Is There Room for Jesus
Is There Room For Jesus?
Pastor E. Keith Hassell
Foundation Scripture: Luke 2:1-7
I. Background
A. Israel was under Roman rule
B. Israel was oppressed with taxation
C. Israel longed for the Messiah to come deliver them
D. Israel longed for peace
II. Do you need a visitation from God?
A. Are you are enslaved?
B. Are you oppressed by your circumstances?
C. Are you in need of a deliverer?
D. Are you longing for peace?
III. Bethlehem received a visitation
A. He wasn’t found in a metropolitan city, but in an obscure little town
B. He wasn’t dressed in royal robes but in swaddling clothes
C. He wasn’t born in a king’s palace but in a cattle stall
D. He wasn’t born to the rich but to the poorest of the poor
E. He wasn’t noticed by the paparazzi but was celebrated by the angels
F. Jesus was born to an unlikely couple in an unlikely way at an unlikely time in an unlikely town in an unlikely place
IV. “No Room” in Bethlehem
A. No room in the inn
B. No room in the homes
C. No one made room for Jesus
D. Jesus was given the leftovers
V. “No Room” for Jesus today
A. No. 1: In schools
B. No. 2: In government
C. No. 3: In business
D. No. 4: In public
E. No. 5: In families
F. No. 6: In individual lives
G. No. 7: In Christmas
1. Jesus is out and Santa Claus is in
2. “Merry Christmas” is replaced by “Happy Holidays”
3. Christmas carols are replaced by holiday songs
4. Christmas cards are replaced by holiday cards
5. Christmas trees are replaced by holiday trees
6. Christmas gifts are replaced by holiday gifts
7. Christmas Parties are replaced by Holiday Celebrations
8. Christmas Holidays are replaced by Winter Break
9. Manger scenes are illegal on most public property
10. Manger scenes are legal if watered down by secular symbols
11. Manger scenes are illegal in some places if they contain the baby Jesus
H. Illustration: In his book, Hitler’s Cross, Erwin W. Lutzer analyzes the Nazi agenda for Germany and how the German church responded. Here is a paragraph from his book: “Since Germans had for centuries celebrated Christmas and Easter, Hitler had to reinterpret their meaning. Christmas was turned into a totally pagan festival; in fact, at least for the SS troops, its date was changed to December 21, the date of the winter solstice. Carols and Nativity plays were banned from schools in 1938, and even the name Christmas was changed to ‘Yuletide.’ Crucifixes were eliminated from the classrooms, and Easter was turned into a holiday that heralded the arrival of spring. You will recognize the same changes taking place in America today.”[1]
I. Poem:
Essential Ingredient
by Thomas John Carlisle
A frame without a picture,
A name without a face;
Such is the Christmas pageant
Without the Prince of Grace.
A feast with food forgotten,
A jest without the joy,
A night without the dawning;
Christmas without God’s Boy.[2]
VI. Have you said “NO ROOM” to Jesus?
A. Does Jesus get your
1. Spare time?
2. Spare attention?
3. Spare energy?
4. Spare change?
B. Does Jesus live in your heart or in your storage shed?
VII. Jesus will visit those who make room for Him
A. Time
B. Attention
C. Energy
D. Investment
VIII. Will you make room for Jesus?
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[1] Robert J. Morgan, Nelson’s Complete Book of Stories, Illustrations, and Quotes (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2000), p. 108.
[2] Benjamin P. Browne, Illustrations for Preaching, (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1977), p. 172.
