Make Room
Do you know that hospitality is at the heart of why Jesus came into the world? He left His place in heaven and came to earth to take our place on a cross so that we can have a place in His Father’s house (John 14:1-3). Until Jesus comes to take His own to the place He’s prepared, all who have made room in their hearts for Him are called to make room for others as He has made room for us.
Make room for the Savior
To experience the salvation that Christ’s first coming made possible, we must make room for Jesus in our hearts and lives. According to Luke 2:7, Jesus was laid in a manger “because there was no place for them in the inn.” Due to the circumstances surrounding Christ’s birth, like the influx of people in Bethlehem for the census, more suitable accommodations were unavailable when Christ was born. The best Mary and Joseph could do for a bed was a feeding trough.
No doubt if they could have—if they were not away from home, Mary and Joseph would have prepared a more suitable place for Jesus. Perhaps, Joseph, who was a carpenter, would have made Him a customized crib. But in the first Advent, Jesus didn’t come for man to give Him a crown of gold. He came ultimately to wear a crown of thorns so that we could receive the crown of life.
Remember, eternal life is more than living forever in heaven. Eternal life is God made known in your heart through Christ in the person and power of the Spirit (John 17:3; Ephesians 3:14-19). Eternal life begins when through repentance and faith we make room in our hearts for Jesus and receive Him as Savior and Lord. From that moment on, we must continue to make room to grow in our love for Christ and to fulfill His purpose for our lives.
Jesus said, “if any man opens the door I will come in...” (Rev. 3:20). Jesus deserves the preeminent place in our hearts and lives. Therefore in order for Him to be at home in us so that we might experience His fullness, we need to surrender all to Him. As Robert Munger put it, we need to sign over the title deed to the Lord and say, “You run the house.”
No doubt if they could have—if they were not away from home, Mary and Joseph would have prepared a more suitable place for Jesus. Perhaps, Joseph, who was a carpenter, would have made Him a customized crib. But in the first Advent, Jesus didn’t come for man to give Him a crown of gold. He came ultimately to wear a crown of thorns so that we could receive the crown of life.
Remember, eternal life is more than living forever in heaven. Eternal life is God made known in your heart through Christ in the person and power of the Spirit (John 17:3; Ephesians 3:14-19). Eternal life begins when through repentance and faith we make room in our hearts for Jesus and receive Him as Savior and Lord. From that moment on, we must continue to make room to grow in our love for Christ and to fulfill His purpose for our lives.
Jesus said, “if any man opens the door I will come in...” (Rev. 3:20). Jesus deserves the preeminent place in our hearts and lives. Therefore in order for Him to be at home in us so that we might experience His fullness, we need to surrender all to Him. As Robert Munger put it, we need to sign over the title deed to the Lord and say, “You run the house.”
Make room for the saints
When God’s word says in Luke 2:7 that Mary laid Jesus in a manger because there was no place for them in the inn, these words would have struck first century readers in a much deeper way than the average reader today. Hospitality was not only essential to the way of life for ancient Jewish people; in the early church, it was a vital expression of the virtues of Christianity. The failure to demonstrate hospitality to even strangers would have been considered scandalous. Keep in mind that although the traditional telling of the Christmas story involves a heartless inn- keeper turning them away, it’s more likely that Mary and Joseph were staying with family. It’s important to note that the Greek word "Kataluma," which is translated as “inn” in verse 7, can also mean "guest's room" or "private house."
In light of this, it’s very possible that it was a family member of Joseph, not an inn keeper who would not or could not provide better accommodations for Mary, Joseph, and the new born babe. Could it be that the guest room was already occupied by another family that came to town for the census? Whatever the reason that better accommodations were not afforded to Joseph, Mary, and Jesus, the greater question is, do we make room for Him today?
Remember, Jesus said that when He returns in His glory He will commend the saved for their radical hospitality unto Him. After commending them, God’s words says in Matthew 25:37-40: “Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.”
Jesus clearly demonstrated that showing hospitality is a vital means of displaying His love to people in need. He also taught His disciples that love and unity among the saints is the way the people in the world will know that the first Christmas really happened—that the Father sent Jesus into the world (John 13:34-35; 17:22-23). But in our modern times, the virtue of hospitality has fallen on hard times. Many struggle to make time and room for their own families let alone an outsider. The reason for this is that hospitality is inconvenient. It takes time, attention, and energy. But unless we are willing to make room for people in our lives, including outsiders, we will not have meaningful relationships or make a difference for Christ in this increasingly polarized society.
In light of this, it’s very possible that it was a family member of Joseph, not an inn keeper who would not or could not provide better accommodations for Mary, Joseph, and the new born babe. Could it be that the guest room was already occupied by another family that came to town for the census? Whatever the reason that better accommodations were not afforded to Joseph, Mary, and Jesus, the greater question is, do we make room for Him today?
