Evening star., 1926-12-18
Sunday School Lesson

made to disarm war with the weapons
OF good will?"
The ideal social, national and In
ternational relations are possible, be
cause there was born that day for all
the people throughout all the cen
turtles, 'in the city Of David, Savior.
who is Christ the Lord" The mes
sage Of good tidings thrilled the shep-
herds. They could not understand it.
Their fear departed when they
thought Of the Savior. as a babe,
wrapped in swaddling clothes. lying
in a manger. They understood when
the messenger Of God told them that
they would find the Messiah in
manger. The mystery Of the incar-
nation may have been beyond their
power to explain. They perhaps did
not see what a distinguished ex-
positor Of this chapter saw in the
three names of Jesus-"Savior. in
dicating His saving work; Christ, re-
ferring to His divine appointment
and amounting; Lord, pointing to His
supreme dignity as Sovereign Of the
universe, the Jehovah Of the Old Tes-
tament"-but they knew that they
had received a personal message that
called for them to make a personal
investigation for themselves. This is
what God desires every man should
do concerning his doubts. Follow
the divinely given instructions and
you, like the shepherds, will find the
Savior.
Finding the Savior.
They hasten 20 Bethlehem. Their
first stop would probably be at the
inn, which was located just outside
Of the gate Of Bethlehem and on the
north side. 1t was the former home
Of Boaz and Ruth and the one that
David had given to Barzillai, the
Gileadite friend. who had come back
with David after he had been made
king. This had been transferred to
his son, Chimham. who probably do
mated It to Bethlehem for use as an
| inn for the accommodation Of trav.
elers. There in David's former home
| they learned Of the birth of Jesus.
| whom they found wrapped in the
swaddling clothes. They probably
| showed that he was of the royal fam
| lily of David. There is no reason to
doubt that the Church of the Nativity
stands upon the site where Christ
was born. There the shepherds dis
covered the Babe after searching fot
Him, as the angels had assured them
They were not satisfied with find
ing the Christ Child. for they told
everybody about the visit and vision
of the angels and the heavenly an
nouncement. They We're amazed at
the discovery of the Messiah in the
| form of a babe, and they could not
explain it. but they accepted the
facts. They returned to their flock.
giving God honor and singing His
praises They disappear from the
| Gospel picture, but the record of their
discovery and experience has served
| to aid many to seek and find the
Lord In humble faith. and they have
| had a personal experience that filled
them with great joy. just like the
| shepherds experienced on the first
Christmas morning.
Mary, the blessed mother Of our
| lord, treasured up in her heart the
story told her by the shepherds. 1t
confirmed her owr experience. 1t in
spired her in many trying hours TO
recall the call Of the shepherds and
the visit Of the wise men. She kept
their sayings in her heart and prayed
for the priceless Child intrusted to
her care and training. She knew Him
| to be the "only begotten Son of God.
When the whole world shall come
to know how that the glad tidings
declared the first Christmas morning
| to the shepherds. was a message for
all the people and they accept Him
as their Savior. Messiah and Lord
then an era Of good will and peace
will exist among all men and nations.
The Christmas lesson will be a last
ing one when the spirit Of Christmas
reveals itself in our daily life, love
and labor. Let US follow the shep
herds in our desire to find the Savior
and proclaim His glory to all men
by yielding ourselves to Him for
service.