No Room In The Inn

 Dr. Tom Berry

A number of years ago the British government prepared a suite for an African foreign minister in the luxurious Carleton-Tower Hotel.  The dignitary arrived, looked at the suite, and was not pleased.  He was offered a larger suite, but had to wait while the larger room was prepared.  Considering this treatment an insult, he angrily left for home the next day.  In reporting the incident, the Daily Mail carried the headlines, "No Room At The Inn For Envoy."

Nearly two thousand years ago the earth was visited by a far greater dignitary---the Son of God, Creator and Ruler of the Heavens and the Earth.  The Holy Scriptures give the following record as to how He was received in Luke 2:7, "And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn."

The Son of God was born to a mother and step-father who existed on a meager carpenter's income.  There was no room for Him in the inn at the city of David.  He was born in the midst of cows, sheep, goats, mules, and chickens.  The pungent stench of animal urine and dung hung heavy in the air.  He was wrapped in the burial cloths that travelers always carried.  He was laid upon the hay of the animal's feeding trough.  John 1:11 gives us a picture of how the people of Israel received Jesus:  "He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him."

I.  ISRAEL HAD NO ROOM FOR JESUS
The Priests Had No Room. 
The priesthood was commissioned to know and teach the Scriptures.  They were the mediators between man and God by offering sacrifices for the sins of the people.  When the wise men came from the East asking, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?  For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him."  Matthew 2:2.  The priests could direct them to Bethlehem, but they would not go themselves.  They knew that He was to be born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14); of the lineage of David (Isaiah 9:6-7) in the city of Bethlehem (Micah 5:2).  They even knew the date He would officially present Himself to Israel (Daniel 9:25-26).  Yet, they had no time in their life nor place in their heart for the Son of God.
Herod Had No Room.  Herod's response to the news was that the King of the Jews had been born was an effort to subtly find and kill this royal Baby.
The Innkeeper Had No Room.  Others more noble and wealthy than the carpenter, Joseph, had arrived.  With typical greed for earth's riches and ambition for favor with the world's elite, he had little concern about a place for this humble mother who needed a place to birth her child.
Most Homes Had No Room For Him.    In the midst of His ministry this Royal Visitor informed a would-be follower, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head."  (Matthew 8:20).  Nearing the close of His ministry we read, "And everyone went to his own house, but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives."  (John 7:53, 8:1).
His Synagogue Had No Room For Him.  After preaching and healing throughout Galilee He came in the power of the Spirit to His hometown of Nazareth.  He shared with them the wonderful news that He was the Messiah prophesied in Isaiah 61:1-2.  Their response was to angrily attempt to put Him to death.  "So all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, and rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw Him down over the cliff."  Luke 4:28-29.
His stepbrothers Had No Room For Him.  James and Moses, Simon and Judas (Matthew 13:55) did not receive Him as Messiah at first.  They were sons of Joseph and Mary whereas Jesus was the Son of Mary and God.  At the height of His ministry that taunted Him and the reason is given clearly in John 7:5, "For even His brothers did not believe in Him."
The Gadarenes Had No Room For Him.  Jesus cast the demons out of a wild man that had been a terror to the Gadarenes.  These Gadarenes had not been able to restrain this man with fetters and chains.  Jesus conquered him, however, and the townsmen found the man "...setting and clothed and in his right mind." (Mark 5:15).  Their response was "They began to plead with Him to depart from their region."  (Mark 5:17).
Jerusalem Had No Room For Him.  With words and works He revealed that He was Jehovah come in the flesh.  Instead of being filled with joy about this, we read that the people of Jerusalem had the following response, (John 8:59), Then they took up stones to throw at Him...".
The Pharisees Had No Room For Him.  While performing one of the miracles that was a clear sign to the Jews that He was their promised Messiah the Pharisees showed their hardened rejection with the words, "This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons." (Matthew 12:24).

II.  RELIGIOUS LEADERS BEGRUDGED ALL WHO DID HAVE ROOM FOR HIM
They Begrudged His Being Received By Publicans and Sinners. 
When the publicans and sinners gathered to hear Him, the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, "How is it that He eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?" (Mark 2:16)
Simon, The Pharisee, Begrudged Him Allowing The Bethany Streetwalker To Wash His Feet With Her Tears and Dry Them With Her Hair.  As this woman washed and kissed the feet of Jesus with a broken and repentant heart, Simon grumbled, "This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him for she is a sinner."  (Luke 7:39).  Hopefully, Simon learned that day that whoever is forgiven much loves much.
The Pharisees Begrudged Those Who Believed On Jesus When He Raised Lazarus From The Dead  Did they rejoice that Lazarus had been raised from the dead?  Were they persuaded by the miracle that Jesus was the Messiah sent from God?  No.  "...From that day on, they plotted to put Him to death."  John 11:53.
Judas Begrudged Him being Anointed For Burial With Precious Ointment.  Mary of Bethany alone understood that He must die as a sacrifice for sins.  She brought costly ointment and anointed Him for burial.  Judas piously protested that the ointment could have been sold and the money given to the poor, but in his heart he was  thief and wanted the money for himself.  (John 12:1-6)
The Chief Priests Begrudged Him The Praise Of Little Children.   When Jesus officially presented Himself to Israel as their Messiah, the little children cried out, "Hosanna to the Son of David" and the chief priests "were sore displeased".  (Matthew 21:15).
The Chief Priests Begrudged The Title Given Him On The Cross.  When Pilate wrote the reason for Jesus being crucified it was, "JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS".    The chief priests tried to get him to change these words, but he replied, "What I have written, I have written."  (John 19:19-22).
The Chief Priests Begrudged Him The Proof Of His Resurrection.  The evidence proving the bodily resurrection of Christ is so great that it could be successfully argued in any unbiased courtroom in the world.  Yet, the chief priests begrudged Him this proof so much that they bribed the guards with a great sum of money to say that while they slept the disciples came and stole Jesus away.  (Matthew 28:11-15).

III.  MOST OF THE WORLD HAS NO ROOM FOR JESUS TODAY
The United Nations
certainly has no room for Jesus.  Prayer cannot even be offered in His name.
Our Government does not have room for Jesus.  The Executive, the Congress and the Supreme Court make their decisions with little or not consideration of Jesus Christ.  The same is true of state, county, and city government officials. 
Other Nations of the world have likewise shut Jesus outside their chambers.
High Society, the Arts, Business, and Fraternal Organizations have not made room for Jesus.
Many Churches, sad to say, organized to bring men and women to Christ have escorted Christ outside their doors and no longer have room for Him.

IV.  IN EVERY AGE SOME HAVE HAD ROOM FOR JESUS
When Jesus came there were those who gave Jesus a place in their hearts and lives.  There were the humble shepherds and the Wise Men.  There were devoted people like Anna and Simeon at the Temple.  There was Mary and Joseph; the disciples of Galilee; the publicans and harlots and many common people.  There were some rich like Joseph of Arimathea and some religious leaders like Nicodemus.  There was the thief who died on the cross beside Him.

Down through history there have been those in every age who had room for Him.  Their number has risen into the hundreds of millions.  How about you, my friend?  Do you have room for Him?  He knocks and says, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock.  If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him and he with Me."  (Revelation 3:20).  Will you hear His voce and make room in your heart for Him today?  Though "His own received Him not...as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name."  (John 1:11-12).

    Copyright © 2008 Truth Helpers Inc.