“NO ROOM AT
THE INN”
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An Address at the Mint Methodist Church, Exeter, by the Minister, Rev
Andrew Sails at 10.30 a.m. on Christmas Morning 25th December 2006 Reading: Luke
2:1-20 |
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Above: “Independent” Front
Page 22
Dec 2006 |
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“For there was no room for them at the inn” (Luke 2:7)
You probably know the story of the
little boy who
desperately wants to play Joseph in the Nativity Play.
But someone else gets the part and he must be satisfied
with the minor part of the innkeeper instead.
He is mortified, but throughout the weeks of rehearsal
he plans his revenge on his successful rival.
Come the day of the performance,
Mary and Joseph knock on the inn door.
It is opened a crack by the suspicious and hostile innkeeper.
“Can we have a room for the night?” asks Joseph.
Suddenly the inn keeper smiles broadly and throws open the door -
“Yes of course” he says,
“There’s plenty of room, come on inside out of the cold.
You shall have the best room in the hotel”
There is a stunned silence.
Then Joseph, perhaps showing the resource and initiative
which got him the part in the first place, says
“Hang on, let me have a look at the
place first”
He stares ostentatiously over the innkeeper’s shoulder,
shakes his head firmly and says
“Call that your best room - I’m not taking my wife into a hole like that -
Come on Mary my love, we’ll be better off sleeping in stable”
The plot was back on course.
And today is Christmas Day -
and the infant Jesus comes knocking on the door of our hearts -
and what do we say - Sorry, no room, or
Come on in – be my guest??
Open the door and he will come in!
Someone said to me this week: “Isn’t Christmas strange –
we bring trees indoors, whilst leaving people out in the cold”
A strange way indeed to celebrate God
coming to dwell with the needy and the outcast
Those of you who read the Independent
will have seen Saturday’s front page headline:
“What
if the Virgin Mary came to Bethlehem today?”
The picture shows Fadia Jemal,
a 27-year-old Palestinian mother
holding a small child in her arms.
"What would happen if the Virgin Mary came to Bethlehem today?”
she says “She
would endure what I have endured,".
And the story goes on to tell how Fadia went into
labour on the West Bank.
Her husband set out to drive her the 20 miles to the nearby Hussein
hospital.
But half way there they encountered an Israeli checkpoint –
they were told no one could pass till morning.
Fadia’s husband explained the emergency – the soldier
on duty just laughed.
He refused to let them through.
In the end Fadia – with no medical aid in the back of
the car
in the middle of the night gave birth to twins.
One twin survived, the other (with no medical aid) died.
Time and again through history the child of Bethlehem
has been turned away from the inn,
Herod’s soldiers have massacred the innocents,
and the selfish sectarian cries of humanity
have drowned the song of the angels…..….
I gather this years Queen’s Speech
can be downloaded as a podcast for the first time –
someone suggested that as it is a podcast,
the Queen should talk about peas on earth……
To the best of my knowledge the
shepherds
didn’t have ipods or indeed radios in the fields
above Bethlehem –
but they didn’t need the technology
to tune in to the cosmic joy and the song of the angels –
God has come to be with the poor and weak and sinful
and his rule of love and peace on earth is on the way!
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One of my all time favourite funny Christmas
Cards shows the 3 wise men - |
And that is true - this year he is coming to us
- this year and next year
and the year after and the year after -
the Christ child comes to us - and what
do we do?,
Do we make excuses and bar the door?
Or do we make him welcome?
I hope this
Christmas we open
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our hearts to the child of
Bethlehem
·
our ears to the song of the angels
and
in so doing may we indeed have a
blessed and joyful Christmas!
ORDER OF SERVICE
Hymn 106 “Hark the Herald Angels Sing”
(During this carol, the five Advent candles will be lit)
천사 찬송하기를 거룩하신 구주께
영광돌려 보내세 구주 오늘 나셨네
크고 작은 나라들 기뻐 화답하여라
영광 받을 왕의 왕 베들레헴에 나신 주
영광 받을 왕의 왕 베들레헴에 나신 주
오늘 나신 예수는 하늘에서 내려와
처녀 몸에 나셔서 사람 몸을 입었네
세상 모든 사람들 영원하신 주님께
영광 돌려 보내며 높이 찬양하여라
영광 돌려 보내며 높이 찬양하여라
의로우신 예수는 평화의 왕이시고
세상 빛이 되시며 우리 생명 되시네
죄인들을 불러서 거듭나게 하시고
영생하게 하시니 왕께 찬양하여라
영생하게 하시니 왕께 찬양하여라
Prayers
Talking about presents
Collection
(Please give
generously for the work of NCH)
Hymn 107 “In the bleak midwinter"
Reading:
Luke 2:1-20
Address
Hymn 117 “See amid the
winter’s snow”
Prayers
and Lord’s Prayer
Hymn
110 “O come all ye
faithful”
Blessing