Make room in the Inn for Jesus

Christmas Message from Bishop Stephen Ollivierre, Presiding Bishop, Pentecostal Assemblies of the West Indies St Vincent and the Grenadines District Luke 2 “And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.  2 This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria.  3 So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.

4  Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David,  5  to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child.  6  So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered.  7  And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn.”

The inn’s lack of room could have been attributed to Caesar Augustus census, which is an official count of the people, and other pilgrims’ occupancy of the guest space.

The implementation of the census in Rome at that time generated taxes to upkeep the enormous Roman Army, build roads, and finance military campaigns to continue conquering the known world.

The little town’s population had swollen to many times its average. Perhaps a garrison of soldiers took up all the available rooms, resulting in no room in the inn. If the innkeeper had known the people standing before him, he would have found a room for the couple, but in his mind, there was no reason to think anything special about this couple, let alone the Messiah.

In those days, many were not thinking of God—the prophets prophesied concerning the birth of a king – but rather of the everyday cares of life. Part of the problem was that the residents of Bethlehem and Israel were not looking for the promise of Micah 5:2.

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to me the one to be ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.”

Psalms 10:4 states concerning natural man that…. God is not in all his thoughts”.

If he knew, he would not have allowed them to stay in a stable.

We must ask ourselves whether we have any room in our inn.
Are we doing the same by not giving Jesus any room in our lives?

So many are turning away Jesus, who came as a baby into this world to die for us, but we do not want to accept Him.

Consider opening your life and allowing Him to come in. Consider the following:

When you “Make room for Jesus,” you will seek Him. Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

If you want Him in your life, you should seek Him.

He went into the house of Zacchaeus Luke. 19:1-10. This man heard of Jesus Christ, and when Jesus asked to visit his home, he said yes. Following Jesus’ visit to his home, he returned to the people all he had taken from them falsely.
By going to this man’s house, Jesus Christ changed his life. Just think of what you could do if He were in your life.
If you are going to “Make room for Jesus,” you will avoid distractions from the enemy.

Hebrews 12:1 reminds us, “…let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”

There are things we are doing that occupy our lives and fill us with the sense that there is no room for Jesus Christ to enter. The drinking, smoking, and company we keep- to name a few, have filled our lives, and we are saying to Jesus, “You cannot come in”. If we would listen to our parents and grandparents talk about God, what He has done for them, and what He can do for us, we would drop these things and give Jesus our lives. Make room for Jesus.

We must “Make room for Jesus” because He loves us. Jesus said in John 15:12-13, “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

He paid the ultimate price for our sins by dying on the cross. Why not make room for Jesus by repenting of our sins and asking Him to come into your life and save us?
We need a Saviour! I recommend Jesus. Don’t say there is no room for Him in my life. “Make Room for Jesus”!