I like what Dutch Sheets wrote:
“Have you ever wondered what was going through Christ’s mind before Holy Spirit transformed Him into a microscopic seed and carried Him to the womb of a young girl? He was about to become breakable. Did He wonder how it would feel to no longer be omnipresent? Omniscient? Omnipotent? Did He wonder how physical pain would feel? Hunger? Thirst? Weariness? Cold? Heartache? Loss?”
“Christ knew He would have to: fight His way through a birth canal, be fed, be bathed, learn to crawl, develop balance and walking skills, form words, grow, gain knowledge. He would experience sleep, scrapes, blisters, callouses. He would enter the realm of time. He would bleed.”— Dutch Sheets (Give Him 15)
God knew how needy were are! He knew that a savior was needed!!
He came to those in-need…..
Did you know that there are over 400,000 children and youth in need of a home nationally.
There are over 13,000 children/youth in out-of-home placement just in Indiana.
- Our text today:: Takes us to a small village in humble circumstances — Bethlehem (which means Bread…) The origins are of humble beginnings (Smallest tribe of Benjamin). The community of shepherds (home of a shepherd, King David…)
It is the Christmas story….
Luke 2:6-7 (NLB)
“And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.”
Other translations read: “no room”.
The biggest questions for me this year is: Why was there no room for Jesus?
- Prophecy:
How is it that those in Bethlehem would not have realized, especially in the messianic age…. How did they not anticipate His coming?
Perhaps it’s because they looked for a King or a person of royal means… or one of wealth and prestige?
Many passages revealed the place and the provision of which he would be born. His status and station in life would’ve been obvious … just a short journey from Nazareth in our modern day but a trip that would’ve taken several days by donkey.. (90 miles)
Isaiah 53, which says that the Messiah would be “despised and rejected by men….
“Some scholars believe there are more than 300 prophecies about Jesus in the Old Testament. These prophecies are specific enough that the mathematical probability of Jesus fulfilling even a handful of them, let alone all of them, is staggeringly improbable—if not impossible.” Jesus Film Project.
"'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.'" (Matthew 2:4–6).
55 Old Testament Prophecies about Jesus | Jesus Film Project
Bottom line: They we’re not looking for The Messiah. They were too busy to stop, look, listen!
- Understanding vulnerability (Those most often overlooked.):
— ** What is the most often overlooked people group? —
The least! The last! The lost! (Most vulnerable.)
Most do not know what it is to be poor — really poor to the point of having nothing.
Most don’t know what it is to be rejected - really rejected to the point it despised.
**Our Savior knew what it was like to be both poor and rejected.
**For those that experience these negative realities, there is a savior who understands.
Russ Whitten…. Writes:
“I believe there was no room in the inn so that even from the beginning of his life, Jesus could completely identify with the underprivileged, vulnerable, oppressed, rejects, outcasts and poor.
When God became one of us, he demanded none of the world’s comforts, luxuries or protections. God knew that throughout history, there would be homeless people from every part of the world, trying to stay warm at night, who would look up at the stars and say in their heart, **”God, you have no idea what I’m going through!” To this, Jesus could honestly say, “Actually, I know exactly what you’re going through.”
2 Corinthians 8:9 says this: “Though he was very rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich.”
Max Lucado said it this way: “The mother and father of our Lord were pushed out and rejected. Even before he was born, our Lord was rejected and turned away. The words ‘no room for you’ followed him throughout his life … There was just no room for him anywhere.
What of this family?
- He came to family.
Perhaps one of the most important aspects of the birth of Christ is that in all the ways of which God could have come to us, God Emmanuel, He came to A FAMILY.
This family journeyed 90 miles —- pregnant and trying to find rest….for the birth of the child that would “deliver” Mary and also for us all.
He came to enrich the lives within a family but also to our family as well.
For Caesar Augustus decreed that all should be registered as family. It was his way of taxing the people. In this family, the first family of royalty would also be registered as a family.
It’s hard to Imagine that Jesus had siblings. We know that he does and it’s believe that even the book of James was a brother to Jesus. But nevertheless it is a family of which he is born into but not of… Because he is born of God through Mary. But resides within a family is essential to the story.
