The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-06-27
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
JULY 1.
Lesson Text: Luke H., 1, 1G-Golden
Text: Luke IL. documentary.

Lesson Text: Luke H., 1, 1G-Golden
Text: Luke IL, documentary.
1-3 "There went out decree from Casa,
Augustus that all the world should be en-.
rolled" See 3. '. This enrolment and the
journeying OF each to the proper city to he
enrolled Is the first fact in our lesson. We
see aworldwide dominion, the fourth OF Dan.
ii. and VII, but the ruler OF this empire, Hike
Belshazzar Of the first, does not glorlfy God
in whose hand his breath is and whose arc
all his ways dan. v, 23), yet God uses him
to accomplish His pleasure.
4-5. "And Joseph also went up from Cali
lee unto the city OF David. which is called
Bethlehem, with Mary, his espoused wife"
Here Is the reason OF Caesars decree. though
the Christ to be born, and he must be born
at Bethlehem, IN Jud@a, In order to fulfill
the words Of the prophet in Mic. v, 2. But
Mary lived ct Nazareth, IN Galilee, several
days journey north ofBethlehem, so He who
doeth according to His will In the army OF
heaven and among the Inhabitants Of the
earth Dan. w., S5) moved all the world in
connection with the birth Of Him who shall
yet be king over all the earth Czech. XIV, 81.
6. "And 30 II was that while they were
there the days were accomplished that she
time was come, and God sent forth His Son,
made Of woman, made under the law, to
redeem them that were under the law (Gal.
iy., 4, s.. To every event there Is with God
an appointed time, even to the hour and
day and month and year Grew. tx, Is, r. W,
and the clock OF His providence Is never fast
or slow, but strikes correctly to the minute.
z. "And she brought forth her frstborn
Son and wrapped Him in wadding clothes
and laid Him in manger, because there
was no room for them in the inn" This was
the reception that the world gave her King
ut His first coming in humiliation. When
He shall come again in power and glory for
Israel's national conversion, the nations
will be angry, and all kindreds Of the earth
shall wall because Of Him Grew. XIV, IS !;
i,7).
8. "And there were In the same country
shepherds abiding In the field. keeping watch
over their flock by night" Therefore not at
all probable in December, as one who lives in
Jerusalem said to me recently, but It is the
event and not the time of the year that is the
most important.
9. "And, 10, the angel of the Lord came
upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone
round about them, and they we're sore afraid. !"
Time was when man was not afraid OF God,
but as soon as sin entered man was afraid and
hid himself CGen. ill.,, 10). Since them all
are by nature children OF wrath. Some day
we shall shine as the sun (Math. xiii, 43).
10. "Ard the angel said unto them, Fear
not, for behold bring you good tidings OF
great Joy, which shall be to all people"
"Fear not" was also the angels greeting TO
Consider the first. "Fear not" in Gen. xv.,
l, and the last In Rev. l., II; H., 10, and
among those that come between fail net to
appreciate lisa. Kill, 10. 13; Kill. Hsg. H.,
4, s.; Mark ", So. Notice that the good It'd
ings must come to US personally before they
can through Us pass on to MI people. These
shepherds heard and saw for themselves,
then made 1t known abroad), verses II, 20).
II. "For unity you is born this day in the
city Of David Saviour which Is Christ the
Lord" In other words, He is Jesus Christ
the Lord. He became a man, born Of wo-
man, rnat He might redeem man. but one
has truly said:
Though Christ in Bethlehem o thousand times be
Torn.
If Hes not born In thee thy soul Is still forlorn.
Other religions and religious teachers try
TO tell people how to get saved, but Jesus
saves and Is able to save unto the uttermost
all who come unto God by Him (Heb. VIII,
25).
il. "And this shall be sign unto you.
Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling
clothes, lying in a manger." Ye know the
grace OF our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though
he was rich, yet for our sakes He became
DOOR, that we throught His poverty might be
rich III Cor. Will, 81. Consider His humlli-
alton unto the mangef OF Bethlehem, unto
the humble home and the carpenters shop
at Nazareth. unto Gethsemane and Calvary,
and let the same mind be In US.
IS. Sand suddenly there was with the
angel multitude OF the heavenly host prais-
ho1
appeared thus far, but now multitude are
visible" In Rev. v, II. they are said to be
"Ten thousand times ten thousand and thou
sands OF thousands, y and all are heard prats-
ing God. In our lesson they praise Him In
His humiliation, while In Revelation they
praise Him because of the results Of His life
and death and resurrection.
IA. "Glory to God in the highest, and on
earth peace, good will toward men," he
came to glorify God, and before he was slain
He said to His Father, "I have glorlf1ed Thee
or the earth" (John xvii, q. He never
songht His own will nor His own glory (John
w., SS will, SOY, but in all things made mani
fest that He represented the Father and that
1t was the Father who spoke the words and
wrought the works through Him CJohn xiv,
10). He came to make peace with God for
ali men (Col. l., 2O), and when We accept
Him we have peace with God, for He is our
peace (Rom. v, l; Eph. H., 14).
IS. "Let US now 90 even unto Bethlehem
and see this thing which Is come to pass,
which the Lord hath made known unto us."
This is what the shepherds said as tho angels
left them and went away again into heaven.
The angels delivered their message and re-
turned quickly-they do His mandments,
hearkening unto the voice OF His word. It
is their Joy to do His pleasure (Ps. Gill;. 20,
21) The shepherds did not doubt nor ques-
tion the good tidings brought to them, but
believing implicitly went at once to see the
child. Their mind was like that OF Paul
when he said, II believe God that 1t shall be
even as it vas told me- {Acts xvii, 25), or
like the man who believed the word that
Jesus had spoken unto him and went his
way (John w., 50).
16. 'And they came with haste and found
Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a
manger." So they found it just as the angels
had said. ALI that was ever spoken before
hand concerning the humiliation of Christ
was fulfilled to the letter, and all that has
been written by the Holy Spirit concerning
His return in glory will be fulfilled to the
letter. The time will come when We shall
say, mot one thing hath failed; all arc
come to pass (Joshua xiii, 1D.-Lesson