Missed Opportunity

This chalk painting was done by a volunteer chaplain at Hospitality
INC (In the Name of Christ), an emergency shelter in Ludington Michigan.

A special baby came.

The era of Jesus came and offered life to all those who would believe in him. Believeing in him means what we trust in him free us from death and to give us a life that will never end.
We trust in Jesus because no matter how good we are at living this earthly life, it will never be good enough to earn eternal life. We have to get to the end of our ego's. We have to get to the end who we are and who we think we are and trust in Jesus. Believing in Jesus also means that we believe what he said and believe what he believed.

Jesus said who ever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple- truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.

Mary and Joseph made there way to some inn and the innkeep didn not admit them. There was no room. It wasn't his fault. There was no room. This was a young couple. She was about to give birth.

Joseph: The baby's comin'

Innkeeper: Not here it's not.

some will ask “when was it that we saw you hungry or thirst or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and didn not take care of you?” then He WILL ANSWER THEM, “truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to the one of the least of these you did not do it to me.”

caring for those in need seems to be a top priority for Jesus. He knows about it first hand. But in our story at the point the inkeeper enters the story: Jesus wasn't born yet, right? Jesus hadn't yet said and done the things revolutionized the world. His earthly ministry hadn't yet begun. The sacrifice of his life had not yet been offered. The Holy Spirit had not yet empowered te earthly church to be the body of Christ.

It wasn't his fault that he turned away a young woman on a cold night that was about to give birth.

Jesus is quite clear as to what it means to be His disciple. He once sumarized it with an answer to a question designed to test him. Jesus was asked, “Teacher, which commandment in the law is greatest?” He said to him, “you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the greatest and first commandment. He didn't even tell them that he was God. He didn't tell them that the face that they were looking at was the face of God. He didn't tell them his very being was the reflection of the glory of God. No he didn't tell them those things, it wasn't time yet. He did talk about another commandment though. He said the second is like it: You shall love your neigbor as yourself.”

Who is my neighbor? Jesus answers that question too. (story of the good Samaritan).

Mary probably said “but the baby's comming” In keeper said “Not here he's not...no room”

What ever you did not do for the least of these you did not do it for me.

The innkeeper walked on the other side of the road, so-to-speak.

To say the least, that inn keeper missed an opportunity.

“The intentionshould be not to justify Christianity in this present age, but to justify the present age before the Christian message” -Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Interpretation of the New Testament. Those who love and neighbor have a responsibility to stand up to evil and injustice in what ever form it presents itself.

In our story it is the hard heart of an inkeeper who forced Mary and Joseph to make the decision to have their baby in a barn!

That door may have been closed to Jesus, but the door to Jesus is open. Jesus said “ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; Knock and the door will be opened for you.

Jesus says it doesn't matter how you treated me. I still love you. I believe in you even if you don't believe in me.

The comfort of the inn was denied to the family of Jesus but that didn't change the fact that the baby was commin'

The baby was coming whether he let them stay there or not. The sad part of his story is that he didn't get to experience it. He didn't get to be a part of it.

The presence of Jesus in the world demands a change in both the way we live and the way the world operates.

God wants to come into your life. God wants to use you. God wants to transform the world through you. Do you want to experience that? Do you want to be part of that? Then hear this: “the baby's comin'”

God will do what god will do. When Jesus was rolling into town on what we now call Palm Sunday the people were shouting and praising God but the religious folk didn't like it. They said to Jesus “Teacher, order your disciples to stop.” He answered, “I tell you if these were silent, the stones would shout out.” There's no stoppin' God.

the babys comin will you be a part of it?

If you are not thanking and praising Jesus, he'll find someone else to do it.

'cause..the baby's comin'.

John the Baptist used the words of the prophet Isaiah “The voice of the one crying out in te wilderness: 'prepare the waay of the Lord, make his paths straight.'” We may not be ready. For the baby...

but the baby's commin'

We will encounter folk like the inkeeper, who put there hands up and say, “no thank you” to the Good news about Jesus Christ but that doesn't change the fact that... the baby's comin'.

Now Jesus was already born in the flesh and has ascended into heaven. What is being born is the kingdom of heaven. The processs of this birth began with the Birth of Jesus 2000 and some years ago in a little village a quarter way around the planet. It started small like a mustard seed but what was planted started to grow and will grow and grow until there is room for everybody. The home of God will be with us. He will live with us. We will be his people and God himself will be with us. He will wipe every tear from our eyes and death will be no more; Mourning and crying and pain will be no more. And Jesus who will be sitting on the throne says, “See, I am making all things new.”

The process continues with us when we believe in Jesus, when we believe what Jesus said and when we believe what Jesus believed.

Our brothers and sisters, our friends and neighbors have something of the kingdom of heaven growing in them. They all have a part to play. Everyone is invited to the party in God's kingdom. We gather here in God's house, which is a beautiful house. Why wouldn't people want to come to God's House?

When those who accept the invitation come to the door, will we Join them in witnessing what God is growing in them or will we say, “ No thank you...not here.”

Hey! The baby's comin'

What we should be looking for are folk who have said, “Yes!” to God. We should be looking for people who want to say “Yes” to god and have not yet heard the question. We should be looking for people who are carrying great burdons so that we can give them rest that they can know that God is already saying “Yes” to them.

The Baby's commin'!”

So how is it with you on this most Holy Day? Will you be a witness to what God is doing in an through your brothers and sisters?

The inkeeper missed his opportunity. If only we would have our eyes open to what God is doing we wont miss it!. You don't want to miss an opportunity like that. We don't want to miss the the blessings of God. On this most holy day, may you see the Glory of God reflected in the Face of Jesus, the little baby born in a manger.

Would you pray with me?