Do You Have Any Room?
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As we continue to move towards Christmas may we look at Scripture today and next week at some of the events that took place during the first Christmas.
Today let’s look at how Jesus ended up being born in Bethlehem in a manger.
Luke
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.
The Right Time
The Right Time
The Right Time
The Right Time
Jesus was born during the fourth monarchy at it’s height and just when it was becoming a world monarchy. Rome had more control over more area than any of the other three monarch.
To see that this was the correct time for the Messiah to come into the world you have to go back to the Book of Daniel and recall the dream Daniel interpretaed for king Nebuchadnezzar.
The head of this image was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its middle and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. As you looked, a stone was cut out by no human hand, and it struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold, all together were broken in pieces, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, so that not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.
Remember it had for levels
The head of gold represented Babylon, the chest and arms of silver represented Medo-Persian s, the middle and thighs of bronze represented Greece and finally the feet of iron represented Rome.
Then we are told a stone was cut out by no human hand and this stone would strike the image on its feet of iron.
And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever,
There is doubt that Jesus is the promised Messiah who would come and set up the kingdom that will last forever.
The Right Place
The Right Place
Caesar Augustus sent out a decree that the whole world should be registered and at the time Rome controlled what must have seemed like the whole world. Pompey the Roman general took Jerusalem 60 years before hand and Judea found itself inside the Roman Empire.
So that means that everyone had to register in the city where they were from to pay taxes. The Luke text tells us that Joseph was living in Galilee located in the town of Nazareth. However, he was from the house and lineage of David so he had to travel to Bethlehem with his wife Mary who was with child (She was pregnant).
The place where Jesus was born is very observable. You may ask, why is this so important? The OT prophet foretold it.
You may ask, why is this so important? Here is the answer.
But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.
The scribes knew it.
They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: “ ‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’ ”
The common people even knew it.
Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?”
Matthew Henry states, “The name of the place was significant. Bethlehem signifies the house of bread; a proper place for him to be born in who is the Bread of Life, the Bread that came down from Heaven.
The Right Family
The Right Family
It was a divine appointment that Jesus would come to Earth in the womb of a virgin.
Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Isa 9:7
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.
Luke 1:26-
So God used a young lady waiting to be married who had kept her self pure (virgin). God used Joseph who was from the house of David to be the husband of Mary and earthly father to Jesus.
Then God used the Roman emperor to get Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem from Galilee before Jesus was born.
No Room Available
No Room Available
As Joseph and Mary made their way from Galilee to Bethlehem (80-90 miles the route they took).
Galilee is north of Jerusalem; Bethlehem is to the south. The shortest route, 70 miles more or less as the crow flies, is through Samaria. Given the antipathy between Jews and Samaritans, Joseph and Mary likely skirted the area and went around the longer way.
Remember everyone had to report to their home town to be registered and pay taxes! Man had his plans but God had eternity in mind for you and me.
So when they got to Bethlehem it was a crowded place and they did not call ahead for reservations nor did they book it online. They where a poor family with no political or social hook up.
Had Mary and Joseph been rich a room would have been made for them but be as it may the Creator of the world stepped out of His glory into this world born into a poor family which could not afford a room for his birth. Only a stable could be found to welcome the Savior of the world where he was wrapped in swaddling clothes.
Do You have Room for Jesus?
Do You have Room for Jesus?
Before you shout out a hurried yes just to sound religious, take a moment and ask yourself this question. God already knows the answer and there is not need to impress anyone here today.
If you are a follower of Jesus, please do not be a stumbling block for those who are not or for those who are young in their walk with Jesus. Please do not crowd the room with your ego, pride, feeling and selfishness.
The only one that matters is Jesus. Perhaps you are here today and realize you have no room at all for Jesus in your life even though you have professed Christ as Lord in the past. You have pushed Jesus out with material things or other relationships.
He can not be Lord if there is no room for him. Would you come today and repent of your sins and decided today to follow Jesus?
He can not be Lord if there is no room for him. Would you come today and repent of your sins and decided today to follow Jesus?
Maybe your here today and you are spiritually dead which means you are lost. If you died today you would spend eternity in hell. A place created for the devil and his angels.
Friend can I encourage, can I beg you to make room for Jesus in your life before it’s to late.