Luke 2:7

No Room In The Inn

There was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:7.

Not long before Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea there went out an order from Caesar Augustus, the Roman Emperor, that a census of his subjects should be taken. Now at that time Palestine was under Roman rule, so the people of Palestine answered the census questions according to Caesar's command. Some of you know what a census means in this country. Every ten years the head of each household receives a paper which he has to fill up. He must tell the number of people living in his house, their age, and, if they are old enough to work, what their trade or business is. In that way we are able to find out how many people there are living in our country.

The census of Caesar Augustus in Palestine differed in some ways from ours. The head of each family, instead of giving in his name at his own home, identified himself at the native town of his family or clan. And thus it came about that Joseph, the carpenter of Nazareth, went to Bethlehem with Mary, because, although they were humble folk, they were both descended from King David, and David, you know, belonged to Bethlehem.

It must have been a long, weary journey for them nearly eighty miles. I am sure they were very glad when Bethlehem came in sight, and I am sure they were even more glad when they arrived there and began to climb the steep village street. But imagine their dismay when they found that the inn was crowded to the door and that there was no room for them there! The town was filled with Jews who had come for the same reason as they had, but who had had the good fortune to arrive earlier. No one was willing to give up their shelter for such humble folk, however tired they might be. And so they were turned away from the inn.

Then Joseph bethought him of the stable. It was only a rude cave cut out of the hillside, where the travelers put up their oxen and their asses, but it was better than nothing. It would afford them rest and shelter.

You all know what happened that night while Bethlehem slept. The Lord of life came to earth; the King of Heaven was born; and no one knew of it except Mary and Joseph and a few humble shepherds under the cold stars. And because there was no room in the inn, He to whom all the earth belonged was cradled in a manger. Many a royal baby that night lay on soft pillows, but the Prince of Peace slept in a cold stable. There was no room for Him in the inn.

And so it was all through His life. There was no room for Jesus in the world. The Jews refused to receive Him as their Messiah. When He preached at Nazareth, where He had been brought up, the people cast Him out of their city and led Him to the brow of the hill that they might throw Him down headlong. Often He had nowhere to lay His head, and in the end the priests and scribes put Him to death so that the world might be rid of Him.

There was no room for Jesus in the inn. How gladly we should have given Him a room in our house that night, and a soft pillow for His tiny head. But Jesus no longer requires a house to shelter Him. He is no longer weary. He no longer hungers or thirsts. Yet the Babe that was born at Bethlehem is still seeking for room for room in the hearts of men and women, and boys and girls.

Once a preacher spoke to two little black Zulu boys away in South Africa and told them about Jesus and His love. One of them went home to his mistress, and when she asked him what he had heard, he said, “Oh, it was about a wonderful Man. The people were very unkind to Him, and He died and went up to heaven; but He came down again and was like a little child in people's hearts.”

Then the lady said, “Well, and what did you do?” With shining face the boy replied, “I opened my heart and let the little Child Christ come in; and He came in, and my heart closed over Him, and He is safe inside.”

Boys and girls, there was no room for Jesus in the inn. Is there any room for Him in your heart?