The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1890-01-24
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON FOR
. JANUARY 20.
Lesson Text: "Joy over tho Child
Jc.us,r Luke Ii $40 GoIden Text;
Luke, H., 14-Comm 'ntary on
the Lesson 5,.s

| Jcsusr Luke III ,S-2O-SOIuen ieA''
Iuk~, H., 14-Comm 'ntary ON
! the Lesson IS
8. uApd there was in the same countr,
shephert,s abiding in the field, keeping watc,
\ over their fiocks by night God. Na9 da6dt,
ssEasst Estne Roman Emperor
7 caused Joseph and Mary to come to Bethle
hem. 1t was trying to the flesh to take sticl
a Journey at such n time, but it was all OF
GOD Movements OF Empires are overrulet
10 iuliill His word, and all things are ordered
Tor the good OF those who love Him. Mary.
nome was IN Nazareth, about seventy miles
mor.h or Jerusalem. God had said by His
| servant Micah that Isracrs ruler sbo,ild be
porn IN Bethlehem tsonio six miles south of
Jerusaleni), and now that the time had come,
the honnn Emperor is unconscously nadg
GODS M instrument TO ful6ll His word Fred.
erick Whitfield says: 80 Gods hand moves
silently and surely. The Roman Emperor ex
crclsed his almost boundlcss SWAY over the
"hoie world and issued his decress with SOW
ereign authority A rushing tide went forth
C'ch TO ms place to obey his commands No
high. And yet in the obscure village of Bethle
mem, at The back Of an inn, and lying i'm a man.
Ecrthere leSa helpless babe the son of an hum
PIE carpenters wife: and in His helplessness.
ltes entolded that which is to turn the tide of
all things in this world and in that which 10
To come and before which the mightiest
events OF imperial Rome were to dwndle
into inSIgnificancen These shanl,A,,sis ,uai..i.-
trs-ot Other shepherds TO whom God came rs
they watched their flocks such MS 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 the mar
rlage of Him who was once tho babe III
Bethlehem
9. And an angel of tho Lord stood by
them. and the glory Of the Lord shonc round
about them, and they were sore afraid Or.
W. Even though these shepherds were,
like Simeon and Anna, waiting for the COLI
ISOLATION OF Israel and looking for redemp-
tion in Jerusalem this unusual sight and
strange visitor was enough to make them
afraid. Put yourself in their place. Fancy
n heavenly visitor suddenly appearing TO
you and something of heavens glory shining
about you. Would you be perfectly quiet in
such a presence, or is there n possibility that
You might he somewhat afraid? We need TO
remember that now, as then, angels are mill
istering spirits sent forth TO do service for
the sake OF them that shall inherit salvation
nIeb. l., II. II. w, and although invisible
they are over with us, serving unseen and
unthanked
10. Fear not; for, behold l bring you good
tdingaof great JOY, which shall be to ali peo-
pie" This is tho third fear not which wo
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
characterize those who have become children
of God by faith III jesus Christ, and who, il
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 from. viii, 2S, -; Ps. lXXXiv.,
II: Jer. XXiX., in.
II. Unto YOU is born this day, in the city
of David, II Saviour. who is Christ tho
Lord Truly has ole said that Though
Christ Il thousand times in Bethlehem be
still forlorn.' This day is also the time
when He will enter thy soul if you have not
yet let Him in, and are wiling now
II. "Nc shall find the Babe wrapped in
swaddling clothes lying in n nranger.r How
great the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that
led Him To become so poor for us that we
through Ills poverty might be rich I'll Cor.
viii, - His cradle a manager, His home one
OF the poorest in Nazareth; & IN His ministry
ass, keeps the passover i'll n borrowed room;
when He dies lie sleeps in n borrowed tomb;
lie 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 valu. as we can use them for Him,
and that anything should satisfy us hero
while we wait for the coming Of the King
dom?
13. And suddenly there vas with The aIr
gel multitude OF the heavenly host praisinS
God. Jacob on his way home from Laban
is met by tho angels of God, and he said:
This is Coils host" When Joshua is about
10 take Jericho he is met by one who says
"As captain OF tho host of the lord am
now come When Elisha's servant w,i
afraid because of the Syrian army, Elisha
prayed and the Lord opened tho young mans
eyes, and he saw the mountain full of horses
and chariotS of iira round about Elisha
Gen. Xxxii., |, 2; JOS. V, ID, III Ki; vi. 10.
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 Ho is well
pleased" Or. w. Tho aim Of all angelic
service js tp ParipEG arJTEG Glory to Godmthe COM
fS II! y--sss-.!o.A ,en 'a unto 1T IB BsthieGem, E
and SEQ rrns-t rrss--wtfich is como to pass.
which the Lord hath made known unto u5
The shepherds had heard and seen that whic
they could never forget, their cars must
have been somewhat dulled to earth's music
and their eyes dimmed TO earth's glorics after
these sounds and sights SO il must have
been with Paul after he was caught up into
Paradise Oh, for such n sight by faith of
Jesus and His glory rs would forever wean us
from all the sinful sights and sounds of this
present evil world,
IT, They came with haste, and found
Mary, and Joseph and the babe, lying in n
manger." They found the angels message
iiuc lolint tne saviour DI Israel ana OF lne
world helpless babe lying in n 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.
L. Nv hen they had seen they made
known abroad the saying which was told
them concerning this child" JOY filed their
own hearts and joyfully they spread the
tidinSs. and tell simply what they have seen
and heard.
II. And all they that heard it wondered
at those things which were told them by tho
- a. - s AL ~,lI- .tha aifenL tlla
tidlnSS had upon thcm. they might wonder
TO all eternity and be none the better for it,
it is not wonder, but faith, that brings the
blessing.
10 But Mary kept ali these tidings and
pondcrcd them in her heart Like Daniel,
who though he could not understand yet
kept the matter i'll his heart dan vii, 2S).
20 "Thc shepherds returned, glorlying
and praising God for all the things that they
had heard and seen, as il 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 der. xx.. % They had caught the
spirit of the angels and praise God they must
ana their testimony was all about Jesus let