The Morris County chronicle., 1908-12-15
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INTERNATIONAL LEsSus COM
MENTs FOR DECEMBER 20.

NlltN10 QO1k OIANNADGAN -~Os
Subject: Christmas and It's Lesson,
Luke $500 - Golden Text,
Luke 2:11-Comniit Verses S-10
Commentary.
TIME December, B. C.5. PLACE.
Bethlehem.
EXPOSITION.-I. The Shepherds
8-14. Seven hundred years before.
Micah had prophesied that He that
was to "be ruler in Israel; whose go-
ings forth are from of old, from ever
lasting" was to come out of Bethle-
hem (Mic 5:2) Note how many de-
crees and deeds of men, unconscious
of Gods purpose and prophecy,
worked together to fulfill Gods word
and carry out His eternal plan The
Saviour of the world, the Christ, the
Lord, began in stable the life He
was to close upon the cross. There
was "no room" for Him in the inn
There is mo room" "yfor Him to-day
in the hearts of most men, in the
home, in business, in society, in poll
tics. The announcement of the ad-
vent of the King was made to shep-
herds. The shepherds proved their
fitness to receive the announcement
". 15). They were men of faith.
with deep appreciation of spiritual
truth, in spite of their lowly position.
They seem to have been waiting.
longing, looking for the coming of the
Christ (v. 16). They were faithfully
attending to their lowly duties when
80 90,
pleasant work, but it was their work.
and while at it the angels met them
Comp. Elk. 81, Q; Judg. Gil, IL;
X. 1919; Luke 1:8,11). The glory
that shone around them was the an
cient Shekinah that betokened Gods
presence. At later day the disciples
were to behold the glory of God in
the person of Jesus Himself (Jno.
1:14; Q Cor. 3:18; 4:6). The shep-
herds were "sore afraid when they
beheld this glory. The supernatural,
by bringing God near, always fills the
heart of sinful man with fear Grew.
1:17; Luke SIS; lisa. 6;5), But tn.
angelic message at once dispelled all
fear. They came to announce saliva
ton, not judgment. They began with
one of Gods most frequent messages
to men, fear not" But the angels
not only bade them "fear not" but
brought forward the only real cure for
fear, the Gospel. They brought good
tidings of great joy" The coming of
Jesus the Saviour, Christ and Lord, is
the best news this old, sin-cursed and
Satan-governed world ever heard. 1t
was strange place to be sent to seek
king-a barn. And it was strange
sign to mark "a Saviour, which is
Ghrict nd hoI 4
swaddling clothes, and lying in a
manger." The world receives this
wonderful proclamation to this day
with indifference, but the heavenly
army received 1t with exultant shouts
of praise to God. Well they might!
The word "suddenly" shows that they
could hardly 9strain themselves until
the message was fully delivered.
They all but interrupted their spokes-
mans proclamation with their glad
chorus. There was to be twofold
result of the Saviour's birth-"glory
to God in the highest" ION earth
peace among men of His good pleas
| ure.'
III. The Shepherds fastening to
Find the Christ, 10, 16. The shep-
herds, though humble and illiterate,
were wise men. They showed it by
believing Gods word and going to see
for themselves the glorious truth that
had been proclaimed to them. Of the
truth of what had been told them they
had not doubt. They spoke of it as
this thing Cor word) which is come
to pass. Wise and happy the man
who when God tells him anything
counts it done Luke 1:45; Jno.
20:29). They knew it was so because
the Lord had made it known. That is
faith (Heb. 11:1, r. "; see context).
They did not "go" to test the truth of
the word of God, but to "see" what
they already fully believed When
God makes any great fact or truth
known to us we should at once believe
it and then "go and see this word
which the Lord hath made known to
us, /. e., enter into it experimentally.
Note the eagerness and whole-heart-
edness of these hepherd-saints, they
came with haste" Surely they will
rise up in the judgment against our
cold-hearted slowness in appropriat-
ing the fullness of blessings that God
makes known to us. "They came
with haste" to find the Christ, but to-
day men will scarce come at all; and,
Ii they do come, it is with such re-
luctance that they must be urged and
reasoned with and plead with and
almost pulled to the Saviour's feet.
These shepherds were rare souls.
They found it all Just as God said it
would be (v. 16; CT. v. 20; ch. 1882;
Acts 27:25). Therein babe lying
in the manger" they gazed upon the
One who was to be the Christ of God
and Saviour of the world
III. The Shepherds Witnessing For
the Christ They Had Found, 1920.
They did not keep to themselves the
good news. They told only that
which was spoken to them Christ
was the whole subject of their testi-
mony. Their testimony awakened
little besides wonder with most.
Mary kept" in her heart and pom
dered" all these wonderful revela-
tions, That is the way to deal with
Gods word. The shepherds were
true and wise men. They did not lose
their heads. They went back to their
humble toll. But they went back in 4
new spirit. "glorifying and praising
God"