man played by John Weiser with his students, not able to explain to them the star of Bethlehem, not able in all his wisdom to be able to shed light to his students.
Innkeeper and his wife- so set on making money that they would take it from census workers, Roman soldiers, people they did not like. There thinking was so polluted that they looked at Mary and Joseph and concluded...Hmmm.. No one really important.
last one, shepherds in a field watching their sheep. Not a great job to have at that time. Then God shows up One shepherd gets it, one saw the same thing and concluded, I’m not sure. The excited one, we just had a invitation from heaven, what more do you want? God could say, I just sent you Jesus, what more do you want?
Matthew 1:18-25 Read
The scripture this morning tells us there is a need.
The scripture gives us God’s answer.
The scriptures tells us we need to respond.
Illustration-
Zig Ziglar states that he believes the Bible from Genesis to maps.
T I believe the Bible from the first book to the very last page.
T I don’t claim to know everything, but being a Christian nearly 30 years, I believe God will show me the truth. The things that I just cannot understand, those things are what I have to take by faith, because that is what faith is... it is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Emanuel..God with us (V23).
Last week we looked at the humility of Christ.
Philippians 2:6
“Who being in very nature God did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death- even death on the cross Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. To the glory of God the Father.”
Some will confess Jesus in this lifetime, and God word says that they will be saved from their sins and become sons and daughters of God.
Some will confess Jesus is Lord after death, it will be to late. They will be punished for their sins and for eternity will be separated from God.
Remember
Need, God’s answer, Our response
Here’s the first thing- Need
Each one of us needs a savior. I don’t care if you have been in the church all your life, or today is the first day. All have sinned and all have fallen short of the glory of God. God with us- Jesus Christ came into this world to be that savior.
weather we want to admit it or not, the need is there. It will not just go away. Like the child who gets caught with his hand in the cookie jar, and then tells his mother he did not do it. We are all caught with our hands in the cookie jar.
Here lays some of the problem.
If I would have been there.
If I could have seen. Then I could understand and get it.
Not all of them got it. I’m not sure about that.
I wonder if I was there, would I have heard the angels singing and proclaiming Jesus coming or would I have just heard the barnyard animals.
Would I have looked up at the star of Bethlehem to Jesus, or just looked and saw a star and not bothered?
2 people look at the same things and come away with 2 different opinions.
One says it’s a miracle The other says - no big deal
Some took time to hear the angels, some were too busy with their lives to stop and see what is going on.
Most of us know we have a need. There is this void that we cannot seem to fill. The times God has convicted us and wanted to be a part of our lives.
For some, God has spoken to you during a service, but for whatever reason, you have grabbed the pew and said not today Lord
Illustration- (Sermon central)
Typical of last minute shopping, a mother was running furiously from store to store. Suddenly she became aware that the hand of her three year old was no longer in her hand. She panicked and began running through the store shouting his name, hearing his mother, he said look Mommy, it’s Jesus- baby Jesus was in a manger. With indifference to his joy, she impatiently jerked him away saying “We don’t have time for that”
Illustration-(Sermon Central)
same scenario, a women running through the stores, tired of fighting the crowds, tired of looking for presents, tired of trying to figure out what to get yells in the crowd, “whoever is responsible for this whole Christmas thing ought to be arrested, strung up, and shot.” A few groined and grunted in agreement, then someone from the back said, “Don’t worry, they already crucified Him.
The need is there, weather we admit it or not.
II. God responds to our need.
The God of heaven shows up in the form of a baby who grows to be the sacrifice of mankind for their sins. We had a need and God responds by supplying an answer to that need.
The shepherds were the evangelists.
“Now when they had seen him, they made widely known the sayings which was told them concerning the child” (v17)
Shepherds of God are still bringing God’s message to us.
Heard this week on t.v. saying Christmas is about doing things for other people. That is what Christmas is all about That is a good thing to do. That is not what Christmas is all about It is about the Jesus Chris t , about God the Father, sending God the Son, working with God the Holy Spirit to bring mankind a savior that could save them from their sins.
Illustration:
We approach Christmas like the 12 days of Christmas.
