The Twin City star. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1910-19??, 1912-01-20
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson IiI.-First Quarter, For
Jan. 21, 1912.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.

Memory Verses. 10. 11-GoIden Text.
Luke IL, 11-commentary Prepared
BY Rev. D. M. Stearns.
Those days Of verse I are spoken of
In Gal. iv. 4. as "the fullness of
tfme." the time appointed before the
world was, for the great deliverer TO
come. for known unto God are all His
works from the beginning Of the
world" (Acts Nv. 49,. He declareth
the end from the beginning and doeth
according to His will both in heaven
and on earth. turning the kings heart
whithersOever He will lisa. XVI, 10:
Dan. Nv. 35; Ps. cxxxv, 6; Prov.
xxi. u. So 1t came to pass that the
world rulers decree was used by the
Lord Of all the earth to fulfill His pur.
pose and to cause the Prince of the
kings Of the earth. the King of kings
and the Lord of lords to be born at the
long before appointed time and place.
But SO out Of harmony with God ia
this world which He made and the
people who inhabit 1t that there was
no room for the Creator in the world
which He had made and no welcome
for Him. There was no room for
them In the inn" (verse o. Does the
thought Of 1t lead you to say. "Oh.
come to my heart, Lord Jesus-there
is room in my heart for Thee?" If so
then you may rejoice In the comfort
OF John 1. II; Rev. iii. 20.
The story Of the shepherds takes us
back to Abel and to Moses and David
and Amos, and the darkness makes us
think Of the darkness that now is and
will be till He shall come again in His
glory Qsa. TX, 49,. The night is far
spent. the day is at hand, and the time
for our new bodies and the redemp-
ton Of Israel is ever drawing nearer
Rom. Kill. II, II; Luke xxi. 2S). The
shepherds were doing just as they had
always done, watching over their
focks. when the angel Of the Lord
came suddenly upon them. and the
glory of the Lord shone round about
them (verse 81. Moses and David and
Amos were keeping their focks. Elisha
was blowing, Peter and John and 9th
ers at their nets, Matthew at the re-
ceipt of custom. when the special call
came to them. 1t is required Of some
that they leave their former calling
and Of others that they continue where
they were and therein abide with
God Il Cor. vii, %. 24). Note the
visits Of the Lord to such lowly peo-
pie as Hagar, Manoah and his wife.
Gideon and others and in lisa. lvii.
10. His two dwelling places. To Zach
arias and Mary and the shepherds
there was given the heavenly Fear
not" (verse 10; 1, IS, 3O). 1t was also
the angels message on the resurrec-
ton morning Matt. xviii. 81. How
can we explain our slowness to tell to
all people the good tidings Of great
Joy? Is it because the tidings have
never brought us the Joy unspeakable
Of Pet. 1, 8? The lepers of ii Kings
vii, 8, 8. put US to shame. What can
We say to Christ? Suddenly a multi,
tude of the heavenly host Is heard by
the shepherds saying. "Glory to. God
in the highest and on earth peace
good will toward men" (verse AZ
Listen to the testimony of more than
a hundred millions of angels in Rev
v, II, II, and then If you know that
you are redeemed join more heartily
in the song Of Rev. v, 8. 10.
The Lord Jesus in all His life on
earth never sought His own glory nor
His own will. and it must have been
with Joy that He said to His Father in
His great prayer, II have glorifed
Thee on the earth" John vi, 3S; viii.
80; xvii, A.. Our motto. should be
that God in all things may be
glorified" Il Pet. iv, IL; Cor. x.
81. When the Lord Jesus shall have
become the peace Of Israel and shall
have. spoken peace to the nations
through Israel then quickly shall the
whole earth be filed with the glo
ry Of the Lord (Mic. v, 8: Zech. TX.
10; Mum. xiv. 2D. His people shall
be willing in the day Of His power
ops. cx. 81. The angels. having ex-
ecuted their commission. went away
into heaven: simply went home. How
easy 1t sounds. how wonderful and
glorious 1t is, that we have ever with
US these minlstering ones who behold
the face of our Father In heaven
(Heb. 1. IA: Matt xviii. lO The
shepherds did not seem to question
for one moment the good news they
had heard. and they considered the an
gels as the Lords messengers. for
they said. Let US now go even unto
and see this thing which is
come to pass. which the Lord hath
made known unto US" (verse l5, They
did not delay. but made haste. and
found Mary and Joseph. and the babe
lying In a Manager. as they had been
told oversees IL. 16). 1t was not any
kind Of fgurative manger. but liter
ally place from which cattle ate
their food. As a rule, the statements
Of Scripture are plain literal state
ments. and unless the language Is
plainly fgurative. as when our Lord
said. 81 am the vine" ~ am the door,"
"The trees Of the field shall clap their
we must take It to mean just
what 1t says Accepting this babe az :
the Saviour. Christ the Lord. they !
made known what was told them con |