Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1890-02-07

Stearns.
Compiled from Lesson Helper Quarterly by per
mission of H. s. Hoffman, publisher, Phiadel
phia.
40. "And the child grew and waxed strong
in spirit, filed with wisdom" Having
performed all things according to the law,
Joseph and Mary returned to their humble
home at Nazareth, there to abide And there
grew up this wonderful child of whom the
angels sang and the shepherds testified. and
whom the wise iuen came from the east to
see and worship: whose advent had troubled
the king and all Jerusalem, and for whom
many little children had already laid down
their lives Matt H. g. lG. This verse tells
all we know of His life sitter the return to
Nazareth until He was twelve years of age.
As to His body He grew and waxed strong
the Revised Version leaves out the
words "in spirit') as any healthy child
would. His body was flesh and blood,
just like ours; He took such a body that
in it He might die and thus destroy him
that had the power of death, that is, the devil.
1.-The grace of God was upon Him" The
manifest blessing and power of God was upon
Him even as a little boy: He was holy child,
and the same grace will be upon every boy
and girl today who earnestly desires it, that
they may gorify God. Let the scholars read
these texts: John i, 14-11; Acts iv, 33; xiii
43; Xxx, 81; Rom iii, "a; III Cor. viii, 9; tx, 8;
xii, 8; II Pet. iii, IS.
Al. "Now, His parents went to Jerusalem
every year at the feast of the passover" 1t
is written in the law of Moses "Three times
thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year
Three times in the year all thy
males shall appear before the Lord God" (Ex.
xiii, l4-l0. The passover was kept in the
first month of the year, to commemorate the
delverance of Israel from the bondage of
Egypt lex. xii, 10 and not only points
backward to that deliverauce, but also for
ward to greater deliverance from all
tions of the earth, when the passover shall be
fulfilled in the kingdom of God
~ "And when be was twelve years old
they went up to Jerusalem, after the custom
of the feast This was probably His first
visit to Jerusalem since He had been there as
an infant in His mothers arms but often
had the events of the first great passover
been talked over at home. as well as the more
| ancient history Of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob,
and the later events under Joshua, the judi es
and the Kings Many must have been the
| questions asked by this wise boy concerning
all things of which Moses and the prophets
| had written, and wonderful for wisdom His
own sayings, even as "A child.
43. "And when they had fulfilled the
days" The passover was on the fourteenth
! day of the month at even, and the next day
began the feast of unleavened bread, which
continued seven days, so that the full time of
the feast would be eight days uev. xiii, y.
II. They sought Him among their kins-
folk and acquaintance Here is another
strange thing that His parents should think
that such "a child would prefer the company
of kinsfolk or acquaintance to that of His
own mother. There is evidently some neg
lect here on the part Of Mary of the precious
trust committed to her. which is all the more
strange at such II time as this when she is
just returning from this holy feast. If we
have just been to the Holy Communion, and
then on our way home allow other things to
occupy our minds and form the subject OF
our conversation, we shall doubtless lose our
fellowship with Jesus, and it may take some
time to have it restored.
Is. They turned back again to Jerusalem
seeking Him" Having failed to find Him OF
obtain tidings of Him among their kinsfolk
they next retrace their steps to Jerusalem
full, no doubt, of anxious thoughts concern.
ing Him. days journey they had gone
without Him carelessly; days journey they
retrace their steps sorrowfully. Do we evel
go a day without fellowship with Him ant
wander away from Him. our hearts fllet
with other thingsl If so, let us not wonder il
it takes more than a days sorrowful seeking
ere again rejoice in Him. See in the fiji
chapter of the Song of Solomon how littl,
neglect Of The Beloved and slowness to re
spond when He calls causes much anxious an,
solrowful seeking. Abiding and ready obedi
ence is the only way.
46. after three DAYS they found Him il
the templen A days seeking in the city
aud finally they think of the Temple. an,
there they find Him. Why did they not g,
ri.ht to the temple as soon as they reached
the city? 1t looks ms if Mary had forgotten
Gahiel's words concerning this child. as i
... did nor know inst who her child raoll,
to,,'rl, D,,,,,,'o.,Il,. La,,i,,s tI,a raa
% = VIC
o. inc l,oru' sue was noI III ieio"ai4ip VIII
linn 1er ancestor David had maze II IN
habit of his life to inquire of the Lord abou
everything, but Mary does not seem TO hav
done so Il Sam. xiii, =, 4: XXX, $; Ii Sam
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