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Luke

Luke 
Day 
Day 32

Luke 2 : 1-7 , Philippians 2:5-11 , Hebrews 2:9 "THERE WAS NO ROOM FOR THEM IN THE INN" Luke 2:7"

Day 32 – Luke 2

Text: Luke 2 : 1-7 , Philippians 2:5-11 , Hebrews 2:9

“THERE WAS NO ROOM FOR THEM IN THE INN” Luke 2:7

In the simplest of terms, Luke recorded the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. The facts about the humble Baby Jesus are so bare, that the heart is deeply challenged and moved.


“And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn” Luke 2:7

Did Mary expect this state of affairs? She had an angelic visitor who told her that she was greatly blessed of God! How those words must have brought joy to her heart. If she were to close her eyes, she could still remember those words,


“Rejoice, highly favoured one, the Lord is with you;
Blessed are you among women!” Luke 1:28

What kind of a blessing could the angel have meant? She had to make a long and arduous journey to have herself registered with Joseph, her betrothed! There was no room at the local inn, because many like her had returned to have their name added to the census!

But, hush, if she had to suffer such poverty, and indignity, what about Baby Jesus? She was not from a rich background, and thus she must have grown accustomed to poverty! But what about Baby Jesus? What about this Baby over whom the angel Gabriel exulted?


“He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest;
And the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.
And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever,
And of His kingdom there will be no end” Luke 2:32-33

OUR FIRST GLIMPSE OF THE LORD JESUS

Our first glimpse of Baby Jesus! What would you see? What would you be looking for? It was common, and traditional , practice to have cloths wrapped tightly around a little baby to help him develop straight limbs! There was another practical use of the swaddling cloths. They would prevent the baby from scratching and hurting himself.

Baby Jesus was born in a manger, in a dank, dark cave that an inn would use as a shelter to keep animals! Mary accepted all that, despite all that she had heard from the angel Gabriel! What faith she must have had! What courage she must have shown! How different her perspective of life is from the modern day approach, where COMFORT is the big thing!

We are reminded of what this series of daily devotionals is all about! We are challenged to see Jesus, our Saviour. We are challenged to look at life through His perspective! Let’s look at an important passage in connection with the birth of the Lord Jesus.

THE “KENOSIS” PASSAGE Philippians 2:5-11

The Apostle Paul expounded an important view concerning the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ, in his letter to the Philippian Church. This section is sometimes called the “Kenosis” passage. The word “kenosis” is taken from the Greek text, and used by Bible Scholars to describe how the Lord Jesus chose to empty Himself of His glory.

His birth in the humblest place ever is just a demonstration of how much he emptied Himself of the glory that was His by right. Paul’s words are striking:

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus,
who , being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,
but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant,
and coming in the likeness of men.
And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross…” Philippians 2:5-8

Why was Jesus born in a manger? It was all part of His kenosis, His emptying of Himself of all His glory as Deity! He disdained wealth. He accepted poverty. What a perspective of life! Are we choosing the right path, when we seek only material wealth as the goal of life? This is not a rebuke to the wealthy, but simply a question as to whether wealth should be a major pursuit of life!

IT’S ALL RIGHT NOT TO BE RICH

The quest for wealth as a major goal of life drives many. The desire for creature comfort is thinly disguised in some “Christian” theological ideas. The argument that God wants to give us wealth, and we can have all the wealth we want if only we know how to ask for it, takes a tumble when we consider the humble birth of the Lord Jesus!

The Wise Men (Matthew 2) figured that the King of the Jews must be born in a palace. Their visit to Herod’s palace resulted in the deaths of many infants under the age of two! With all their wisdom, they did not have Paul’s theological perspective! It’s all right not to be rich. It’s all right to be poor!

Baby Jesus was given poor parents. He was born in a manger! Nevertheless, He was still born, King of the Jews! “BUT WE SEE JESUS…”