Making Room

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Making Room…Luke 2:1-7
Intro: (Read Text)
He gets a pretty bum rap for someone we actually don’t even know exists. The Bible doesn’t mention him (or if he existed). Tradition talks a great deal about the fellow – but it’s still all tradition and folk-lore to be historically honest: that “poor innkeeper” who told Mary and Joseph there was “no room in the inn”.

What Was The “Inn”?

Maybe a good way to begin is to explain exactly what an “inn” was in those days.

We read about one type on inn in Luke chapter ten “he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. 35The next day he handed the innkeeper two pieces of silver (about $250) and told him to take care of the man.” (Luke 10:34-35) [pan-dokh-i’-on – a place of lodging - motel]

However, that’s not the type of inn we find in Luke chapter two. [kat-al’-oo-mah] The word here literally means “the breaking up of a journey”.

Often in ancient Israel the journey between to towns would take longer than a day, so ancient “KOI’s” (Kampground of Israel) developed beside the roads. Since Bethlehem was a small village less than five miles from Jerusalem there probably was no need for a [pandokhion] but there might be a need for a [kataloomah]. More than likely the inn was just a stopover for caravans on their way through Jerusalem to Galilee or Egypt.

Such “inns” had no innkeeper, they were simply crude stone walls encircling an area for the animals. The nicer of these inns would be two story structures where the overnight guests would sleep on the upper level while their animals rested underneath in the “ancient parking lot”.

On top of that, we can be pretty sure that any spare rooms in Bethlehem would be taken by the visiting officials working for the “Roman census bureau”. Add to these officials the many individuals returning for the census and taxation - there probably would have been little if any room – anywhere.

So Mary and Joseph arrive a little later than the crowds before them. Traveling with a woman in labor is a SLOW process! No one seems to notice or maybe they are both far too self-conscience to seek any help.

They end up in the parking lot of the local RV park among the camels, donkeys and other animals: dirty, stinky, noisy and probably alone.

And it’s in that lowly place that the Creator of the universe is born in human flesh: no maternity ward, no doctors or nurses, no family…NO ROOM!

TRANSITION:

Our theme for this first Sunday of Advent “The Christmas Touch” is “TOUCH YOUR NEIGHBORS”.

Even within our small community, it’s easy to overlook those that live the closest to us, isn’t it? We may know them but when was the last time we asked God to allow us to genuinely touch them with His love?

TOUCH YOUR NEIGHBORS…touch our neighbors.

This morning’s Scripture points to what I believe is the real reason we fail to reach out to those around us with the Christ-mas Touch.

Ready for the reason? “No room”

Jesus ended up out in the cold because there was simply no room.

And those around us will be ignored for the very same reason this season if we buy into the same excuse – no room.

Why didn’t someone notice? Why didn’t some husky caravan driver give up his spot for the night for this young, needy couple? Why didn’t anyone seem to care?

I came up with at least five pretty good excuses ... next page »