The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1906-01-05
The Shepherds
Find Jesus
Sunday School Lesson Tor Jan. 7. 1906
Specially Prepared for This Paper.

LESSON TENr-Luke aim Memory
verses. 10. IL Read aleo Matt. ll-2s. Luke
1880
GOLDEN TEXT.-"For unto you !.
born this day in tho city OF David q
Saviour. which is Christ the Lord. Luke
All.
TIME December b. c. s. four years be-
fore our Christian era. This apparent dis
crepaney is explained by the inaccuracy %
the monk DiOnysius Exlguus who first
published the chronological calculations IA
b2o A. D.. and made a characterization OF
about four years
PLACE bethlehem. I'VE or six miles
south OK Jerusalem
SCRIPTURE RENCEs.-Prophe,-
ic visions OF the Messiah and Messiah,
times In the old Testament: Mum. al7.
Deut ISIS. Sam 7:1i-le Chron. 1913. "A:
H.l0 (promise 10 the Son OF David OF those
things which are predicted Of Jesus in Luke
l.Sl-sS). Psa 49, lisa. s.6 Z. lll-l0: 5Sl-la;
Jer Z'5. 6. Dan. ga. 45. ..Is. II: s.25; Mic.
81 Matt 80. The expectation OF the
messiah which arose out OF those pro9he-
cies. as noted In the Gospels
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
! V. l. I'm those days" The period IN
general indicated by the events Just
described. "A decree from Caesar An.
gustns,' the emperor OF Rome. That
all the world" Nearly the whole
known world then was included in the
Roman empire. should be taxed
Rather enrolled"
v. 3. His own city" The city OF his
ancestors, where the family records
were kept
V. 4. And Joseph also went Up
unto the city OF David, which is called
Bethlehem" The mother o. Jesas
lived in Nazareth OF Galilee but the
prophet had foretold that the Messiah
should be born in Bethlehem, the city
of David (Mic. 5:2) e Sam. 1870. II
does not say that Joseph took Mary TO
Bethlehem on account Of the prophecy.
but implies the guiding providence Of
God.
V. S. with Mary" who also was OF
the lineage OF David In Roman cen.
sus women were not obliged to come IL
person. though they raid the polltax
V. 7. Wrapped him in swaddling
clothes" Not clothes regularly made
but strips OF cloth three or four inches
wide and several feet long. wound
around the child. And laid him in q
manger," etc. The animals were out
at the time and the manger was not
bei-g used int. Crit Com.
V. s. And there we're in the same
conntry." In the fields near Bethle-
hem. shepherds abiding in the
field" The open country, with their
iiocks.
v. 9. And 10. the angel" rather IAN
angel" came upon them" stood by
them" And the glory of the Lord"
The angelic form is bright and lumin-
Gus. throwing all around them a sort
Of heavenly halo. in which even the
, lustrous Syrian stars grow dim
V. 10. Good tidings." The wore
from which our word gospel comes.
They announced the best news the
world had ever heard, the news al the
Saviour who would fill the whole
world with heavenly glory like that
then shining on the field Of Bethle-
hem. ITO all people To all ages, all
nations. all classes. all oolors.
V. H. For uato you is born
. Saviour" One who should save them
from their sins. their worst and most
|, , dangerous enemies. Jesus" means
, Saviour. Christ "The Amounted
one" the Messiah, whom they had
. long been hoping and praying for.
V. 70 And this shall be a sign unto
YOU that the words spoken were true;
and a guiding sign, like the sign TO the
I. wise men.
V. l3. with the angel a multitude =
, The whole host OF heaven was prais-
: ing God. not merely that portion OF II
a which was visible TO the shepherds. -
q Int. Crit. Com. Compare Chron.
1918: Psa 100: 81: lisa. 6:1-4. and the
; vision OF Elisha's servant g Kings
6:17.
v "a. The song of the angels the
{. Gloria in Excelsis. consists OF two
9 strains Of three members each.
? I. Glory to God in the high
est.
?. Peace good will to men
on earth.
I 1e. They came with haste" show
3 ing their zeal and ardor. as well as
9 faith. We can never find the Saviour
!. too soon"
y V. II. They made known abroad"
y Whosoever has truly found the Sa'
> viour burns TO proclaim to all around
Il what a Soviour they have found" See
y Acts 400: l John Ill, 2.
u V. IS. "All they that heard II won
e. dered" IL was indeed marvellous news,
i 40 good that many find II hard to be
u lieve that IL is true.
4 " 10. But Mary" IT, contrast WITH
4 the others kept all these things II
l. her memory. They were treasures
r. whose value the following years re
y veaied TO her PIONEERED them" KEPT
b mem" Kept revolving them. oompar
s. ing them with the promises OF the Ole
g. Testament. and what had been an
nounce6 TO her.
2 ". 20. THE shepherds returned" Tf
9 their duty as shepherds. but with
o rcw life and blessing in all their daily
work