SERMON: ROOM FOR HIM?

Preached by Gregory W. Lee
24 December 2006

I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to Luke 2

1. In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.
2. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.)
3. And everyone went to his own town to register.
4. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.
5. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.
6. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,
7. and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

-- out of all the stories in the Bible, this is one story that everyone in here probably knows by heart -- every year at this time, we put out our nativity sets and we gather in our churches to retell the story of Jesus' birth -- the story of Mary's miraculous pregnancy -- of Joseph's display of faith shown in his willingness to remain engaged to Mary -- and the story of the couple travelling to Bethlehem where Jesus is born in a manger
-- we probably all know this story very well -- we grew up in it, and we celebrate it in our churches during this season -- you would think that a story like this would grow dull in its telling -- after hearing it time and time again, you would think there would be nothing new to learn -- nothing new to experience
-- I have probably read this passage of scripture hundreds of times -- I even have it memorized -- and when I turned to it this week in my devotional time, I never imagined that I might get anything new out of it
-- but, as the Bible says, God's Word is living and active -- it speaks to our hearts and reveals new truths, even in familiar passages like this, if we but let the Holy Spirit speak to us
-- as I was reading these verses this week, God revealed something new to me -- something that I had never seen -- others have seen it -- you might have reflected on it yourself -- but, as the television ad during the summer rerun season says, "If you haven't seen it, it's new to you" -- and this was a new thought for me

II. The Nativity Story
-- if you don't mind, let me spend just a minute here and recap the story of Mary and Joseph captured in the first couple of chapters of Luke

-- Joseph and Mary are living in Nazareth -- they had been engaged to be married for some time when Mary was found to be pregnant -- she claimed that an angel from God came and told her that she would bear a child, the Son of God, even though she was a virgin
-- Joseph wasn't sure what to do -- he wrestled with divorcing her or putting her away or even having her punished for being pregnant out of wedlock -- but God spoke to him in a dream and confirmed Mary's story, so Joseph remained faithful to her and trusted her even though no one else in Nazareth probably did
-- as they are there in Nazareth -- waiting for their wedding -- waiting for the baby to be born -- the word comes that Caesar is requiring everyone to go to the town of their fathers to be registered -- to be counted in a new census -- probably so he could make sure everyone was being taxed correctly
-- since Joseph was of the line of David, Joseph and Mary leave Nazareth and head out to Bethlehem
-- this is a journey of about 100 miles -- and Luke doesn't give us a lot of details about it -- we do know that it would have been an arduous journey -- crossing deserts and treacherous terrain -- it would have been difficult for a healthy adult to do in a reasonable amount of time -- we can only imagine how difficult it was for Mary, because she was in her eighth or ninth month of pregnancy
-- they eventually make it to Bethlehem -- they stumble into the village -- no doubt they were tired and worn out from their journeys -- Mary was probably in great discomfort from her travels -- and I'm sure they looked forward to getting a room at a local inn -- to spend the night inside for a change -- to be in a place that was warm and dry and comfortable -- not just a campsite by the road
-- but Luke says that they couldn't find an inn that would take them -- there was no room for them -- so they were forced to stay in a stable, which was probably nothing more than a cave cut out of the solid rock -- there Mary gave birth to Jesus and laid Him in a manger -- the Lord God Almighty -- the Creator of the Universe -- the Bread of Life -- laying in a trough used to feed livestock

III. No Room for Them -- Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors

a. No room for them
-- now here's that part that I had never noticed before -- look back at verse 6

6. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,
7. and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

-- "because there was no room for them in the inn" -- did you catch what that said? -- I had never seen it before -- "there was no room -- for them"
-- all my life I was under the impression that the reason Mary and Joseph ended up in the stable was because the inn was full -- that's exactly what we sing in our hymns and our Christmas songs -- that's exactly what we see in all of the movies about the birth of Christ
-- we just went to see "The Nativity Story," and it was the same -- when Joseph and Mary make it into Bethlehem, right at dark, she is having labor pains and they rush to the inn, but they are told, "There is no room -- the inn is full -- you can stay in the stable out back"
-- but, that's not what Luke says happened here -- he doesn't say the inn was full -- he just says that there was no room "for them"
-- talk about your pregnant phrases -- what does that mean? -- "For them" -- what was it that made the innkeeper turn them away?

