I'm Full

Luke 2:1–7 NLT

1 At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. 2 (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. 4 And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. 5 He took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now expecting a child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. 7 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.

We have arrived, at the highlight of our “Make Room” series, we have dealt with and dealt away with a few obstacles that consume us and now we have arrived to the ultimate cleansing of ourselves in order to expand our capacity for Christ. Here in the text we have our nativity scriptures that describe briefly the conditions of the physical birth of Jesus Christ. Luke the author writes of the journey of Joseph and Mary’s journey to Bethlehem and their reasoning.

Luke 2:3–4 KJV 1900

3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Beth-lehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)

Joseph was called back to Bethlehem to do a Roman Census, and by Roman standards and rules, citizens were to return to their ancestral homes for the census. Since Joseph himself (and in some form of connection was Mary) was a descendant of King David, his home for the Roman census would take place in Bethlehem.

Their rules HIS call! -Full of frustration

Even though it was the “rules” or standard of the Romans to require this for their records, it was God who ordained the move. What we must adopt in this next phase of our spirit walk is seeing the hand or the ordaining of God in our lives even though we are operating within the scope of man’s instructions. Remember that while this seems to be an inconvenience of Joseph and Mary, a three day journey with a pregnant woman, Joseph knew who she was carrying and scripture in their time said that who she was carrying was to be born in the place they were going! (read Micah) (EFF-RAH-TUH)

Micah 5:2 NLT

2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel whose origins are in the distant past, will come from you on my behalf.

When I begin to know what God wants and I align myself with it, I am not bothered by the ignorant inconveniences of man!

You might be ending our relationship but God said new circles

Your job might be changing your duties at work but God said I’m expanding your knowledge

You might still owe me some money But God said count it as a blessing so I can bless you some more!

You have Got to know what God’s plans are in order for you to know where you fit and what it looks like pertaining to your domain.

So Joseph and Mary get to Bethlehem to do the census, but they have no where to stay. There is no lodging for them, there is no record of family there to house them and all of the hostels or hotels are full. Remember this is the land of Joseph’s ancestors not necessarily where his current family (if he has any) stays. So when they arrive, it’s time for the baby to be born and the bible says that Mary gave birth to her firstborn a son.

BOTH SIDES MATTER! Full of Hate

Scripture stating that Mary gave birth to her firstborn suggests that she had other children which she did, but remember Jesus is not the biological son of Joseph and furthermore in Romans 8:29 Paul Says

Romans 8:29 NLT

29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

So here Jesus is called the 1st born on both his Mother’s side and his father’s side. He’s the firstborn Naturally and the firstborn spiritually. If we are going to acutely expand our capacity for Christ we must know and understand that both sides matter. In the case of sides God, being a just God has made it his personal responsibility to make known to us when both sides matter about certain areas.

In the beginning he created

The heavens & the Earth -both are important for you to see where he reigns and where we domain

MAN with both a natural body and spiritual life- both are important because the physical body was a gift that he doesn’t posses and the spirit of life was a gift that directly came from him because we were to embody his spiritual authority! ( God set it up that if you never saw HIM you saw the embodiment of his authority and dominion).

Then he created

Male & Female- both are important because we need the gentle help and you need the stern covering

He created the ups and we through sin established the downs, but both are important because you can never appreciate being up until you have experienced being DOWN!

So here Jesus being a firstborn on both his mother’s side and his father’s side is remarkably important. Mary had more children, and it’s important to note that because even though she was able to carry Jesus to term and love him she was also blessed to be able to carry other children and love them, why? Because God used Mary to teach us that if you can Love Jesus, you can love others!

There is no way you can say you love Jesus and hate your enemies

You can’t love Jesus and hate other ethnicities

You can’t love Jesus and hate politicians

You can’t love Jesus and hate the LGBTQ community

You can’t love Jesus and hate the Muslim, Jew, Buddhist, Hindu, Mormon, Pagan, Constructionist, or Atheist

Rich Person, Poor Person, Big Person, Small Person, Short Person, Tall Person, Young Person, Old Person, Nice Person, Mean Person ANY PERSON.

If you can Love Jesus, you can love others.

Do you know who this is!? Full of Immaturity

So Mary has the baby, but the bible says that he was laid in a manger, because there was no available room in the inn. How? It’s Jesus. This is the

Hope of glory,

the Prince of Peace,

the lamb slain before the foundation of the Earth,

the master,

the Messiah,

the savior of the People of Israel from all of their troubles!

What do you mean there is no room in the inn? How could you not have room for the son of the living God? Because of his perceived immaturity he was not known enough to be received how he should be. He was just an infant fresh from his mothers womb. He had not yet

Performed Miracles

Taught in Parables

Fasted for 40 days

Called his disciples

Taught in the synagogue

In other words Jesus had not yet been experienced. And until he was experienced he was not yet invited, but the problem is in order to experience him it is us who must be invited to him! We have it completely backwards it is not us who have to invite Jesus into our hearts we have to accept HIS invitation to believe and receive HIS sacrifice for us!

Matthew 22:1–14 NLT

1 Jesus also told them other parables. He said, 2 “The Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a king who prepared a great wedding feast for his son. 3 When the banquet was ready, he sent his servants to notify those who were invited. But they all refused to come! 4 “So he sent other servants to tell them, ‘The feast has been prepared. The bulls and fattened cattle have been killed, and everything is ready. Come to the banquet!’ 5 But the guests he had invited ignored them and went their own way, one to his farm, another to his business. 6 Others seized his messengers and insulted them and killed them. 7 “The king was furious, and he sent out his army to destroy the murderers and burn their town. 8 And he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, and the guests I invited aren’t worthy of the honor. 9 Now go out to the street corners and invite everyone you see.’ 10 So the servants brought in everyone they could find, good and bad alike, and the banquet hall was filled with guests. 11 “But when the king came in to meet the guests, he noticed a man who wasn’t wearing the proper clothes for a wedding. 12 ‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how is it that you are here without wedding clothes?’ But the man had no reply. 13 Then the king said to his aides, ‘Bind his hands and feet and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 “For many are called, but few are chosen.”

The cry of the immature is “I’ve got time”. The immature believe they have time to accept Jesus when he shows up for them. They cry that in time they will get it together and be able to fix it when they are ready, they cry that they have time to accept Jesus when they are ready to but Jesus said if you deny me down here, I’ll deny you before my father. We can’t continue to be full of immaturity because it hinders our capacity to live, it hinders our capacity to experience and most importantly it hinders our capacity to LOVE.

We have to make room!