Sermon Tone Analysis

SHEPHERD OR INN KEEPER?

Wally was big for his age--seven years old.

Everyone wondered what role the teacher would give him in the annual Christmas play.

Especially considering the fact that he was also a slow learner.

Perhaps he could pull the curtain.

To everyone's surprise the teacher gave Wally the role of the innkeeper.

The boy of course was delighted.

After all, all he had to learn was one line:

"There is no room in the inn."

He had that down in no time.

Then came the night for the program.

The parents took their places.

Every seat in the auditorium was filled.

The children entered singing "Oh come all ye faithful."

The lights dimmed.

A hush moved over the audience.

The curtain opened on Scene One.

Mary and Joseph entered the stage and walked up to the inn.

"Please sir, my wife is not well.

Could we have a room for the night?"

Wally was ready for his line.

He had rehearsed it all night.

He began, "there is", and he hesitated.

He started over again.

There is. .

.and again his mind went completely blank.

Everyone was embarrassed for him but poor Wally just didn't know what to do.

Joseph thought he would improvise and started walking away toward the stable on stage left.

Seeing him walking away Wally in desperation called out: "Look, there's plenty of room at my house, just come on home with me."

That seems a rather delightful twist on a familiar story.

Over the years the characters in the Christmas story have become clearly defined for us.

The issues all seem so clear cut.

Herod was a villain and the wise men were heroes.

The shepherds were heroes and the Innkeeper--well, the poor innkeeper has gone down as one of the heavies in the story.

In our minds eye, we envision him as a crotchety old man with a night cap on his head sticking his head out a second story window and tersely shouting: Take the stable and leave me alone.

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.

2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town.

4 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, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.

6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth.

7 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 Shepherds and the Angels

8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.

10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.

11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.

17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child.

18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.

19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.

20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

Luke’s Gospel, without mentioning him, brings in the first character of the nativity, the owner of the inn.

But you know something; this simple little statement about there being no room in the Inn becomes a symbol for Luke.

As he writes his gospel it almost becomes a theme.

Luke takes this one line, "There is no room in the inn," and shows us how this phrase was recurrent throughout Jesus' ministry.

The question that Luke leaves for us is--will there ever be any room for him?

1.

There was no room for Jesus in the economic world.

2. There was no room for Jesus in the legal realm.

3.

There was no room for Jesus in the realm of the religious order.

4.

There was no room for Jesus in the world of politics.

5. Let's look at us today--to you and to me.

Do we have room for Christ in our lives?

The second main character enters the story – the lowest of low of all professionals – the shepherds – they have 1 job – protect and feed the flock

Then look at verse 15 - 15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.

They left – they left their 1 job to protect and feed the flock – they abandoned them

Now put yourself here in the story – are you an inn keeper or a shepherd?

They both responded to Jesus coming –

The inn keeper regulated Jesus to the stable – to not inconvenience him – do you do that with Jesus – regulate Him to a day of the week or time so you are not inconvenienced?

The shepherds – abandoned everything – they left everything – risked everything

As we leave tonight – this Christmas are we inn keepers or shepherds?

Come Sunday morning – are we shepherds or inn keepers?

How much room are you giving to Christ?

A corner or the whole room?