“What Was In The Stable?”
INTRODUCTION
Taxes, taxes, taxes… Sales tax, excise tax, federal income tax, social security tax, state income tax, inheritance tax, gasoline tax, liquor tax, cigarette tax, property tax, deed tax, license and registration fees, building permits, hotel room tax, entertainment tax, capital gains tax, and on and on. Our government is expert in obtaining as much tax money as they possibly can from all who live in the best nation on earth, the United States of America.(Yes, I am thankful for my native land: But I also hate taxes.)
In today’s Christmas passage of Scripture, we see Joseph and Mary who, like most of us, lived in their native land. Their Jewish king, King Herod, collected taxes. Joseph also had to pay a temple tax. But the real bureaucratic “bummer” was that Rome had invaded Israel and in addition to their normal taxes, the Roman Emperor Caesar Augustus also collected taxes from Joseph, Mary, and all of the other residents of Israel. Caesar wanted all the tax money that he could get. To be sure that everyone was being taxed, he required everyone to return to the town of their birth to register in a census. He wanted everyone registered. He did not want to miss out on a mite or a farthing.
Thankfully,(And I know, I know, it is hard to be thankful when we talk of taxes and government paperwork…) our government collects federal and local census information by mail or by sending census takers to our doors to collect the information. They deduct the taxes from our payrolls, collect them at the Registry of Motor Vehicles, at the department store cash register, etc. They find us. Caesar made everyone return to the city of their birth. It appears that there were no exceptions.(What an inconvenience!) So, Joseph, with his virgin, but very pregnant, wife Mary, had to travel to Bethlehem to register in order to have the lousy privilege of paying yet another tax.
Now I know that all of our Christmas cards show Joseph walking and Mary riding a donkey. A very gallant and gentlemanly picture: But as I searched the New Testament Christmas accounts, I read nothing about a donkey. My guess is that they walked to Bethlehem. Certainly some of the other citizens of Israel rode donkeys, horses, camels, rode the bus, took an El Al airplane, or a taxi, or drove their cars… Surely, most walked: But since most wives were not in their ninth month of pregnancy, most made the trip quicker than Joseph and Mary. There were no 1(800) hotel reservation telephone numbers. When the young couple got to Bethlehem, all of the inns were displaying “No Vacancy” signs.
Now I know most accounts of the Nativity Story criticize the Innkeeper for not giving them the Presidential Suite. My preference is to think of him as a good businessman who did the best that he could to help those who were victims of slow walking and overbooking. He gave them the use of his stable. Historical accounts of inns make me think that Joseph and Mary got a pretty good deal. Many accounts tell us that usually everyone slept on mats, on the floor, and in the same room of the inn. Can you imagine the snoring noises and the smell? At least the holy family were in and out of the elements, probably got a reduced room rate, and best of all—had secured a place of privacy where Mary could give birth to the Messiah.
Now there are all kinds of suggestions of what the stable/barn where Jesus was born looked like. Some have said that it was a grotto or cave. Others have noted that it probably was a rock or dried brick outbuilding. Some think that it may have been a wooden barn.(Not a bad place for the Carpenter of the Universe to be born.) The story only tells us that in this building there was a manger.
My question today, to help us learn from some of the symbols of Christmas is, “What was in the stable or barn?” Come, let us use our imaginations and try to picture just a few of the things that the barn may have contained. 1. The animals of the inn’s guests. 2. Hay, straw, and grain for the animals. 3. A manger. 4. The innkeeper’s wife. 5. The shepherds. 6. Joseph and Mary. Come with me, as we take a look.
I. THE ANIMALS OF THE INN’S GUESTS.
Chances are good that some guests came by donkey, horse, or even camel. The inn would need to offer a corral and a stable to provide the animals of its guests with safety. Apparently, most of the folks on that night’s guest list had walked instead of riding to Bethlehem… So God supplied room in the barn for the birth of the Messiah. Later, Jesus had taught that we should not worry about where we would sleep or what we would eat. He knew from experience that if we put God first that He will supply our needs.(See Luke 9:58 and 12:22-31 and Philippians 4:9)
The one who had created the animals was being born as a man among the animals that he had created. John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.” The first Adam lived in a garden and was surrounded by animals. The Second Adam was born in a stable and was surrounded by animals. What a humble beginning of life as a man.(God Man)
II. HAY, STRAW, AND GRAIN FOR THE ANIMALS.
The stable would certainly have hay and grain for the animals to eat and straw for their bedding. There would be jugs of water for the animals and for a small measure of fire safety. Because of the flammable contents, there probably was only one or two, small, well protected oil lamps. It certainly was not like the brightly lighted birthing suites of today’s modern hospitals. Jesus came into a very sin darkened world. I remember how my Grandfather, uncles, and farmer friends were ever so careful with fire, even with electricity, in and around their barns.(I have some stories about barn fires from when I was a volunteer fireman.)
Listen to what Jesus taught in John 8:12 “When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." Israel had the prophets, the Old Testament/Hebrew Scriptures and yet most did not recognize the birth of the Messiah that took place on that night 2000 years ago. There was great spiritual darkness. Great need. We live in an age where many live lives filled with animal like lusts. They hear the Word and choose to live in darkness. This Christmas, may the lights of Christmas remind us of Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 5:14 "You are the light of the world… 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”
Later in the Advent Story, Matthew writes of the Star of Bethlehem. A star that only the Magi, and after their explanation—King Herod, recognized as a sign that the Messiah, the King of the Jews had been born. The Magi,foreigners, had to tell Herod the king of God’s chosen people that the promised Messiah’s birth was being announced by the star of Bethlehem. May I ask you, “Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear?”(Mark 8:18)
III. A MANGER.
Luke’s story was very specific. He wrote that Jesus was placed in a manger. We are not told if it was made of hollowed out stone, or of wood. (Was it Sweet Pea, in Pop Eye, who slept in a dresser drawer? I once pastored a lady who would tell me of her premature birth and how her parents placed her in a shoe box near a wood stove to keep warm.) In Matthew 8:20 Jesus taught, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." His whole life was devoted to doing his Father’s business, and God took care of His son. Jesus will take care of you and me, so, we can stop worrying.
