T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
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DECEMBER 24, 1922 THE BIRTH OF JESUS Golden Text.—Unto you Is born th is day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. Lu. 2:11. LESSON- TEXT Lu. 2:8-20. (Read Lu. 1, 2; Mat. 1:18-25.)
it' cam e to p ass, a s th e a n g e ls w ere g o n e a w a y fro m th em in to h eav en , th e sh e p h e rd s sa id one, to a n o th e r, L e t u s n ow go ev en u n to B eth leh em , a n d see th is th in g w h ich is com e To p ass, w h ich th e L o rd h a th m ad e k n o w n u n to us. (16) A nd th e y cam e w ith h a s te , a n d fo u n d M ary a n d Jo sep h , a n d th e b ab e lying- in a m a n g er. (17) A nd w h en th e y h a d seen it, th e y m ad e k n o w n a b ro a d th e s a y in g w h ich w a s to ld th em c o n c e rn in g th is child. (18) A nd a ll th ey th a t h e a rd it, w o n d ered a t th o se th in g s w h ich w ere to ld th em b y 1;he sh e p h erd s. (19) B u t M ary k e p t a ll th e se th in g s, a n d p o n d ered th em in her* h e a rt. * (20) A nd th e sh e p h e rd s re tu rn e d , g ^ r i f y i n g a n d p r a is in g God fo r a ll th e th in g s th a t th e y h a d h e a rd a n d seen, a s it w as to ld u n to th em . city of David, because they were of the house and lineage of David. Notice th e historic setting of the scene: The Plain of Bethlehem where R uth gleaned and where Boaz wooed and won h er; w here later, David watch ed his fath e r’s sheep and slew th e lion and the bear; the place of prophecy (Micah 5 :2 ) “B u t th o u . B e th le h e m -E p lira ta h , th o u g h th o u be lit t le am o n g th e th o u s a n d s of J u d a h , y e t o u t o f th e e sh a ll he com e fo rth u n to m e t h a t Ha -iiV - in Is ra e l; w h o se g o in g s f o r th h a v e b een fro m o: old, fro m e v e rla » m ig ." (1) THE SHEPHERDS WATCHING, v. 8 “And th ere were in the same country shepherds? Who were these shepherds? Why were they watching th eir flocks in such close proxim ity to Jerusalem ? Eder- # h eim says the keeping of flocks was forbidden in the land, except in the wilderness, and except those kept for the temple service. Shepherds were barred from being witnesses, and were classed w ith th e heathen. The life of a shepherd was a lowly,
(8) A nd th e re w ere in th e sam e c o u n try sh e p h e rd s a b id in g in th e field, k e e p in g w a tc h o v er th e ir flock b y n ig h t. (9) A nd, lo, th e a n g e l of th e "Lord cam e u p o n th em , a n d th e g lo ry of th e L o r i sh o n e ro u n d a b o u t them ,:, a n d th e y w e re so re ' a fra id . (10) A nd th e a n g e l sa id u n to them ', F e a r n o t: for, behold. I b rin g you g o o d , ti l i n g s of g r e a t Joy, w h ich sn a il be to a ll people. (11) F o r Unto you is b o rn th is d ay in th e c ity of D av id a S av io u r, w h ich is C h rist the. L ord. (12) A nd th is sh a ll be a sig n u n to y o u : Ye sh a ll find th e b ab e' w ra p p e d in sw a d d lin g clo th es, ly in g in a m an g er. (13) A nd su d d e n ly th e re w a s w ith th e . a n g e l a m u lti tu d e of th e h e a v e n ly h o st p ra is in g God, a n d (saying, (14) G lo ry to God in th e h ig h e s t, a n d on e a r th peace, good w ill ’to w a rd m en. (15) And Outline: (D - The Shepherds Watching, v. 8 (2) The Seraphic Vision, vs. 9-11 (3) The Sign Given, v. 12 (4) The Saying of. the Host, vs. 13, 14 (5) The Saviour Found, vs. 15, 16 (6) The Story Published, vs. 17-20 In trodu ction : The old, old story of the b irth of Jesus comes w ith a freshness ever new. “While sin lives unvanquished and death rules the world, ,th e story of Jesus can never grow LESSON old.” EXPOSITION “And it came to pass T. C. H orton in those days,” i. e., th e days of John the Baptist. Days in which prophecy cen tered, the ru lers of earth unconsciously aiding in its fulfillment. Augustus Caesar had ordered a census, and Herod, by his insistence upon Jewish methods for its accomplishment, had compelled Joseph and Mary to tak e th e long jo u r ney, eighty- miles, to Bethlehem, the
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