b. Open Doors
-- as I was meditating on this passage, I thought about our current advertising slogan in the Methodist Church -- "Open Hearts -- Open Minds -- Open Doors"

-- I guess it's obvious that the little inn in Bethlehem wasn't a Methodist Church -- regardless of the great need, its doors weren't opened to receive this small family from Nazareth or the coming Messiah
-- in Revelation 3:20, Jesus said, "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me." -- I wonder if He thought back to that time in Bethlehem -- I wonder if He thought of the innkeeper as He said those words
-- when Mary and Joseph showed up at the door of the inn and knocked, it remained closed to them -- In Jesus' time here on earth, many doors were closed to Him -- He knocked on the door of the synagogue in Nazareth and proclaimed the fulfillment of prophecy, and was thrown out -- He knocked on the doors of the temple and proclaimed His deity, and was crucified -- He knocked on the door of that which He created, and He was rejected
-- Jesus continues to knock on doors to this very day -- the doors of our lives -- seeking entrance as our Lord and Savior -- what happens when He stands at your door and knocks? -- is it like the inn at Bethlehem -- locked and closed to Him?
-- do you turn Him away, telling Him that there is no room for Him in your life? -- "I'm sorry -- my life is already filled with family and friends -- with my job -- with my things -- with pleasure and the pursuit of happiness -- I just don't have room for you right now -- try again later"
-- that phrase "open doors" is a bold statement from our church -- it is a declaration that our churches are open, receiving places where people like Mary and Joseph won't be turned away -- that they will be open places where people can find grace through the presence of the Lord
-- I pray that our churches remain welcoming sanctuaries -- that our doors are always open to those in need -- to those seeking rest -- to those seeking the Lord

c. Open Minds
-- one thing the innkeeper certainly didn't have was an open mind -- we don't know the real reason the inn was closed to Mary and Joseph -- why there was no room "for them"
-- but we can guess that there was something about the couple that the innkeeper just didn't like and just didn't want around -- what prejudice was displayed when he only offered up to them the stable in the back? -- who else had he rejected that night?
-- were they turned away because of their appearance? -- because they weren't wearing fine clothes -- because the innkeeper thought they were too poor to have the money for a room? -- or did he turn them away because he had heard their story? -- did he think that Mary had been unfaithful to Joseph? -- did he think she was a sinner and he didn't want that type of person mingling with his righteous guests?
-- having an open mind means that you accept all who come -- the rich and the poor -- the noble and the peasant -- the saved and the sinner -- without judgement or prejudice

-- the Bible tells us in Romans 3:23 that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God -- that none of us are righteous in His eyes - that all of us need a Savior
-- the good news of Christmas is that the Savior accepts all who come to Him -- all who knock on the door and seek His face -- regardless of their situation -- regardless of where they are in their lives -- and He offers forgiveness and healing and salvation to all who come
-- as it says in John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish but have eternal life"
-- when we say we are a church with an open mind that means that we believe that God accepts all -- it means that we believe in the power of God to heal and save all who come -- and it means that we trust in His power to bring eternity into the lives of those who need it most

d. Open Hearts
-- not having an open mind might explain one reason that the innkeeper didn't open his doors to Mary and Joseph on that winter night in Bethlehem so many years ago -- but there could be another -- to borrow from Dr. Seuss's story, "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas"
-- "it could be perhaps that his shoes were too tight -- it could be his head wasn't screwed on just right -- but I think the most likely reason of all -- was that his heart was two sizes too small"
-- why did the innkeeper close his door to Mary and Joseph and Jesus that night? -- it could be because his heart was not right
-- in order to receive the Christ Child at Christmas -- in order to receive Jesus -- we have to have an open heart -- we have to answer that knock on the door of our life -- we have to hear His voice calling us to repentance and forgiveness -- we have to respond to His call to be our Lord and Savior
-- and in order to be a person or a church who leads others to Christ, we have to have an open heart -- to receive them as they are -- to lead them to the cross -- and to point them to the Savior
-- we can't reject people because of their status -- because of their wealth or lack of wealth -- because of their clothes -- we can't reject people because of their race -- or their sex -- or any other factor -- even because of their sins -- because the manger is big enough to take us all in -- the cross is big enough to cover all our sins -- and the Savior is big enough to save us all

