The Winchester news. [volume] (Winchester, Ky.) 1908-19??, 1908-12-18
the SUNDAY SCHOOL,
Lesson xII.-Fourth Quarter,
For Dec. 20, 1903.
The INTERNATIONAL SERIES.
Jsxt Of the Lesson, Luke ii, $40.
Memory Verses, 8-10-Goiden Text,
Luke ii, 11-commentary Prepared
BY Rev. D. M. Stearns.

Luke ii, 11-commentary Prepared
BY Rev. D. M. Stearns.
Copyright, 1908, by American Press Association
From the time when Adam and Eve
Agtened to the devil rather than to God
and by one man sin entered into the
vorld and death by sin Rom v, 12)
the god of this world, the devil, has
been binding peoples eyes to the truth
Rnd to the love of God, always setting
before them some way which he in
lists 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-
Gay tells how even Solomon, so be-
Doved and blessed of God, was turned
away from Him by the women of
ether nations, and by them and their
IDOLS his heart was turned away from
the Lord God of Israel Il Kings XII
b-13; Neh. xiii, 26).
In all the history of the world there
has never been but one who always
nesisted the devil and listened only to
God, and of Him we learn as to the
Beginning of His humanity in our les
con today. He was with the Father
before the world was. BY Him and
for Him were all things created. He
appeared in human form to Abraham,
20 Joshua. to Gideon, to Manoah and
Dis wife and to others. He was typi-
fed in every sacrifice appointed by
BOD from the shedding of blood in
eden by His own hand to provide re-
Aemption clothing for Adam and Eve
MI the way down to Golgotha He was
ret apart before the foundation of the
world, but was manifested in the full
hess Of time, made of a woman, made
Ander the law, to redeem them that
Were under the law q Pet. i, 20; Gal
~, A, 81.
Moses and all the prophets wrote of
Him as the only Redeemer, the Mes
e1ah Of Israel, the one to rule the world
Ia peace and righteousness duke XIV
"a. AZ. From the days of Malachi,
who said, 'The Lord whom We seek
shall suddenly come to His temple" and
Behold 1 will send you Elijah the
4rOphet before the coming of the great
and dreadful day Of the Lord" Gii, l.;
", 81, there had been no further mes
cage from heaven for over 300 years
But one day while a certain priest was
emciating before God In the temple an
angel appeared to him and said that
through him and his wife the herald Of
tie Messiah should come, who would
- before Him in the spirit and power
81 Elijah.
Six months later the same angel,
Gabriel, was sent from heaven to q
tumble home In Nazareth to a virgin
called Mary with the most wonderful
message ever given to a woman In the
whole history Of this world duke 1, 30
-. In simple. childlike faith Mary
listened to the wonderful message and
oaid, 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 virgin and
Tins the word Of God be literally full
01led that He should be the "seed of
woman" also that He should be born
N Bethlehem of Judea Qsa. VII, IA;
Gen. fiji, Is; Mic. v, p. In our lesson
Ne see God, who watches over His
word to perform 1t ger. 1, II, R. W,
bringing all things to pass Just as He
had said. A decree from the world
ruler, who knew not God, caused Mary
TO be In Bethlehem at this particular
time. and while there she brought forth
her frstborn son in a lowly place
among cattle and used a manger as His
cradle oversees Z, u. 49,, for there was
no room for them in the inn. He came
from the glory Of heaven, His Fathers
home, the holy angels and the grea.
company Of the redeemed, and there
was no welcome for Him on earth ex-
eept from His mother and Joseph, and
those few shepherds, and Simeon and
Anna, and those wise men from the
east, and few others. But all heaven
was interested. An angel came with
his glory Of heavenly light and told
these shepherds Of the great event;
then multitude of angels praised God
N these words: "Glory to God in the
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 1t just as the
angels had said.
TO this day how little interest is TAX
% on the earth In heavenly things.
the god of this world leading his fol-
lowers to cry, LET us alone" but God
has always held few like the shep-
herds and the others, whose hearts are
awith Him by His grace Notwithstand-
ing all hindrances, the child who was
born OF Mary shall yet reign over the
house Of Jacob and over all the earth
m righteousness, and His church shall
reign with Him. Note the angels "fear
nots" q, IL, 80; ii, 1O to the Lords
people and study the words from Gen.
". I, to Rev. 1, IL, and if child Of God
appropriate them, for God does not
give spirit of fear OH Tim. I, y. The
good tidings Of great joy are for all
people, but what large proportion of
the human race have passed away and
are passing away without hearing the
good news. SIS, it nothing to your
In all His life He glorifed God, and by
his finished work He gives peace to all