No Room for Jesus? By Tim Childs
Two thousand years ago Jesus entered into a world that had little, if any, room
for him. His coming in the flesh was central to the fulfilling of the
Father’s plan for our redemption and reconciliation. “And without controversy
great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh…” (1Timothy 3:16). The incarnation of God in human flesh was
the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy hundreds of years before: “Therefore the
Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a
son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14).
According to Bible prophecy, Jesus was to be born in Bethlehem
of Judea. It is interesting that the Sanhedrin was
able to inform Herod where the Messiah should be born in view of their apparent
ignorance of so many other detailed messianic prophecies that were fulfilled in
this same person…Jesus of Nazareth.
“But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little
among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that
is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from
everlasting” (Micah 5:2). Having received counsel from the Sanhedrin,
Herod proceeded to send the wise men on to Bethlehem in search of the one who was to be born “King of the Jews.” However,
there was no room in Herod’s heart for Jesus as is clearly noted by his intent
to destroy the Christ child, rather than “worship him” as he claimed (cf.
Matthew 2:1-20).
During Jesus’ earthly ministry, he went over into the country of the Gadarenes where he cast demons out of a man who was
possessed by Legion. Having granted a life-altering blessing to the man,
the citizens “besought him to depart from them” (Luke 8:37) rather than worship and praise God for
his powerful work of deliverance. They were afraid, and perhaps their
minds were focused on the material loss of all those hogs which perished in the
sea. Sadly, the Gadarenes would not make room for
Jesus; “Go away” was their insistent cry.
Jesus, the light of the world, “came unto his own, and his own received him
not” (John 1:11). Having raised
up his friend, Lazarus, who had been dead four days, a number of the Jews
started to believe on him. The Jewish Sanhedrin would not sit back and
allow Jesus’ popularity to soar. They felt threatened by the possibility
that the number of his followers might grow rapidly. They said, “If we let him
thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take
away both our place and nation” (John 11:48). These men, though religious,
were only concerned about their own selfish interests. They were envious
of Jesus as Pilate was well aware (Matthew 27:18; Mark 15:10). The Sanhedrin and their
followers would not make room for Jesus. Rather, these lawless men led
the cheers for Jesus’ death. They cried out with strong voice, “Crucify
him, crucify him.” So they did.
Do you and I have room in our hearts for Jesus today? Do we have enough
room for Jesus that we assemble with the saints to worship our Creator upon the
first day of the week (Hebrews 10:24-27)? Is there room enough in my
heart to hear, accept and practice the doctrine of Christ even when it may not
be popular?
The room you and I have for Jesus is comparable to the degree of light we have
within our hearts. Jesus will not abide in darkness in the room of our
hearts because he is light and the “scepter of righteousness” is the scepter of
his kingdom (Hebrews 1:8-9). Is there light abiding in your life? Is
there merely a small candle flickering within? Or, is there a brilliant
and radiant light because the light of Jesus’ presence fills your life?
Friend, make way for Jesus today. Invite him in. You may be born
again into the heavenly kingdom as you answer heaven’s call through obeying the
gospel of Christ. Having opened the door to his presence, allow him to
abide, and see the beauty of love, joy, peace and the power of God that will
certainly transform your life within. “Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in
you and me.”
1/19/06