Luke 2 1 And it came to pass in those days that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
4 And Joseph also 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)
5 to be taxed with Mary, his espoused wife, who was great with child.
6 And so it was that while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

The birth of God’s Son is described very simply. Swaddling cloths are long strips which could wrap the child round and round. That Mary wrapped the child herself points to a lonely birth. We know only that everything points to poverty, obscurity and even rejection. There was no place for them in the inn. Joseph may have left his journey too late. Or the innkeeper may not have wished to have them.

We should perhaps reflect that it was the combination of a decree by the emperor in distant Rome and the gossiping tongues of Nazareth that brought Mary to Bethlehem at just the time to fulfil the prophecy about the birthplace of the Christ (Mic. 5:2). God works through all kinds of people to effect his purposes.

The “inn” can refer to a public caravansary (a crude overnight lodging place for caravans), which was the one lodging place in Bethlehem.

There Was No Room for Jesus

Jesus Birth Happened on a Real Day

“For unto you is born this day”. It happened on a day, a day in history. Not a day in some mythological, imaginary story, but a day when “Caesar Augustus was the emperor of Rome and Quirinius was governor of Syria.”

It was a day planned in eternity before the creation of the world. Indeed the whole universe, with untold light-years of space and billions of galaxies, was created and made glorious for this day and what it means for human history.

For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.” (Colossians 1:16).
For him! For this day of his appearing. “When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law” (Galatians 4:4). It happened on a day. The perfect day. In the fullness of time. The perfect time appointed by God before the foundation of the world. “For unto you is born this day!”

Jesus Birth Happened in a Real City

“in the city of David.” It happened in a city. Not in Narnia. Not in Middle Earth. Not in a galaxy far far away. It happened in a city about 7,000 miles from Byron. The city still exists today.

The city’s name is Bethlehem (Luke 2:4, “Joseph also went up from Galilee … to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem.”) Bethlehem, six miles from Jerusalem. Bethlehem, the city where Jesse lived, the father of David, the great king of Israel. Bethlehem, the city that Micah prophesied over:

But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. (Micah 5:2).

So it was that they went up from Galilee to Bethlehem, the city of David. Bethlehem had originally been called the city of war, and with the change of one letter, was renamed the city of bread and city of peace. It was in that small village that Christ was born. But notice, the only reason historically why Jesus was born in Bethlehem was because of this powerful imperial decree by Caesar Augustus.

It was no coincidence that this imperial decree of Caesar’s happened to take place at this time, forcing them to make the journey to Bethlehem. Here is the most powerful emperor in the world acting out the decree of God himself. Caesar Augustus, in the final analysis, was but a pawn in the hands of the Lord God omnipotent. Remember how the prophet Micah had prophesied: from ancient times (Micah 5:2).

Jesus Was Really God

Philosopher Roger Scruton writes:
God revealed himself on that occasion as we do—by coming to the threshold of himself. He came before Moses as a point of view, a first person perspective, the transcendental ‘I am’ that cannot be known as an object but only as a subject. This perspective can become a real presence among us only if it can be revealed in the world of objects, as the human subject in the human face. But how can this be?… Christianity’s answer to that question and that answer is the incarnation. God, in the person of Christ, is present among us. It is from the life of Christ that we can understand the true nature of God’s goodness.

Jesus was the Savior! “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior.” A Savior. If you have ever sinned against God you need a Savior. The angel said to Joseph, “You shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). Only God can forgive sins against God. That is why God sent the eternal Son of God into the world, because he is God. That’s why Jesus said, “The Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” Therefore, a Savior was born.

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ.” Christ is the English for Christos, which is means “anointed one,” which is the meaning of “Messiah” (John 1:41; 4:25). This is the one long-predicted, long-awaited, the one anointed above all others (Psalm 45:7). The final anointed King. The final anointed Prophet. The final anointed Priest. In him all the promises of God are yes! (2 Corinthians 1:20). He would fulfill all the hopes and dreams of godly Israel. And more, vastly more. Because he is also, the Lord. “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” The ruler, the sovereign, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father. The Lord of the universe.

Christmas sometimes, rather than drawing us closer to God, draws us away. And for many people the next few days are going to be those of rush and hurry and milling around the department stores, feet aching, head throbbing, nerves frazzled.

John Wesley: “Distinguish the act from the method by which the act is performed and do not reject the fact because you do not know how it was done.” In coming to the mystery of that which is Christ incarnate, we reverently bow our heads and confess, “It is so, God, but we don’t know how.” I will not reject the fact because I do not know the operation by which it was brought to pass.

