THE STORY OF THE TWO INNS
CHRISTMAS GLORY – A CHRISTMAS MEDITATION
The first part of this message called, “Christmas Glory – A Christmas Meditation,” I have already posted but I have added to that part and then extended it to include a second half. The title is now, “The Story of the Two Inns”.
Let us begin with a little poem. This is an acrostic poem with Bethlehem the theme.
CHRISTMAS GLORY
[C]. Christ was born in Bethlehem one starry summer night;
[H]. Huddled in a manger’s space with animals in sight.
[R]. Rejects from a comfort inn, they were in God’s own care,
[I]. In safety kept by angels where evil would not dare.
[S]. Shepherds were the heralds of a message most supreme -
[T]. To God, glory in the highest; Christ is heaven’s theme.
[M]. Mary, the appointed one, set for the Saviour’s birth,
[A]. And blessed among women who have ever lived on earth.
[S]. Sent by angels, shepherds came to greet the Christ child’s peace.
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[G]. Glory to God in the highest, where joy will increase.
[L]. Love of God that sent the Saviour, shone with heaven’s light;
[O]. Ordained by God in human flesh, Jesus gives us sight.
[R]. Rejoice in this eternal fact – “Good news of great joy.”
[Y]. Your eternal salvation – none can ever destroy.
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Ron Ferguson 14 December 2025 13 throughout AA etc.
[A]. THERE WAS NO ROOM AT THE INN
The Christmas story is well known and I want only these few verses – {{Luke 2:4-7 “Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem because he was of the house and family of David in order to register, along with Mary who was engaged to him and was with child. It came about that while they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth and she gave birth to her first-born son, and she wrapped Him in cloths and laid Him in a manger BECAUSE THERE WAS NO ROOM FOR THEM IN THE INN.”}}
I just wonder if Joseph and Mary were staying in Bethlehem for a day or two, or if they went there to register then would return home. The straight line distance from Nazareth to Bethlehem is 111 km but the walking distance is about 150 km. Mary and Joseph would have to have covered that distance on foot while she was full term pregnant. That’s how it was in those days.
In any case labour came and she needed a place but there was no room in the inn. A manger had to do for the birth.
They were not rejected from the inn but there was no room probably because of the visitors in Bethlehem for the census. All the rooms were occupied.
Some people only ever think of Jesus at Christmas time, and even then it is a passing thought, certainly with nothing extra, because to look further into it, might demand a commitment or acknowledgement of the fact.
Jesus came, not just to be a happy Christmas story in some manger 2 030 years ago, but His coming had a much deeper significance for the entire world, and we must be serious here – His coming has the deepest significance for eternity. By the Lord Jesus Christ, men will stand or fall.
Jesus Himself gave the reason why he came to this earth from the glory of heaven – {{John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I CAME THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE LIFE, AND MIGHT HAVE IT ABUNDANTLY.”}}
It is this abundant life God wants to impart to every man and woman but not one will be coerced or forced. As Christ came into the world willingly, so then must mankind turn willingly to God in repentance for salvation.
I said a bit earlier that Christ’s coming has the deepest significance for eternity. There are only two positions in this matter and my favourite prophet sets them out – {{Jeremiah 21:8 You shall also say to this people, “Thus says the LORD, Behold, I SET BEFORE YOU THE WAY OF LIFE AND THE WAY OF DEATH.”}}. Those who refuse the Child of Bethlehem pursue the way of death, but those who commit to Him as personal Saviour, walk the way of life.
There is not another way. There are only two. To reject Jesus Christ is to adopt the way of death. The world in general likes to keep Jesus in the manger, happy about that, because all He said as a Man is too compelling for them. In the manger is out of sight, and out of sight, means no commitment necessary. It is the greatest delusion of the devil.
Jesus came with a human birth in order for us to have a heavenly birth. Without the first there could not be the second. Here is a verse – {{John 16:28 “I came forth from the Father, AND HAVE COME INTO THE WORLD. I am leaving the world again, and going to the Father.”}}. Jesus came from the Father into the world, but He was to return to the Father, and into the Father’s presence, He will bring us, all at the appointed time, for our times are in His hands. {{Psalms 31:14-15 but as for me, I trust in You, O LORD. I say, “You are my God.” My times are in Your hand. . . .”}}
At Bethlehem, Jesus came in the perfect quietness of a humble birth. He has two future comings (Rapture and Second Coming) though sadly some dismiss the Rapture. One is in the air and the other will be on earth. Let us look at the Second Coming. In stark contrast to His first coming He comes in glory with great power. Revelation 19 sets this out, as does Matthew 24.
Jesus came in flesh as perfect Man though in infant form. In death, He took our penalty and we will never undergo the wrath of God – EVER! That is why the Church will never be in the Tribulation, which is God’s poured out wrath. Jesus Christ took sin’s wrath for us.
Christmas is a mixed consideration for all His saints. The celebration of His birth is joy, for His birth means His death, and His death is our salvation. Christmas is the reason for Christ's coming. On the other hand the abuse of Christmas with its godlessness and profanity and irresolute behaviour, is a thing of great regret.
That is no surprise because as there was no room for the holy family in the inn, then there is no room in men’s hears for the very same Saviour.
I will close with an old hymn that takes me back many decades. The words are considered outdated by some but the message is always relevant:-
{{Luke 2:7 “and she gave birth to her first-born son, and she wrapped Him in cloths and laid Him in a manger because there was NO ROOM for them in the inn.”}}
Thou didst leave Thy throne and Thy kingly crown,
When Thou camest to earth for me;
But in Bethlehem's home was there found no room
For Thy holy nativity.
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus,
There is room in my heart for Thee.
