Pas Ralph Douglas West - The Inn: History's Grestest No Vacancy - Luke 2:4-7

0:25 Care for leading us in worship. Luke chapter 2. the props on the stage of Christmas. verses 4 through 7 this is the word of God you may be seated There's one family that carries the tradition of placing their olive wood carved nativity scene at the base of their living room Christmas tree. From childhood to present, they are still naming the characters on the stage of Christmas.

1:27 Easily identified is the baby, Jesus, the mother, Mary. And sometimes they debate still whether or not the magi are princes bringing gifts or if they are astrologists waiting to name the stars. There's the donkey, the colt, a chicken, a barking dog, we don't know where they got that from. And then there are one or two observers. And here's the question that this family asks every year.

2:24 Where is Joseph? there's one man aged leaning on a cane and they said, that's Joseph. This family, as they have grown older, says, Mary wouldn't be bothered with some old dude like that. And they look at the nativity scene and says, maybe the broad-shouldered shepherd would be who she would more likely turn to. and that is the way that this particular family gets Christmas started in their family by looking at the props of Christmas I would hope that you during this season that comes every year are mapping out ways on how you carry out the Christian tradition of how you talk about the scenes that we are looking at over the next weeks and this morning our attention is turned to Luke chapter 2 verses 4 through 7 with an emphasis on verse 7 which simply says that when Joseph and Mary came to the inn the I-N-N there was no room for them.

3:56 I want to tag this text you've already seen it the inn Amen. History's most popular, no vacancy. Maybe when you first start reading the stories of Christmas you don't get bogged down in these names. Names. You know, Herod, Herod the Great Herod Antipas, Caesar Augustus You just kind of skirt around them And then there are other nerdy people in church like me Who get bogged down in these names Because we know names are important And we know that these people play a significant role in telling this story.

4:56 Years ago, I purchased a book by Herbert Locker who writes these different books for the church. And he had one book called The Dark Thread the Weavers Need. he was showing, talking about human suffering, how the dark thread human suffering can be used to highlight the light of God's glory.

5:24 This morning, you think about, in this story, people like Herod, Herod, the great Herod, Antipas, these dark threads, and you say, this story pops off the page. when you lay it against the black backdrop of these different people. Last week, Tashon Garner, he had already laid out one of the first props. So let me summarize it this way when you look at verses 1 through 3 in chapter 2 to highlight the emphasis on the dark thread of Herod and then Caesar. So in the telling of this story Which is told in Matthew And in Luke And some parts of it in John You read in the story And you pick up at this person Herod The king Chapter 1 of Luke And he chronicles the life of John the Baptist Chapter 2 You have Herod You have Augustus and he chronicles the life of Jesus.

6:36 And then you look and say, oh, though they chronicle the life of Jesus, it is Herod's heir who puts an end to John the Baptist's life who gets the life of Jesus started on the historical page. and then there is Caesar whose governor Pilate puts an end to the life of Jesus on the page. So in short, the gospel begins and ends with two crippling effects that Jews rail against and one is taxation and the other one is crucifixion. So you pick up immediately and you say, wow the story of Jesus is not this nice neat story tucked away it is framed around a highly political size era in history namely here are a group of people in their own town who cannot enjoy what is available for them because they are under the tyranny of a government that this allows them to enjoy what life is supposed to be about.

7:52 And so suddenly the story of the birth of Jesus is not this cute cuddly baby that's being born, but emancipator that's breaking in on the pages of history to turn or to rewrite what has been written wrong. Joseph that's verse 4 pops on the scene Joseph Joseph the silent he doesn't have one line to say in the whole story Joseph the forgotten Joseph the silent Joseph the forgotten person of history Joseph is no more than on the surface an extra in the drama. A friend of mine, she's an actor, and she called to tell me she was starring in a movie.

8:59 I couldn't wait to see it. She had a cameo about a nano of a second. But I said, I got a friend, she's a movie star And I waited to the end to see the credits And said, there's her name right there That's about what Joseph is An extra prop on the stage of Christmas Silent without one line does he say And yet Ralph Waldo Emerson highlights Joseph in a comment that he made when he says that your life, your faith, or your obedience is so loud until I can't hear the words that you say. I like that.

9:51 Your life speaks so loud. The exact quote is, what you do is so loud. I can't hear what you say. I like that. I got to say it one more time. I just like the rhythm of that. It's hip-hop right here. It's holy biblical hip-hop right here. That what you say, what you do, speaks so loud, I can't hear what you say. And here a man with no lines in the Christmas drama outperforms everybody else by what he does, and his act of obedience cannot be overlooked. There are many people on this stage, as Shakespeare would say, that the world is a stage, and every man and every woman, they have their parts, they have their exits, and they have their entrances and one man in life plays many parts. This man's one part that he plays is the life of obedience, a word that we don't use very much, but you know it when you see it.

