While there were hundreds of prophesies about the coming Messiah, when Jesus entered the world, He was an unwelcome guest to many people!!
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. Luke 2:7
At his conception, Joseph was initially upset as to how Mary can be pregnant with this child until he had an angel visitation that calmed him down! At around the time of Jesus’ birth, Caesar Augustus decreed that a census should be taken and everyone should go to their own ancestral hometown to register. Again, this was not a good time to have a baby. So when the time came for Mary to give birth they could not find an inn. My guess is, just as it is now, when it is high travel season, prices go up. It makes it unaffordable to stay in a hotel, when six months prior the same hotel would have been very affordable. Joseph and Mary were poor based on their offering at the temple, so we can surmise that the inn had room for those who had the money, but not for a poor. Again, Jesus was uninvited because his family did not have the monetary or political advantage to obtain a room.
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father) full of grace and truth. John 1:14
Dwelt: to fix one’s tabernacle, have one’s tabernacle, abide (or live) in a tabernacle (or tent), tabernacle
John 1:14 describes Jesus becoming flesh and dwelling among us. The word “dwelling” means a tabernacle or a tent. You see Jesus very clearly knew that He is not wanted by most people. Those who needed him, on many occasions responded with joy, temporarily, until it became difficult and painful to follow Him!! The religious people could not stand Him because Jesus was a threat to their little kingdoms! He understood that His dwelling on this earth was temporary. He lived for a short time. He unveiled His plan before His disciples and then He was taken away.
The world had no room for Jesus, and Jesus was not surprised or taken back by it. So we must learn a few things from Jesus’ life:
1. The world still would rather celebrate His birth and think of Him as baby in a manger than be reminded of the Prince of Peace who suffered unjustly, overcame death, and bought salvation and eternal life for us!!
2. There is never a good time for Jesus in someone’s life. Most people do not choose and welcome Jesus in when the circumstances of their lives are favorable. Many people, including Christians, don’t have room for Him except when they are in need! His presence in their lives is a temporary dwelling because most of the time He is uninvited in their day to day lives!! There is no room for Him.
3. He came in an unexpected form. He entered the world in the form of a baby, then as an adult He was known as a carpenter from Nazareth! He will continue to reveal Himself in unexpected ways which will require us to put away the lens of our cultural values, so we can see the simplicity of His presence dwelling among us. The woman at the well discerned who He was without knowing anything about Him. (John 4:1-26)
4. If we are going to be Christ-like, we need to be very mindful of the fact, that we will be unwanted & uninvited. There will be time that we are only temporarily wanted by people, and that’s usually when the person is going through difficult times. We can’t take this personally. We must understand that we are not here on earth to establish a permanent dwelling place, or ministry, but we must be willing to go wherever He sends us. We must recognize that if the world had no room for Jesus, it will have no room for us either. We are sojourners on earth and once we recognize what we are called to do, it can guard us from unnecessary rejection because we understand the nature of man.
Let’s pray and give permission to Jesus to invade our lives even when we think it’s not a good time, or we’re too busy. Is there anything better than a visitation by the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords even in this busy season!!?