Remember, Jesus said that when He returns in His glory He will commend the saved for their radical hospitality unto Him. After commending them, God’s words says in Matthew 25:37-40: “Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.”
Jesus clearly demonstrated that showing hospitality is a vital means of displaying His love to people in need. He also taught His disciples that love and unity among the saints is the way the people in the world will know that the first Christmas really happened—that the Father sent Jesus into the world (John 13:34-35; 17:22-23). But in our modern times, the virtue of hospitality has fallen on hard times. Many struggle to make time and room for their own families let alone an outsider. The reason for this is that hospitality is inconvenient. It takes time, attention, and energy. But unless we are willing to make room for people in our lives, including outsiders, we will not have meaningful relationships or make a difference for Christ in this increasingly polarized society.
Make room for the stranger
When Christ (who came to make room for us in His Father’s house) is at home in our hearts, we will not only make room for the saints, but we will also make room for the stranger—the outsider. This hospitality to strangers is at the heart of the true Christmas story.
During the time of Jesus' birth, showing hospitality to strangers was a common and essential cultural practice, especially among Jewish people. Because hotels, rest stops, and restaurants were not common, or did not even exist, people traveling long distances depended on the hospitality of others for food, shelter, and protection. Hospitality was more than an occasional practice offered to close friends and extended family. Extending hospitality, especially to strangers, was vital to human flourishing, the stability of families, the health of the community, and the society at large. In light of this, it’s astonishing to think that in the entire town of Bethlehem, a more suitable place, besides a manger, could not be offered to a couple who were about to have a child.
Jesus did more than accept that He would have no place to lay His head. He chose a place on the cross where He paid for our sin so that we who were strangers could have a place in the family of God. Similarly, as adopted members of His family, we are to sacrificially make room for outsiders so that they can come to know the saving love of Jesus Christ. God’s word exhorts believers to give themselves to the vital practice of showing hospitality to saints and to strangers (Hebrews 13:1; Romans 12:13). Making room for outsiders as Christ at His expense made room for us is at the core of what it means to live out the gospel.
Where do we begin? Hospitality begins not by first preparing a place in our residence, but by making room in our hearts. As Christine Phol writes, “Whether or not we can always find room in our houses, welcome begins with dispositions characterized by love and generosity. Hearts can be enlarged by praying that God will give us eyes to see the opportunities around us, and by putting ourselves in places where we are likely to encounter strangers in need of welcome. At different times in our lives our capacity for hospitality will vary, and different kinds of strangers will require different types of responses. Although a particular family may not be able to take a homeless person into their home, that family can participate with others in creating a place that is welcoming to homeless people. When our lives are open to hospitality, opportunities will come to make a place for others. And, in doing so, our places and our lives will be enriched and transformed.”
O may we daily make room for Christ and seek Him to enlarge our hearts so that we might make room for saints and strangers in a world that desperately needs to know the welcoming heart of God.
In your service,
Pastor Marco
During the time of Jesus' birth, showing hospitality to strangers was a common and essential cultural practice, especially among Jewish people. Because hotels, rest stops, and restaurants were not common, or did not even exist, people traveling long distances depended on the hospitality of others for food, shelter, and protection. Hospitality was more than an occasional practice offered to close friends and extended family. Extending hospitality, especially to strangers, was vital to human flourishing, the stability of families, the health of the community, and the society at large. In light of this, it’s astonishing to think that in the entire town of Bethlehem, a more suitable place, besides a manger, could not be offered to a couple who were about to have a child.
Jesus did more than accept that He would have no place to lay His head. He chose a place on the cross where He paid for our sin so that we who were strangers could have a place in the family of God. Similarly, as adopted members of His family, we are to sacrificially make room for outsiders so that they can come to know the saving love of Jesus Christ. God’s word exhorts believers to give themselves to the vital practice of showing hospitality to saints and to strangers (Hebrews 13:1; Romans 12:13). Making room for outsiders as Christ at His expense made room for us is at the core of what it means to live out the gospel.
Where do we begin? Hospitality begins not by first preparing a place in our residence, but by making room in our hearts. As Christine Phol writes, “Whether or not we can always find room in our houses, welcome begins with dispositions characterized by love and generosity. Hearts can be enlarged by praying that God will give us eyes to see the opportunities around us, and by putting ourselves in places where we are likely to encounter strangers in need of welcome. At different times in our lives our capacity for hospitality will vary, and different kinds of strangers will require different types of responses. Although a particular family may not be able to take a homeless person into their home, that family can participate with others in creating a place that is welcoming to homeless people. When our lives are open to hospitality, opportunities will come to make a place for others. And, in doing so, our places and our lives will be enriched and transformed.”
O may we daily make room for Christ and seek Him to enlarge our hearts so that we might make room for saints and strangers in a world that desperately needs to know the welcoming heart of God.
In your service,
Pastor Marco