Room

Good Morning!

A coworker asked me this morning about my weekend. My weekend was really kind of uneventful. Saturday was rainy and Miss N and I just enjoyed each other’s company for most of the day. I did run out to the grocery store for a few things but nothing spectacular. Sunday was Bible study, football game and then a choir dinner party.

My coworker, on the other hand, went to church at ten a.m. and didn’t get home until eight p.m. She gave me a litany of all the things that she went to while at the church … and I couldn’t help but think of the lesson we had Sunday morning. Our study was in Luke 2. Here’s the familiar passage:

Luke 2:1-20 (English Standard Version)
The Birth of Jesus Christ
1In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2This was the first registration when[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4And 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, 5to be registered with Mary, his betrothed,[b] who was with child. 6And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7And 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
8And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. 10And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger." 13And 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!"[c]
15When 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." 16And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
Footnotes:
a. Luke 2:2 Or This was the registration before
b. Luke 2:5 That is, one legally pledged to be married
c. Luke 2:14 Some manuscripts peace, good will among men

One of my favorite Bible expositors is J. Hampton Keathley III. I pulled down his lesson that he prepared on this passage in 1998 and read through it carefully. Here’s a snippet from that lesson:

“And laid Him in a manger, because there was no room in the inn.” The problem of the inn is still unsolved. The fact is we do not have any information regarding these Palestinian inns. In the rest of the Roman empire, we know they were places of ill repute and travelers, whenever possible, stayed with friends. Thus, we have the emphasis in the New Testament on showing “love to strangers.” Jewish inns may have been better, but this is only conjecture.

Some believe the word “inn” should be translated “caravansary.” Another translation might be “guest house” because the word can mean “guest room.” It was, however, a place where travelers stayed. The earliest non-scriptural reference to the birth of Christ is found in Justin Martyr, an early church father, and is dated about A.D. 140. He stated that Christ was born in a cave. Origen said the same in A.D. 248 as did Jerome, one of the most brilliant scholars of the early church.

Sometimes caves were used as a house, other times as the stable. Tradition says it was a cave in the side of the hill behind the inn or guest house of the village. The main point is that whatever the exact nature of the place, the city was so crowded with people because of the census that the only place left for them was the stable.
So they laid the baby Jesus in a manger, a feed trough. Compare Matthew 820, “Jesus said to him, ‘Foxes have dens, and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.’” This fact was true right from the very beginning of Christ’s life on earth. Like the cross, which cast its shadow even upon the crib because of the swaddling cloths (a procedure also used in burial), so the deep humiliation to which the Son of God submitted Himself cast its shadow upon His birth. He was indeed a man of sorrows and one acquainted with grief, despised and forsaken by men (Isa. 53:3).

The fact of “no room” reminds us of John 1:11. “He came unto His own, but his own received Him not.” This actually began on that first Christmas night. It was a kind of prophetic beginning. The city was crowded, full and hustle and bustle, busy because of the registration. Can we not see in this a prophetic revelation of the majority of people today—especially at this time of the year? Is there a busier time of the year? Look at our cities, crowded and busy with buying and selling. Yet the vast majority have crowded out Jesus Christ from their lives; they have no time and no room for Him.

I have heard that at this season of the year there are more suicides, more nervous breakdowns, emotional disorders and depression than at any other time during the year. Why is this? First, because people have no room or time for Jesus Christ, the source of peace (John 14:25-27). The spirit of Christmas (from the world’s point of view) crowds out the truth of Christ. Another reason is the problem of man’s substitutes. In place of Jesus Christ men are substituting the tinsel and glitter of the world, the details of life (pleasure, possession, good times, etc.), and they expect these “trimmings” of the holiday season to make them happy. But they can never bring true, lasting happiness. Thus, depression sets in and emotional disorders result.

What a paradox! Christ came to give peace, yet men during this holiday season have less time for Him than at any other time of the year. Why? Because they have “no room” for the Savior who came to give them His peace and life!

Now I am not saying that going to church is bad … or that a person is wrong to have lots of things to do at this time. What I am pointing out, though, is how easily we can get caught up in doing things and miss the importance of pondering what this season really means. Jesus Christ was / is God’s precious gift to you and me … and we should take time to appreciate Him during this time.

Have a blessed day!


Agape’


Mr. Jim


New Prayer Need:
Pastor James Cook - illness