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Over the years I have written several "book" or "booklets" and many, many, many newsletter and bulletin articles. Because the book market seeks writings to meet specific needs at specific times, my material has never been accepted. I have a tendency to write what is on my mind and so I am left with self publishing. So, with the encouragement from my wife and others, I am beginning this blog in order to put my "ramblings" "out there"! I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer

Please note that while my intentions are to use good grammar, because of the way in which some of the material presented here is presented (orally) the grammar and syntax might not always be the best English. Also note that good theology is not always presented in the best English so there may be times when the proper grammar rules are purposely broken.

Thursday, December 9, 2010

The Innkeeper - Advent Mid-week 2 - December 8, 2010 - Text: Luke 2:7

Interestingly enough, this evening we are going to be talking about the innkeeper in the Christmas story, but did you notice anything from this text? Let me read it again: “And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.” Did you hear it? Did you notice? It does not mention an innkeeper, just the fact that there was no place for them in the inn. So, I guess, no place for them in the inn implies an innkeeper.

If there is an innkeeper and there is an inn, we might ask, what were the hotels/motels, the inns, like in Jesus’ day? Certainly we might imagine that they were not hotel/motels like we have today. From some of my reading, the few inns there were, were described as a small chamber, as a matter of fact, the word translated as “inn” is the word kataluma, which is used elsewhere by Luke and translated as “guest chamber” or “upper room.” In other words, this hotel/motel, this inn was simply a room in a person’s house. As for Mary and Joseph, they had evidently arrived later in the day, perhaps the evening because if they had arrived earlier they may not have had as much difficulty in finding a place to stay.

Remembering that everyone went back to their place of origin in order to register so all the people who came to Bethlehem were related. So, we might ask, did they not stay with relatives? They were all sons and daughters of King David and one of his wives. Thus, this might be seen as a big family reunion of sorts.

And we might ask, who were these people who turned away Joseph and his very pregnant wife Mary? Many might imagine them to be a Judas of sorts. In one of his sermons, Luther asked his congregation what they would do if Mary and Joseph came to their house and were seeking refuge and shelter. Luther suggested, “You say you would not have turned away Mary and Joseph, but you would.” Yes, even in Luther’s day, people spoke of their hospitality, but their actions betrayed them. This evening I might ask you as well, if Mary and Joseph arrived at your already full house and needed a place to stay, and even though they would be relatives, maybe distant relatives, would you give them a place to stay? And you might well answer, “Of course we would.” But I would imagine that you would not, just like the people of Luther’s day and just like the people of Mary and Joseph’s day, after all, your house and guest room was all full anyway.

But do not blame the innkeeper. Certainly the image that comes to mind is the image of the Sunday School Children’s Christmas program where young man after young man is seen shaking his head no as Mary and Joseph seek a place to stay. The innkeeper was a person caught in the circumstances of his day as well, all these people coming in to town, first come, first serve and all had been served. Even today, if you go to a full motel, you will be turned away.

By the time Mary and Joseph got to town and began seeking a place to stay, all the houses, all the inns, all the guest rooms were filled. And yet, we see God’s hand in these events. We see God’s hand in providing for Mary and Joseph and His Son to be born. Yes, there was no room in the guest room, but one person remembered that they did have room in the stable, in the cave behind the house. Not much more is said concerning their accommodations except that the baby was wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger. A manger was a feeding trough for the animals and that was the best they could do for a crib.

Now, some would surmise that Mary and Joseph were in the lower level of the house where the animals would gather with the family for the night, which was not unusual, but rather was the usual practice of the day, that all the animals slept in the house with the family, but the archeological evidence around Bethlehem does not necessarily support this conclusion, but that is for our fact for next week as we talk about the barn or cave.

Getting back to our stable, or born or cave, certainly we might imagine that a barn was not the most conducive places for the birth of a child, after all, it was not the Hilton, or the Marriot, and there were no bellboys nor room service. There was no in the room bar or even refrigerator and no ice machine down the hall. The aroma was that of a barn, perhaps the smell of animal excrement, but perhaps the sweet smell of fresh hay and of course the sweet smell of a newborn child. We might be repulsed at such a sight, at such arrangements today, but for Mary and Joseph, and for Jesus, this was the best in these circumstances.

Mary was very pregnant, if you will, and since she gave birth, what appears in our text to be the day in which the baby arrived, she must have been close to forty weeks pregnant. Since the men were not involved in birthing and since the women prided themselves on delivering their babies rather easily, she probably gave birth in the absence of a midwife. Of course this is speculation because none of us was there. The facts as Luke relates from what was probably told to him by Mary herself are that she gave birth, wrapped the baby in clothes and laid Him in a manger because there was no other place to lay Him.

Again this evening, we see continue to see God’s hand at work in this situation, in this time, in this place. Certainly we can look at this situation in a negative manner, and we can lament the fact that this was a difficult time and situation for Joseph and more so for the pregnant Mary. We may even ask, where is God in all this? But remember, this was God’s plan. This is God’s doing. Where is God. Well, He is there, about to be born in human flesh. He has given up the glory of heaven in order to take on human flesh and blood. He is there humbling Himself to save us, His children. Rather than lament the events of life, we would do well to cling to the Lord’s promises, that is that He is with us always, that He never leaves us nor forsakes us, that He will never give us more than we can handle. God never left Mary and Joseph, rather He was with them, guarding, guiding, protecting, and providing for them. He was looking out for them and bringing out the best for them. Rest assured, all these events were working out according to God’s good and gracious will, according to His design and promise.

As we continue getting ready for our Christmas celebration again this year, we might continue taking the time to review the events of Holy Scripture. This checking out, reading and reviewing the events of Holy Scripture keeps us from getting it wrong, because, as I always ask someone who expresses what they think the Bible says, go back and check it out to make sure. Just like our text and fact for this evening, what does the text say, what do the words of the Bible say about this innkeeper? Again, take the time to review. Perhaps what you may find, rather, what you will find is that all the events of Holy Scripture have been worked out according to God’s perfect plan and timing, according to God’s perfect, good and gracious will. God is the prime mover. God started it all. God works out the best through any and all circumstances. God gives and does. We are given to and done to. God gives us faith, forgiveness and life. God even stirs in us to live lives of faith in response to His giving and to His glory. To Him be the glory, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

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