The Incarnation of Christ is shrouded in impenetrable mystery that we could never uncover with our finite thinking.

The joyful news that on a day, at the perfect fullness of time, in the perfect prophesied city, a Savior was born, who was Christ, the Lord—that news has two great outcomes. “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

The coming of this child will be the greatest revelation of the glory of God even among the heights of heaven, and the coming of this child will bring peace to God’s people—who will one day fill the whole earth with righteousness and peace. “Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end (Isaiah 9:7).”

God is glorified because this child is born.

Peace is to spread everywhere this child is received. These are the great purposes for the coming of Jesus: Glory ever-ascending from man to God. Peace ever-descending from God to man. Even though God’s offer of peace goes out to all, only his chosen people—the people who receive Christ and trust him as Savior and Messiah and Lord, will experience the peace he brings.

God’s peace in Christ is offered to the world. But only the “sons of peace” receive it. How do you know if you are a “son of peace”? How do you know if you are part of the angels’ promise, “Peace among those with whom he is pleased!”? Answer: you welcome the Peacemaker, you receive Jesus.

Is There Any Room for Jesus in Your Life?

There was no room, the Bible says, “for them in the inn.” And since then, there has been no room for the Lord Jesus Christ. This was not incidental, and it was not accidental. It was fundamental to something that had been true about the Lord Jesus, that was to be true about the Lord Jesus all of His earthly ministry, and is still true about the Lord Jesus, born in a stable.

Not only in His birth was there no room for Him in His life, upon this earth, the only place that Jerusalem had for Him was, really, on a cross. in His death there was no room for Him, He was buried in a borrowed tomb. The world that had no room for Jesus then and the world has no room for Jesus today. We must be careful not to allow things to crowd Jesus our of Christmas and our lives.

Ignorance crowds Jesus out.

I don’t think the innkeeper knew that He was the Son of God about to be delivered and about to be born. People will say, well, then he’s not to be blamed. We can’t excuse him or anyone else, even today. If you want to know the truth, the Bible says God will reveal Himself to you.

John 7:17If any man willeth to do his will, he shall know of the teaching, whether it is of God, or whether I speak from myself.

Indifference crowds Jesus out.

Here’s an innkeeper, and he shuttles this pregnant woman about to give birth to a child off into a cow stall. Well, you know, after all, maybe that was the best he could do. What if he really did not have room? If he really cared enough, he could give them his room. He had room, His own room.

That is what we do often, we say that is my area Jesus, I will not yield that to you. You go away and bother someone else.

Busyness crowds Jesus out.

Maybe he was so busy he just did not have time, like so many of us today: we are so busy doing all of these other things. His rooms are being filled with guests and his purse is being filled with gold.

Not only was there no room for the Lord Jesus at the time of His birth, but He was despised and rejected all of His life.

John Rice has pointed out that they didn’t have any room for the Lord Jesus. They always begrudged Jesus everything. In Bethlehem, they begrudged Him a place to be born, and He was born in a cattle stall. King Herod begrudged Him His kingly title and out of fear and jealousy wanted to slay Him. At Nazareth they begrudged Him the honor and the fame that was due to Him and said, “He is a carpenter’s son.” (Matthew 13:55; Mark 6:3) The Pharisees begrudged Him His power and said, “Why, He cast out devils by Beelzebub, the prince of devils.” (Matthew 12:24) They begrudged Him the authority of His Father’s house and said, “By what authority do you do these things?” (Matthew 21:23; Mark 11:28; Luke 20:2) They begrudged Him the Sabbath day over which He was the Lord of the Sabbath and criticized Him for healing on the Sabbath. They even begrudged Him the worship of harlots, prostitutes, and thieves, and they said, “This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.” (Luke 15:2) They begrudged Him every feast that He had, and they said, “He’s a winebibber and a glutton.” (Matthew 11:19; Luke 7:39) They begrudged the Lord Jesus the alabaster box of ointment that was broken and anointed His head and His feet, and Judas said, “Why wasn’t this money given to the poor?” (Matthew 26:9; Mark 14:5)

There Is Still No Room for Jesus

Right here in this city and in this nation at this time, there is still very little room for the Lord Jesus Christ.

There Is No Room for Jesus in Government

Psalms 2:2-3 “The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed,”—that literally means “against His Christ”—“saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.” (Psalm 2:2–3) The government of Jesus’ day, when He came the first time, had no place for Him. King Herod had no place for Him.

