The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-12-23


classes fresh from our closets. with
the light Of Christ In our faces this
cid. old story will still be the freshest.
sweetest story that has ever been
given to men.
Anout the year Of Rome, 745. Caesar
Augusta issued a decree requiring all
the world to be enrolled. Among the
Jews who sought their ancestral cities
to be registered was Joseph Of Nazar-
9th. who being OF the house OF David.
went to Bethlehem where the family
recc ~ds were kept. attended by his be-
trothed wife. This was, perhaps, In
the preceding year, an aged priest
while ministering In the temple at
Jerusalem had been visited by an an :.
gel with the intelligence that he
should have son who should be-
come the Forerunner of the coming
Messiah. In the following spring
three months before the birth OF
john the same angel had been sent
to maiden OF Nazareth. named Mary.
(who was about to become the wife OF
Joseph. with the announcement
that she had been chosen to be the
mother OF the Messiah himself. While
at Bethlehem this promise was full
filed, Let Like tell the story:
The Lesson Text In Everyday Dress.
On the hillside outside of Bethle-
hem that night there were shepherds
engaged by turns in guarding a flock
OF sheep. Suddenly strange light
flashed from heaven upon them. and
In the light an angel stood before
them. The sight filled them with ter
ror. but the angel hastened to reas-
sure them. and to tell them that he
brought them good news--joyous news
- e. A.
he said---'for yeHr benefit Is born in
the city Of David. yonder. Savior
the Amounted One of the Lord. And
will give you sign by which you
may identity him. You shall find the
babe swaddlsd In bands lying In a
manger." And suddenly there appear
ed In the light about the angel vast
army OF heavily ones pralsinr God
and singing,
Glory to God on high.
And on earth peace among men In
whom he finds pleasure.
With this the angel and the celestial
army disappeared. the light vanished
and the shepherds left their flock and
hurried as fast as they feet could
carry them to the city. where they
| found the babe. even as they had been
told. And when they saw him they
told all that had been said to them
about him. II was a wonderful story
and everybody was astonished and
kept talking about it, but Mary treas
ured II all up In her heart and dwslt
upon ii continually In her thoughts.
/ The Heart OF the Lesson.
This lesson teaches us that Jesus
though divine, was also human. 1t Ii
not story OF God coming down to
dwell awhile In human being called
Jesus. In Jesus. God and man were
and are united. He was M truly hu.
man as he was divine, and he was as
| truly divine as he Was human II Is q
wonderfully human picture. There
are angels. II is true, to show the
divine side. but the rest OF the picture
ia NJ the earth. There are humble
shepherds; there are crowded inns
humble carpenter. a young mother. q
handful of swaddling bands. 1t means
that Christ our Savior Is bone OF oui
/ bone, flesh OF our teah. He had q
human mother--an absolutely human
mother. Mary was not part divine
and part human; she was our sister
and her son. though the Son OF God
was babe OF flesh and blood. subject
to all the ills that flesh is heir to-
subject to all things except sin. The
Savior In whom we trust--here IL the
blessed thoughts not a dread SOW
ereign OF another land. one apart by
himself; but he 10 OF our kindred--one
who was tempted in all points like a.
| we are, yet without sin. one who IL
keenly interested In our struggles IL
the flesh: one who looks upon us with
infinite concern in our daily battles
! with temptation: one who looks upon
liz. not in condescending pity. but with
hrotherly sympathy. Surely this Il
the Savior for whom our hearts have
been looking. Surely this is the Savio,
in whom all our desires may be full
filled.
Other Important Truths.
/. God In Christ becomes a helpless
babe--a helpless babe OF an humble
family---a bale that needs a mother
tenderest care. We may be sure thai
he has not forgotten all this and tina,
he never looks into the face Of a babe
but with q peculiar tenderness NJ
wonder Jesus draws tho hearts OF
mothers to him; no wonder that mer
! who care not for Christ themselve,
care little for the mother who doet
not believe In him.
2. The gospel reaches down to the
humble. Surely the gospel that reaches
down to the humble is great enough
to reach up to the great.
3. The windows OF heaven oper
directly above the path OF duty. Those
shepherds were at their post OF duty
They were not engaged In anything
which the world would regard az i'm.
portant or pious They were simply
doing their duty and therefore the,
were In position to receive a bless
ing. II they had not been at theil
post they would not have been hon.
ored with visit from angels II WI
get few blessings II may be because
We are so often away from our place
OF duty, the place where blessings are
wont to come.
I. The song Of the angels teaches u.
that Gods glory Is the first thing
that In the coming OF Christ God,
name Ia giorified; that Il manifest!
Gods will toward men: that III,
comes to bring peace. for he will make
peace between God and man; AND
when man is at peace with God hi
will be at pease with his own hear
and with all men.
S. What was 1t that led the Son Of
God to- come into the world and to be
come the Son OF man? II is eviden
that he did not come for his own benc
ut. We cannot conceive that he need
ed anything to add to his happtnes,
or glory. Yet he must have come FOL
somebody's benefit. We cannot con
ceive that he should have been moved
TO take upon himself the form or =.
| sapvo mn re fhora uenc uNttf,,,, = - IA