THERE WAS NO ROOM FOR JESUS ON CHRSTMAS.
Luke 2: 7b
A Christmas sermon by:
Rev. H.A. Bergsma
PUBLISHED BY THE
PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE
OF THE
FREE REFORMED CHURCHES OF NORTH AMERICA.
(November 2005)
LITURGY:
Votum
Psalter 431: 1, 2
Scripture Reading: Luke 2: 1 – 20
Text: Luke 2: 7b
Psalter 57
Congregational Prayer
Offerings
Psalter 3
Sermon
Psalter 187
Thanksgiving Prayer
Psalter 283
Doxology: Glory to God
2
Congregation of the Lord,
Let me begin this Christmas message with a simple question, which is meant to be answered
honestly before God.
“Is there room for Jesus this Christmas?”
“Is there room for Jesus with you this Christmas?”
This is a legitimate question to ask in this day and age.
We would like to believe that Christmas draws us closer to God, but in actual fact, in many cases
Christmas actually draws people away from God!
For many people, also this Christmas season has been filled with rushing, hurrying, and milling
around the department stores.
Besides that, there are the preparations for family gatherings; more cooking; more baking; extra
meals (which often fall on the women’s shoulders.)
Then there are the gatherings to attend to; perhaps a concert; some society festivities, an office or
shop party, or a neighborhood get-together.
And before you know it, Christmas is come and gone.
Our hearts and thoughts have been so occupied with the things that needed to be done and that
needed to be attended to, that we simply left no room for Jesus.
But on this Christmas day God has brought us to Church to have us quietly listen to His Word,
and reflect on the question, “Is there room for Jesus this Christmas?”
You see, there was no room for Jesus in the inn of Bethlehem on that first Christmas day.
This is what our Christmas text tells us, and this is what I wish to explore with you this hour.
We will do this by the following heading and points …
THERE WAS NO ROOM FOR JESUS ON CHRISTMAS
1. A Sad Reality
2. A Fulfilled Prophecy
3. A Necessary Reminder
3
Congregation,
It was no doubt, a difficult trip for Joseph and Mary to come all the way from Nazareth, in the
north part of the country, to Bethlehem, a trip of about 190 kilometers, which is roughly the
distance from London to Niagara Falls.
Now, we could make this trip by car in about 2 hours, or a bit more.
But the trip for Joseph and Mary from Nazareth to Bethlehem, on foot, or perhaps by donkey,
may well have taken a good three days.
This trip was more difficult yet for Mary, because she was getting close to the due date of her
pregnancy.
As you will understand, those were not the best of times to travel long distances by any means.
But finally they arrived in Bethlehem, no doubt sore and very tired.
I am sure that nothing would have been more pleasing to Mary than to get some privacy, and a
quiet room, and a comfortable bed, in some motel or inn, in order to rest her weary bones.
But this was not to be.
We are told in our text that “there was no room for them in the inn.”
Now, this was no coincidence.
As you know, Mary was carrying no ordinary child, but the Son of God, whom they would have
to call Jesus – Savior, once He was born.
And, as you know, if the powers of evil could do anything to prevent this birth, or make His birth
as uncomfortable and risky as possible, they would do so.
And so it is not surprising that when Joseph and Mary inquired about some room in the Inn of
Bethlehem, they were told that “there was no room for them …” and by implication, no room for
Jesus.
God’s Word wants us to know this … that by the manipulations of evil forces, there is no room
for Jesus.
And this happened at that time, but this could still happen today.
Let’s explore this sad reality for a moment.
4
No doubt, one reason why there was no room for Jesus was ignorance.
I don't think the innkeeper knew that the baby about to be born of Mary was the Son of God.
Mary and Joseph certainly knew.
The shepherds, the wise men, Anna and Simeon in the temple, and Elizabeth knew; but the
innkeeper did not.
It goes to show that ignorance, lack of basic Biblical knowledge, could create a situation where
there is no room for Jesus.
Those who have not heard the Word of the Gospel, obviously, have no room for Jesus.
They are in a sad state and it should stir up in us pity for them.
But you and I can never plead that excuse!
If you have no room for Jesus, it is not because of ignorance.
Another possible reason that there was no room for Jesus was indifference.
Imagine the innkeeper for a moment as these two weary travelers stand there at the door of his
inn; obviously the woman is pregnant and in the later stages of her pregnancy.
But he tells them that there is no room for them in the inn.
He does not seem to care if the woman gives birth in the street, or in the field, or in a stable.
He is indifferent to the situation that has been brought to his attention.
He simply did not have any concern.
This might also be the reason why some people have no room for Jesus … they are indifferent;
they have no concerns whatsoever.
They are not ignorant of the Gospel; they could even be Church-going and religious and all that,
but they are indifferent to the situation that is presented to them; the message of Jesus leaves
them neither hot nor cold, the Word of the Gospel does not move them; their conscience does not
stir; and they have no concern for their spiritual well-being.
