Luke 2:1-6 No Room In The Inn
It was a cold winter night,
Joseph was walking letting his wife, who was great with child, ride on the
donkey into Bethlehem.
When they get into town Mary begins
to feel that it is time for the baby to be born.
The innkeeper refuses to allow this
couple accommodations and they are forced to seek shelter in a stable.
There baby Jesus is born, wrapped
in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger.
Soon shepherds appear and then
Kings from the east bearing gifts.
Then in the distance they hear a
sound, a beating sound, a drumming sound.
It is the little drummer boy…
All this makes for a good Christmas
play, but it is not all straight from the Bible.
Whenever man has opportunity to add
his touch, it’s usually with both hands, molding it into what He wants
it to be.
None of the core truths are taken
out but several upgrades have been added.
(v.6) They had been in Bethlehem
for more than one day.
It was
Joseph’s homeland, “his own city.”
They had family and friends, and
possibly an inheritance because they ended up in a house by the time the wise
men came.
Which means the wise men were not
there on this particular night.
Mary also offered a “poor persons”
offering to the priest for her purification according to the law.
After the wise men gave their gold,
she would had no longer been in that category.
This gold would help finance their
flight into Egypt to escape the cruel hand of Herod and allow the family to
provide for their son, because it was God’s Son.
God was in charge.
He knew this family’s stewardship
and obedience.
(v.7a) This is the first time she
wrapped Jesus in swaddling clothes and laid him in a rock hewn bed, but there
would be another.
The word manger is only mentioned
three times in the Bible, all here.
The Greek word used to translate
manger is “fatney” and only used one other time for “stall.” It was the crib,
manger, the stall.
Mary would have the myrrh available
for His death.
Mary, the sister to Martha and
Lazarus had ointment stored for years.
(v.7b) There was no room for them
in the inn.
This is not necessarily offensive
but normal in this situation.
Many people were in Bethlehem
during this time. There was not an
abundance of hotels and motels? This
was no tourist destination but rather an inconvenience to most.
Family’s shared their homes with
livestock. People do today with dogs
cats and birds, etc…
Back then they needed them.
There was no room for them in the
inn.
This is
the thought this morning concerning your life and Jesus.
Is there room for Jesus in your life.
1.
There could had been room made.
2.
People have made excuses for years.
a. The Devil keeps us occupied with cares of the world that will pass away.
Marriage supper. (Ourself)
b. The Devil keeps us ignorant from the truth and well informed by the world.
(world)
c. The Devil throws just enough confusion in there to make it unreasonable to
even consider Jesus as the way, the truth, and the life.
(All the different religions and denominations)
Man at Wal-mart and KKK (church).
3.
Men may not find room for Jesus, but Jesus will always have enough room for man.
Any background.
Shepherd or king.
Any situation. Woman at the well,
man at the pool, etc..