MAKE ROOM

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped Him in cloths and placed Him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

Luke 2:6-7

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

It’s Christmas Day, one of the most revered and anticipated holidays in any calendar year. There are two different reasons why this is true.

On one hand, Christmas is a day built around worldly commercialism. We’re bombarded with sales promotions, catalogs, and television advertising months and months before December 25^th arrives, encouraging us to spend our money on gifts to put under the tree. Parents have to get the hottest toy or electronics offering and will go to great lengths to make sure they don’t disappoint their children as most of the items that are of the highest demand sell out well before the holiday. Christmas is all about exchanging and opening presents with little or no emphasis on the greatest gift ever given, the gift of Jesus who was and is the Savior of the world.

He is the focus of the other faction of people and the way they approach Christmas. Yes, gifts will still be exchanged but this is after giving attention and honor to God first and His Son who came from heaven to earth to bring salvation and hope to a hopeless, sinful world full of people. Typically, the story of Jesus birth is read and prayers of thanksgiving are offered up before one present is opened. And a worship service the night before on Christmas Eve is a must to make final heart preparations for the coming of the newborn King and to pay tribute to the Father who sent Him. For on the day of Jesus’ birth, the day called Christmas, Mary gave birth to Jesus, the holy Son conceived by the Holy Spirit, the Son who would save people from their sins. Here is Luke’s account of Jesus’ coming:

While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped Him in cloths and placed Him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. Luke 2:6-7

The Roman Emperor Caesar Augustus had issued a decree that all people were to return to their ancestral home to register. Joseph and his very pregnant fiancée Mary lived in Nazareth and both were from the line of David who was born in Bethlehem, located around five miles to the south of Jerusalem.

And so Joseph and Mary set out on what would be around a 90 mile trip from the low lying area of Galilee to the elevations of Judea until they reached their registration destination.

It was there that Mary gave birth to her firstborn and she and Joseph gave Him shared by the angel Gabriel, the name of Jesus. This birth wasn’t in a palace with special attention and medical care for mother and child. In fact, so many people had descended on Bethlehem that all the rooms were taken and so Mary and Joseph ended up in a lowly stable and after wrapping the newborn Jesus in swaddling cloth, He was laid to rest in a manger. The Savior of the world, the King of all creation had come and His first bed was a feeding trough. Such were the humble beginnings of the Messiah who would go on to show what living in perfect humility looks like. Humility that would lead Him to give up His life so He could save anyone who placed their belief in Him. This is what we rejoice in today, that God gave unto us a child who would be known as Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace, the Lamb of God who would take away the sin of the world.

This year, we have the privilege of Christmas Day falling on a Sunday and so the opportunity presents itself to go to church and worship Jesus on the day He was born. This distinction happens in a set 6-5-6-11 pattern with each number representing years between Christmas being celebrated on Sunday. The last time it happened was 2016 and the next time will be in 2033, the eleven year gap.

Given that Christmas actually happens on Sunday this year, recent published articles have revealed that many Protestant churches have decided to not hold worship services. Some opted for video messages from their pastor while other churches have decided that a Christmas Eve service would be enough. For churches not meeting as they would any other Sunday, pastors have encouraged their families to “enjoy the day together”. One pastor tried to explain not having service as the church’s attempt to “meet people where they are”.

Perhaps this is the problem with the church today. We’re more willing to let people join the masses of worldly unbelievers in simply enjoying the day with all the material trappings of Christmas, worshiping a tree and the gifts under it, more than the Savior who the holiday is named after, you know, CHRISTmas.

And essentially, by opting to not worship on Sunday to celebrate Jesus’ birth, churches are saying there is no room for Jesus, no space to fit Him into a day that should be fully dedicated to Him. I mean, if the Christian church can’t come together to worship Christ on a day just as important as Easter Sunday, then we have a real problem in the church.

Well, maybe as you read this today, you have failed to make adequate room for Jesus too today. If so, now is the time to change that.

Go away to the manger and see the little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay. Turn your eyes upon Him and look full in His wonderful face.

Sing the words of Joy to the World at the top of your lungs because the Lord has come, especially the petition to let every heart prepare Him room.

Take time to worship and adore the holy Son of God, born in Bethlehem this day. Nothing else could be more important.

Make room for Jesus today and you will have the merriest Christmas you could ever hope for.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

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