Loving God, when your Son, Jesus, was born, there was no place for him except in a feed box filled with hay.  Open our hearts and minds as we gather together this holy night, that he might find a home among us; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

            Really, it’s not surprising that there was no place for them.  After all, it’s a pretty crowded world and people have pretty crowded lives.  It seems that it was so even then – in a corner of the Roman Empire, in a place called Bethlehem – they laid the child “in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn” (Lk. 2:7).

         Really, it wasn’t just the inn that had no room.  Many of the people didn’t have room either – especially the ones who were politically motivated and liked their positions of power.  After all, they already had a Saviour and Lord, for the Emperor Augustus used both of those titles.  There was no room in the Roman Empire for any other Saviour and Lord.

         Yet, the angels had the audacity to give these titles to a new-born baby who was lying in a manger.  And not only that, they added that he was also the Messiah.  Of course, the Jewish people all knew what that meant.  He was an anointed ruler – a king from the line of David – long promised and long awaited, who would rule in Israel.  Not only that, if he is also Saviour and Lord, these are titles that are usually reserved for God in the Hebrew Scriptures.  Could it be that this child in the manger is actually God with us?

         Even so, it’s not surprising that there was no place for them.  After all, whoever thought that God would show up as a baby, born to a poor couple far from home in the middle of a Roman census?  People were busy traveling, so it was more crowded than usual – a crowded world, and crowded lives.

         The shepherds, though, had nothing to do other than looking after their sheep.  In fact, most people steered clear of them, as they were known to be dishonest and kind of shifty.  Not the angels, though.  The angels went straight to those unsuspecting shepherds and scared the bejeebers out of them, but assured them that they didn’t need to be afraid.  And then they told them about this baby in the manger, wrapped in bands of cloth, who is a Saviour, the Messiah, the Lord.

         The shepherds, having nothing more pressing on their schedules, went straight to Bethlehem to check it out.  And they found exactly what the angel told them – the baby in the manger with Mary and Joseph.  Then, beginning with Mary and Joseph, the shepherds told everything that the angel had said about this child, and then spent their time praising God that there was a place for them among God’s people, and a Saviour who had come for them.

         Still today, it’s a pretty crowded world and people lead pretty crowded lives, and often there is no room for Jesus.  However, I’ll tell you where there is room for him.  There’s room for Jesus wherever people know their need of God.  There’s room for him wherever people seek God and wish to know him better.  There’s room for him wherever people open their hearts and look for God at work in the world.  There’s room for him wherever people seek healing and salvation and a restored relationship with God.  There’s room for him among ordinary people, doing ordinary things, who yearn for love and acceptance.  For Jesus came to bring these things and more to all those with open hearts.  Thanks be to God!  Amen.

The Nativity of Our Lord – Christmas Eve                                   Luke 2:1-20

December 24, 2017

St. Luke’s Zion Lutheran Church

Pastor Lynne Hutchison

© 2017 Lynne Hutchison  All Rights Reserved