JESUS CHRIST was born in the city of Bethlehem. This was not by accident or
happenstance. It was foretold hundreds of years before (Micah 5:2). But no
one could understand how this would happen. Joseph and Mary did not live
there. But the Roman ruler, Augustus Caesar, commanded that all the people
were to pay taxes. Since Joseph and Mary were of the House of David, they
went to the place where David was born to discharge their civil duty. Mary
was expecting at the time. When they got to Bethlehem the town was crowded
and there was no room in the inn. They took refuge in a stable for
animals. Jesus was born in these humble surroundings and his first cradle
was a manger, a feeding trough for animals. Most people would not be proud
or quick to admit it if this were a description of their beginnings in the
world. But this was the son of God, and the Holy Spirit revealed this for
all people to know.
The world did not want Jesus. Augustus Caesar sought to kill him when he
was a baby( Matthew 2:13). Little is revealed about the life of Jesus until
he was about 30 years of age (Luke 4:6). When He was 12 years of age he
went with His family and relatives to Jerusalem (Luke2:42). He became a
carpenter as was His father before Him (Matt. 13:55; Mark 6:3).
Customarily on the Sabbath days he would attend the meetings at the
synagogue of the Jews. He soon began to take part in the teaching service.
One Sabbath he read the Scriptures and pointed out that what was foretold by
the prophet applied to those people present. This angered the audience.
They cast Him out of the city and tried to kill him (Luke 4:28,29).
The Jews rejected Christ (John 1:11). The Gadarenes did not want Him
(Matthew 8:34). The Samaritans would not receive Him (Luke 9:52,53). Jesus
was a homeless wanderer (Matthew 8:20). He had no money to pay His taxes
(Matthew 17:27). He was tried in a kangaroo court of the Jews (Matthew
26:58–67), condemned in the hall of Pilate (Matthew 27:24–26), and crucified
by Roman soldiers (John 19:23).
NO ROOM FOR CHRIST TODAY
There is no place for Christ in the business world where it is “dog eat dog”
in the race of competition to climb the ladder of success. Riches have
become more important than honesty and a good name. Christ and his teaching
are completely ignored by those who have made money their god. Dishonesty
and cheating in the business world are consistently in the headlines.
The Savior is rejected from the “polite society.” The discussion of
religion is completely out of place. Drinking and politics are the order of
the day, and immorality has taken over. Divorce is at an all-time high.
The mention of the name of Christ in school by a teacher is considered a
violation of the law. Prayer is removed from the school room and violence
has taken over. School children are the victims of violent crime and even
murder. It is dangerous to even send a child to school to get an education
nowadays, and a man may be in danger of being murdered at his post of duty
in the workplace. Innocent people are killed frequently in drive-by
shootings.
The truth of the Scriptures has been eradicated from many pulpits. People
often would rather be entertained than to be instructed in what God would
have us to know and do in order to be saved. Church services have become
perverted and are social events in many places, rather than times of worship
and serious devotion and learning.
God loved the world enough to sacrifice his only begotten Son and He is “the
way, the truth, and the life” (John 3:16; 14:6). Jesus said that no man
could come to the Father but by him. When Jesus was born there was “no room
in the inn” and ever since then there has been no room for our Lord in the
plans and lives of most people in the world. But let us thank God for Jesus
Christ, our Savior, “the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the
world” (John 1:29).
