“And she brought forth her
firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger,
because there was no room for them in the inn.” - Luke 2:7
The economy by all
accounts is booming. The Dow Jones Industrial is breaking records. Consumer
confidence is at a 20-year high. With some extra cash in our pockets, from now
until Christmas there will be a constant mad rush to buy, buy, buy. The
purchasing spree will be followed in the New Year by efforts to pay, pay, pay
(unless you buy into plans that put your payments off for an extended period of
time – that only prolongs the agony). But for now, the stores are crowded,
lines are long, and maybe we have a little bit more financially to celebrate
this year.
But there’s a
danger in all this consumer confidence and economic upturn. This is the season when
people scurry about in the squalid frenzy to shop. Black Friday is a stampede
and there’s always the perennial story of people being trampled. Most stores
mark the start of the spending spree by opening on Thanksgiving. Squeezing in
thanks is becoming harder and harder. It may be cold outside, but those long
lines are hot and sweaty.
Shopping and
holiday preparations this time of year threaten to crowd out everything else in
our lives. If you listen you’ll hear mothers at the brink snap at their antsy
(aggravating?) inquisitive children, “Quiet! Don’t you know I’m shopping for
Christmas gifts?” Those cute little ones may look precious to you, but to their
parents they can be little tyrants. There are stern looks and frequent rolling
of the eyes. The name “Jesus” is used in some unholy ways this time of year.
Fathers get into the act too. They’re more to the point. “Put a lid on it kid
or Santa’s gonna pass you by.” There’s always the simple but effective, “Shut
up!’ usually followed by the explanatory, “I can’t hear myself think.” I’m
surprised no one has come up with a song with those words. And then there’s the
novice parents who pacify their kids with candy only to find there a lot harder
to catch that way. Funny how more kids seem to be on leashes this time of year.
And I’ve seen grandparents, with a twinkle in their eye, say things like, “Oh
come on, don’t be such a kill-joy, what’s another scoop of ice cream going to
hurt?” Or, “here Johnny, eat these sugar balls, they’re extra yummy.” Is it a
“wonderful” time of the year for you?
Driving can be hazardous
too as people have a million distracting thoughts coursing through their heads.
There’s a heightened temptation to text and drive; yes, drive into oncoming
traffic or into a pole. There’s the distracting gift related conversations that
seem to move the car across lanes. It’s pretty hard to drive and go over that
Christmas list at the same time. Then there’s the stop and go traffic. And
there’s the search for a parking spot at the Mall. There’s those dings in your
car or van or truck door that you only notice once you’ve gotten home when
there’s no chance of getting the culprits insurance information.
Obligation and
fear of offending someone will drive people to gifting extremes. Some simply
spend big in order to cover a thoughtless time investment in their purchase.
Others wrack brains to make sure all the bases are covered and no one is left
out. Many just throw in the towel and buy gift cards. It can be a joy-sapping
downer. Even Christians can get caught up in the rush to spend rashly. But what
about Jesus in all of this?
All of this frenzy
begs the question, “This year, will there be room for Jesus in your life?” Will
you have time to celebrate His
birthday?” I mean, Christmas is about
the birth of Jesus, isn’t it? It is His birthday.[1]
Some people are
embarrassed to mention Jesus, even during the season of His birth. Many people choose
the middle inoffensive ground. They’re more concerned about how people feel about the name “Christ” or “Jesus”
than about how Jesus feels about being neglected or ignored. People end up
eliminating Jesus from the season by avoiding the use of “Christmas” and
inserting, “Seasons Greetings,” and “Happy Holidays.” I guess this is harmless,
but I wonder how Jesus feels about it? How would you feel if you were ignored
at your birthday? Thank goodness there’s a push to put the “Merry Christmas” back
into the Christmas season. Please, let’s keep “Christ” in “Christmas.” Jesus
really is the reason for the season.
Buti f there’s no
room for Jesus in your holiday season, it wouldn’t be the first time there was no room for Jesus. The first time He
came there was no room for Him. How about we put the “holy” back into the
“holiday”? The word “holy” means special, unique, distinctive. The birth of Jesus should be a holy time; a
special, unique, and distinctive time. There’s a verse that can help us do that.
In the Gospel of
Luke, it states:
This verse about the birth of Christ contains three
central aspects of the Christmas story that will help us get back to the
holiness, the specialness of the season.
Incarnation - “And
she brought forth her firstborn Son”
We should understand that God reveals to us in His word
that Jesus preexists eternally and is fully God (John 1:1, 2, 14-15). The
incarnation of Jesus does not make Him less than God according to clear statements
throughout the Bible. The deity of Jesus is testified to and supported in
numerous portions of scripture. One of my favorites is as follows:
- Romans
9:5 – “of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to the
flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed
God. Amen.”