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Heaven's arches rang when the angels sang,
Proclaiming Thy royal degree;
But of lowly birth didst Thou come to earth,
And in great humility.
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus,
There is room in my heart for Thee.
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The foxes found rest, and the birds their nest
In the shade of the forest tree;
But Thy couch was the sod, O Thou Son of God,
In the deserts of Galilee.
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus,
There is room in my heart for Thee.
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Thou camest, O Lord, with the living word
That should set Thy people free;
But with mocking scorn, and with crown of thorn,
They bore Thee to Calvary.
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus,
There is room in my heart for Thee.
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When the heavens shall ring, and the angels sing,
At Thy coming to victory,
Let Thy voice call me home, saying "Yet there is room,
There is room at My side for thee."
My heart shall rejoice, Lord Jesus,
When Thou comest and callest for me.
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[B]. THERE WAS ROOM AT THE INN
We will look at probably the best known of the parables – The Good Samaritan. It is a well-known story but try to think into the minds of the players here.
{{Luke 10:29 but wishing to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbour?”
Luke 10:30 Jesus replied and said, “A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho and he fell among robbers, and they stripped him and beat him, and went off leaving him half dead.
Luke 10:31 By chance a certain priest was going down on that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side,
Luke 10:32 and likewise a Levite also, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side,
Luke 10:33 but a certain Samaritan who was on a journey, came upon him and WHEN HE SAW HIM, HE FELT COMPASSION,
Luke 10:34 and came to him, and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them; and he put him on his own beast, and BROUGHT HIM TO AN INN AND TOOK CARE OF HIM.
Luke 10:35 On the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said, ‘Take care of him and whatever more you spend, when I return, I will repay you.’
Luke 10:36 Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbour to the man who fell into the robbers’ hands?”}}
We saw at the birth of Christ that there was no room in the inn for Mary and Joseph, not because they had been rejected, but because, simply, there was no room in the inn.
In this parable commonly known as The Good Samaritan, Jesus told this story in order to rebuke a certain lawyer who was trying to trick Him. The bottom line is that the man in need (called “a certain man” because robbers had beaten him up, was not helped by one of his own countrymen, but by a Samaritan, people despised by the Jews.
What did the Samaritan do? He bandaged the wounds treating them in the usual way, then transported the injured man to an inn. There he spent two denarii for accommodation, about two days’ wages, and the innkeeper would care for him.
In this case there was room for the injured man at the inn. If I may make the following applications from this, we have an injured man to start with –
[1]. INJURED BY ROBBERS. What human being is there who has never been beaten up by the enemy? Satan and his agents are the robbers who take away the glory of God and beat up the sinner with their vileness and hatred of God. All human beings, as it were, are lying on the road of life in this helpless state, beaten up, half dead. That sinful nature we all possess has done that for us.
[2]. THE MOTIVATION BEHIND THE CARE GIVEN. We have that in verse 33 where it says the Samaritan felt compassion. That always has to be one of the key starting points. Compassion was one of the starting points that rendered the necessary cure for the injured man.
It was the compassion of God that found us by the roadway and came to our assistance – {{James 5:11 “Behold, we count those blessed who endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that THE LORD IS FULL OF COMPASSION AND IS MERCIFUL.”}}
Because God has been compassionate and merciful to us we therefore have an obligation – {{Colossians 3:12 “As those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, PUT ON A HEART OF COMPASSION, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience”}}
[3]. THE INN SPOKE OF ENTRY AND ACCEPTANCE. Unlike the birth of Jesus when the inn was barred off, here we have an innkeeper willing to accept the injured man and to bring him inside the inn. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the One who accepts us in our injured, sinful state and brings us into His family – {{Romans 15:7 “Wherefore, ACCEPT ONE ANOTHER, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God.”}} Jesus has brought us inside His inn, when we consider it that way. We are accepted in the beloved.
The father of the lost son waited patiently for the son’s return, but this is added to his account – {{Luke 15:20 “and he got up and came to his father. While he was still a long way off, his father saw him, AND FELT COMPASSION FOR HIM, and ran and embraced him, and kissed him.”}} God feels compassion for all those who are lost.
[4]. THE INNKEEPER – A TYPE OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. What did the innkeeper do? Firstly he accepted the man into his inn. Secondly he cared for the man to bring him to healing. Then he kept the injured one until the appointed time of the Samaritan’s return. Beautiful illustration.
Jesus has accepted us. Secondly He cares for us brings us to spiritual healing. Thirdly, we are kept until the appointed time when the Lord returns for us. That will be the Rapture unless we have already gone to be with Him.
Thus, we had one inn that could not be welcoming; and one inn that was welcoming and a ministry in compassion. Praise God.
We will close with a poem that we will sing. It is common metre and we will use “Amazing Grace” for the tune. I think they are lovely words. (I say that as a poet myself).
Meter: 8.6.8.6.D.-COMMON METER DOUBLE
Season: Christmas
Words By Margaret Clarkson
There was no room in Bethlehem
for him who left his throne,
to seek the lost at countless cost,
and make their griefs his own:
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But there was room at Calvary
upon a cross of shame,
for him to die, uplifted high,
to bear the sinner's blame.
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There was no room in Bethlehem,
and in the world today,
man will not give him room to live,
but bids him turn away.
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But there is room at Calvary,
and there he stands to give
a home to all who heed his call,
and look to him and live.
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There was no room in Bethlehem,
for Christ, the Prince of heaven,
come down to earth in human birth
that man might be forgiven.
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But there is room at Calvary
for sinners to abide,
and all who come will find a home
in Jesus crucified.
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Words © 1960 Hope Publishing Company