Especially at Christmas, we often tend to become very, very materialistic. Jesus owned no car, telephone, TV set, computer, video games, had no CD’s, health insurance, or pension plan, no house of his own… And yet he was content and cared for in his Father’s will. Throughout his life, he put God first and God supplied his needs. Once when he and the disciples owed taxes, he sent them fishing and they found gold in the fish’s mouth. Mathew 17:27 "But so that we may not offend them, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours." Gift giving is good: But we need to be sure that we have given God His tithes and offerings first: And then we can, as a good steward, give Christmas gifts. The best gift that we could possibly give or receive is the gift of the gospel. Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
At Christmas, many become bitter or depressed because they can not “be home for Christmas.” When we see Jesus’ life and death of sacrifice we should be thankful.(Do not loose sight of Heaven.)
IV. THE INNKEEPER’S WIFE.
Not only is childbirth a private matter,(I am not sure why people go on TV’s Discovery Channel for the whole world to see the birth of their baby; or why they invite their friends and families to watch.) but the Jewish laws concerning modesty would have excluded all men but Joseph. I like to think that the kind Innkeeper sent his wife to help this first time mother. To hunt up swaddling clothes. To mop her brow. To tell her to push. To tell Joseph to go and boil water.(Only kidding. Sterile birth procedures were not discovered until about the time of our Civil War.), to say, “It’s a boy…”
This reminds us that we are often, unexpectedly, placed in positions to help strangers or even acquaintances. The Jewish laws were very specific about helping the stranger or alien. Jesus told us that if we gave a cup of water, fed the hungry, clothed the naked, visited those in prison, invited in the stranger…in his name we were doing it for or to him…(Matthew 25:35-40) and (Mark 9:41) We live in such an impersonal society that it is easy to get selfish and only look out for our family’s interests. Acts of kindness can do much to help us fill the Great Commission, and to “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” teach the gospel story to the whole world.(Matthew 28:19-20)
V. THE SHEPHERDS.
At the invitation of the angels, the shepherds came to the stable later that night. Came to see the Messiah, the Savior. Some carols and stories about the shepherds refer to them as being from a lower level of society. I don’t think so… Sheep herding was a proper profession. Lamb, mutton, wool, and sheep hides were all important items of the day’s economy. In fact, some shepherds probably raised the best of all of the lambs to be used as sin sacrifices at the temple. The Messiah had David, a shepherd and king in his family tree.
It seems to me that God had his angels first announce the birth of the Good Shepherd, the Greatest Shepherd, the Lord My Shepherd,(Psalm 23) to the shepherds of that day. They in turn were to share the “good news of great joy…for all the people.”(v. 10) The Good Shepherd who was to willingly lay down his life for his sheep was born. The Shepherd who would be the door of the sheep fold. The Shepherd who would leave ninety nine sheep in the fold to go and hunt for one lost sheep… For you…For me…
After they saw the “Savior,” “they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.”(v. 16-18) When we see who Jesus really is, we too must share the good news, the gospel!
VI. JOSEPH AND MARY.
They were there because they both had been obedient to the will of God. They had also been obedient citizens and were obeying the laws of their land. Heaven only knows what God will use us to accomplish if we live lives of obedience. Jesus taught that if we were faithful in the little things, that he would make us ruler over more… He told us that if we did our best, that we would not loose our reward.
Joseph and Mary had heard the commands of the Lord from angels. They obeyed. What a story of love. Elizabeth, John the Baptist’s Mother, confirmed the prophecy to Mary.(Luke 1) Men, would you have the same confidence in your wife as Joseph did in Mary—If she told you that the Holy Spirit was going to make her pregnant? Eventually, God revealed to Joseph, by angel and shepherds, and through Simeon and Anna at the temple, that Jesus was the one who would bring the “redemption of Jerusalem.” Later, the Magi also made it clear that this child was the King of the Jews. King Herod’s actions were proof that he too believed, when “he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under…”(Matthew 2:16) He was willing to kill the promised Messiah to hold onto his puny power.(Power granted by Rome.) How many lost friends do we know who desire man’s power and riches, rather than the power of the Spirit? May God help us to share with them the good news.
CONCLUSION
In the CENTER of this stable, of every Christmas card, of every Nativity set, of every artist’s painting, of every Christmas musical production, of all of our imaginations, and at the center of our faith, WE SEE JESUS! He is central. He must always be central. He must be the center of our attention, our lifestyle, our studies, our worship, our devotion, our hopes and dreams, our faith… Revelation pictures him as the central figure in the new Jerusalem. The born again Christian will share in that glorious scene.
We have read the Bible stories, heard the sermons, sung the hymns and carols, seen the miracles of God, seen Christ lived out in the lives of the saints of God… Now we must make a choice. To believe or not to believe. To walk in the light or to remain in darkness. All eyes in Nativity displays are on Jesus. You have light. You know who he is. Now, what will you do with the Christ of Christmas, the cross, and the resurrection? Acts 16:31 "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved…”
(Show objects from a nativity set to get the visual attention of the congregation.)
(Final song—O Little Town Of Bethlehem or Away In A Manger)
(The idea for this sermon occurred to me while reading the Advent devotional booklet, “Around The Stable” by Arden W. Mead, Copyright 2001: Published by Creative Communications For the Parish, Fenton, MO—800-325-9414.)
(Ron Keller)
