Day 2299 – Characters of Christmas-5 Room for Jesus – The Innkeeper

Welcome to Day 2299 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Characters of Christmas-5 Room for Jesus - the Innkeeper – Daily Wisdom
Putnam Church Message – 12/24/2022

The Characters of Christmas: Room For Jesus: The Innkeeper

 

On this blessed Christmas Eve, we have one more character for this Advent series. We will call this person “The Innkeeper.”

Our scripture for tonight is Luke 2:1-7, on page 1591 in the pew Bible. Follow along as I read.

 The Birth of Jesus

2 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[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their 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 guest room available for them.

You’ve probably heard the story before. Joseph and Mary were in Bethlehem because of a Roman census. Joseph and Mary’s ancestral home was Bethlehem because they were both descendants of King David from the tribe of Judah. Unfortunately, when they arrived in Bethlehem, the town was packed, and they couldn’t find anywhere to stay.

 

Over the centuries, an entire narrative was built around verses 6 & 7. So let me read those once again. 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 guest room available for them.

“No guest room available.” Those shameful words describe more than the guest room in Bethlehem. They apply just as aptly to today’s world. Sadly, in our Christmas celebrations' busyness, people still make no room for Jesus. Without even realizing it, they miss Christmas, just like most people in and around Bethlehem on the night Jesus was born.

 

Although that’s the typical way the story is told, that’s not necessarily what happened. The word translated “inn” in some translations, or “guest room” as we see in the NIV” can also refer to the upper, finished room of a house. If this is what Luke means, then the innkeeper has received a bad rap over the years.

 

Let me dramatize the story a little differently tonight with the help of others.

 

 

 

 

 

Joseph: Mary, we are finally approaching Bethlehem. I am thankful to God. I am certainly getting tired from this long journey.

 

Mary: I am sorry that you have had to walk the entire time. Thank you for allowing me to ride on the...

Welcome to Day 2299 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
The Characters of Christmas-5 Room for Jesus - the Innkeeper – Daily Wisdom
Putnam Church Message – 12/24/2022

The Characters of Christmas: Room For Jesus: The Innkeeper

 

On this blessed Christmas Eve, we have one more character for this Advent series. We will call this person “The Innkeeper.”

Our scripture for tonight is Luke 2:1-7, on page 1591 in the pew Bible. Follow along as I read.

 The Birth of Jesus

2 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[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their 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 guest room available for them.

You’ve probably heard the story before. Joseph and Mary were in Bethlehem because of a Roman census. Joseph and Mary’s ancestral home was Bethlehem because they were both descendants of King David from the tribe of Judah. Unfortunately, when they arrived in Bethlehem, the town was packed, and they couldn’t find anywhere to stay.

 

Over the centuries, an entire narrative was built around verses 6 & 7. So let me read those once again. 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 guest room available for them.

“No guest room available.” Those shameful words describe more than the guest room in Bethlehem. They apply just as aptly to today’s world. Sadly, in our Christmas celebrations' busyness, people still make no room for Jesus. Without even realizing it, they miss Christmas, just like most people in and around Bethlehem on the night Jesus was born.

 

Although that’s the typical way the story is told, that’s not necessarily what happened. The word translated “inn” in some translations, or “guest room” as we see in the NIV” can also refer to the upper, finished room of a house. If this is what Luke means, then the innkeeper has received a bad rap over the years.

 

Let me dramatize the story a little differently tonight with the help of others.

 

 

 

 

 

Joseph: Mary, we are finally approaching Bethlehem. I am thankful to God. I am certainly getting tired from this long journey.

 

Mary: I am sorry that you have had to walk the entire time. Thank you for allowing me to ride on the donkey the whole way. Our arrival is certainly coming none too soon. I am really getting uncomfortable, and it won’t be too much longer until Jesus arrives. I am getting nervous, Joseph, but those messengers told us we should not fear. Let us draw our strength on God.

 

Joseph: I agree it is none too soon, Mary, it is nearly dark, and the town is so full of people. I pray that one of our family members will still have an extra room available. I think I will try Uncle David and Aunt Martha. They have a house with several rooms. I believe they live on straight street, which is just a little bit farther.

 

Mary: I certainly hope so; I am not sure I can go much further. Jesus is really putting the pressure on. I think he wants to make His grand entrance into the world very soon.

 

Joseph: I see their house now; it is just around the next corner. Let me ask if they still have a spare guest room that we can use. (knocking on door)

 

Aunt Martha: (peering through the window) David, it looks like our nephew Joseph and his wife, Mary. After what they did, are they expecting to stay with us? We would be ridiculed by friends and family alike.

 

Uncle David: I agree, Martha. I feel sorry for them, but it was their choice; they must live with the consequences. I will tell Joseph we don’t have any rooms available. Besides, we may have other family members who want to stay with us. (opening the door slightly)

 

Joseph: Uncle David, it is good to see you. I am sorry to impose, and I know it is getting late, but do you have a place for Mary and me to stay while we are in Bethlehem?

 

Uncle David: Well…sorry, Joseph, but we don’t have any room for you and Mary.

 

Joseph: Don’t you have any room or someplace where we can rest? Mary will be having the baby soon. We are desperate.

 

Uncle David: The only thing I can do for you, if you are desperate, is the stable out back. It has plenty of hay to rest on and a manger to place the wee one when it comes, as long as you don’t mind the smell and sharing it with a few of our animals.

 

Joseph: Thank you, Uncle David, you are so kind. May God’s blessings be upon you and Aunt Martha this night.

 

Mary: Well… what did Uncle David and Aunt Martha have to say about a room?

 

Joseph: Praise God, Mary; although they said they did have any spare rooms for us, they are allowing us to stay in the stable out the back of the house.

 

Mary: May God be praised; His mercy is never-ending. We better hurry back to the stable; the Messiah is about to arrive.

 

As we consider that short scene, which may be slightly different from that you have imaged, I reread Luke 2: 6-7 . 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 guest room available for them.

 

It’s Easy to Miss Jesus

If Uncle David and Aunt Martha had understood who this baby was and that he was not conceived in sin but was indeed the Son of God, the long-awaited Messiah, they would have made different arrangements. If their home were indeed full, they would have kicked out some of his other guests to make room for the savior of the world.

 

Unfortunately, we can make the same mistake as Joseph’s aunt & uncle. We see Jesus all over the place during Christmas: on cards, wrapping paper, carols, and nativity scenes. But do we understand who Jesus is? He is God in the flesh. He is the savior of the world. It’s easy to miss Jesus because we don’t expect God to arrive as a baby, born to a poor family in some obscure part of the earth. Yet, this is what happened.

 

It’s Common to Be Too Preoccupied for Jesus

At the first Christmas, there was no room for Jesus. And it has been the same way every Christmas since. We are so busy at Christmas that you probably think of all the things you need to be doing even as you listen this evening. And you may feel you don’t have time for Jesus in your life. The problem, however, isn’t that you don’t have room for Jesus. It’s that you haven’t made room for Jesus. To experience the power of Jesus in your life, you need to make room for him. You may have to throw out other distractions in your life. This means you must hear Him by reading the Bible, worshipping him at church, and learning about him with others. If you need to make room for anything in your life, it’s Jesus!

 

Remember, we will not have a service tomorrow on Christmas morning,  so enjoy time with family and friends. On Sunday, January 1st, we will continue our Good News series, according to John.