The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-01-22
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
JANUARY 20.
Lesson Text: "Joy Over the Child
Jesus" Luke H., 500 = -
Golden Text: Luke it,, ...s-.
14-Commentary.

to fulfill His word, and ali things are ordered
for the good Of those who love Him. Mary'a
home was in Nazareth, about seventy miles
north Of Jerusalem. God had soid by His
servant Micah that Jsraers ruler should be
born in Bethlehem some six miles south OF
Jerusalem), and now that the time had ccme,
the Roman Emperor is unconsciously made
Gods instrument to fulfill His word Fred
erick Whitfield says: $50 Gods hand moves
silently and surely The Roman Emperor e1-
ercised his almost boundless sway over the
whole world, and issued his decress with SOW
ereiga authority. A rushing tide went forth
each to his place to obey his commands. No
thought dist:1rbs the mighty throng from on
high. And yet in the obscure village Of Bethle-
hem, at the back Of an inn; and lying in man
ger, there liesa helpless babe, the son of EN- hum
bic carpenters wife; and in His helplessness-
lies enfoldcd that which is to turn the tide Of
all things il this world and in that which Is
to come, and before which the mightiest
events of imperial Rone were to dwindle
into insig1ifcance." These shepherds watch
ing their hocks in the night watches remind
us of other shepherds To whom God came as
they watched their focks, such as Moses,
David and Amos. They also remind us Of
many other shepherds, watching over the
souls under their care in this night OF the
worlds history, and daily expecting call
from the skies to summon them to tho mar
riage of Him who was once the babe in
Bethlehem
9. "And an angel of the Lord stood by
them, and the glory of the Lord shone round
about them, and they were sore afraid" II.
W. Even though these shepherds were,
Ike Simeon and Anna. waiting for the con-
ISOLATION of Israel" and 'slooking for redemp-
ton in Jerusalem" this unusual sight and
strange visitor was enough to make them
afraid Put yourself in their place. Fancy
q heavenly visitor suddenly appearing to
you and something of heavens glory shining
about you. Would you be perfectly quiet in
such presence, or is there possibility that
you might be somewhat afraid? We need to
remember that now, as then, angels are min
istering spirits sent forth to do service for
the sake of them that shall inherit salvation
Heb. j., "A, R. W, and although invisible
they are ever with Us, serving unseen and
unthanked.
10. Fear not; for, behold bring you good
tidings of great JOY which shall be to all peo-
ple" This is the third fear not" which we
hear from angels to mortals in this Gospel;
and what good tidings there are in just those
two words. Fear and forebodings are the
constant companions of so many Christians,
instead of the peace and joy which should
Of God by faith in Jesus Christ, and who, II
they believed God, would be sure that he who
spared not His own Son would with Him
freely give all things and make all things
work for good Rom. viii, %, 80; Ps. kxxiv.,
II; Jer. xxx, ,t1D.
il. Unto you is born this day, in the city
of David, Saviour, who is Christ the
Lord" Truly has one said that, Though
Christ a thousand times in Bethlehem bo
born, if He's not born in thee, thy soul is
still forlorn." This day is also the time
H. ,,,;n ha r,nf
vet let Him in, and are willing now.
12 ''Ye shall find the Babe wrapped in
swaddling clothes, lying in manger." How
great the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that
led Him to become so poor for us that we
through His poverty might be rich III Cor.
viii, 81 His cradle manger, His home one
of the poorest in Nazareth; in His ministry
He uses borrowed boat rides on borrowed
ass keeps the passover in borrowed room;
when He dies He sleeps in borrowed tomb;
He is Lord of all and yet lives here as having
nothing of this worlds possessions. When
shall we learn that this worlds goods are
only of value as we can use them for Him,
and that anything should satisfy us-here
while we wait for the coming of the King
dom? ..
IS. "And suddenly there was with the an
gel multitude of the heavenly host praising
God" Jacob on his way home from Laban
is met by the angels of Goo. and he said:
This is Gods host" When Joshua is about
to take Jericho he is met by one who says:
'!As captain of the host Of the Lord am
now come" When Elisha's servant was
afraid because Of the Syrian army, Elisha
prayed and the Lord opened the young mans
ewes and he saw the mountain full of horses
and chariots of fire round about Elisha,
Gen. xxi, /, 9; Jos. y, IA; II Hi. VI. lO.,.
Thus the heavenly hosts delight to do GODS
will, praising Him in song and In service, as
they minister unto His servants.
IA. "Glory to God in the highest, and on
earth peace among men in whom He IS well
pleasedn R. w. The aim Of all angelic
service is to bring Glory to God-the com.
mand to us is: ''Glorify God in your BODY
Is. LET lis now go even unto Bethlehem,
and see this thing which is come to pass,
which the Lord hath made known unto US"
The shepherds had heard and seen that which
they could never forget; their ears must
have been somewhat dullcd to earths music
and their eyes dimned to earth's glories after
these sounds and sights So it must have
been with Paul after he was caught up into
Paradise. Oh for such sight by faith OF
Jesus and His glory as would forever wean us
from all the sinful sights and sounds OF this
present evil world!
16. They came with haste, and found
Mary, and Joseph, and the babe, lying IN .
manger" They found the angels message
true; found the Saviour of Israel and OF the
world, helpless babe lying in g manger;
and as they looked they believed that this
was indeed He of whom the prophets had
spoken, the Son of David, Son Of Abraham.
II. .'When they had seen they made
known abroad the saying which was told
them concerning this child" Joy filled their
own hearts, and joyfully they spread the
tidings, and tell simply what they have seen
and heard.
Is. "And all they that heard it wondered
at those things which were told them by the
Shepherds" If that was all the effect the
tidings had upon them, they might wonder
to sll eternity and be none the better for it;
II is not wonder, but faith, that brings the
blessing.
49, "But Mary kept all these tidings and
wondered them in her heart" Like Daniel,
Who though he could not understand yet
kept the matter in his heart dan. vii, 29.
80. s'The shepherds returned, glorifylng
and prasing God for all the things that they
had heard and seen, as it was told unto them"
You could not shut them up any more than
you could stop volcano. 1t was IN them,
and like Jeremiah they could not keep still
about it (Jer. Xxx, 81. They had caught the
spirit Of the angels and praise GOD they nuss;
and taeir testimony was all about Jesus: Let
rs in our ordinary vocatious serve the LORD
with gladness, and even thoug h tried let US
be cheerful, knowing that a loving Father
appoints it, and thus VIC shall glorify 600
and spread peace among those in whom He Is
we'll pleased-LesSon Helper.
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