'Inkeeper' recalls fateful day

By MILDRED BROWDER-HUGHES

Correspondent

JOHNSONVILLE — “An Innkeeper’s Christmas” was the title of the morning message during the worship service at Johnsonville First Baptist Church Sunday.

The Rev. Charlie Pittman, who has served the church as their pastor for many years, is known for his presentation of the Easter and Christmas messages that are presented through pageantry. He takes on the persona of one of the main characters in the story and is robed in his likeness to give identity to the story.

On Sunday, his attire gave a vivid likeness to the innkeeper of Bethlehem. The story quickly unfolds as it takes the congregation through the message of the story and to a dramatic end, where Rev. Pittman appeals to those who do not yet know the Christ, “to come to know Him through the power of salvation as they yield their hearts to Him.”

Arrayed in a robe and headpiece especially designed as fitting of the Inn in Bethlehem in those days, the age old story unfolded in a manner of newness that held the congregation spellbound.

As the innkeeper, it was he who had turned Mary and Joseph away on the night we know today as Christmas Eve, because there was no room in the inn.

Although the Scripture doesn’t mention him by name, much has been said of him over the years. He has been portrayed as a cold heartless ogre who refused to allow Mary and Joseph to stay at his inn. He disagreed with that description of himself, but looking back he wished he had handled that situation differently. Then he shared the story of that first Christmas through his eyes and through his heart.

He was a small businessman of Bethlehem. In his business there were times when business was good and times when it was just awful. It was a struggle to find good help and to pay his taxes. He worked hard and was known as an innovator. He took pride in keeping the inn clean and in providing the best meals possible for his guests.

“I remember the night Jesus was born - like it was yesterday,” he said. “Business had been booming for several weeks because the Roman Emperor, Caesar Augustas, had commanded that everyone return to their hometown to register for a census, so the Roman government would know how to assess taxes.

“With so many people returning to Bethlehem to register, our little inn was swamped…nearly everyday was filled by early evening and I even had the overflow of people stay in my home. We had to turn people away every day. Just as I rented the last room that evening, Joseph and Mary came in.

I could see that she was very close to having the baby she was carrying. They were both tired and desperate for a place to stay. I felt terrible; the inn was full; my home was full and here was this young girl, away from home, about to have a baby at any moment! Why me, I thought. This is just what I need to deal with at such a busy time.

“I felt sorry for them and wondered where I could put them. Suddenly I thought of the stable. They could stay in the stable! Every inn had a stable in which to keep the guests’ animals. Even the stable was full, but I moved enough of the animals outside to make room and cleaned up as well as I could and put down fresh hay. It wasn’t the best, but it did give them shelter. Glad of the stable, neither of them complained.

“After intense labor, Mary gave birth to her son and I decided to call it a day and get some rest myself.

Suddenly a group of excited shepherds burst in and with all trying to talk at the same time. Finally, I got one of them to calm down and tell me what was going on. The man, excited and shaking with a cracking voice said the angel of God had appeared to them and the glory of  the Lord shone brightly around them. They were afraid, but the angel told them not to be frightened, that she had good news for them. ‘On this very day in Bethlehem, the Savior has been born and He is Christ the Lord!” The angel then gave them directions where to find Him.

“The shepherd then told me when the angel had finished speaking, the sky was filled with angels who praised God and said, “Glory to God in the Highest and on Earth, Peace, Good Will toward men. He then told me that when the angels left, they ran to Bethlehem and he said, “Here we are, where is he?”

“I was too stunned by his words to answer. I just pointed to the stable. This baby was the Messiah? Was this the King God had promised so long ago? The Rabbis had taught from my youth that the Christ, the promised Messiah, would be born in Bethlehem. But why, in a dark smelly stable?

Now I knew that by using humble people like Mary and Joseph and by Jesus being born in this stable, God was giving us His answer that the Savior was really for all people. In my heart I knew what the shepherds said was true.

As I rushed back I found the shepherds worshipping the baby. I asked Mary what she would name him, and she said, “God commanded me to name him Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.”

“At that I fell on my knees and began to worship the child sent by God to be the Savior of everyone who believes in Him. As it all began to sink in I was filled with unspeakable joy and shame at the same time, joy that the Christ had come and shamed that he was born in my stable and not in the best room in the inn. I had become disillusioned with trying to earn my way to heaven the Pharisee way. All their rules and self-righteous attitudes were becoming too much a burden to carry.

“There was no room for Him. There is no room for Him in the hearts of many people today, because we are too busy for Jesus. Or we are too self absorbed with our lives to be interested in Jesus. Others are indifferent to Jesus…they can take Him or leave Him. For so many people, there is no room in their lives for Him, no room in their feelings, thoughts, wishes, decisions and daily living.

No room still today?