Christmas is about the historical account of the
incarnation of God in Christ. Just think of it, God in the flesh. That really
is an incredible thing. The God of the universe; all powerful; all knowing;
ever present; with us in Christ. God is not distant but is present. He’ll never
leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). God wants us to know Him and has taken
steps that we can know Him personally. The incarnation testifies to this truth.
And indeed, Jesus said the crux of eternal life is, “And this is eternal life,
that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent”
(John 17:3).
Knowing God is the bottom line. You can talk about religion,
ritual and a host of other things, but if what you do fails to help you know God and Jesus Christ whom He has
sent, it’s for the most part worthless. In heaven there won’t be Catholics,
Calvary Chapel people, Baptists, Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Pentecostals, or
any other manmade labels for people. In heaven there will only be those who
have repented of their sins and through faith in Christ entered into God’s
eternal life of knowing Him. Do you
know Jesus? Have you been “born again”? Jesus said we “must be” born again to
enter God’s kingdom (John 3). Examine yourself to see if you can answer “yes”
to these questions (2 Corinthians 13:5).
Humiliation – “and wrapped Him in swaddling
cloths, and laid Him in a manger,”
Christ’s coming into the world testifies to the humility
of Jesus. He was willing to come as a servant to do God’s will. We see this in
such verses as:
- 2
Corinthians 8:9 – “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that
though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through
His poverty might become rich.”
- Philippians
2:5-11 – “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,6 who,
being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with
God,7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant,
and coming in the likeness of men.8 And being found in appearance
as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point
of death, even the death of the cross.9 Therefore God also has
highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,10
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and
of those on earth, and of those under the earth,11 and that every
tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of
God the Father.”
An interesting story is told about an 18th
century incident:
In the fall of 1775, the manager
of Baltimore’s largest hotel refused lodging to a man dressed like a farmer,
because he thought this fellow’s lowly appearance would discredit his inn. So,
the man left and took a room elsewhere. Later, the innkeeper discovered that he
had turned away none other than the Vice President of the United States, Thomas
Jefferson!
Immediately he sent a note to the
famed patriot, asking him to return and be his guest. Jefferson replied by
instructing his messenger as follows: “Tell him I have already engaged a room.
I value his good intentions highly, but if he has no place for a dirty American
farmer, he has none for the Vice President of the United States.” [2]
How many times do we similarly turn away the things of God
and His plans because they are too “dirty” for us? What do you think about when
you contemplate the humility of Jesus? Do you even think about that? You
should. We are called to follow in the humble servant hearted steps of Jesus
(Philippians 2:5-8; 1 Peter 2:21; 1 John 2:6). It is possible to know Jesus and the power of His
resurrection. But I have learned that when I really get to know Jesus, it is in
the fellowship of His sufferings (Philippians 3:10). That’s the “dirty” part,
the part where we have to get down in the dirt of life and serve the Lord. Have
you thought about the humility of Jesus? What does it mean to you?
Divine Anticipation - “because there was no room
for them in the inn.”
The last issue this verse speaks of is the Divine
anticipation or the providence of God. In Galatians we are told that the
incarnation of Jesus was all according to a plan of God:
- Galatians
4:4-5 – “But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His
Son, born of a woman, born under the law,5 to redeem those who were under
the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.”
The birth of Jesus Christ is fulfillment of an incredibly
miraculous plan of God to reveal Himself to humanity in His fullness in Christ
(Colossians 1:15-19). His virgin birth and place of birth are among the details
God testifies to in His word. When we consider the details of God’s
providential planned incarnation it is really amazing.
Historically it
was just the right time for Jesus to come. Two commentators
make the following observations about the timing of when Jesus came to be “God
with us”:
The proper
time had arrived for both God and man. The time appointed by the Father and
foretold by the prophets. It was a time of outward prosperity and inward
corruption. The religions of the world were spiritually bankrupt, devoid of
power to change men’s lives, and had degenerated into feeble superstitions and
meaningless rituals.[3]
This “time”
was when the Roman civilization had brought peace and a road system which
facilitated travel; when the Grecian civilization provided a language which was
adopted as the lingua franca of the empire; when the Jews had proclaimed
monotheism and the messianic hope in the synagogues of the Mediterranean world. [4]
Prophetically
it was just the right time for Jesus to come. There are a
host of prophecies which foretell the birth of Messiah Jesus (Genesis 3:15;
Isaiah 7:14; Micah 5:2; Matthew 1:23; Luke 1:31-35). There are prophetic
scriptures which foretell of Jesus coming eight centuries in advance! The
coming of Jesus was in line with the timing of the removal from the Jewish
religious leaders of the right to order capital punishment (Genesis 49:10), the
prophesied forerunner (Malachi 3:21) and Daniel’s prophecy concerning Messiah’s
triumphal entry (Daniel 9:24-27).