11:10 Obedience. Obey. Obey. Obey. and it's so loud that you can't hear the words. Listen to how loud it is, is that when John receives word by way of dream to espouse Mary, he had already had plans to do that anyway, anyway, and yet to whom he is to betroth is pregnant. You see, you know this story so well, it didn't shock you. So come here for just a moment and imagine yourself a mother or father on either side of the story and listen to what your child says to you. Your Joseph comes home and says, I have found the perfect match.

12:12 In fact, God himself has selected her for me. And even if you're an atheist, you say, well, this is good. If you're an agnostic and you don't believe in anything divine and providential, you say, this is good because my son believes this. they have to be betrothed. This is not yet married, but more than engaged. Historically and Jewishly, it is a contraction. That is that the family has made a promise and a contract has been signed by both parties. And step two then is to go and receive the gift that has been prepared for you. And now, you're introduced to your daughter-in-law, in love, your daughter. She really looks radiant, so radiant.

13:15 She looks like... Her hair's so pretty. She got a glow about her. And listen to this This is not a surprise to Joseph Joseph knows what he is In quotes Contractually assigning himself Assigning himself to He's so obedient Immediately that what he does speaks louder than what is being said. Some of y'all got it, thank you. It's 8 o'clock, they didn't get it at all.

14:09 I told them I was waiting on you to get it there. I said, because these saints over here, they're going to get it. And then you're the parent and you say, wait, I mean, are you marrying her because you're trying to reduce the scandal? I've never touched her, mama. And this is when you say to your child's father, say, could you come in the back room and say, I told you we need to get that boy some help. For those of you who are here and say, well, he's overreaching, then let me give you biblical insight of why his immediate obedience is louder in silence by doing than all of what everybody else say.

15:05 He's not the only person in a situation like, similar to this, there's Zachariah, who is the father of John the Baptist, the cousin of Jesus, the forerunner of the emancipator. And when the angel came to him and said to John, to Zachariah, you're going to have a child, he asked the question, how can this be? I'm old and his mama is old. even Mary when the angel of the Lord comes to say you have been selected as the mother of the child of promise she says how can this be Zachariah in denial Mary in doubt and yet Joseph in belief Thank you.

16:00 when was the last time God and you knew it was God asked you to do something for him and you boldly said with your life I will not do it you see this story is not tucked around for you to look at me in amusement and say look at them the story is a mirror to be held up to ask when has God claimed your attention and you had the arrogance to say to God I will not do it or not now It was more fun when you were talking about Joseph, wasn't it? Things get a little different all of a sudden. You come up with your own excuses.

16:54 That ain't what that means. When it includes you. the obedience of Joseph eclipses the light of all of the luminaries that we enjoy I mean you think about Moses Joseph is no Moses Joseph is not known like Moses Moses got five big books accredited to him he's the law giver In fact, he makes a cameo in the New Testament on the Mount of Transfiguration with Elijah. And when God called Moses, you know what he said? He had four excuses of why God cannot use him. Come here for a minute. Come here.

17:48 Stop talking to your neighbor and come here for a minute. How many excuses have you given to God for the one thing that he's asked you to do for him? I can't preach. I can't sing. I can't serve. I can't give. I can't. Don't you know by now that God has never asked you to do anything that he's already supplied you with. Preach Pastor Webb. Even Isaiah the prophet Who announces that a prince is coming With four names Wonderful Counselor Mighty God, everlasting father Prince of peace And when God called him Ike said Okay.

18:54 I got dirty lips. And God said, Ralph West, edition and translation, I'll leave that word out. I knew that when I called you. That's the very reason I called you. I figured somebody who had been where they are would be the best candidate to go back to say, if the Lord did it for me, surely he can do it for you.

19:31 Amos. Jonathan's no Amos go down there and preach to the state church tell pastor Amaziah and Amos who Martin Luther King loved quoting all the justice people today love a quote let justice roll down and he said I'm a shepherd and I'm no prophet neither am I the son of a prophet and I knew that when I called you it is this Joseph who out obeys the great luminaries of the Bible and a good example this Christmas to mimic and say I can follow that.

20:38 Go down to Bethlehem and so Joseph now packs up his little family and they're making their way on an 80 mile trek by a dream once again that comes along and says take them into protection take them to register time doesn't permit on the two journeys so let's just stay on the one journey that they are making their way to the city of David.

