In The Heart Of The Mountain

Doxology:

This is my Bible. It is God’s Holy Word. It is a lamp unto my feet, a light unto my path, and I will hide its words within my heart, that I might not sin against God. Amen!

Biblical Reference: Luke 2:1-7

Last week, we were given the privilege of seeing how Mary and Joseph reconciled their relationship. They were both visited by God in miraculous ways, and Joseph decided to stay with Mary and take her as his wife. At the end of the text last week, we saw that Jesus was born, but this week, we want to look a little further into that detail.

Matter of fact, the next couple of weeks we are going to focus on the events surrounding the birth of Christ, and the first couple years of His life.

Today, we are going to be in Luke 2:1-7

Luke 2:1–7 NKJV

1 And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. 3 So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. 4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. 6 So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. 7 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.

Context

If there is one thing that I want you to take away from this message today, is that God orchestrated every detail of this storyline. Nothing that we will read about concerning the birth of His only begotten Son into this world, happened by chance. It was all orchestrated by His hand.

We have already witnessed that every detail up to this point has been put into place by the power of His hand.

Elizabeth, who was barren, has now had a baby boy name John, and he will be the forerunner of Jesus in ministry.

Mary, who is a virgin, has also become pregnant with Jesus, which cannot be explained any other way than God.

Joseph, who naturally decided to walk away from the relationship, has now decided to follow through because of miraculous events.

So I want you to see that God orchestrated every bit of this, even the events that we will see today.

Mary is about to give birth. Jesus could come at any moment.....but there is a problem. Concerning the birth of the Messiah, there was a prophecy that stated He would be born in Bethlehem, not Galilee.

Micah 5:2 NKJV

2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.”

As the text pointed out, Mary and Joseph lived in Galilee, which was a small community inside the city of Nazareth. If they stay there, then the prophecy concerning Jesus, would not come true.

So, in the opening verses of this chapter, which all revolve around the birth of Christ, we see that all of a sudden Caesar Augustus decides to take a census. In order for each person to be registered, they had to travel to the place of their lineage. Guess where that just so happen to be for Joseph.....Bethlehem.

Warren Wiersbe points out that the Romans held a census every 14 years for military and tax purposes. Only the men were required to make the journey. Once there, the man would register giving his name, occupation, property, and family information.

There a couple of reasons for why Mary would have made the journey with Joseph:

Because of how far along Mary was in her pregnancy, Joseph probably did not want to leave her home alone and miss the baby being born. Mary also probably did not want to give birth without her husband being there. It was her first child and she was probably very nervous about the birth. Mind you also, there were no epidurals, numbing medicines, or 5-star facilities during this time, and it was very possible for the mother to die giving birth if there were any complications.

Because of the nature of Mary’s pregnancy: angels, dreams, virgin birth, Messiah.....they could have very well known that the prophecy stated He should be born in Bethlehem.

Regardless of the reason, God made sure that Mary accompanied Joseph on this trip so that Scripture could be fulfilled.

Then, as they draw near to their destination, Mary goes into labor. It is time. It just so happens that they are next to a inn, or what we would call today a motel or hotel. Now remember, many other people are having to make the same exact journey that they are having to make, so the place is packed. Joseph pushes his way through the crowd, in frantic desperation, makes his way to the innkeeper, and simply gets rejected.

“I’m sorry, but I am simply out of rooms. You can see for yourself how many people are here. I have no rooms left,” he said. Joseph then please his case, “But you don’t understand. My wife is pregnant. She is going into labor and she is about to have a baby. We need a place for her to lie down and deliver our baby. Please....can you come up with something? For her? Have some compassion here.”

The innkeeper sees his desperation and returns, “Look! I am sorry. I wish there was something I could do, but I cannot kick someone else out of a room they have already paid for. Surely you can understand that. I don’t have any more rooms available, but......I can offer you the stable out back. I know it isn’t much, but it will at least get you out of the weather. There is plenty of straw in there for the animals. Use it as you need it. That’s the best I can do.”

Now we all know that is not the best he could do. What about his own room? What about asking his visitors to share a room in a special case of a pregnant woman? There were options…but we must remember that God is orchestrating this thing.

So, Mary and Joseph find themselves in the stable out back, ready to give birth to Jesus.

I want to take a minute and speak to this stable, because all of my studies show that this is not a stable like we normally portray in our yearly Christmas plays, or even what we commonly think of today.

Most all commentators that I read, agreed that this stable was actually a cave in the side of a mountain. It was not a wood-built, barn-like structure that you and I would commonly think of concerning a stable.

It actually makes perfect sense that a cave would be used as a stable. It would have provided shelter from storms and shade from the sun. It would have made it easy to keep the animals together and keep them contained.