But having acknowledged all this, the thing I find
interesting, no, stupefying, is that with all of this planning it still says in
Luke 2:7, “. . . there was no room for them in the inn.” Doesn’t
that strike you as a bit peculiar? The Bible tells us that God has a time for
everything (Ecclesiastes 3). Certainly, the time was right for Messiah Jesus to
be incarnated. God predicted through the prophets and laid out a perfect plan
for revealing Himself to humanity. The prophet Daniel laid out to the day the
time of Messiah’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem (cf. Daniel 9:24-27). And
still, there was no room for Jesus
and His parents the night of His birth. Somehow it seems that with all that
planning by God surrounding the incarnation of Jesus that He also would have
planned for Him to be birthed in a suitable place. Did God simply forget or
overlook this aspect of the incarnation? I don’t think so. I don’t think there
was “no room” for Jesus
by accident. I believe God wants to teach us something from this.
What do we
learn from “no room in the inn”? There are a
number of things we can and should learn from there being “no room in the inn.”
First, God’s ways are not our ways. God
works in ways that we often find stupefying, surprising, amazing,
perplexing, even confusing. In Isaiah it states:
- Isaiah
55:7-11 – “Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his
thoughts; Let him return to the Lord,
And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly
pardon.8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are
your ways My ways,” says the Lord.9
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways
higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.10 “For as the
rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But
water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to
the sower And bread to the eater,11 So shall My word be that goes forth
from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish
what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for
which I sent it.”
In Romans 12:2 it tells us not to be conformed to the
world. A reason for this is that God regularly works in ways that the world and
even in the religious community can not relate to. The ways of God are nonconformist
and unorthodox by secular and religious standards. Who would have thought that
a single Teacher with an inner core of 12 rag tag disciples would turn out to
be not only God in the flesh but the Savior of the world? Who would have thought the Savior of the
world, God in the flesh, would be born in a stable because there was no other
place for his mother to birth? Who would have thought this child would be the
way the truth and the life and the only way to eternal life with God? God’s
ways are not our ways.
Our problem is that our
plan is often opposed to His plan.
We fight and struggle and throw our tantrums before the Lord because we don’t
get what we want. Like a spoiled child dissatisfied with their Christmas gift
we pout and sometimes even shout at God for His decisions. God’s ways are not
our ways. God’s plans may keep us from things we think are best for us. But
God’s plan is always the best plan. He has only the best of intentions for us.
If He says, “No,” to a request of ours, it is only because He has something
infinitely and eternally better for us. Who would you rather depend on, someone
(like yourself) who is finite, limited in understanding and capability, or
Someone who is infinite, unlimited in understanding and all powerful, like God?
I don’t know about you, but I’m going with God not me or you. Don’t throw a
tantrum, trust the LORD.
God is able to accomplish His will no matter what. Like
the story of Mrs. A. E. Gadsby of Niagara Falls, Canada, who in December 1940 mailed
a Christmas parcel to her daughter in Prestwick, Scotland. The ship carrying
the mail was torpedoed off the west coast of Ireland, but a favorable tide
floated the package and unerringly cast it ashore on the beach of Prestwick.
The contents were soaked but perfectly usable. The address was still legible
and the package reached the addressee two days after Christmas. [5] God has a
plan and He will work it out come hell or high water (Jeremiah 29:11-13). Hope
in Him (Psalm 42).
Second, God incorporates human free will in His
plans. Human free will does not take God by surprise, but it does make
for an interesting journey in God’s plans. Because of human free will Joseph in
Old Testament times was sold into slavery, falsely accused and imprisoned, forgotten
for a time, exalted to the second in command in the Egyptian empire and
ultimately used by God with all of his hardship, for God’s good purposes to
preserve the Messianic line (Genesis 50:20). Because of human free will there
was an innkeeper who had no room for Jesus to be born in. Because of human free
will Jesus was betrayed by one of his closest and most trusted disciples. Yet
God used all of this to bring salvation to the world through His Son. God uses
human free will and because of that we can’t always see His plan at first. God
unfolds His plan bit by bit in order according to His plan, true to His will. Next
time you are confused and can’t understand what is happening, trust in God,
hope in God, love the Lord and He will bring out His good plan (Romans
8:28).
Christmas can be a difficult time of year. Memories of
lost loved ones are harder to deal with during this emotional time of year.
Family tensions can run high, especially between saved and unsaved. Through it
all remember God has a plan. Hope in the Lord and He will get your through
(Psalm 37; 43; 44).
Third, obstacles don’t necessarily mean we are out
of God’s will. What if Joseph and Mary said, “Okay, there’s no room
here for us to have the baby, let’s go to the next town”? If they had done that
Jesus would not have been born in Bethlehem according to Messianic prophecy
(Micah 5:2) and He would have been disqualified as Messiah. But they trusted in
the Lord and made due with what God provided. There is no record of any
complaints on their part. There is only a record of humble submission.
