Journey to the Manger Part 3
Luke 2:4-7 NKJ
"And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn."
For the past two weeks, we have looked at the events that led to Joseph and Mary having to take the long journey to Bethlehem.
Caesar had required that every man of Judea, must return to his place of birth, so the census could be completed.
Now some might think, that-that was the reason Joseph went to Bethlehem and that Jesus was born there.
But the real reason was, so God’s prophetic word could be fulfilled, concerning the coming of the Messiah!
Imagine that, God had caused everyone living under the Roman rule to be on the move, so His Word would fulfilled.
Fact is: God would have caused the whole world to be on the move,
if that’s what it would have taken, to introduce His Son to the world and keep His word!
For both Mary and Joseph, it had been quite a journey.
70 miles, through both desert and mountainous areas.
Now you and I may have expected preferential treatment, if we had been in their shoes.
I mean after all, they didn’t just have the favor of God’s presence on them,
Mary was about to give birth to the Absolute Favor and Amazing Grace of God, that would forever change the world!
We would have really expected the royal treatment, you know, “the red carpet experience”.
We probably would have been like, do you know who I am?
I’m going to be, the mother or father of the child, that’s going to change the world!
But God Had a different kind of plan in mind, a different kind of introduction to the world for Heavens Pride, the Promised One!
Mary and Joseph didn’t know all the details, and they didn’t have to,
they were ever so humble about it and that’s why God chose them, over all the others He had to choose from
they knew this wasn’t about them, this was way bigger than them!
All they had was God’s word to go by and that was enough, that’s all they needed!
No matter what we face in this world, God’s word is always more than enough and all we will ever need, to see us through any situation! Amen?
As they neared their destination, the word crowded, probably doesn’t even begin to describe what they saw.
Bethlehem was experiencing the biggest family, after family reunion, the city had ever seen.
And although Joseph had relatives that lived there, none of them had any room for Him and his wife.
No doubt, everyone's homes were filled to capacity, with every man returning to their birthplace,
they couldn’t find anyone to take them in, anywhere!
You know how it is anyway, trying to stay with family, especially with family that you haven’t seen in a long time.
(Knock, knock, knock), a remember me, your sister’s, mom’s, brother’s, grandson’s, girlfriend’s 2nd cousin, twice removed,
or its like “oh my goodness”!, it’s the
so-and-so’s, quick shut off the lights,
everybody quiet and no matter what happens, don‘t answer the door!
So Mary and Joseph, by themselves, had to search out a room in the inn, and attempt to pay for some accommodations where they could stay for a while.
Opening the door to the inn, they found it filled beyond its capacity with loud, boisterous men and animals everywhere,
remember things were different in those days
And also Remember, only the men were required to register for the census,
all their wives were at home, so it was probably kind of a rowdy crowd.
Think about it, 2000 years ago there were no Holiday Inns, or Motel 6’s, there wasn’t even such a thing as a flea bag motel,
If there would have been, I’m sure it would have been plush, compared to the accommodations of the Inn that they were looking at.
Ya know, at this point in the Christmas story, most of us are familiar enough with it, we could finish telling it ourselves, with ease!
But did you know, that there are children young and old, that haven’t been raised in church
That don’t know the story and the real reason why, the whole world celebrates it.
For all that matter, there are parents of those children and parents of those parents,
Who have never heard, of all the great miracles that surrounded the journey to the manger
and the coming of the Messiah to this earth in the form of a man.
And its up to us to tell them and share our faith with them, because if we don’t tell them. Who will?
We see the word Christmas as we know it, all but being erased from our vocabulary, right in front of our very eyes!
When do we Christians, start telling the select few, we are offended, that they claim to be offended?!
This is the story of the greatest event that ever took place, in the history of the world and it needs to be shared, not muzzled! Praise God?
After turning away from the crowded inn, Mary and Joseph continued to search for a place to stay but to no avail.
No one knows the exact details, but time was growing short and Mary was soon to give birth.
In desperation, they finally discovered an empty stall, in a stable, next to the cattle, sheep, camels, goats and other animals.
And if anyone has ever been to a county fair, around the livestock barns, you can imagine the smells and the conditions that they were looking at.
At least it would be warm and dry and offer some privacy from the crowded street.
It was into this most unlikely setting that God chose to bring forth His only Son, to introduce Him to the world.
Just a short time later, with Joseph by her side, Mary gave birth to a son and they named him Jesus.
Immanuel, which is translated, “God with us”
From the moment of his birth, this baby was special like none other.
This was God’s own Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born without Man having any part in His birth.
This baby Jesus, was not born “away in a manger” this baby became “The Way in the Manger”.
The Way to salvation for all men, God the Father had fulfilled His Word and provided the way back to Himself.
The time had come for the Savior of the World to be born and so He came, in a dirty stable, in a little obscure village called Bethlehem,
born into a world filled with darkness, hatred, slavery and sin.
Jesus left the glory of Heaven, came to earth and became a man, to live in the world until one day, He would pay the price for all sin upon the Cross.
1 Corinthians 1:27-29 NKJ
"But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to naught things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence."
God chose, not to have his Son born in a wealthy mansion, or under circumstances fit for a king.
The King of Kings, chose the most humble surroundings and the most basic circumstances for His birth,
so that no man could boast that he had anything to do with the birth of our Lord.
Because it wasn’t about man, or mans capabilities, that’s what had brought this event about in the first place.
If it would have been, then man would’ve surely said, look at what I have done.
God wasn’t going to share His glory with anyone, when His most prized possession, His Glorious Son Jesus, had just been introduced into the world,
Not to see what man could do for Him, but so all the world, would come to see and realize what He would one day, do for them!
Jesus was born that night in a stable and was laid in a manger.
The Creator of all things slept among the animals that He had created.
For the first time, the God of Heaven was no longer just in Heaven, but now He was born of flesh and became a part of His own Creation.
Can you imagine, Jesus had created everything that He was now a part of,
even the tree, the manger had been built from, that now was His bed?
The world would never be the same again, Praise God!
From the moment that Jesus was born, there was something about His name!
Ill. Jesus, the mere mention of His name can calm the storm, heal the broken, raise the dead.
At the name of Jesus, I've seen sin-hardened men melted, derelicts transformed, the lights of hope put back into the eyes of a hopeless child...
At the name of Jesus, hatred and bitterness turned to love and forgiveness, arguments cease.
I've heard a mother softly breathe His name at the bedside of a child delirious with fever,
and I've watched that little body grow quiet and the fevered brow cool.
I've sat beside a dying saint, her body racked with pain, who in those final fleeting seconds,
summoned her last ounce of ebbing strength to whisper earth's sweetest name--Jesus, Jesus...
Emperors have tried to destroy it;
philosophies have tried to stamp it out.
Tyrants have tried to wash it from the face of the earth with the very blood of those who claimed it.
Yet still it stands.
And there shall be that final day when every voice that has ever uttered a sound-
And every voice of Adam's race shall raise in one great mighty chorus to proclaim the name of Jesus,
for in that day "every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord!!!"
Ah, so you see, it was not mere chance that caused the angel one night long ago to say to a virgin maiden,
"His name shall be called Jesus."
Jesus--Jesus--Jesus. You know, there is something about that name...
