There was a Christmas program at a church and a 7-year-old boy was chosen to be the innkeeper. When Joseph and Mary approached looking for shelter his line was to simply say “I’m sorry… but we have no room.” But being a good 7-year-old boy that didn’t seem quite right. He looked at Mary and Joseph and said “I don’t have room for you in the hotel, but I’d love to have you come in for milk and cookies.”
That little boy had a part to play. He knew what his line was supposed to be, but he didn’t like the idea of sending Jesus away… so he offered what he could.
Now in my files I have a lot of illustrations that all say Bethlehem was a small town. Have you ever heard of a “one horse town”? Well Bethlehem was a “one donkey” town. It wasn’t big enough for a stop-light let alone an Inn or motel.
The word Luke used here for inn was used back not only for inns, but also for “Guest rooms.” A spare bedroom in a person’s home. Now whether this was referring the AirBnb of the day, or just some room on the floor where guests could sleep, I don’t know! But whatever it was, there wasn’t any space anywhere to be had.
But why not? Why wasn’t there any space for Joseph and Mary? Well, one possibility was that there had been a lot of out-of-towners who’d showed up for the census. Luke 2:1-5 tells us “In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.” So maybe everyplace was just booked.
But even then - Mary’s REALLY pregnant - you’d have thought somebody would have volunteered to sleep out under the stars to make room for her. BUT nooooo! No, that didn’t happen. Why not? Well, Mary was really pregnant but she and Joseph weren’t really “technically” married. They were “betrothed.” Not quite the same as “sleeping in the same room” kind of married.
Now, she could have told them that the child was the Son of God (and all that) but I’m pretty sure nobody would have bought that line. It’s very likely the reason there was no room for Mary and Joseph and the baby was because they’d become outcasts from their own families. Their family members wanted nothing to do with them because Mary was pregnant and not married and there was no explanation of her pregnancy that made sense.
So, they had to sleep out in the barn. And as she gave birth, Mary had no one to care for her. No midwife, no comforting friend… just her husband Joseph – and we all know how useless some husbands can be when it comes to a woman giving birth.
I find it interesting that Luke clearly points out that there was NO ROOM for them. He doesn’t go in to detail as to why - just that there was NO ROOM! And I think the reason this part of the story was there was because God wanted it there. I think God was making a statement.
1st, I think God was making a statement that THIS was what Jesus was born to be. Kings weren’t born in mangers (that’s a feeding trough for cattle). Emperors would have had numerous attendants on hand to care of the mother and the child. And there’d be no smells of a barn there - no cattle dung, no wet sheep. And there’d be no chance of splinters or snagged clothing because there’d be no rough-hewn lumber in a regal nursery.
One song put it this way: “There were no decorations, no reindeer in the yard. No ‘Currier and Ives’ portrait on a Christmas card. The manger smelled of sheep and goat, and cattle in their stall. There was no Christmas tree down the hall.” (“Looking For A Christmas Tree” by Jeff Strite)
So, what could God have possibly intended to say by having Jesus born in a barn?
One poet put it this way (Grace Noel Crowell) “I am so glad He was not born in some rich palace bed. I am so glad to know it was a lowly place, instead. A place where soft-eyed cows and sheep were sheltered and were fed. For to the country born of earth a stable will ever be a wholesome place, where night comes down with its tranquility, a place of heart’s ease and content for all who choose to see. And so I like to think of Him first opening His eyes in that good elemental place beneath the friendly skies. That the men of fields could find Him there, as well as the great and wise.”
The point? A king born in a palace would not be easily approached or seen by anyone. But a child in a barn… well, ANYBODY can go in there to see this child. Jesus was approachable. And that became the hallmark of Jesus ministry, and it’s supposed to be hallmark of the church.
Jesus said “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)
Jesus didn’t go after the rich and famous of the day. Instead He welcomed the poor and the broken, the Tax collectors and sinners, the blind, the deaf, the lame and the leper.
And the point is this: Jesus wants to welcome you and I in the same way. It won’t matter where we’ve been, or what we’ve done. Paul wrote “do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. AND SUCH WERE SOME OF YOU. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” I Corinthians 6:9-11
Max Lucado once noted that the manger was a statement that “there is no place Jesus will not go. If he is willing to be born in a barnyard, then expect him to be at work anywhere— bars, bedrooms, boardrooms, and brothels. No place is too common. No person is too hardened. No distance is too far. There is no person he cannot reach. There is no limit to his love.” (http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2016/12/01/max-lucado-should-just-skip-christmas-this-year.html)
That was why God made it clear – there was no room to be found. That explained HOW Jesus came to be born in a manger, and it made us realize Jesus was approachable no matter who we were or where we’ve been.