Christmas is a time notorious for combustible complaints. God’s word tells us
to “do all things without complaining and disputing” (Philippians 2:14). Maybe
we should take action so that there’s room for Jesus but no room for bad
Christmas attitudes.
Fourth, there is an enemy who wants to shut Jesus
out. The devil wants to destroy Jesus and all who love Him. We see this
in the slaughter of the innocents ordered by Herod (Matthew 2:16-18). Herod and
many other people in history have been enemies of Jesus and His people. But the
ultimate enemy of Jesus is Satan. Of Satan it is stated:
- 1
Peter 5:8-9 – “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil
walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.9 Resist him,
steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced
by your brotherhood in the world.”
Jesus came to destroy the works of Satan (Hebrews 2:14; 1
John 3:8). We have an enemy and he seeks to distract, deceive and destroy
everything connected with Jesus. The enemies’ objective is to make sure there
is no room for Jesus in your life. Don’t let him cheat you of the blessing of
the presence of the Lord! Make a conscious effort to have meaningful devotional
times with the Lord each day during this time of year. This will help you make
room for Jesus each day. It will help you cultivate spiritual sensitivity to
how Jesus might want to use you to help others make room for Him.
Fifth, not everyone has room for Jesus. Jesus
knocks on the hearts of all people as it states in Revelation:
- Revelation
3:20 - “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If
anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine
with him, and he with Me.”
Jesus especially knocks on the door of the church seeking
to come in and fellowship. But not everyone has room for Jesus. Some have their
own petty ideas or agenda to follow. Others are too proud and want to worship
themselves rather than Jesus. And still others want to rule on the throne
rather than have Jesus be Lord. When Jesus knocks, open to Him. He is the
reason for the season. Don’t forget that. Don’t be cheated out of the presence
of Jesus this Christmas (Colossians 2:8, 23).
Sixth, when we encounter obstacles we should follow
the leading of the Spirit. Mary and Joseph were humble enough to follow
the Spirit. They didn’t come to Bethlehem expecting to have Mary give birth in
a stable. But that is where the Spirit led them and that is where they went. The Spirit will
never lead in a way that is contrary to God’s word. In fact, the Spirit most
often leads us by the word of God (Romans 8:14). We discover God’s will by
giving ourselves to Him as living sacrifices. Top discover His will we have to
be dead to ourselves and our own agendas and alive to Him and His will (Romans
12:1-2). Get up and off of the throne of your heart and make room for Jesus! He
alone is suited and worthy to be your Lord.
Seventh, do you have room for Jesus this Christmas? Jesus
said:
- John
8:12 – “Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I
am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness,
but have the light of life.”
Jesus is knocking on the door of your heart right now. You
may have never paid attention to His knocking but now He is getting your
attention. Will you open the door of your heart and invite Him in? It’s simple:
- Admit
you have sinned against God’s holy law and deserve eternal damnation
(Romans 3:23; 6:23).
- Acknowledge
that Jesus died for your sins upon the cross; He died in your place on the
cross; He paid the penalty you deserved for your sins on the cross.
- Ask
by faith God to forgive you of your sin based on your accepting
what Jesus has done for you on the cross (Romans 6:23; 5:8).
- Advance
in the Spirit (who is now in you) and depend on God to help you bear
spiritual fruit and live for Jesus.
Perhaps you’ve accepted Jesus as your Savior but there are
still rooms in your house that you have yet to give Him full access to. Jesus
is knocking on those doors to. He wants to go in and clean house. Will you let
Him in? He wants to shine His light throughout your heart and life. Will you
let Him in?
We can learn a lot from that short verse in the gospel of
Luke. But the thing we need to consider is do we have room for Jesus in our lives, in all of our lives? That’s
the question before us right now. Have a meaningful Christmas and make room for
Jesus!
[1] Though December 25th is not
supported by historical and scriptural evidence as being the actual birth date
of Jesus – that’s another teaching
[2]Tan, P. L.
1996, c1979. Encyclopedia of 7700 illustrations: [a treasury of
illustrations, anecdotes, facts and quotations for pastors, teachers and
Christian workers]. Bible Communications: Garland TX
[3]Jerry Falwell, executive editor;
Edward E. Hinson and Michael Kroll Woodrow, general editors, KJV Bible
commentary [computer file], electronic ed., Logos Library System,
(Nashville: Thomas Nelson) 1997, c1994.
[4]Walvoord, John F., and Zuck,
Roy B., The Bible Knowledge Commentary, (Wheaton, Illinois: Scripture
Press Publications, Inc.) 1983, 1985.
[5]Tan, P. L.
1996, c1979. Encyclopedia of 7700 illustrations: [a treasury of
illustrations, anecdotes, facts and quotations for pastors, teachers and
Christian workers]. Bible Communications: Garland TX
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