My friends! Examine yourselves! Is indifference perhaps the reason why there is no room for
Jesus with you?
5
Or, perhaps there was no room for them because the innkeeper was just too involved.
He was so busy at this season, he just did not have time.
You must remember that this was tax season.
According to the decree of Caesar Augustus everyone in the Roman Empire had to return to their
place of birth, in order to be registered for taxes.
This brought in many travelers from far and wide.
And this was good for the innkeeper.
His rooms were being filled with guests, and his purse was being filled with gold.
He could not let such an opportunity pass by, could he?
Well, with all the busy-ness of the season he got himself involved all right, but too involved to
have any room for Jesus.
He had so many things to look after; so many rooms to make ready and so many meals to
prepare, and so many guests to welcome … he was so busy doing all of these others things, that
he had no room for Jesus.
This too, could still happen today, that we are so involved in things that we have no room for
Jesus.
We are particularly vulnerable to this thing during the Christmas season.
The season has evolved to make us too involved.
As I said already in my introduction, for many people, the Christmas season is season filled with
rushing, hurrying, and milling around the department stores.
There are the preparations for family gatherings; more cooking; more baking; extra meals.
There are the gatherings to attend to, and you can’t really excuse your self from any of them,
because what will people say!
But it ends up being involved, and so involved that you have no room for Jesus.
Dear People! We must watch ourselves for this.
It is easy to become too involved; the season just lends itself to it.
6
And perhaps you are even legitimately involved, because certain things just have to be done, but
nevertheless, too involved, so that you have no room for Jesus.
Biblical Christmas is meant to draw us closer to God.
But the world has altered our Biblical Christmas; in most cases such a Christmas actually draws
us away from God.
It forces us to become too involved, and we have to ask ourselves, “Is there room for Jesus this
Christmas?”
On that day, some 2000 years ago, at the inn of Bethlehem, there was no room for Jesus.
But, it was not by accident that all of this happened.
It was prophesied in the Bible.
And so I would like to speak in the second place about A Fulfilled Prophecy.
Did God know that this would happen?
Did He know that people, both religious and irreligious people would have no room for Jesus?
Was God aware that people of all stripes would respond negatively to Jesus and His coming, and
to Jesus and His message?
Indeed God knew and was fully aware of it.
Isaiah chapter 53:3 prophesied it: "He (Jesus) is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows,
and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised, and we
esteemed Him not."
In John 1 we read, in verse 5, “And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness
comprehended (embraced) it not.”
And in verses 10 and 11 we read, “He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the
world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not.”
In other words, it was prophetically declared that Jesus would not be welcomed or received or
given room.
God knew this would happen and Jesus knew it.
He once said, “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath
not where to lay his head.” (Matthew 8:20)
7
Jesus was well aware that people would have no room for him.
It was fulfilled prophecy for Him.
And it continues to be fulfilled today.
There is still little room for Jesus … even if a semblance of Christmas is maintained.
As you may know, there is a movement afoot that does not want to call the days surrounding
Jesus’ birthday, “Christmas Holidays” anymore.
Instead, some people are pushing for calling it “Winter Break,” in order to celebrate the “winter
solstice.”
The Christmas tree is on its way to be called a “Festive Tree.”
Traditional Christmas carols are being phased out, and only the so-called, “sanitized” seasonal
songs are being recommended for public use.
Therefore, “Dreaming of a White Christmas” is still all right, but “A Way in a Manger” is out;
“Jingle Bells” is fine, but “O Come All Ye Faithful” is banned.
The Christ-Child is no longer the favorite Person of the season.
He has been replaced by characters such as Santa Claus and his reindeer Rudolph, and an
animated version of a pathetic figure named Frosty the Snowman who brings children to tears
when he melts in the sun.
Is the prophecy not being fulfilled that there is no room for Jesus in our world today?
Could it be that we too are busy fulfilling this prophecy, perhaps not because we are ignorant of
Jesus, but because we have become indifferent, or unconcerned, or overly involved?
Christmas is supposed to be a happy time of the year, because we may celebrate the birth of the
Son of God, who was conceived in the womb of a virgin, born of a young woman by the name of
Mary, wrapped in swaddling clothes, laid in a manger, and sheltered by a stable.
Christmas is supposed to be a time of rejoicing because we may celebrate that Jesus has come
into this world of sin, and has entered into our flesh corrupted by sin, and has taken on our life
shrouded in misery, and is now asking to give Him room in your heart.
8
How sad it is then when we have no room for Jesus.
And again, it is prophecy fulfilling, because Jesus was not only given no room in the inn, but
shortly after His birth there was no room in the land for Him and He had to flee with Joseph and
Mary to Egypt.
