Any Room? Open 125 RR insert Luke 2:1-16 Close 132 Reading an only too modern Paraphrase of Luke, Chapter 2: And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from the U.S. Treasury that all of the people should go shopping. (And this decree was first made when the leading economic indicators indicated). And all went to shop, each to his own mall. And Joe also went up from his home in the small suburb to the big city stores because he needed to prove that he was of the household of prosperity. And with him was his wife, who was great for filling up her cart with little treasures. And so it was, that while they were there, the shopping days before Christmas were fully accomplished. After the woman almost painfully paid for the presents, she brought them forth to the car and planned how she would wrap them in brightly colored paper and lay them first where no one would expect them - maybe the garage for there was no room for them in the house. Actually, all across the country people were keeping watch over their possessions, lest someone steal them away at night. When they thought of all the money involved, they were sore afraid. But then came the good feeling that perhaps there would also be some great joy-at least to those who could afford this holiday. For unto them would be given this day, gifts. For this was a sign-they would find evidence neatly wrapped, lying beneath an artificial tree decorated with tinsel and lights. It wasn't long until Santa was joined by a great multitude of family and friends, praising one another and saying, "Glory to you for getting me this gift." Everyone was excited to see what was going to come to pass, making haste to open their gifts, and talking so loudly about them as to make it known abroad. When it was all over, everybody wondered what happened. (Idea from "Joy to the Mall" by C. Dolson in Ch Today. 1986?). What have we done to Christmas? Have we left any room for Jesus? What resemblance does it have to the silent night in the little town of Bethlehem-of animal stable and manger-of humility and simplicity-of Immanual - of God being with us? Have you any room for Jesus? Have you any room on your gift list for Jesus? Of all the presents you've bought, what have you for Him? Christmas should be costly-but it should be the cost of sacrifice for that which has no price tag-for that which cannot be bought but must be given-your love. For Him who has given His all for you, what have you given to Him? Have you any room in your heart for the teachings of Jesus? The world's style of power-broking at times enters the church and our homes-and the teachings of Jesus-that he who wants to be great should be the servant of all-cuts deep into those who are set on having their own way. There are those, who like the disciples, are more interested in the kingdom of glory than the kingdom of good will toward men. Have you any room for the family of Jesus? It's so easy for those in comfort, warmth, and plenty to forget-to close their door on Christmas almost in order to forget. There's enough to fill our thoughts. There are the childish giggles in the early morning while squeezing packages of hope-the wonderful smells from the kitchen- the traditional family reunion flocking in on grandparents. And next door is the forced joy of an unemployed father who wishes so much he could have bought his daughter the gift she wanted. There is the newly widowed mother who faces the awful job of placing the gifts under the tree for the first time alone. There's the elderly couple who waits all day hoping one of the kids will at least call. There is the pain of a marriage falling apart and not considered worth saving. There is a discouraged alcoholic-the homeless wandering a cold and empty city street-a woman beaten-a child kidnapped-an old man dying in a county nursing home and no one mourns. (R. Frame editorial, Ch. Today 12-13-85) Do we have any room for these? When you think about it, your heart and mine is not fit for a King - they are more like the stable. Dirty. But that's okay; the Lamb is willing to be born in a stable. And unless you slap up a "No Vacancy" sign or refuse like the respectable innkeepers because business has been too good for you to take the time - unless you resist because your life is filled with too many common things - then He will come in.. Have you any room for Jesus? I read a story this week of a place and people who didn't have much room for Jesus. The story is found in Matthew 2. Verse 1, 12... non-Adventist wise men come to this Adventist community and inquire about the fulfillment of prophecy. They had read in Scripture about signs in the heavens just before the coming of Christ, and they believed they had seen a sign. They felt they were being led. They had made sacrifices, withstood criticism, endured hardship, left friends and family who misunderstood, and stepped out on a journey of faith. And they ask around the community if anyone knows about the coming of Christ, and how to find the Messiah. By now, news of the coming of Christ was old news, and life for most of the members went on as usual. Oh, they talked about it sometimes. But the urgent questioning of these non-Adventists was quite troubling. (vs. 3...) Troubling enough for the administration to request an interview-this could be a divisive issue. The president had been so busy-so involved with the everyday operations of the church-which to him was more like a business since he never converted-that he was unprepared to answer their question. It's not like he was uncommitted, for he had personally contributed a lot to the building of the new sanctuary. And, he wasn't a theologian-he was a politician. So he called in the local ministers and seminary teachers to find out how legitimate the story could be. (vs. 4...) Of course, this well-studied group, protectors of God's word, knew the answer. They usually do. They actually had quite a following of members who through attendance of many classes and seminars had all these charts worked out to the finest