Luke 2:1-14
Our home in Mt Barker is bursting at the seams. Normally, its just Jenni and me – but yesterday we drove to the airport to pick up Shane & Emma, our 9th and 10th guests for Christmas. All bedrooms are full. Other rooms are converted to bedrooms that with trundle beds and air mattresses on the floor. We had a little drama before Jenni and I headed for the airport. We were missing the plug for the air mattress needed for Shane and Emma to sleep on. Warwick volunteered to go to the camping shop in Mt Barker to find another special plug for the mattress he got some where else. Ahh! Success! His text message came while we were on our way downhill. Otherwise we would have been short a double bed on Christmas Eve. Ours was only a minor drama – no one had to sleep rough at our place last night. But, Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus did. On that first Christmas Eve there was nowhere for them to rest. No beds left. No air mattresses. No space inside on the floor.
Come with me. Let’s go to the stable briefly this morning, on a meditative journey. There was good reason why Jesus was laid in an animal feed box. Hid humble birth was necessary otherwise ordinary people like you and me would feel excluded from drawing near to the Saviour.
By being born in a stable he became the champion of the poor and the outcast. Shepherds, by their very lifestyle were itinerant; they were of no fixed address. Because of that, hired shepherds had a bad reputation in the Ancient Near East. They were outcasts – yet they were the first to visit the baby Jesus; even the most humble were invited and welcome.
We may be frightened to approach the Prime Minister, or the Governor General of Australia, or the premier of South Australia, but we wouldn’t consider being frightened of approaching a stable or an animal feed box. Friends, no one is excluded from worshipping Jesus, now, or as long as life endures.
The text goes on to say that Mary and Joseph laid their baby in an animal feed box because there was no room at the inn. One would have thought that there would have been somewhere for them to rest. But no. All places of lodging were full. The established families of the district had no room for Jesus either. The same is true of many people today. You hear them say: “Oh, I’ve got too much on”; “I’m too busy catching up before the holidays”; “I’m too busy shopping”; “I’m too busy with the harvest”; “I’m too busy with family problems”. For such folk the coming of Jesus is one of the last things on their minds. You may ask them, “Have you any room for Jesus?” “Ahh, Gee! I’d love to, but there’s so much happening in my life right now”. Even the inn, the place which offers accommodation for travellers is full up, NO VACANCY! No beds available. Not even for a weary couple with a baby due any second. How sad! I can see the desperate Joseph, knocking on doors. “Someone, please help us! Anywhere, please help us! O God, what a night!”
We were not quite to the desperate stage. But it certainly was a relief when Warwick texted me that he had successfully found the correct special plug for the air mattress. There was somewhere for Emma & Shane who had travelled from Sydney. There was somewhere for them to rest the night.
Any room for Jesus? Today friends, lots of people do not have any room in their hearts. What about you? Do you have room for him? Do you have room for the Saviour of the world? “Ahh”, you may say, “My life’s all messed up, really bad, even smelly”. Ever thought about what the stable was like? That was a bit of a mess, and I reckon it was a pretty smelly place too! Never mind the past. What counts is now. The Lord is knocking on the door of your heart today. What will you say to him? “Go away, sorry”. Maybe you are not really ready for him to come and take over your life. He says in Revelation 3:20, “Behold I stand at the door and knock, if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and have a banquet with you, and you with me.”
The time has come for Jesus to be born. Mary cannot wait any long to give birth. You cannot put off the birth of a baby. Neither should you wait any longer for Christ to be born anew in your heart. My friend, I urge you, make room in your heart for Jesus today. Today is the right day to receive him and welcome him. Today is the day of salvation.
Any room for Jesus? He wants to come and make your life his home from today onwards. He wants to guide you. He wants to help you become more like him in character and behaviour. But he is waiting for your response, to make room for him in your heart right now.
Dear friends, let me say as I conclude, that if you truly have room for Jesus, then be prepared when others won’t have room for you. Sure, there was no room for Jesus. But also there was no room for Mary and Joseph. If you have room for Christ, then our western culture will push you aside, just like it has pushed aside the gospel. Expect to be laughed at. What about you my friend? Will you be Christian and make room for Jesus when you may be excluded from the things you enjoy?
Its my prayer that the Lord will help you as you open up your heart for him today, and every day.