And at long last, there was no room for Him on the earth anymore, and He was hung up on a
tree, between heaven and earth, as the Apostle Peter says it.
There came a time in His life when earth had rejected Him and heaven was closed to Him … that
awful moment when He hung on the cross during three hours of absolute physical and spiritual
darkness.
But dear people! All this was fulfilled prophecy, because Jesus would have it this way.
And why would Jesus have it this way that it would have to be said in our text that there was no
room for them in the inn?
As A Necessary Reminder … and let me speak of this in the last place.
They were given no room in the inn, because, according to God’s plan, Jesus would be born in a
stable.
And why would He have to be born in a stable?
For the same reason for having no place to call “home” when He grew up, and having no place to
lay His head … so that He could be approachable to the poorest of the poor, and sympathetic to
the weak the helpless and the outcast.
Jesus was given no room in the inn so that He would have to be born in a stable, in order that
poor shepherds would feel comfortable with Him, and a lonely Simeon and an old Anna could
find consolation with Him.
He would have to be born in a stable, so that, in later years, poor unlearned fishermen would
have no qualms about becoming His disciples, and so that sinners like Mary Magdalene and Levi
the tax-collector, and the woman who was caught in adultery, could find the word of forgiveness
with Him.
9
My friend! There was no room for Jesus in the inn, and there is no room for Jesus in this world.
Many people are ignorant about Him, and want to stay ignorant about Him, preferring to feed
their ignorance with characters like Santa Claus, and Frosty and perhaps some mythological
figure called the Grinch.
Many people are indifferent about Jesus because there is so much in the world that excites them
and enflames their passions.
Many people have no room for Jesus because they are too involved, too busy; the world demands
their attention; their business demands their attention; their bank account demands their
attention.
But all this is a necessary reminder that such should not be the case with us.
Our Christmas day text, “There was no room for them in the inn” is a necessary reminder that
there must be room for Jesus in your heart.
No room in the inn meant distress for Mary.
But the good woman was giving strength to give birth in a stable.
“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.”
These words spell poverty, dear people.
But let this remind you that Jesus became poor for a good reason.
The Apostle Paul explains this well in 2 Corinthians 8:9 “For ye know the grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his
poverty might be rich.”
And therefore I ask you again, “Is there room for Jesus this Christmas with you?
The world has its door closed to Jesus, or is busy closing its door on Jesus.
How sad and sorry a state you are in, if it would have to be said of you, or by you … “No room
for Jesus!”
By way of application, I must ask, … what about you and me?
10
Do you have room for Jesus?
It may mean of course that room has to be made for Him.
Some guests will have to be sent packing and turned out.
And I’ll leave it with you to know who such guests are.
I can tell you that Jesus does not want to share room with such characters as Mr. Ignorance, Mr.
Indifference, and Mr. Too-Involved.
They will have to go to make room for Jesus.
I may also tell you that you do not have to worry about the poor condition of your heart.
By no means should you do a whitewash job on it, or decorate it in any way before He makes
His entrance.
Remember, Jesus was quite pleased to be born in a stable.
And I can hardly imagine that this stable was quickly whitewashed and decorated before Mary
gave birth.
Likewise Jesus is quite pleased to enter into your heart, as long as it is open to receive Him.
And how may your heart be open for Jesus?
By letting Him see what is there, without hiding anything from Him.
The stable where Jesus was born was no closed shop, but an open place, so that the person
coming by, could readily see what was in it.
Allow me to make some spiritual sense of the application that has just been made.
As I said, some guests will have to be sent packing and turned out … in other words, sins …
bosom sins, will have to be given an eviction notice; they will have to be confessed, repented of,
and left.
You cannot have Jesus and have your bosom sins too!
Also, you heard that you do not have to worry about the poor condition of your heart.
11
Certainly, you must not try to make it look better than what it is … do not do a spiritual
whitewash on it.
Nothing you can do will make it look better!
You could express sorrow about its poor condition … but better yet … tell Jesus of its poor
condition; admit the shabbiness of it, and let Him know (as if He doesn’t know already!) that
your sin has put it in such a condition.
Also, as I said already … make sure your heart is open to Jesus.
By this I mean that your heart and your life should be as transparent as possible.
Do not try to hide anything from Him. It will not work!
No doubt it will be helpful to pray with the author of Psalm 139:23-24 “Search me, O God, and
know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and
lead me in the way everlasting.”
Remember! In Bible times, people could readily see what was in a stable.
My friend! Let your heart be like such a stable, open and transparent, so that, as Jesus comes by,
He can readily see what is in it.
And as the Gospel has brought Him close, and the light of His presence falls upon your heart, cry
out and pray … “Come into my heart, Lord Jesus!”
Let me close and ask, “Have you any room for Jesus?”
Amen
12
13