XII “There Was No Room for Them in the Inn”
Luke ii. 3-20.
On the last Sunday before Christmas, a little girl sat at the back of a Church, holding in her hand a card which had just been given her, on which was a beautiful picture of a sweet young mother and a tiny babe.
It was a Children’s Service, and the Clergyman was telling them about that card, and describing to them the Christmas story which we all love.
Presently he said: “Do any of you remember what my sermon was about this time last year?”
There was dead silence in the Church, and then the Clergyman saw in the very back, underneath the gallery, a hand raised up suddenly, in token that some one could answer his question.
“Well, dear, what was it?” he asked.
THE INFANT JESUS AND HIS MOTHER.
And in the surprised silence a little girl rose to her feet and said in a clear, distinct voice, which reached every part of the Church:
“You asked us to pray this little prayer—
“‘O come to my heart, Lord Jesus,
There is room in my heart for Thee!’”
“Yes!” said the Clergyman. “That was it! And you are a very good little girl to have told us so nicely, and to have remembered it all this time!”
So to-day, with this sweet thought in our minds, we can remember that there is a place in the heart of each one of us which we can keep for Jesus. We can think of His love to us, we can love Him in return, and worship Him every day we live.
And if we make room for Jesus in our hearts here, we shall find by and by He will give us “a crown of glory that fadeth not away.”
Now let us think about the picture which all the Children at the Service are holding in their hands, and looking at so earnestly.
They could see the Holy Babe and His mother. They could see some men, shepherds, bending down and worshipping this Holy Babe; and they see that this is not a beautiful Castle where a King would be born, with curtains, and bright carpet and pretty cradle; but instead it seems to be a sort of Cave, cut out of the side of a hill—a stable, with a manger for the food of the cattle, while straw is scattered on the ground, and there is an Eastern donkey, raising his head in wonder to see a babe lying in his manger!
LYING IN A MANGER.
How came those shepherds there? Do shepherds leave their sheep in the middle of the night to go to a stable more than a mile off to see a little new-born babe?
Ah! but it was something very wonderful that had happened in those dark fields at Bethlehem, which made the shepherds go.
They had been quietly watching their flocks, and perhaps looking out anxiously for the dawn, when suddenly, without any warning, an Angel came down to them from heaven, and the Glory of the Lord surrounded them with a great and wondrous light.
The shepherds were very frightened at first, but the Angel quickly reassured them by saying that he had brought very good news, which would be great joy to all people! For a Holy Babe was born in Bethlehem that night, Who had come to this earth to be the Saviour of the World!
Then the Angel told them that they would know his words were true, by finding the little Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger.
And, suddenly, a multitude of the heavenly host were with the Angel who had been sent first; and they all praised God, and said, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”
Then the angels all went back to heaven, and the shepherds turned to each other in solemn awe, and they said, “The Lord has made known to us a wonderful thing—let us go to Bethlehem and see for ourselves what has come to pass.”
So they left their flocks and hurried to the town.
And there, in a lowly stable, they saw the Holy Babe who was sent to Mary on the morning of Christmas-day!
Months before this, the Angel Gabriel had been sent from heaven to tell Mary that she was to be the most blessed of all women, for the Holy Child who was to be given to her was to be called the Son of God.
Now He had come! And she laid Him—the Son of God—in the manger, because there was no room for Him in the Inn.
Why did Jesus come to earth? How could His Heavenly Father spare Him? He was very rich in heaven! But for our sakes He became poor, that we might be rich! That was why He came—for our sakes!
Many years ago, just after a very happy Christmas, one of my little girls came to me and said earnestly, “I love Jesus, Mother!”
I clasped her in my arms and said, “When did you find that out, darling?”
“I was looking over my Christmas cards this morning,” she said, “and it was this one—and, as I read the words, all at once I knew that He had come to save me!”
And the words were—
“God so loved the World that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.”