It was the biggest night of the year in a little town called Cornwall.
It was the night of the annual Christmas pageant. It's an especially
big deal for the children in town -- they get to try out for the roles
in the Christmas story. Everybody wants a part.
Which leads us to the problem of Harold. Harold really wanted to be in
the play, too, but he was - well, he was kind of a slow and simple
kid. The directors were ambivalent - I mean, they knew Harold would be
crushed if he didn't have a part, but they were afraid he might mess
up the town's magic moment. Finally, they decided to cast Harold as
the innkeeper - the one who turns Mary and Joseph away the night Jesus
is to be born. He had only one line - "I'm sorry, we have no room."
Well, no one could imagine what that one line was going to do to
everyone's Christmas…
The night of the pageant the church was packed, as usual. The
Christmas story unfolded according to plan - angels singing, Joseph's
dream, and the trip to Bethlehem. Finally, Joseph and Mary arrived at
the door of the Bethlehem inn, looking appropriately tired. Joseph
knocked on the inn door, and Harold was there to open the door.
Joseph asked his question on cue - "Do you have a room for the night?"
Harold froze. After a long pause, Harold mumbled his line, "I'm sorry
- we have no room." And, with a little coaching, he shut the door. The
directors heaved a sigh of relief - prematurely. As Mary and Joseph
disappeared into the night, the set suddenly started shaking again -
and the door opened. Harold was back! And then, in an unrehearsed
moment that folks would not soon forget, Harold went running after the
young couple, shouting as loud as he could -- "Wait! Don't go Joseph.
Bring Mary back! You can have MY room!"
I think little Harold may have understood the real issue of Christmas
better than anyone else there that night. How can you leave Jesus
outside? You have to make room for Jesus. And that may be the issue
for you this Christmas. What will you do with this Son of God who came
to earth to find you?
Jesus is the One who trades a throne room for a stable, and the praise
of angels for human mockery. This is the Creator who gives Himself on
a cross! The Bible gives us the only appropriate response: "The life I
now live I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave
Himself for me." (Gal. 2:20) You look at what Jesus did to pay for
your sin on that cross, and you say those life-changing words - "For me."
Jesus is at YOUR door this Christmas. Maybe He's been knocking for a
long time. Maybe He won't keep knocking much longer. All your life -
even the events of the last few months - have been to prepare you for
this crossroads moment with Jesus your Savior. Don't leave Him outside
any longer. Open the door this Christmas Day. "Jesus, I cannot keep
You out any longer. Come on in. You can have my room... my life."