For you see the reason why there was no room in the inn was not because they were full —- a guest room, the “family” room of this Inn was already occupied and it was of no use to them in the birthing of a newborn. (The word used here in this passage that there was no room for him in the Inn is a word to describe not a bedroom but the main room of the house. There was no room because it was a busy time in Bethlehem. The place was a buzz with activity and many were there to be registered.)
David Hauschuild writes on this:
“Luke, the only Gospel writer who provides an extensive nativity narrative, was concerned about precision in what he wrote. We know this because he said as much so very clearly (Luke 1:3). So if Luke strove for accuracy, it stands to reason that his readers should try to understand exactly what he intended.”
“Luke wrote that there was no space in the “katáluma.” That Greek word is usually understood as a “guest room” in a house. Luke used “katáluma” in that exact sense later on (22:11) in reference to the “guest room” where the Last Supper would be observed.”
- DAVID HAUSCHILD ( https://www.startribune.com/the-nativity-story-there-was-no-room-where/503358092/ )
—Because there was no room in the inn
The provisions of our Lord were not in the main room but in a back room were sheep and cattle and even the donkey that carried Mary would reside. He was born in a stable.
Here there was not a hospital or a clinic that they could go to but instead they were given another place where provisions had to be especially prepared.
For this royalty, a king Jesus was not born in a palace where they were servants and wealth and provisions but it was a makeshift birthing ward a maternity ward in a stable.
This was in-keeping with prophecy but also in keeping with the reality that a lamb was used for the remission of sin.
Do you see the connection?
The shepherds recognized it because they cared for the lamb that was to be slain and they were the first to hear of this news. Likely they came with provisions of understanding how to care for a lamb. But, they were the least of those who heard the news of royalty. Yet, they were the first notified!
You see this Jesus was to become the lamb, the shed blood for our sin. It is fitting that he would be born in a stable wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger just as they would the sacrificial lamb. He the shepherds would wrap the precious lamb in strips of cloth keeping it from injury so that it could be presented without blemish for the days of sacrifice.
Within this family, born in the most vulnerable of means. This child is given in the family was to protect this child in its vulnerability. Yes, God Emmanuel what is to be protected by the family!
An application: There’s no question why the family is under attack today… The very definition of family in the responsibilities of parenting are being challenged by the evil one. The family is God’s creation.
Furthermore, we can realize that his birth had significance not only in its vulnerabilities but also in the care in provision of a family.
Application: IF we are critical of the Inn Keeper for not making room for this family, we need to ask; “Why don’t we make room for Jesus in our family?”
You may say, IF I were the inn keeper, I would have … Made room? Throw someone else out? Clear out a storage room? Or say, “Someone else will provide?”
Matthew 25… “…for as you did unto the least of these, you did unto me.”
(Matthew 25:35-40)
Making room for Jesus requires …
- Being inconvenienced.
- Changing our priorities.
- Clearing out the storage room.
- Making other arrangements.
- Caring for another in need.
It is interesting that though the first family that cradled the savior as a baby could not find a place to lodge like many others finding lodging in the Inns and with family….
This family welcomed many who came unannounced!!
For you see our lesson today is in making room for Jesus.
Without a doubt many homes are filled with more stuff crowding out the space needed for Jesus; the least, the last, the lost!
Three closing questions:
- Who is beneath you?
- Who is behind you?
- Who is just beyond your vision?
Dutch Sheets writes (Give Him 15 podcast.)
“We will never truly understand the ramifications, intricacies and complexities of the incarnation. Merging the limitations of “humanness” with an infinite God simply can’t be computed by human brains. Indeed, Paul referenced Christ as God’s “indescribable gift” (2 Corinthians 9:15). But it is healthy to ponder it, nonetheless. We must, in fact. It is imperative that we consider the cost to Christ. It’s essential that we wonder at such love, marvel at the plan and stand in awe at its audacity.” - Dutch Sheets podcast. https://www.givehim15.com/post/december-24-2021
As you see… Even the day after Christmas is still yet to be considered of the Majesty and glory spilled over to the next day and days to follow….the announcement of the Angels….the visitation of the shepherds …. and the visitation of the magi.