21:10 Bethlehem, the house of bread. And this is where the fulfillment of the lineage is, is that David's heir to whom there shall be no end is coming from Bethlehem. Bethlehem is where Jesus is going to be born wait but he's the emancipator he's the liberator Jesus is not just coming to save you from your personal sin come here That's why so many of you are miserable at being a Christian.

21:55 Jesus didn't come just to save you of your sin. God came in Christ in the world to save you from sin in order that you go back into the world to make the world a better place to live for everybody. This week, past and now. 60 years ago, in Montgomery, Alabama,

22:35 a movement started. Now, the movement had already started years before then. It reached its pitch of popularity in world news at this event, but there had been two other women who had, before Rosa Parks, sat on the bus, got things started. Rosa sat on the bus and when she sat there, she sat there because they had no vacancy there. She had come to the end, you see. Not the E-N-D, but the I-N-N. As a metaphor for any place that ought to be open to make space for those that need rest, respite, and care.

23:39 That's the image. in the same way that Joseph and Mary end up in the place to register, who had been called up to be censored so that they could be in the registration. But in order to go to it, they needed a place to live because Mary is shown up pregnant. and all they needed was a place in order to them to go and get arrested and registered, but when they arrived, there was no place, or should I say, no room in the end. I'm coming back to her. I know where she is.

24:34 Have you ever been turned away at the desk? of no vacancy. I don't like telling certain stories now because with social media, you know, when people get through, they get through taking what you say and then y'all join in.

25:06 I'm going to risk it. I've been traveling a long time. Long time. I'm a two million plus Milo traveler without Using ever a bonus Anything I got people here who retired Flight attendants We've been on international flights Together and they know I'm not making this up So I travel a lot And I'm the person where at two million Miles folks start whistling And throwing confetti up dragging me off the plane making me take a picture And because I've had to travel so much over the years, even in this church, that I try to pack light, real light. So one of my favorite hotels to stay at is the Four Seasons Hotel.

26:08 And the reason is, for those of you that know Four Seasons, it's a business hotel. It's a hotel where I can leave out the pulpit now, get on a plane, you know, just with my personal stuff, get to the Four Seasons and say, can you get this cleaned up for me? And they'll say, when do you want it back? You know, I say, oh, whenever you get it, they say, hour, two hours? Yeah, an hour, say, it'll be back, Mr. Smith. That's where I go. So I can spend a whole week away with the same stuff on it, just give it to them, and they just wash it. I like that. Four seasons.

26:50 So I had gone to a particular city. I can't remember exactly, but true story. And I got to the fourth season, and I always see that you've been with us before, and all this. Oh, yeah. And I was all happy until they said, but we don't have no reservation. I said, and I quote, no room in the end. I mean, because I stay with them enough, I figured, you know, they have no point system. You get no credits. But I stay with them because why? You just take your little suit off, say, you know, wish me I could get on the plane today and go to sleep and get up wrinkled. And I could be pressed when it's time for me to go out. Well, I did have reservations at another hotel with four, but it wasn't Seasons.

27:52 I see I got some travelers in here Oh they say oh Mr. West You do have reservations They didn't know this They say but there's a next door Just down the street From us Is another And they named it four Point You but I figured since they had four they might share the same amenity and I went there with my wrinkled self and talking to the people because they had me they had room in the end but what I needed was to be straightened out and I can just end it this way the front desk just asked me this question where you think you are when Jesus arrived, transport of his mama and Joseph, they made their way to an environment in which there was no room in the inn.

29:21 Wait. Did the man at the front desk know who he was turning away? No room in the end. Wait. Come on now. Help me. Help me preach. You help. I ain't talking about making noise. Help me think through this. If you knew that Jesus was coming to your end, would you make room for him? I mean, if you knew that the Savior of the world, the Redeemer of humanity was coming, would you make room for him? It sounds good and some of y'all smart because y'all sitting there saying, I wouldn't make room for him. And the reason why you sit there is because you haven't made room for him.

30:21 You know, this morning, whenever you hear that, and I've been doing this so long, that I hear what you're saying. The first thing in your mind is, I ain't willing to give up this and this. Change that around for a minute. because sometimes you don't make room for Jesus and there's nothing wrong in your life. It's just that your life is cluttered with so many good things. Come here.

31:08 And so because you listen to so much TikTok theology and you listen to so much popular Christianity and you pick up every little book and try to read it over against hearing what God says in the scripture. Jesus says, when I show up to your I-N-N, your N, a metaphor for your heart, I didn't ask you to quit your job. I didn't tell you to stop being successful. I didn't tell you that you could not enjoy activities of life. I just said, how about you prioritize them where you leave room for me in your life?