12 drummers drumming 6 geese a laying
11 pipers piping 5 golden rings
10 Lord’s leaping 4 calling birds
09 Ladies dancing 3 French hens
08 Maid’s milking 2 Turtle Doves
07 Swan’s a Swimming Partridge in a pear tree.
What does that have to do with Christmas? By definition, it does not fit.
TI cannot think of one thing on that list that my wife would want. She may want 5 golden rings, but she might have to settle for a partridge in a pear tree. (Christmas based on what you can buy)
Worse yet The 12 pains of Christmas
Finding a Christmas tree
Getting a flashlight, blowing fuses
5 months of bills
Dealing with crazy in-laws
Sending Christmas cards
Rigging up the lights
You have still not found Christmas You will not find it in stuff.
You have to ask yourself, what am I missing Checking your list and realizing what is missing is Jesus. Jesus is missing from Christmas.
In Islam- god is a above us God. They pray 5 times a day to a god that is too holy to come to them. Anyone who claims that he would come himself to humanity commits shirk (blasphemy)
Christianity- God with us Coming to redeem mankind. God being holy. God needing to be exalted, but willing to have a active relationship with each one of us.
If you are trying to reach a God that you feel is unreachable, you will always live with the feeling of just missed him, missed him again.
You can go from just missed him, what am I missing, to behold the lamb. Behold the lamb that taketh away the sins of the world. You can go from praying to a God that doesn’t hear you , to a God that not only hears you , but desires to respond to you.
III. Our response
For most God is a arm’s length away. Some because that is the way they want it. God , do not get into my air space. For others, you have just never been able to grasp the fact that Jesus desires a active and loving relationship with you.
Illustration.
Wally was big for his age. Seven years old. Everyone wondered what role the teacher would give him for the Christmas play. To everyone’s surprise, the teacher gave him the part of the Innkeeper. He was excited. He had only one line in the play. “There is no room in the Inn”. Then came the night of the program. The parents took their place, every seat was filled. The children entered singing oh come all ye faithful. The lights dimmed. A hush moved over the audience. The curtained opened on scene one. Mary and Joseph entered the stage and walked to the Inn. Please sir, my wife is not well. Could we have a room for the night? Wally was ready for his line. He had rehearsed it all night. He began, there is ... and he hesitated. He began again, there is ..... he got embarrassed. Wally in desperation called out “look, there is plenty of room at my house, just come on home with me”
The world says no room at the Inn for Jesus.
No room for Jesus in the economy.
No room for Jesus in religion.
No room for Jesus in politics.
Question for you this morning:
Do you have room for Jesus?
Are you arm’s length away? Or are you going to embrace Him?
Are you this morning going to see it as a miracle, or a coincidence?
Today, will your life change, or be the same?
T Today we are reminded of a divine exchange.
God Almighty comes and ‘gives himself away for mankind” “pours himself out”.
T He is exalted to the highest place and God gave Him the name above every name.
God answer to our need was to send his son . Our response should be to accept the gift of God.
Closing:
God lays it out there for us.
God has provided a way. Accept Jesus Christ as Lord of your life.
7 days a week/ 365 days a year. They all belong to Christ.
The day of the week doesn’t matter.
He must be God in our lives everyday. Every situation.
We don’t serve a part time God and we must be part time.
We have an opportunity to serve God.
He is amazing God.
He is an Awesome God.
He is a relevant God.
Would you like to meet Him today?
The Bible tells us that if you confess with your mouth and believe in your heart that Jesus Christ came to this world, died on the cross for you, was dead, buried and resurrected by God the Father, if you believe that the Bible says that you are a son, daughter of God.
It is good news for all people.
Rich, poor, weak, strong, men, women, sick, healthy, young, old.
It is awesome news
If that is you this morning, would you lift you hand this morning,
I would like to pray for you right where you are at.
The Bible says that if you are not willing to profess me to others that Jesus will not profess you before the Father.
Let me have the pleasure of praying with you this morning.
Salvation prayer:
Are you ready to meet Jesus. He is calling you.
A day without the Lord is a day wasted.
This morning I would ask you to put all the cant’s in your life at the feet of Jesus.
Altar Call.
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