The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-12-23
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson xIII.-Fourth Quarter, For
Dec. rs, 1910.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.

Luke IL, 1f-commsntary Prepared
by Rev. o. M. stearns.
AS the review suggested for today
Is wholly concerning some events In
the last week Of His earthly sojourn.
His death and His resurrection, we
cannot do better than to take the
Christmas lesson suggested, as He
was made Of a woman, made under
the law, to redeem them that were
under the law Gal. iv, 4, 81. This
was all I'm the fuIlness OF time, and
when another fnllness of time shall
have come He will come again to full
ill all that is written of His kingdom
and glory as literally as at His first
coming He fulfilled all that was writ
ten of Ills humiliation. All nations
will be moved as far as need be to
bring about the events connected with
His return, as ut the first Caesar was
moved. he knew not why, 10 decree
that all the world should be enrolled.
A Jewish decree would require only
the men to so Ex. xiii, ~, but 1T is
evident that the Roman decree re-
quired women as well as men. Had
He been put TO death by the Jews it
would have been by stoning, but the
prediction required crucifixion Cps.
xii, 16). and the Romans were in
power at His death as well as at His
birth, that all Scripture might be full
fled, DR.. Pierson says that "au his
tory is bis story" and it must be true
that all events in all nations are work
ing out the eternal purpose which has
been purposed in Christ Jesus.
Doubtless many a Jewish woman
coveted to be the one OF whom lisa.
vii, II, spake, but it was reserved for
this humble maiden OF Nazareth to be
thus hOnored. 1t had to be some one
OF the tribe Of Judah, and the birth
had to be in Bethlehem (Gen. Xix, 10;
Mic. v, p. This had been decreed CEN
turtles before-yea, before the world
was. So they came to Bethlehem, to
the same city to which Ruth came
with Naomi and where David after
ward kept his fathers sheep. But the
guest chamber was not ready: there
was no room for them In the inn.
These words "inn" and guest cham
ber'' Verse and xxi. Id are the
same words and. 1 think, used only fin
these two places. Uook it up. have
no Greek concordance at hand.) Can
you truly say "There is room in my
heart, Lord Jesus, room for Thee?"
Lrppvr Tho uAnysvy ~ ~ Envn 40
all the way to Rev. xii, 10, how fas-
cinating is the record Of heavenly min
istry by those who hearken unto the
voice OF His word and do His pleasure
ops. elf, 20-21). How comforting the
assurance of Heb. /, IA, that they are
still ministering TO us and have con-
slant access to our Father I'm heaven
(Matt. xviii, 1o). In our last lesson.
on his resurrection, noticed Out, I
think, did not write IT, that He did not
show Himself alike to the chief priests
and to PLATE, but only 60 His own fol-
lowers. who, as rule, were the lowly
ones Of earth. So here the angels
come, not to any great ones OF earth.
but to those who as to their occupation
followed in the steps of Abel, Jacob.
Moses, David and others. ] often think
Of Zeph. fiji, II, II viii also leave in the
midst OF thee an afflicted and poor peo-
pie, and they shall trust in the name
of the Lord" and also OF Matt. v, 3.
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for
theirs is the kingdom Of heaven"
How precious are the "fear nots" OF
angels and OF the Lord from Genesis
to RevelationI But they are only
precious as we appropriate them and
in them hear His voice to us individ-
ually. Does the saying good tidings
OF great Joy" still hold good? IL so,
where are the joyful people who re-
Joice with Joy unspeakable and live to
make the tidings known to all people.
Then hear the multitude OF the heav-
emily host as they praise God and say.
''Glory to God I'm the highest, and on
earth peace, good viii toward men,
(verse la. Note that "gIory to God"
must be first always, whether It be
church or missionary work or individ-
ual service. The Lord alone must be
exalted. We must cry, as the SER
aphim and cherubim do, Holy, holy.
holy is the Lord of Hostsg' "HoIy,
holy, holy, Lord God Almighty Qsa
vi, 3; Rev. iv, 81. That will sink our
society, denomination or church COM
pletely out OF sight IL only the earth
may be filed with His glory. All Of
ferings, like those OF the wise men.
win then be unto Him rather than
unto any particular work for the
works sake. All our service and even
our eating and drinking should be to
the end that God may In all things be
glorified through Jesus Christ q Pet
iv, II; / Cor. x, 81. The angels went
away into heaven verse 15l. It
sounds easy, but who can do 1T? Men
are being honored by nations today II
they can stay few hours I'm the air
and move from place to place. The
shepherds unquestioningly believed the
angels message. went and found as
they had said and then made 1t known
abroad, clarifying and praising God
for all the things they had heard and
seen. The people wondered as they
heard. but Mary kept all In her heart
and pondered them. 1t Is only as we
keep In our hearts and ponder the
things Of God that we viii be In any
degree benefited. 1t Ii only as we
muse that the fire will burn. and we
viii speak that we may be refreshed
FPS. xxx, 8; Job xxxii. 2Ol.