detail-had finely tuned their theology to apparently unflinching accuracy. They were actually the most reformed, the most particular, the most conservative group of Adventists. And they were quick (and proud that they could) to give the right answer. (vs. 7, 8...) The administrator wishes the wise men well in their search, preferring not to spend the time himself, and hoping in a way that the whole thing would pass over and life could resume as normal. Many others like him, didn't care to be bothered. There were things like job security and personal lifestyle to consider. (vs. 9...) So the wise men leave the community, hoping that God would continue to lead. The administrator tells them to go and search. The ministers tell them where to search. So wise men search. And to them the star appears. Where is the vision of the leading of God in our church today? Where is our world vision, our heavenly vision, to discern the leading of the Lord in the work of His angels? Secular man watches movie stars-the church should be watching a moving star. We hear too much of religious superstars and not enough about the "Star" that came "out of Jacob" (Numbers 24:17). What is the guiding factor of your life? What is it that catches our attention? What determines your next move and affects your decisions about where you go and how you spend your resources? There are three obvious lessons from this story: 1. Search, and God will lead. God may not lead you quite so openly or dramatically, but if you search, He will lead. There's a difference between studying the Scriptures and searching for Christ. The Lord overlooked those who studied to bolster their belief system and used the "ignorant shepherds and uncircumcised Gentiles" (D. A. 63) to first proclaim the Good News. There is a danger that the chosen people of God can get wrapped up in their "chosen-ness" and reject truth because it comes from a non-Adventist source. Remember, the Jews were Adventists, and it was from their own Scriptures that these wise men came to an understanding of the times in which they were living. Search, and God will guide. 2. Follow the light you have, and God will give you more. Have you ever wondered why so few heard the angels sing? Why so few saw the heavenly host? Why so few followed the star? Perhaps they weren't searching. Perhaps they weren't following the light they had. I know this sounds crazy, but haven't you known individuals who argue with the Lord about His method of guidance and resisted or didn't like where it was taking them? There are those who even pray for more light and are offended by the ideas of the ignorant and uncircumcised, while the Lord is waiting for them to live according to the light they have. If the wise men had stopped following the star, it would have disappeared from their sight. If we don't follow the light given us, it too will go out. Eventually, we'll call darkness light, and light darkness. This brings us naturally to the third principle: 3. Persevere, and you'll see Jesus face to face. One elderly minister said: "Wouldn't it be awful, if after knowing this truth for years, the Lord were to come and you wouldn't be ready?" The devil is going to work on the wise men. He's going to work on those who have invested their money for the cause of truth. He's going to work on those who use vacation time to go on mission ventures. He's going to work on those who endure the ridicule of the unconverted out of the church and the misunderstanding of the unconverted in the church. He tempts them to get discouraged by the apparent hypocrisy of some leadership or indifference of the membership. He encourages them to to give up because no one else seems interested enough-or concerned or excited about the truth. "He that perseveres unto the end, the same shall be saved." How far have you come on your journey of faith? Have you started? Are you still asking, "Where is He?" Or have you found the Savior? You'll know when you are in His presence. As you behold Him, it's as if you feel you could reach out and touch Him. And you hear a King sing over one sinner that repents. And you learn to sing with the angels, "Glory to God in the highest!" And you declare that the Baby in the manger is my soul, my life, my all!" And you give the poor gift of yourself. The dirty stable, and then unto you is born, a Saviour who is Christ the Lord! And He will be to you a "Wonderful Counselor, a Mighty God, an Everlasting Father, a Prince of Peace" making your stable the perfect place for the King! Today, friend, do you have you any room in your life for Jesus? If not what is more important than that? Luke 2:1 And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. 3 So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. 4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. 6 So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. 8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 "For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 "And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger." 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: 14 "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" 15 So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, "Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us." 16 And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. Luke 2:1 And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. 3 So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. 4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. 6 So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. 8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 "For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 "And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger." 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: 14 "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" 15 So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, "Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us." 16 And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger.