No Room In The Inn

Christian Life Coach

Christmas

No Room In The Inn

Luke 2:1-7 (KJV)

1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.

2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)

3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city,

4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David: )

5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

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.

Six of the saddest words in the Bible: “No room for them in the inn.” Sad because we who have been oppressed and depressed know what it is to be rejected, ridiculed, and resented. We know what it is to be turned down, turned out, and turned around. We know what it means to be locked up, locked down, and locked out. We can empathize with the New Testament’s “first family” who could find “no room in the inn.”

Today, like yesterday, there is an inescapable question that all of us must face and in a last ditch effort, I present it to you: “Do you have room in your life for Jesus Christ?” Is there room in the inn? It is the same question that has been asked throughout the ages. It is not simply a Christmas question but a question that confronts us each day of the calendar. Do we have hanging on the door of our soul: “No Vacancy.” No room in the inn.

As contemporary controversy rages around this season of Advent so it was 2000 years ago. The government was not in gridlock over an election but an imperial decree had been issued to Caesar Augustus that all the world would be taxed. This decree forced “the first family” to leave their northern country and register with the country of their birth. When they arrived in Bethlehem, the hotels and motels were full. One innkeeper offered them the shelter of a cave where they kept farm animals. “Away in the manger…”

Are you like the innkeeper who said, “no room”— in a strange way this man missed Christmas because he missed Jesus being born in his house. Isn’t that the tragedy of this age: we keep turning Him away…the most important Person in all of history – the only One that can save you and change you is often rejected by our indecision and indifference. We build hotels and stadiums while we fail to build up families and youth. We would rather lock up our children than lift them up.

As we are preoccupied with politics, the price of gold, the stock market, and who will win the Super Bowl, the world suffers from Christlessness – not Christlikeness. We have much to deal with: an uninformed foreign policy, an unwise president, an unnecessary war, and an unbelievable ability of the American people to go on with business as usual. We have never needed the Lord like we need Him now. Come Lord Jesus, come and save us from ourselves.

Do you have room for Jesus? Are you so busy with the trimmings of Christmas that you miss its triumph? Have you crowded Jesus out so that there is no room for Him in the inn of your heart? It is a matter of priority – does He have first place in your heart? If not, then in some way you are crowding Him out. But if we allow Him in or better yet to be born in our heart, I guarantee you on the authority of the Word of God, you will have the greatest Christmas and the most wonderful life you could ever dream of.

Dr. Tom Benjamin

Abundant Life Coach

Dr. T. Garrott "Tom" Benjamin, Jr. of Indianapolis, Indiana is the Senior Pastor and Resident Bishop of the historically significant Light Of The World Christian Church.