IV. Closing
-- the story is told of the time a typical Christmas pageant at church turned magical -- Miss Lumbard was trying to assign all the children to their appropriate roles -- Wally wanted to be a shepherd and have a flute, but Miss Lumbard found a more important role for Wally -- He was about nine, and rather big for his age, but he was also rather slow -- Miss Lumbard thought his size would make the lines of the Inn Keeper more forceful -- also, this wasn't a big role and it shouldn't be hard for Wally to remember the lines
-- on the night of the play, the usual crowd of parents and loved ones gathered for the church's program -- none of them more taken up by the story than Wally -- Wally stood in the wings fascinated and so caught up in the story that from time to time Miss Lumbard had to remind him not to wander on stage
-- Then the time came -- Mary and Joseph made their way to Bethlehem and appeared slowly moving toward the inn -- Joseph knocked on the door and Wally the Innkeeper was there waiting -- "What do you want?" He said as he swung the door open. "We seek Lodging"
-- "Seek it elsewhere" Wally said looking straight ahead and speaking brusquely. -- "Sir, we have asked everywhere in vain and we have traveled so far." -- "There is no room in the inn for you." -- Wally looked properly stern. -- "Please, Mr. Innkeeper, this is my wife -- she is heavy with child and we need a place to rest for the night"
-- Now for the first time Wally relaxed -- He looked at Mary -- and with that there was a long pause -- The audience got a little bit tense and embarrassed -- they could tell something was wrong -- did Wally forget his part? --Miss Lumbard called out from the side of the stage, "No be gone!" -- Wally repeated, "No be gone.!"
-- Joseph placed his arm around Mary and walked sadly away -- The tired little mother of Jesus laid her head on his shoulder -- but, the innkeeper didn't return to his inn -- Wally stood there watching the forlorn couple walk away -- his mouth stood open, his brow was creased, his eyes began to fill with tears -- suddenly this Christmas pageant became different from all the others.
-- "Don't go Joseph," Wally called out. "Bring Mary back". -- Wally's face grew into a beaming smile, "You can have my room."

-- Open Hearts -- Open Minds -- Open Doors -- how few and far between those were on that original Christmas Eve in Bethlehem so many years ago -- and how few and far between do they seem in our day and time
-- as we join together today to celebrate the coming birth of our Messiah -- may we reflect for a moment on what it means to have open hearts -- open minds -- and open doors -- not only for our family and friends -- not only for those who come to our services -- but also for Jesus Himself

-- maybe some of you have never opened your hearts and your lives to Christ -- maybe there is no room for Him in your life -- but this morning, He is knocking -- this morning He is asking to be allowed in -- will you respond as the innkeeper or as Wally? -- will you open your heart to Him and receive Him as Lord and Savior -- or will you turn Him away?

-- the good news of Christmas is as easy as A-B-C
-- Admit that you are a sinner -- that you have done things that you shouldn't have done -- that you are not living the life you should
-- Believe that Jesus is the Son of God -- that He died on the cross for our sins and rose from the dead on the third day to bring us eternal life
-- and Confess with your lips that Jesus Christ is Lord and you will be saved
-- if you have never done that before, then Christ invites you to do so before you leave here today -- I will be happy to pray with you -- either before or after the service -- just let me know

-- for those of you who are saved -- who have received Christ into your life -- I urge you to leave here today with your hearts and your minds open to those around you -- open to those who need Jesus -- and I urge you to make sure our doors are never closed to any who wish to come
-- let us pray