The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1906-01-05

/. The Coming One of Promise and
Prophecy.-In all the past ages there
has been held before men a promise
and a prophecy of redemption, grow
ing clearer and clearer as the history
moves on toward the coming of Christ.
The birth of Christ is not an isolated
event, but the bursting into flower OF
tree growing for ages, with its roots
in the remotest past.
1t is impossible that any mere man
could have wrought the work actually
accomplished by Christ. The history
Of Christianity is the proof that Christ
must have been such a one as the
Gospels describe him, the Son of God
made flesh, a mysterious, but true,
union of God and man.
II. The Period of his Coming was
the most fitting time in all the history
of the world.-There was a most mar
velous conjunction of all lines of
Providential preparation, that makes
us wonder at the wisdom and good
ness of God.
III. Ten Introductory Events in the
Gospels. General statement of the
Incarnation John 1:1S). 2. The Two
Genealogies Matt. 1:1-17; Luke
3:23-3S). 3. The Birth of John the
Baptist promised duke 1:5-25). A.
The Annunciation to Mary duke
1868. 5. The Annunciation to Jo-
seph Matt 1:1S-25). 6. Mary's visit
to Elizabeth duke 1:39-45, So. z.
The Magnificent. Mary's Hymn of
Praise Uuke 1:4G-55). s. The Birth
of John the Baptist duke 1:57-66). 8.
The Benedictus. Zacharias' Hymn of
Praise duke 1:67-79). 10. The De
cree of Caesar, and the Journay to
Bethlehem luke 2:1-5).
w. The Birth of Jesus. Gods Great
est Gift to Man.-Vs. IT. The nara
tive first states how Bethlehem came
TO be the birthplace Of jesus, although
Nazareth was his own country the
home of his parents. l. In those
days" The period in general indica-
ted by the events just described. "a
decree from Caesar Augustus 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"
.. "And this taxing ETC. Read as
in r. V. and Am. r. This was the
first enrolment made when Quirinius
was governor of Syria"
g. His own city" The city of his
ancestors, where the family records
were kept.
4. And Joseph also went up
unto the city of David, which
is called Bethlehem" The mother of
Jesus lived in Nazareth of Galilee, but
the prophet had foretold that the Mes
siah should be born in Bethlehem, the
city of David (Mic. 5:2), and this was
the only fitting place, for he was the
heir of David's kingdom, in whom
should be fulfilled the promises to him
that his house and his throne should
be established forever G. Sam. 7:16);
for the Messiah's kingdom was to be
the completion and fruition of David S
kingdom.
5. with Mary" who also was of
the lineage of David.
Z. 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 a
manger," etc. "The animals were out
at the time and the manger was not
Mt vi N
room for them in the inn"
Because so many had come to
Bethlehem for the same purpose of en-
rollment, in addition to the usual bus
mess travel, and had reached the town
before Joseph and Mary.
Points of Contact with Daily Life.
No Room for Them in the Inn.-So
often in our lives, in our hearts, in our
business, are crowds of worldly things,
but no room for Jesus, for his service,
for prayer and communion with him.
But really Jesus takes up no room;
where he is there is room for all that
is good, and he transfigures and
blesses all things in his presence.
v The Earthly Scene from Heav-
erly Point of VIEWS. S-12. Heaven
ly beings who knew infinitely more
thar men could conceive both of mans
needs, and of the blessings brought to
them by the Divine Redeemer, looked
on the scene we have just been view
ing with very different thoughts from
those of the bystanders. Through
rift in the clouds that hide the heav-
ems we see the angels and the interest
they take in man. If there is Joy in
the presence of the angels of God over
one sinner that repenteth, how great
must be the Joy when the Redeemer
came to save multitudes from their
sin.
s. "And there were IN the same
country" In the fields near Bethle-
hem. shepherds abiding in the field"
Note that while there is no certainty
as to the time of year, yet there is
nothing in this statement that mill
tates against Christ's birth being in
December for during the month of
-,