1. WHAT CHILD IS THIS? – NO VACANCY What Child is This? – No Vacancy “While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.” Luke 2:6-7

2. WHAT CHILD IS THIS? – NO VACANCY The Story of Christ’s Birth paraphrased from Luke 2 - Rembrandt’s Nativity

3. WHAT CHILD IS THIS? – NO VACANCY “ No Vacancy” in White River

4. WHAT CHILD IS THIS? – NO VACANCY It is remarkable that God showed up in a profound way, but wasn’t even provided a reasonable place to stay. Despite thousands of years of preparation, it would seem that the people of Israel misplaced his reservation. “He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.” (John 1:11) This theme would continue all throughout Jesus’ life … the people He had come to save, rejected and refused to receive Him. It was in Nazareth that Jesus began preaching and healing others, but Matthew 13:57 tells us that his neighbours “took offense at him”. Jesus’ ministry was marked by rejection on a grand scale.

5. WHAT CHILD IS THIS? – NO VACANCY I’ll be Home for Christmas … Having a home and a place to belong is a huge desire for us. Even once we’ve accomplished finding a place to belong and a home to establish, there seems to often be a profound sense of homelessness and disconnection. How is it that Jesus, a man who never really had a home or a place to belong seems to have been so filled with joy and love? How is it a man who experienced such rejection, could embody grace and love so fully?

6. WHAT CHILD IS THIS? – NO VACANCY Regardless of how others treated Him, Jesus knew that He was loved by God and had an open place in God’s household as His Son. Jesus extends to each one of us this same place to belong and an eternal home. “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” (John 1:12-13) Just as Jesus is declared a son of God and promised a place in God’s household, so too are we extended the right to become a son or daughter of God, if we place our faith in Him.

7. WHAT CHILD IS THIS? – NO VACANCY “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” (John 14:1-4) Perhaps the most profound gifts we are given through the child in the manger are a place within the family of God and an eternal home alongside Him.

8. WHAT CHILD IS THIS? – NO VACANCY How do you take a hold of this gift? Like any gift, you need to do nothing more than accept it. 1.Acknowledge 2.Confess 3.Accept Your reservation is waiting and it’s one that will not be misplaced.

9. WHAT CHILD IS THIS? – NO VACANCY My prayer for you this Christmas is that you truly understand how amazing a gift the child in the manger is and that you come to know what it means to belong to Him. May you be blessed with a place and a home this Christmas and may you experience the presence and love of God in a deep way this season.