No Room in the Inn

No Room in the Inn

The sun is setting over the Bethlehem hills. On the valley road leading to the city can be seen a staggering precession of travelers. Amongst them is a young woman riding on a donkey which is being lead by her husband. This band of travelers has come from the city of Nazareth in the region of Galilee, “For there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. And Joseph went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem: (because he was of the house and lineage of David) to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.”

They draw near to Bethlehem through a land alive with historic memories. In the pastures beside them Ruth long ago gleaned in the fields of Boaz. In that hollow to the right outside the gates, brave men had died in bringing to David a drink of water from the well of Bethlehem. But Joseph and his wife are not thinking of these things. Their thoughts are preoccupied with what are about to come to pass. Mary is thinking of the visitor she had from heaven some months before who had said to her,” Hail, thou art highly favored, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou among women. Fear not Mary, for thou hast found favor with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus.” And Joseph is remembering the words of his heavenly visitor, “Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son and thou shalt call his name, Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.”

The time for the fulfillment of these prophecies is at hand and Joseph is hastening to the city of Bethlehem so that he might find a place of rest for his wife. The last miles have been very trying for Mary and as night settles upon the city the weary travelers enter the city gates. Ordinarily there would be no trouble in securing lodging for Mary, for in the friendly East hospitality is sacred duty. But now the city is overcrowded for many have come to be enrolled. Joseph went from house to house seeking lodging only to be met with the reply, “There is no room.” Finally Joseph came to the hotel, surely there will be room here, but again he hears the same reply, “There is no room.” By this time Mary is too weary to go further and thus the couple go to the back of the hotel and enter the stable wherein were kept the animals and there Mary laid down to rest on a bed of straw, “while they were there the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her first born son, and she wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in the manger, because there was no room for them in the Inn.”

No room in the inn. This is a common place phrase. Every one who has ever traveled has met it as they have sought hospitality in some wayside inn or tourist home. With a sigh of relief they have dropped their baggage, have flexed their cramped muscles and have prepared to sign the register, only halted with the words: “No room.”

It is, I repeat, a common place phrase, a common experience, save that this phrase have been inserted two words that lift it out of the realm of the commonplace and render ti profoundly significant, “There was no room for them in the inn.” These words have been said of many other persons and they would have remained trite and commonplace but when said of them it becomes a phrase to be repeated with solemn and awed wonderment.

These words are strangely prophetic of the entire ministry of Jesus. They re-echo fro us the words of His herald, “He came unto His own and His own received Him not.” They tell us of the words that Jesus uttered, “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man hath not where to lay His head.” Through out the entire two thousand years since the coming of the Babe of Bethlehem the same phase has been echoed, “No room, no room in my heart for thee.” Even now as in the days of His earthy ministry there seems to be no room for the Babe save on the cross of Calvary. To my mind these are the sadist words in the whole Scripture, “There is no room for them in the inn.” Yet these words reveal a wonderful humility which should fill us with joy and peace.

Them refers to three, a man, his espoused wife and an unborn babe. The man was a Prince. He was descended from the great King David, though Solomon. The royal blood of Israel’s kings flowed through His veins, but He was a little late in arriving so was refused admittance to the hotel and was forced to seek shelter in a stable. The woman was a princess, she, too, was descended from the great King, belonging to the line of his younger son Nathan. She has been highly favored by God; the Holy Spirit has visited her in away in which the other children of men have been since the day of creation. But because she was late in arriving she must also make her bed in a stable. It was wonderfully humble for this Prince and Princess to reside with the animals. But we see a greater act of humility on the part of the Babe.

Mary and Joseph could not avoid being shut out of the inn and being forced to sleep in a stable. They were in the grip of the circumstances which they could not control. The crown had been taken away from Israel. Another nation was ruling Palestine. This Prince and Princess had come to Bethlehem not to receive homage but to pay homage to an oppressor nation. Thus it is not to be wondered at that they would humbly make the best of conditions which they were powerless to change.

But the Babe, He was not helpless, He was not held in the grip of circumstances. Mary and Joseph were in the stable because they had to be there, but the Babe because He chose to be. He was there because He, “being in the form of God though it not robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.”

That head, which was once crowned with the diadem of Heaven’s King, is now cradled in a manger. Those eyes, which once beheld the glories and beauties of Heaven, look now upon the rude interior of a stable. Those ears which were accustomed to the music of the heavenly choirs are now saluted by the lowing of cattle and the bleating of sheep. Those hands which once formed the world now twist the straw of His humble bed. That Person who once wore the purple robes of royalty in the places of the Lord of lords and King of kings, is now draped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.

What wonderful humility that He whose “name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace,” should be born in a manger? What wonderful humility that He who created the beast would be bore amongst then in a manger? Such wonderful humility should melt all our pride and bring us this morning in worshipful adoration to the manger in Bethlehem.

Notice the awful blindness of the people of His day. For countless years the Israelites had been looking for the birth of this Babe. Their prophets had foretold that He would be born in Bethlehem. They were all aware that the time of His birth was drawing nigh. The Son of Righteousness is born and men do not perceive His nearness until angels announce His presence. Of Him it is said, “There shall come a star out of Jacob,” but men do not behold Him until another star guides them to His bed. The people of Jesus’ day were blind.

Physical blindness is a terrible tragedy, and those who dwell in a world of darkness deserve our greatest sympathy. We pity the man for who the sunset holds no glories, for whom a lily is just a shape with an odor, for whom the snowflake is but a ghostly kiss.

Physical blindness is a terrible tragedy but a far greater one is spiritual blindness. How terrible the blindness which beholds the sunset but fails to see that hand of God. How awful the blindness which behold the lily of the field but fails to see the God who clothes it. How awful the blindness which sees the geometric shape of the snowflake but fails to see the God who designed it. Such are a far more terrible state than the physically blind, because seeing they see not. How awful the blindness of the man who comes to the manger on Christmas morning and fails to behold, “Jesus the Savior from sin.” As you come to the manger this Christmas tide do not allow the glittering tinsel, the hustle and bustle of Christmas preparation, the worldly interpretation of Christmas to blind you to the wonderfulness of the Babe sleeping there.

The inn was very busy, the crowd was great, and thus the quest who came bringing the gift of God must pass it by, “because there was no room for them in the inn.” Well might that little inn have bid all their other guests depart, if that be in order to make room for Him. The little inn was too busy, it was too crowded and thus a glorious opportunity was missed. God was crowed out. “There was no room for them in the inn.”

Beloved is your life to full of other things that you have no room for Him? Are you so busy earning a living that you have no room for Him who is the Life? Are you so busy seeking knowledge that you have no room for Him who is the Truth? Are you so busy preparing to celebrate His birthday that you have no room for Him? Are you busy thinking of gifts for others that you have forgotten to receive God’s gift for you?

As you plan to celebrate the day of His birth, has He been uppermost in your thoughts? Many plan to celebrate the birthday of Jesus without once thinking of Him. The world has taken Christ out of Christmas. May that not be true of us.

The innkeeper was so busy that he had no time for Jesus. Thus the Son of God was crowed out into a little outbuilding. Perhaps your heart is filled with good things, every room seems occupied with things of the Church, with charities, with the love for family and friends, until the Savior can find within your heart no smallest chamber in which to dwell. Beware lest the good may crowd out God! As you celebrate the day of the Savior’s birth, won’t you take time to draw aside and say, “Come into my heart, Lord Jesus, there is room in my heart for Thee.”

Dr. Robert W Kirkpatrick

First Presbyterian Church Saint Albans, W Va. December 22, 1945