The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1938-12-23
THE NEWS CHRISTMAS
SERVICE is PRESENTED

SONGS and leave mankind to the
grim music of its sobs and moanS
and curses and hlasphemies. Star
of bethlehem, tender day sDling
from on high, go out and leave
this world in darkness"
But-thank GOd--He was born
of the virgin Mary.
The announcement Of His birth
was accompanied by the miracul-
Gus. The shepherds Of the hill saw
the angel and heard the angelic
chorus. The Wise men of the East
saw a mysterious star. and came
seeking the king of the Jews who
was born.
In this approach there is not
only the miraculous but there Is
also the glory Of the common
place. ..
His lineage and background
were common place, ordinary. He
lived in Nazareth and worked in
His fathers carpenter shop.
His actual birth was in the
realm of the common place, "born
7 on earth in a common way" He
was born in a manger in the
"stable of lowing kline" He was
not born in the palaces Of royalty,
nor in the mansions of the rich.
The hay was his bed mating, the
dust-worn coat His pillow, the
cattle His companion in sleep. Let
not the glory Of the miraculous
oDvershadow the glory of the con-
monplace, let not the angelic
chorus drown the mooings Of the
cattle, let not the glory of the
guiding star blind the eye to the
unsightly stable. While it was in
the realm of the miraculous which
made known His Birth, it was in
the realm of the commonplace
that surrounded His actual birth.
The announcement OF the Sa-
viour's birth was. made to, men
engaged in the common task Of
life. To the humble shepherds,
rather than to the leaders Of tenn
pie worship; to the astronomers,
rather than to royalty in the pal
ace. -
Why Gods approach in this
manner? Let His Son give the an
swer: 81 am come that they might
have life and that they might
have it more 'abundantly." That
sentence from the Lord of life ex-
plains Gods approach to man
Through the birth, life, death, res
urrectiof, and ascension iof Jesus.
|; Every thought of the Master,
every activity of His great life
can be rightly interpreted as
Gods approach to man and TO the
fact that He gives life abundant.
.ly to those. who seek, Him. Follow
the Master in His earthly minis
try and note that the acts of His
life. were to give life to others.
He climbs the Judean hills sails
the troubled waters; of the, sea,
His feet touch the burning sands
Of the desert, with a burning zeal
to bring life to life1ess world:
He moves along the highway OF
life, alternating suffering, restor-
ing responsibility, freeing men
from the servitude Of sin, inten-
Styling love, stimulating faith,
bridging the gap between man
and God, dying a shameful death
on the cross, raised from the dead
and ascends to God to be our me-
diation. If we have that abund-
ant life Gods approach to us IS
successful, but if not we have
failed to do our part.
, While we glory in His birth we
celebrate, let us not fail to glor1-
fy Him in our living. This is vast
~ more important.
otis not enough that Christ was
born ......
Beneath the star that shown,
And earth was set that blessed
morn
Within a golden zone.
He must be born within the heart
Before He finds His throne,
And brings the day of love and
~ good
The reign of Christlike brother
hood" -.