No Vacancy

Good evening, thank you all for being here this evening.

Read Luke 2:1–7- “In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.”

Think of all that has happened in these seven short verses. Consider the details that are given. Is this how you would have written about the birth of Jesus?

I’ve been present for four births. The details I remember are not necessarily the details shared in Luke’s account here.

About ten words that stick out the most to me.

Because there was no place for them in the inn.

Jesus was born and placed in a manger, likely in a lower level of a house or possibly in a cave nearby.

But born in the animal quarters, for there was no room for them where they likely would have liked to have been.

A small detail, but it’s there for some reason.

We may understand that Luke is reminding us of the humble beginnings of Jesus’ life.

This by itself is an interesting thought to me.

If Jesus, God made man, King over all of existence, had been born in a palace, how would the have-nots ever hope to come to him?

You would have to make something of yourself before you could visit.

But no, Jesus is born in the most common of places, where it makes all the sense in the world for shepherds to visit.

Perhaps Luke is communicating more.

I pose to all of us a question- How SHOULD Jesus have been born? What SHOULD have been the circumstances surrounding His birth?

Wealth, fame, comfort, riches. Jesus is worthy of all of them.

Reality, however, fell short. There was no room for Him and His family in the inn.

This is the nature of our world. There was no room for Jesus in it.

Bethlehem unknowingly had no room for Jesus.

Begs the question, what of us? Is there room in our existence for Jesus?

Is there room in your religion for Jesus?

Rich young ruler. Follow me.

Is there room in your day for Jesus?

We often wake up exhausted and go to bed exhausted. What, during the day, causes such exhaustion?

Are our days SO filled that we have no time to contemplate the person, the nature, the character of Jesus?

Is there room in your home for Jesus?

If I’m honest, sometimes my family’s activities are what wear me out.

Do we make it through days without ever having the opportunity to once again share the gospel with our spouses, our children, our families?

Is there room in your life for Jesus?

Sometimes I’m reminded that there is just too much of myself for Jesus. I squeeze Him out.

What does it look like to have room for Jesus?

Difference between what place Jesus ought to have in our lives and the place He does have.

Mary as an example- Luke 1:38- “And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.”

We serve Jesus.

I am the servant of the Lord.

We set ourselves under the authority of Jesus.

We obey Jesus.

Let it be to me.

Whatever Christ asks, whatever He commands, we obey.

We trust Jesus.

According to your word.

I trust that Jesus knows what is the absolute best for me, and can thus serve and obey Him.

What is the gauge for all of this?

Jesus gives an account of the final judgement. Separates those who are saved from those who are not.

We would likely ask- What is the difference between the two?

Matthew 25:35–40- “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’”

How do we gauge whether or not we have room for Jesus?

I’d argue one massive litmus test is whether we have room in our lives for the ‘least of these’.

Do we have room? Hotels- Vacancy? No Vacancy?

The inaccessibility of the inn is meant to teach us a lesson. Will we heed such a lesson this evening?