But....it is still a stable. Why would the God of creation allow His Son to be born in a smelly, dirty, lonely stable? I think this event actually tells us a lot about the heart of God, and His desire for the heart of man.

With that thought in mind, I want to speak to you this morning on this topic: In The Heart Of The Mountain.

What does this event in the heart of the mountain teach us about God?

Content

God’s Design Of Man’s Heart

Mary and Joseph were probably disappointed with their current venue. Mary is about to bring the Savior of the world into stinky, nasty stable. He deserves more than that. Though I would agree with them, I think the fact that Christ was born here speaks volumes to God’s design of this event.

The Inn that Joseph attempted to secure a room in was manmade. It was built by men. This cave they were in, was God made. This means that God did not allow Mary and Joseph to bring Jesus into this world staying in a manmade hotel, but rather a God-made cave.

When God created the Earth, I think He knew one day that cave would be used for this very moment. Furthermore, I think He designed this cave for this very moment. He designed this cave, a place of seclusion and privacy, so that Mary and Joseph could bring Jesus into the world in privacy and seclusion.

See the world was not ready for Jesus. Joseph tried to secure a room amongst the other people, but they refused him a place of stay. Even after Christ’s birth, it would still be another 30+ years before Jesus would begin His earthly ministry. Joseph, Mary, and Jesus were not welcome there.

Just as this cave was designed by God in the heart of the earth, I think God has designed a similar place such as this in each and every one of us. This place is a place that is separated from the world in privacy and seclusion. It is a place reserved for Jesus. It is the place that the new birth takes place within each and every one of us.

Satan does everything within his power to keep Jesus out of this special place in our heart. He throws every worldly possibility at us to keep us from finding the real answer to that void. He wants us to remain in darkness. He wants us to remain in silence. He wants us to remain confused and broken. He knows that if he can keep us somewhat satisfied with worldly things, then we will be less likely to continue searching for the actual cure.

God knew that when mankind entered this world, it would be a fight for survival. Not just in a physical sense, but in a spiritual sense. He knew that Satan would come at us with every trick in the book. He knew that we would tempted daily with the powers of this world. He knew that we would be challenged to consider ourselves the Gods of this world and decide we were good enough on our own. He knew all of this.

That is why He has designed that special place within us that only He can reach. It is a place blocked off to every one else. It is a place reserved for Him and Him alone. God designed us with salvation in mind. God designed us Jesus in mind.

From the heart of that mountain, we see God’s Design for Mankind.

God’s Devotion To Man’s Heart

The Innkeeper did not offer a room, but he did offer a place in the stable.

Just as the innkeeper gave them permission to stay in this place, we too must give way to Jesus staying in this place. As Jesus makes His way into our hearts, something changes.

See, we as men naturally inherit the sin nature of our parents. So from birth, this place of privacy and seclusion is filled with quietness and darkness. There is a natural void there. This void makes us uncomfortable, so as we begin to grow and realize that there is a void there, we try to fill it by throwing all types of worldly things at it.

Maybe we throw friends at it. If I can just surround myself with people, then the void will be filled.

Maybe we throw hobbies at it. If I can just be the best basketball player or football player, then the void will be filled.

Maybe we throw love at it. If I can just get the right guy or girl, then the void will be filled.

Maybe we throw work at it. If I can just get the career and make enough money and buy enough things, then the void will be filled.

Maybe we throw addictions at it. If I can just find the right drug or the right drink....If I can just get the right high, then the void will be filled.

We throw everything we can think of at this void, but nothing fills it. And might I tell you this morning, that nothing can fill it, because nothing can penetrate it. That void is designed for Jesus and only Jesus can go there.

As we throw all of this other stuff at that void, it creates a whole lot of muck and grime that Jesus has to work through to get to that special place of our heart. But can I just say that this event right here in the Bible proves to us that Jesus is willing to work through all the muck, all the grime, all the stinky smells, all the manure, all the sinful waste that is left behind, so that He might gain His rightful place in our hearts.

When Jesus breaks through, that deepest recess of our heart that is filled with darkness now bursts forth with light. Light springs from the darkness and begins to show us the true meaning of life, the true purpose of why we are here.

The place of quietness is now filled with the cries of our Holy Savior. They are cries of hope and love. They are cries of salvation and restoration.

God is devoted to His creation. Just as Joseph begged the innkeeper for a place to stay, God will continue revealing Himself to you, begging you to let Jesus in. If you will receive Him into your heart, that place once filled with death will be filled with life and Jesus will change your life forever.

The heart of that mountain screams God’s Love towards us.

What else do we learn from the heart of that mountain?

God’s Development Of Man’s Heart

Right here is where some of you need to lean in close.

