THE RHYTHM OF CHRISTMAS: THE INNKEEPER BIBLE READING: Luke 2:1-21 NLT At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. He took with him Mary, his fiancée, who was now obviously pregnant. And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them. That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Saviour—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.” When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them. Eight days later, when the baby was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel even before he was conceived. While there may not be anything directly written about the innkeeper in scripture, he played one of the most important roles in the birth of Christ. If it had not been for his willingness to give Mary and Joseph all he had, there likely would not have been a place for Mary to give birth to Jesus. Sure, a stable was not the most ideal of places, but it was all the innkeeper had to give. We should model the innkeepers response in the way we respond to Christ. When Christ knocks on our heart, our first response should be to invite Him in and give Him all we have. Even if our hearts are not perfect rooms for Him to live in, Christ does not care. He loves us and desires us no matter what. Dont ever feel like you dont have anything to offer Christ because of your past. Just give Him whatever you have just as the innkeeper did. Listen to the words of the innkeeper today as he shares about the small, but pivotal role he played in bringing Christ into the world and changing the rhythm of our hearts for all eternity. youtu.be/hK_eEAN5zQA
Posted on: Tue, 23 Dec 2014 12:15:02 +0000
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