NO ROOM FOR JESUS

Adapted form a sermon by Charles Spurgeon

Luke 2:7

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. (KJV)

I would like, to take you back, in your imaginations, to the town of Bethlehem.

Bethlehem has a special history. 

It was the city where Jacob buried his beloved Rachel.

It is also the city where king David was born and raised.

At one point in David's life, he was trapped by the enemy just outside of Bethlehem.  He could see, from his vantage point, the well of water, where, as a young child he had enjoyed himself so many times.  As he looked there at the well, he mused within himself how nice it would have been to have a drink from that well.  Two of his men heard David's musings and risked their own lives to sneak into town and get a glass of water for their king!

As we walk through the streets of this city, we can imagine what it must have been like for young David.

But the scene is somewhat different for us this evening.

The city is very busy town right now. 

The Caesar, Augustus, has made a decree that each male return to the city of his heritage to be counted and taxed. 

People from the known world around have come to Israel, to be taxed in the town of their family’s heritage. 

Many of them have come to Bethlehem.

Bethlehem is not a large city. It has its share of tourist type accommodations. But they were all full for the crowd.

In those days, it was customary for a town to have a place, called an inn, established where strangers could sleep for free.

It was usually not much of anything. Just a box shaped enclosure, with rooms built on the outside walls, and an even more crude area where the weary traveler could find shelter for himself and his animal for the night.

There is one young couple who’ve come to Bethlehem with special circumstances.

Mary, the wife of Joseph is pregnant, and about to give birth.  They would not have attempted this trip except they were forced by the Caesar's tax registration.

I get the impression that they are not people of means.  Joseph is a carpenter by trade, in those days, not a very high paying occupation.

So, Joseph seeks lodging for he and his wife.

And, according to the Bible, 

There is no room for them, not even in the inn.

They are therefore compelled to find for themselves, not lodging, but shelter in the stall, where the animals were normally kept.

And it was there, in a stable area, Mary gave birth to Jesus Christ.  The One who has become, without a doubt, the most well known and influential Person to ever walk on this earth.

I want to draw your attention to the words,

“no room for them, in the inn.”

Since God is all powerful, and is able to orchestrate the times and seasons to accomplish His exact plan.

And since Jesus Christ is God in human flesh.

God must have had good reason to allow Christ to be born in such a place.

And that is the subject I want to address.

Let me make my first observation this way:

I. THERE WERE REASONS WHY GOD ALLOWED THE INN TO HAVE NO ROOM FOR JESUS

And I would like to give you some for consideration:

A. Christ's birth in a stable serves as an invitation for those who are poor and humble to come to Him.

Those of us who have never had much, generally find it uncomfortable to go to homes or places where affluence is seen.

But there would be nothing to make the poor and humble fell uncomfortable at the manger where Christ was laid!

The Bible says

Whosever will may come to Christ.

And Jesus said,

All who come to me I will in no wise cast out!

The fact is, the humble are MORE welcome to come to Christ, that those who say to themselves "I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing."

The rich can hardly get into heaven.

They can get there, but it is difficult, because they have to forsake their riches and trust only in Christ!

They must humble themselves enough to associate with the poor and sinful.  To fellowship with those who are used to hanging around stables!

In fact, I believe we can go a step further with this when we remember that the stable was a place where

B. The Beasts Find Feed.

Which speaks to me of the fact that even the most base and wicked of people can come to Christ and find salvation and forgiveness.

We need to remember that one of the accusations the Pharisees made against Christ is that He associated with Publicans and sinners.

Jesus said they that are whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.

And that He had come to seek and to save that which was lost.

Jesus is more likely to welcome those who have been wicked and vile, but who now see their need for His salvation than He will ever be to welcome those who come to Him on their own good merits, hoping to be received because of what they can offer to the Lord

I think Christ was born in a manger thirdly to demonstrate that

C. Salvation through Christ is a free gift.

Remember that the inn of those days was a place built to provide free shelter for the stranger in town.

The stable area was even more so.

In those days, custom demanded that there be a place of free lodging for the traveler.

In the earliest days, it could have been in anyone's home.  If I saw a stranger in town, I would have felt compelled to invite him to stay at my house.

Later, the various cities selected one or two homes in town.  Whenever they saw a traveler, they would point him to one of those homes.