But God was also making a statement: there was no room for Jesus because “there was NEVER going to be any room for Jesus… anywhere.” The Gospel of John 1:11 tells us “He came to his own, and his own did not receive him.” And in John 15:18 Jesus told His disciples “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.”
The world HATES Jesus?
Well, yeah… and that hatred been showing up a lot recently even around Christmas. Why around Christmas? Well, somebody figured out that if you let the baby Jesus in sooner or later you’ll get to the crucified Christ. And that means Jesus died for your sins. And that means YOU are a sinner and you have to repent and make Jesus Lord of your life. That doesn’t go do well with a lot of folks. They’re not into accepting the idea that they’re guilty of sin, and so they’re not into having the baby Jesus in the manger.
Because of this, some companies have told employees not to say Merry Christmas. Just say “Happy Holidays” they’re told. And schools have outlawed manger scenes, Christmas plays and even candy canes (don’t ask). Just recently the Michigan Attorney General allegedly complained that her son was 'devasted' by a 'Merry Christmas" greeting when they went out for the first time in a store.
There’s been what some folks have called a war on Christmas. (Pause) Does that upset you? Upsets me too!
But then… we need to realize that Jesus has NEVER been popular with a lot people. In the days of the early church Christians were arrested, beaten and even executed for their faith. And it still happens in places like China, North Korea and India.
Peter wrote: “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.” I Peter 4:12-14
When Jesus was born, there was NO ROOM for Him, and today, there’s NO ROOM in a lot of people’s hearts - for Jesus - or for the holiday that bears His name CHRIST–MAS.
ILLUS: Back in 1932 - Christmas Eve in NYC – a man named Robert McGimsey was on his way back to his one-room apartment attended a midnight church service. On the way he passed the open doors of private clubs where people were shouting and swearing and singing. Others were so drunk they had passed out on the sidewalk. McGimsey remembered thinking: "What a strange way to celebrate the birth of the most perfect Person who ever lived on this earth. We seem to have missed the whole significance of His life." So that night he wrote down some thoughts on the back of an envelope. And eventually it became the verses of a powerful Christmas hymn: (SING)
“Sweet Little Jesus Boy, they made you be born in a manger. Sweet little Holy Child, didn't know who You was. Didn't know You'd come to save us, Lord - to take our sins away. Our eyes was blind, we couldn't see. We didn't know who you was.” (Our Daily Bread 12/24/01)
You see, when people reject the Jesus of Christmas it tells you they didn’t know WHO He was. They need Jesus. When folks reject Jesus (or they reject Christmas) that should tell you that that’s YOUR mission field. Don’t try to win them by trying to force them say “Merry Christmas.” Don’t get angry, don’t get annoyed. Instead win them to Jesus… then they’ll love His birth.
Now, lastly, there are a couple of places where there IS room for Jesus. William Barclay noted “That there was no room in the inn was symbolic of what was to happen to Jesus. The only place there was room for Him was on the cross.”
Do you remember that the crowd asked for Barabbas to be spared they asked for that so that there’d be room on the cross for Christ. But that wasn’t an accident… that had been the plan of God from the foundation of the world. So we shouldn’t be sad that the only place there was room for Jesus was on the cross… THAT’S WHY HE CAME. He came to die on that cross so that you and I could be forgiven our sins. That’s what we celebrate every Sunday – Communion. Communion is our declaration to ourselves and to the world that Jesus died for us. His body was broken and His blood was spilled to atone for our sins. And that’s what we celebrate every time a person is baptized into Christ. Every convert to Christ, dies with Him, is buried with Him and is risen with Him to live a new life.
As you may recall, I said there were a couple of places where there’s room for Jesus. One was on the cross…and the other is in the heart of people who realize He died for them. There’s an old invitation song that goes:
“Have you any room for Jesus, He who bore your load of sin? As He knocks and asks admission, Sinner, will you let Him in? Room for Jesus, King of Glory! Hasten now His Word obey; swing the heart’s door widely open, bid Him enter while you may.”
HAVE YOU ANY ROOM FOR JESUS?
You know, it won’t matter if there was no room IN THE INN for Jesus. If there’s no room in your heart for Him… you’ll lose everything. Jesus said “what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” Mark 8:36
INVITATION
