Christmas Message

All scripture is from the King James Version unless otherwise noted.
Before beginning this study, I suggest you pray and ask God to guide you through this study.
I also suggest that you do you own study of this material in order to ensure its accuracy.
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One Christmas, a recent First Lady said, "[Christmas celebrates] the birth of a homeless child." The Vice President at that time echoed: "Speaking from my own religious tradition in this Christmas season, 2,000 years ago a homeless woman gave birth to a homeless child in a manger because the inn was full...."

Well ... not exactly. Jesus was not homeless. He was born away from home, but know for certain he had a home: "And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth." (Luke 2:39).

Jesus was born in a city that was not His home because of a government ruling that all must go to the place of their birth to register for a census to under-gird a tax increase. His mother and her husband were forced by Caesar to go to Bethlehem. When they got there, the city was overwhelmed with people forced to return there and the inn (it was probably the only inn in such a small town) was booked.

And it is not as though they had not already been sleeping out of doors on the several day journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem. It was customary to camp nightly on a long journey in that day. Another point to make along this line is that in ancient Israel, hospitality was a very important social requirement. If it had not been for the fact that Mary was in labor, the couple may have been able to find lodging as a guest in someone's house. If not, then they would have camped out one more night. The facts that the birth was imminent, and the inn was full, probably led Joseph to find the nearest thing resembling shelter. He had to have a place to put the baby.

The owner may have had pity on a pregnant girl and may have graciously suggested they use the stable. We assume it was a stable or other shelter because there was a manger there. Of course, there could have been a manger out in the field. It could have been in a cave, or it could have been located at ground level under the inn or a house. The story that they went to the inn and the innkeeper told them to go around back is just a tradition or an embellishment and is not mentioned in scripture.

The real point is that they were there temporarily and had to make do with what accommodations they could find. This does not fit the definition of homelessness, which indicates that a person has no home nor the means to find one. Since Mary and Joseph stayed there two years, and Joseph was a skilled worker, they most likely had no problem finding lodging. Obviously Joseph had the money to stay at the inn. They had a home but were out of town when the baby was born; they were not homeless. By the time the Magi came they were in a house: "And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh." (Matthew 2:11). Its a shame that someone would twist the birth of Jesus to into a partisan political statement.

That there was no room for Jesus was the story of His life.

There was no room for Him:

When he was born there was no room for Him at the inn ( Luke 2:7 ).

When He was twelve, there was no room for Him at the Temple ( Luke 2:42-52 ).

When He started His ministry there was no room for Him at home. ( Luke 4:28-30 )

When He healed the demoniac there was no room for Him at the country of the Gadarenes ( Mark 5:15-17 ).

When He healed on the Sabbath there was no room for Him in the religious society ( Matthew 12:10-14 ).

When He cleansed the Temple, there was no room for Him in Jerusalem ( Mark 11:15-18 ).

When He claimed to be Messiah there was no room for Him in the World ( John 8:58-59 ).

When He was in the Garden of Gesthemane there was no room for Him in this life ( Mark 14:43-46 ).

When He died on the cross for all, there was no room for Him in men's hearts ( Acts 4:1-3 ).

He was truly a Man of sorrows ( Isaiah 53:3-6 ).

Is there room for Him in your heart?

Now, for a related subject:

If you are one of those people who get blue on Christmas, there is a way to get some relief. I must admit to being one who finds it easy to be dispirited at Christmas. I find the flurry of activity at Christmas gets me down. I am one who enjoys routine and my routine gets disrupted during the holidays. Some get blue because of the commercialism, some because they lack money at this time of year, some get down because they don't feel like they have done enough for their children, and some get depressed because they cannot bring back the wonder they felt as children. There are many other reasons why people get blue. This is how I get some relief:

Isaiah 9:
⁶For unto us a child is born,
Unto us a son is given:
and the government shall be upon
His shoulder:
And his name shall be called
Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God,
The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
⁷Of the increase of his government
and peace
There shall be no end,
Upon the throne of David, and upon
His kingdom,
To order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice
From henceforth even for ever.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will
Perform this.

Yes, Jesus Christ is the reason for the season, and the Prophet Isaiah prophesied of His coming almost seven hundred years before the event. It is this prophecy that cheers me up at Christmas. I hope it cheers you as well. I wish you a very peaceful Christmas and ask God's blessings on you in the New Year.

Pastor Mark Oaks