In Christ's day, they would construct a rough shelter for the traveler and his beast.

Finally, someone realized that there was money to be made in the hospitality field, and began charging to house the traveler.

But in Jesus' day, the inn was a gift provided to the stranger by the town’s people.

To me, that points to verses like

For by grace are ye saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is a gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast.  Eph 2:8-9

And

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Romans 6:23

For my second point tonight I would like to point out to you that,

II. THERE WERE OTHER PLACES BESIDES THE INN WHICH HAD NO ROOM FOR JESUS.

For instance

A.  King Herod had no room for Jesus.

Although the story of Herod's learning of the Christ child and killing all the children two years and younger in Bethlehem, took place after Christ was around 2 years it still demonstrates to us that Herod had no room for Christ.

And, by the way, it is apparent that those in political power seldom have room for Christ.

There have been, in the course of history, an occasional person of royalty who accepted Christ as Saviour.

But they have been few and far between.

Even in our country, those who aspire to politics seldom want much to do with Jesus Christ.

We find one or two who are honest in their faith, and who seek to serve our country through politics.

But most politicians who claim anything to do with Christ, only do so to try to win the Christian vote.

And many a good Christian who has gained a political position has found that it is very tempting to toss aside his faith because of the pressure it causes him in office!

B. There was no room for Christ among the Jewish Religious leaders either

I am always amazed when I think of the fact that Joseph and Mary kept Jesus Christ in Bethlehem for 2 years, AND NONE OF THE PHARISEES, SADDUCEES, OR RELIGIOUS DOCTORS OF THE FAITH, ever caught on that He was there.

That is a fact that can only be explained by saying they knew the stories, but denied He was Christ.

The same is true even today.

As amazing and unbelievable as it may sound, Christ is most unwelcome among most of the religious groups today.

Jesus would mess up their plans.

Folks have gotten used to practicing their faith the way they want.

And Christ would not be welcome if He were to come and tell them how they are supposed to worship.

Those who say

"You can believe anything you want as long as you are sincere." would not appreciate Jesus coming and telling them

Acts 4:12

Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (KJV)

Those who say,

"I worship my own way at home, or in nature." would not be happy with Christ for saying

Hebrews 10:25

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. (KJV)

Those who want

all religions to come together and be one would not accept Christ for saying;

2 Corinthians 6:14-17

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?

And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, (KJV)

Those who have

started their own denominations would be very upset with Christ for saying;

Matthew 16:18

And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. (KJV)

And those who have

become disenchanted with churches and have started religious groups that are not churches, would not be excited when Jesus told them;

Ephesians 5:25

.....  even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; (KJV)

You see, if you are going to worship God, you must worship Him in Spirit AND IN TRUTH.

And Jesus never was afraid to tell someone when they were not being truthful in worship.

All I have said so far leads me to this point, which I will put to you in the form of a question:

III. HAVE YOU ANY ROOM FOR JESUS?

A. Please notice that I did not ask you.

Are you worthy for Jesus?

You are not! 

None of us are!

But, a tiny stable, out back the public inn, was very much worthy for Jesus either, yet He chose that for His place to enter into this world!

You are not worthy

But you are just exactly what the Lord is looking for!

He does not seek the palaces and fancy homes.

He only seeks a person who sincerely wants Christ with Him!

B. Don't say. I plan to make room for Him later

Joseph and Mary could not wait until later for a place for Christ to be born.

It was time, and they needed that room now.

Christ is looking for room in your heart.  There may be another opportunity later for you

·   to get right with Jesus,

·   to be saved, or

·   to give Him a more prominent place in your life.

but there might not be.

Behold, now is the accepted time. Behold today is the day of salvation.

C. In Revelation 3:20, Jesus says

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. (KJV)

Have you any room for Jesus?

He is knocking right now. 

He is seeking someone who is willing to make room for Him tonight!

Christian,

You can remember that time in your life when you made room for Christ.

But could it be that since then, you have stuffed your life with so many other things, you've almost crowded the lord right out?

Do you have the kind of room for Jesus you ought to give HIM?

Or

It might be, you have never let Him in.

It might be that there has never been a time in your life when YOU asked opened the door of your heart and asked Jesus Christ to come in;

·   to forgive your sins, and

·   to take you to heaven when you die.

Will you open that door tonight?