The Red Cloud chief., 1909-12-23
THE BIRTH OF
CHRIST
Sunday School Lesson for Dec. 26, 1909
Specially Arranged for This Paper

PLACE Bethlehem OF Judca, a small
town i've or six miles south of Jerusalem.
Suggestions and Practical Thought.
\ Journey .ACrOss the Centuries
with the Wise Mel of the East.-All
through the Bible we read of angels
visiting this earth on messages Of
mercy. We are taught In Hebrews
that they are ALI ministering spirits
sent forth to do service Tor the sake
of them that shall inherit ANvatioin.'
II requires no great strain On\the I'M.
agination to conceive of the three wise
men coming to earth to see togtther
with liz what the King they had sought
and found had been doing all thcle
centuries since that wonderful visit
|. We Visit Bethlehem.-DesCribe
the situation, and note what had taken
place here. especially IA a city of
David. How Mary and Joseph came
to be there when Jesus was born.
The manger in the inn. The angels
announcing his birth to the shepherds.
Repeat the song of the angels. and
its Interpretation In John 3:l6.
The Coming OF the Wise Men.-We
G them In the far east gazing ut a
new sta I'm the heavens. Perhaps they
will tell us why they followed the star,
at such great cost of time and treas.
ure and comfort, over drcary wastes,
amid hunger. and thirst. and cold.
and toll, lin perils of rivers, pcrils of
wilderness, perils of robbers" like
the queen of Sheba who came from
h uttermost parts of the earth to
hear the wisdom of Solomon: and
behold Il greater than Solomon Is
here like the merchant who sold all
that he had to obtain the pearl of
great price.
What Motives Led Them TO I'm.
dertake the Journey?-We are In.
formed by Tacitus, by Suetonius, and
by ~Josephus, whose works these wise
men doubtless could have read, that
there prevailed throughout the en-
tire east at that time, an intense con.
v%iction. derived from ancient prophe.
cies. that ere long "a powerful mon.
arch would arise in Judea and gain
dominion over the world. Vergil, who
lived a little before this, owns Fourth
Eclogue) that u child from heaven was
looked for, who should restore the
golden age and take away sin.
They could have learned more def.
nitely about this hope from the Jews,
h were scattered everywhere with
their Scriptures and their hopes, since
the Babylonian captivity.
They NEEDED the forgiveness of sins:
and the assurance from God az to the
conditions on which they could be for.
given.
They found the King, not in Her.
DDS palace as they expected, but in
a manger in a common village inn, Of
royal descent from the Father in
heaven and the royal line of David on
earth, and In those circumstances
through which he could best realize
his Kingdom in the hearts of men.
They expressed their allegiance and
worship by gifts. falling down. wor.
Shipping. and Offering. The first, the
worship of the body; the second, Of
the soul; the third. Of their goods.
With these three, u bodies. our
souls, our goods, we are to worship
him.
III. With the Wise Men We Draw
Thirty Years Nearer, and Watch the
King Doing His Kingly Work. DRAW
the facts from the Glass;
Curing sin, disease, sorrow, and
death. tName i%nstances.)
Teaching Gods heavenly truth.
Changing mems lives.
An example of the perfect life.
Giving his life to save men.
Rising from the dead, the proof and
power of immortal life.
Everything King and Redemer:
thus manifested as seeking not his
W honor or wealth, but giving him.
self to serve and bless and help the
people over whom he is king.
III. Let Us Watch the Glorihed
King Organizing and Developing His
Kingdom. CAS- recorded in the Acts.)
The review of last Sunday will fur.
nish material for this picture, from
the day of Pentecost and its gift of
power, nTouBn the cnurcn at Jerusa-
lem, the missions of the apostles and
OF Paul, to the gospel proclaimed and
churches formed throughout the
known world.
w. With Our Wise Men Let Us
Move Swiftly Down the Centuries. and
Glance at What the King Born at Beth.
lehem Has Been Doing to Change the
Kingdoms Of This World Into the
Kingdom Of Heaven. 49, What the
Christ-King did while living on earth,
and after his ascension in founding
and developing the early church amid
great opposition OF Herods who would
destroy both the King and his works,
and in conflicts with the world pow.
ers Of evil under the Roman emperors.
has been continued with increasing
success down through the centuries.
The best Christmas gift Is to en-
ter the service of this King; to strive
with all our souls to bring all men
under his benign sway; to labor and
niue and nrnxy Cos. tho nnnntn. 80 hi.