The Jews of that day said, “We have no king but Caesar.” (John 19:15) And they chose a place with Caesar rather than peace with the Lord Jesus Christ.

And the government hasn’t changed. Our government, the United States of America, was founded on the Judeo-Christian basis. There are no ifs, ands, and buts, no quibbles, about that to anybody who will study. And yet, under the guise of separation of church and state, we have secularized America and taken away our Christian foundation. And there are even those who don’t want to call this time “the Christmas holidays”; they now want to call it “winter break.”

There Is No Room for Jesus in Education

There is no room for the Lord Jesus in our institutions of learning. There is room for evolution, and biblical criticism. There is room for New Age idea, but no room for the Lord Jesus. We have an AIDS epidemic, but we cannot post the Ten Commandments that teach marital and sexual chastity on the walls of our institutions. “For my people is foolish, they have not known me … they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.” (Jeremiah 4:22)

There Is No Room for Jesus in Religion

Here in America, there is little room for the Lord Jesus even in religion today. You talk about religion all you want, but you can not talk about Jesus the Christ, because that is offensive.

We have religious institutions, in our own state, who deny His miracles. They deny His virgin birth. They deny His bodily resurrection. They deny the inspiration of His words. And they deny His claim to be the only Savior of mankind.

Remember what the Jesus Seminar said a few years ago? They made headlines recently by denying the New Testament account of Jesus’ miraculous conception and birth. They voted with multicolored pebbles and they decided, what Jesus said and who he was, they did not just trust what the Bible said.

What do they know about it? There is no room for the Lord Jesus even in the world of religion.

There Is No Room for Jesus in Christmas

There is very little room for Him this Christmas in Christmas. Do you know what will happen this Christmas season? Drunkenness and adultery will prevail. The biggest moneymakers will be the distillers. And when somebody who normally would not get drunk will drink, you know what he’ll say? “After all, it’s Christmas.” Think about it: “I mean, after all it’s Christmas.”

We Must Make Room for Jesus

Jesus has come to inaugurate peace among God’s people. And there are three relationships in which he wants you to pursue this peace and enjoy this peace. Peace with God, Peace with your own soul, and peace with other people, as much as it lies in you.

That peace is not just the absence of conflict and animosity, but also the presence of joyful tranquility, and as much richness of interpersonal communication as you are capable of.

The peace of God, or the peace of Christ, can never be separated from God himself and Christ himself. If we want peace to rule in our lives, God must rule in our lives. Christ must rule in our lives. God’s purpose is not to give you peace separate from himself. His purpose is to give you peace by being the most glorious Person in your life.

God getting glory and us getting peace, is believing or trusting the promises of God obtained by Jesus.

Peace with God

The most basic need we have is peace with God. This is foundational to all our pursuits of peace. If we don’t have this first, all other experiences of peace will be superficial and temporary.

The key passage here is Romans 5:1, “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith [there’s the pivotal act of believing], we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

The result is peace with God because the issue of sin has been dealt with through the blood of Jesus.

God adopts us into his family, and from now on all his dealings with us are for our good.

Peace with Ourselves

And because we have peace with God because of being justified by faith, we can begin to grow in the enjoyment of peace with ourselves. Included in this is any sense of guilt or anxiety that tends to paralyze us or make us hopeless. Believing the promises of God with a view to glorifying God in our lives is key.

Philippians 4:6–7 “Do not be anxious about anything [the opposite of anxiety is peace], but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God [in other words, roll your anxieties onto God]. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

We can’t limit the peace of God by what your understanding can see. He gives us inexplicable peace.

Peace with Others

This is the one we have least control over. So we need to say it carefully the way Paul does in Romans 12:18. He says, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.”

For many of you when you get together with family for Christmas, there will be some awkward and painful relationships. Some of the pain is very old, and some of it is new. In both cases the key is trusting the promises of God with heartfelt awareness of how he forgave you through Christ. We must continue to cultivate a sense of amazement that in spite of all your sins God has forgiven you through Christ. Be amazed that you have peace with God.

Keep trusting God, He knows what he is doing. Keep his glory, not your success or your effectiveness in peacemaking or your relationships, supreme in the treasure chest of your heart.

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” This is why he came—on a day, to a city, as the Savior, Messiah, and Sovereign. That God would get glory, and that you would know peace. May the God of peace give you peace, and get his glory.