What The Stable And Your Heart Have In Common

Lk.2:1-7

To compare the birth of Christ at Bethlehem with his birth in our hearts

"The birth of Christ means little or nothing to us if he has not been born in our heart"

1. God has not left this world without a yearly witness of the birth of his son

2. This time of year the witness that Christ came is everywhere

3. Yet there are still too many that know little or nothing of the true meaning

4. We talk about room in the Inn, but Jesus never got into the Inn

5. We’re really not certain where Christ was actually born. Some say a cave, some a barn, or perhaps a stable

6. We do know that it must have been around or near livestock because of the use of a manger for his cradle

7. It makes no difference where Christ was born if he is not born in your heart!!!

WHAT THE STABLE AND YOUR HEART HAVE IN COMMON

I BOTH ARE PLACES GOD HAS CHOSEN FOR HIS SON TO ENTER

A. Don’t pity poor Joseph and Mary, God made the choice of where Jesus was to be born

B. Jesus’ birthplace was ordained before the foundation of the world (Gal.4:4-5)

C. The Prophet Micah (5:2) had foretold the place of his birth 700 years prior

D. God has chosen your heart to dwell in (Jn.15:16)(Acts 9:15)(Eph.1:4)(Eph.3:17)

II BOTH ARE PLACES THAT ARE UNWORTHY OF DIVINE ROYALTY

A. stables and Hearts are Dirty, Dark and Defiled places, (Jer.17:9) (Isa.64:6) (I Tim.1:15)

B. Don’t get too high on yourself just because God chose you (I Cor.1:27-28)

C. There is no place on earth worthy of His presence (Rm.3:23)(Ecc.7:20)

D. Nobody cleaned up the stable before his arrival (It is useless for us to attempt to clean up our own heart and make it a presentable place for Christ)

E. Jesus meets us where and how we are, just as he did the Samaritan, Zachaeus, Bartimaeus and Nicodemus

III BOTH ARE PLACES THAT GOD HAS CHOSEN FOR THE BIRTH OF HIS SON

A. Our babies are born in the most sterile environments available

B. The birth of Christ was a spiritual birth. Just as Christ was born of the Spirit in the stable so the Holy Spirit wants to birth Christ in our hearts (Mt.1:20 & Lk.1:35)(Jn.3:6)(Jn.1:11-13)

C. The birth of Christ is what made all the difference in this stable and He can make all the difference in our lives when He is born in our hearts (II Cor.5:17)

D. Has Christ been born in your heart? (Jn.6:63)

IV BOTH ARE PLACES FROM WHICH GOD HAS CHOSEN TO REVEAL HIS SON

A. The Shepherds

B. The Apostle Paul (Gal.1:16)

C. The Greatest Witness is the Witness from the Heart

D. If Christ is Ever Revealed to this Old World it will be through us

V BOTH ARE PLACES THAT CANNOT BOAST OR CALL ATTENTION TO THEMSELVES

A. What was the Focus of Attention? (Not the stable but the Baby!)

B. Remember, the stable isn’t even mentioned by name!

C. Our purpose is the call attention to Christ not ourselves!

VI BOTH ARE PLACES THROUGH WHICH GOD DESIRES TO REACH A LOST WORLD

A. The stable was the gateway of God to reach the world

B. Amazing that God would choose a stable, me, and you

C. I’m not gonna let a stable or stones out witness me

VII BOTH ARE PLACES THAT HAVE BEEN IMMORTALIZED BY THE FACT THAT THE LORD JESUS CHRIST HAS ENTERED INTO THEM

A. How many stables do you know by name?

B. Nineteen hundred years have not diminished the fame of this place

C. Immortality is the results of receiving Christ into your heart (Col.1:27)