No room

Sermon notes from Sunday 23 December 2018 pm

Luke 2 verses 1 – 7

In verse 7 we read I suppose 2 of the most saddest words in the context in which they are written – “no room”.  Why was there no room?  To whom was there no room?  Mary and Joseph had made their way to Bethlehem.  Mary was great with child.  They came to Bethlehem and found there was no room for them there.  Can you imagine the look on Joseph`s face when he was told those 2 words – “no room”.  What that person didn’t realise was they were turning away the Saviour of the world.  I wonder how many tonight sitting in meetings or maybe even in their own house is hearing those words “no room”.  Have we ever realised we are lost and undone?  The Lord told the rich young man who asked him “what must I do to inherit eternal life” – “you know the commandments.”  Here was a religious young man, a rich young man, a ruler, well thought of, appreciated.  “these commandments have I kept from my youth up.”  Jesus told him “one thing you lack, sell all you have, give it to the poor and then you come follow me.”  He came to the place where he wanted to be saved, wanted to know Christ as Saviour, wanted to know heaven as his home.  He came to that place and he stopped, he turned his back on the Lord Jesus Christ.  The sadness and the sorrow on Jesus` heart as he looks on the faces of people who turn away from him.  They don`t want to pay the cost or take Christ as Saviour and Lord.

No room because people were so busy.  Even today people are so busy, they cannot find time to come to the house of God.  In verse 1 we read that Caesar Augustus sent out a decree that everyone should be taxed in their own city.  People made their way to their own cities, people were rushing to make sure they had a place to stay for the night.  The place in Bethlehem was bunged out.  It was a bad time to be coming into Bethlehem.  Every place they tried was full.  No-one had room for this couple.  How many times have you turned the Lord away?  How many times have you said “no” to the Lord?  You have heard his invitation but said no.  Too busy at that moment in time.  The Lord spoke in the gospels of a man who made a great supper and he sent out invitations to all the people.  As they received their invitations they all began with one accord to make excuses not to come.  We have reasons why we don`t get saved.  One of the excuses was from a man who had bought a yoke of oxen and he had to go and prove them.  Another one had bought a plot of ground and he had to go and see it.  Another man has just got married and he couldn`t leave his wife to go to the feast.  There was a door opened when the Lord died on the cross.  Agrippa was sitting on the throne when Paul came to him in chains and fetters.  Paul told him all about his life, how he met the Lord on the road to Damascus.  That king sitting on the throne trembled.  He listened to every word Paul said, of the need in his heart then he said to Paul “I am busy today, I would love to be saved, I realise what you are saying is true, any other day I would have more time, when I have a convenient season I will send for you again.”  Isn`t it awful to listen to the gospel, hear the Lord speaking into our hearts yet say we are too busy to be saved.

No room because of the people’s blindness.  I can imagine those in charge looking at them, nothing different about them, never thought for one moment that before them stood the Saviour of the world.  Our eyes are blinded tonight so that even now we cannot see Christ speaking directly to us.  “If only I had known.”  Maybe as they opened that door and realised there was the Saviour of the world would they have done something about it?  Sometimes we put it down to emotions or feelings.  In John 4 the woman in conversation with Jesus, it was an everyday conversation when Jesus spoke to her of everlasting life.  In John 3 a very religious man came to Jesus.  There very few like him, Nicodemus was his name.  He was a master in Israel.  He was a preacher of the word of God yet he was blinded to the saving grace of God.  It is possible to be a good church member and not be saved.  It is possible to go through this life with churchianity but still at the end go to a lost and Christless hell.  That is the saddest thing about it.  They didn`t know who they were turning away.  Do not leave thinking the Lord will knock again.  He may never do that.  You may never hear him knocking again.  God gives us opportunities.  The people were blinded with busyness.

No room because the people couldn`t be bothered.  They had seen so many people coming and going, they were just another couple.  Maybe by this stage they couldn`t be bothered finding a room for them, let them go.  There is an apathy, a coldness, couldn`t be bothered.  “I am happy with my life just the way it is.“ The wise men arrived at the palace and inquired where the new king was.  Remember what Herod said – he gathered the scribes together and asked them “where is this new king to be born.”  They were able to point to the word of God, able to tell him from Micah the prophet that he would be born in Bethlehem.  They hadn`t the interest themselves to find him.  The unlearned shepherds once they heard the news of this new born baby left their sheep and went in search of the Saviour.  The scribes and Pharisees couldn`t be bothered.   Maybe you know you need to be saved, you know you need the Lord, you know everything about it.  You can point to the scriptures, show how the Lord was born and died on the cross, can point to the empty tomb but cannot be bothered taking that final step.  You don`t want that change in your life, the upset it will bring.  The Lord has come not to destroy our lives but to give us life and life more abundantly.  That is what he wants to give you.  Maybe the people cannot be bothered to squeeze another couple in.  In turning them away they turned away the Saviour of the world.  If you are saying no tonight you are saying no to the Saviour of the world.  Is it worth it?  Will you come and trust the Lord as your own Saviour?