The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1908-12-16
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson xIl.-FOurth Quarter,
For Dec. 20, 1908.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.
Text Of the Lesson, Luke II, 800.
Memory Verses, 's-1o-ooIden Text,
Luke u, 1t--commentary Prepared
by Rev. D. NJ. Steasns.

kOopylButp ASUop " AiueflCAu Ere4B Ah8OClaIlOn.l
From the time when Adam and Eve
listened to the devil rather than to God
and by one man sin entered into the.
world and death by sin Rom. v, 12)
the god Of this world, the devil, has
been binding peoples eyes to the truth
and to the love Of God, always setting
before them some way which he in
sists is better than Gods way; hence
all the sin Of which we read in all the
Bible story and In the whole history of
the race. The alternate lesson for to-
day tells how even Solomon, so be-
loved and blessed Of God, was turned
away from Him by the women of
other nations, and by them and their
idols his heart was turned away from
the Lord God Of Israel Il Kings II.
Alb; Neh. xiii, 26).
In all the history of the world there
has never been but one who always
resisted the devil and listened only to
God, and Of Him we learn as to the
beginning Of His humanity in our les
son today. He was with the Father
before the world was. BY Him and
iVh IAllh WGIC dh CEcdttu. he
appeared in human form to Abraham,
to Joshua. to Gideon, to Manoah and
his wife and to others. He was typi-
fed in every sacrifice appointed by
God from the shedding of blood in
Eden by His own hand to provide re-
demption clothing for Adam and Eve
all the way down to Golgotha. He was
t.t ha 80
world, but was manifested in the full
ness of time, made of a woman. made
under the law, to redeem them that
were under the law q Pet. i, 20; Gal
iv, 4, 81.
Moses and all the prophets wrote Of
Him as the only Redeemer, the Mes
siah of Israel, the one to rule the world
in peace and righteousness duke xiv,
81, 44. From the days of Malachi,
who said, 1.-The Lord whom We seek
shall suddenly come to His temple" and
Behold l will send you Elijah the
prophet before the coming of the great
and dreadful day of the Lord Gii, 1;
iv, 81, there had been no further mes
sage from heaven for over 300 years.
But one day while a certain priest was
officiating before God In the temple an
angel appeared to him and said that
through him and his wife the herald of
the Messiah should come, who would
go before Him in the spirit and power
Of Elijah.
Six months later the same angel,
Gabriel, was sent from heaven to a
h,,vrabln In, 70 VII H.,
called Mary with the most wonderful
message ever given to a woman in the
whole history of this world duke 1, 80.
33). In simple, childlike faith Mary
listened to the wonderful message and
said, Behold the handmade of the
Lord; be it unto me according to thy
word" 1t had been foretold that the
Messiah should be born of a virgin and
thus the word of God be literally full
filled that He should be the "seed OF
woman" also that He should be born
in Bethlehem of Judea lisa. vii, IA
Gen. iii, Is; Mic. V, p. In our lessor
we see God. who watches over His
word to perform it Oer. I. 10, r. W
bringing all things to pass just as He
h1b bnius n uGSLCC AlOln thC WOl IL
ruler, who knew not God. caused Mary
to be in Bethlehem at this particular
time, and while there she brought fortf
her firstborn son in a lowly place
among cattle and used manger as His
cradle oversees Z, u. 16), for there wa
no room for them in the inn. He came
from the glory of heaven. His Father:
homo fha hnlu
company of the redeemed, and there
was no welcome for Him on earth eX
cept from His mother and Joseph, ant
those few shepherds, and Simeon anC
Anna, and those wise men from thu
east, and a few others. But all HEAVIER
was interested. An angel came will
his glory Of heavenly light and tolt
these shepherds Of the great event
then a multitude of angels praised Go,
in these words: "Glory to God in tn
highest, and on earth peace, good will
toward men" (verse 14). Then the an
gels returned TO heaven, and the shep
herds went and found it just as til
= angels had said.
To this day how little interest is TAX
Ell on the earth in heavenly things
the god of this world leading his fol
lowers to cry, Let us alone" but Go,
has always held few like the sher
herds and the others, whose hearts ar
. with Him by His grace. Notwithstand
ing all hindrances, the child who wa
born Of Mary shall yet reign over tn
house of Jacob and over all the cart
in Righteousness, and His church sha
reign with Him. Note the angels "fea
= nots" Il. 13. 80; ii, 1W to the Lord
people and study the words from Ger
|. XIV, 1, to Rev. 1, II, and IL child of Go
l. appropriate them, for God does nc
II give a spirit Of fear QI Tim. 1, q. Th
d good tidings Of great Joy are for a
people, but what a large proportion G
IS the human race have passed away an
& are passing away without hearing tn
good news. "Is it nothing to you?"
m In all His life He glorified God, and b
h bis finished work He gives peace to a
who receive Him. The shepherds di
not question the angels message, bu
said, "Let us go and see this thin
IF which Is come to pass, which the Lor
4. hath made known to u.s." Havin