I want you to imagine this moment for Mary and Joseph. Do you think they wished this upon themselves? Do you think they ever would have dreamed that they would be giving birth to the Messiah first of all, but then to do it in a strange town that was not their home, and then also to do it in a stable with animals? Absolutely not!! Who could dream up such an event as this???

They did not ask for this to happen unto them, but they needed it nonetheless.

Why did they need this? Because of the things they were going to have to persevere later on in life. This right here was but a drop in the bucket of some of the things they were going to have to go through with Jesus. He is the Son of God. Not only was he rejected before he was even born, he would be rejected His entire earthly life. It was never going to change.

God was preparing them for the road ahead.

Now I need some of you to lean in close right here. Stop trying to find your worth in everything else and everyone else outside of God. God decides your worth, not the world. How dare you take away the right to your life from God and give it to the world. God designed you. God has nurtured you. God knows you. He and He alone has the right to determine how much you are worth.

This world has no claim on you. This world has no power over you. The only power this world has over you is that which you give to it. So stop giving yourself away.

You say, “Pastor, you just don’t understand. Nobody loves me. Nobody wants to hang out with me. Nobody wants to be my friend. I am an outcast. I am a leper to common society. That tells me right there that I am not worth a whole lot.”

No, my friend. It does not. All that tells you is one of two things:

You are searching for friends in all the wrong places and need to start looking for friends elsewhere.

God is preparing you for something down the road.

Have ever considered that God designed you to be a social pariah amongst your own people for His own glory. “How does God get the glory for that,” you might ask. I guarantee that if you go across the ocean to a third world country, provide medical treatment for them, and tell them about a God who loves them beyond anything they could ever imagine, they would not hate on you. They would absolutely love you!!!

Maybe God is calling you to be a missionary!!!

Now listen to me for a moment. I have to give a disclaimer. If you are a child, under the age of 18, or even still living at home for that matter, and you feel alone, outcast, unloved, and unwanted, I am not giving you permission to run away from home and catch a bus to another state. I am not telling you to run away from home and catch a flight to Myanmar.

If that’s you, or even the adults listening to this.....if that’s you, please listen to me. Just because the people in your current situation do not seem to care about you, that does not mean that you do not have a place in this world. It simply means that you haven’t found it yet. Maybe God has a plan for you elsewhere, amongst people who will absolutely adore you for who you are. You will not have to change yourself to make them happy. God made you....you, and you do not have to change who you are to make others happy.

Let me also say that you may not have to go around the world to find these people. Maybe you simply haven’t been looking at the right spot right there where you live. Ask God to help you figure that out and then go with whatever He leads you to do.

God allows things like being born in a stable, happen to us so that we can be prepared for what is coming in our future. If you are going through a hard time, stop asking God to take it away. You are asking God to take away the very thing that He brought into your life, in preparation for what is coming later. You don’t want Him to take it away. If He does, the thing that comes later will absolutely crush you. You need this in your life, even if you don’t understand why.

Lean into it. Ask God to give you strength. Ask God to walk beside you. Ask God to carry you, even, if it gets to bad. But please....please, do not ask Him to take it away.

If you have been through some really bad times, ask God to show you what they were for, because I guarantee you that they were in your life for a reason. What is God preparing you for? What is God getting ready to do in your life? What is God equipping you for? Find out why.

And when He answers, lean into whatever it is, regardless of how scared you might be; regardless of how unequipped you think you are; regardless of how young you might be. Whatever it is, realize that God is with you and that He has been preparing you for this very moment.

Adults, many of us need to go through this process. God has allowed us to go through some really difficult times. Why? Maybe there is a ministry you need to start. Maybe God has equipped you through your difficulties, to help others in need, others who are struggling with things you have already been through.

Don’t let your suffering be in vain. Let God use your experiences to be a blessing to others.

Let God develop you. Let God use you for His glory. That is why we are saved. We are saved so that we might bring glory to God. Let Him do that through you.

Commitment

I don’t know about you, but I sure did learn a lot about my own life from the heart of the mountain this week.

Let me ask you a question, “What did the heart of the mountain teach you?”

We are coming to a close. We are going to have some music playing here in just a second. I want everyone to bow their heads and close their eyes. I want us to simply take these next few minutes to pray to God about whatever He doing in our hearts, and in our lives.

If you feel like you need to be saved, ask Him right there where you sit to come into your heart and save your soul.

If you have been praying about a decision in your life, ask Him right there for guidance and a peace about which way to go.

If you have been praying about getting involved in some kind of ministry here at the church, ask God right there where you are to give you an answer.

Whatever it is, you go to God in prayer over these couple of minutes and let’s see what God does in the heart of your mountain.