while they watched their flocks also watched the heavens, and who no doubt believed the promises of God and looked also for the Messiah, Mic. 5:2. They were attending to their daily duties. It is to such as are faithfully doing their work that God is pleased to reveal His purposes. It was to Moses in the wil- derness, Ex. 3:1, 2. Gideon on the threshing floor, Judges 6:11-19; to Elisha at the plow, 1 Kings 19:19, and to James and John mending their nets, Matt. 2:14. (2) Welcome Nevrs, 10-14. Suddenly, without warning, the glory of the Lord shone about them, John 1:14, 2 Cor. 3:18. The message was a personal one. " I bring you good tid- ings." " U n to you is born this d a y ." " T h i s shall be a sign unto y o u ." " Ye shall find the Ba b e . '' What blessed, blessed news for a sin-sick, soriow- stricken, Satan-snared world. The long looked for event had arrived. God's word was fulfilled, His Son had come. He was to be the Saviour of men. He was to be found in the lowliest of places, and was to lift men from the, lowest depths to the highest heaven. (3) The Witnesses to the Truth, 15-20, They found Him. When God speaks it is done, John 20-29. They went be- lieving and were rewarded by seeing, John 11:40, Acts 27:21, Luke 19:32. They went forth with glad hearts to their humble occupation to be faithful witnesses of the glorious news and to be glad messengers of the Gospel. We also may behold Him and become His witness bearers, 1 Jno. 1:1-2. There is no sweeter, holier task committed and entrusted to men than that of bearing testimony to the Christ, 2 Pet. 1:16. LESSON 26, SUNDAY DEO. 25th, 1910. The Second Advent. 1 Thess. 4:13-18. This is a very appropriate theme for Christmas day. The Bible is the Jesus book. From .January to Malachi it is about the coming. Matthew tells us He has come. The Book of Acts tells us He is coming, and Revelation closes with the promise of His speedy coming. , (1) The Promise of His Coming. When the Lord was saying good-bye to His disciples, He said to them, " I f I go I will come again, Jno. 14:2-3. n Acts 1:11, the two angels in white prom- ised, " T h is same Jesus which is taken
graphic; the story is full of p a r a d o x e s- look them up. All of the predictions meet in the matchless portraiture of the sinless Son of God. (1) The Suffering Saviour, 1-6. This passage is the great stumbling block of the Jews. They looked for a Messiah who should reign gloriously. Isa. 9:6, but they could not believe that He was to be (a) A spectacle among men. Look carefully at the terms used to describe His suffering— despised, for- saken, pierced, crushed, striped, op- pressed, cut-off, stricken, condemned, slaughtered. (b) A substitute for man. He bore our grief; carried our sorrows; was wounded, bruised, chastised. The Lord laid on Him the iniquity of us all. How can any man, anywhere, fail to bow with broken heart in the presence of the suffering Saviour and claim Him as His own? If this picture of vicarious sacrifice does not move the stubborn heart, God Himself is helpless to help men. (2) The Submissive Saviour, 7-9. Here we have the true picture of the meek and lowly Lamb of God, John 1:29, Psa. 38:9; 39:9. Before the San- hedrim, Annas, Pilate and Herod He bows His head in silence. The Maker of heaven and earth "reviled not a g a i n ." 1 Pet. 2:23. He humbled Him- self and became obedient, Phil. 2:8. For the joy that was set before Him, (3) The Satisfied Saviour, 10-12. He endured the Cross, Heb. 12:2. The cross precedes the crowd—the suffering the reigning, Rev. 5:9-10. The price He paid was a great one; but as He looks upon His blood-bought people, He shall see what the travail of His soul hath purchased and shall be satisfied. LESSON XXV. SUNDAY, DEC. 18. The First Advent. Luke 2:8-20. This is the Christmas story—the strange, sweet story that never grows old The open heavens, the angel of the Lord, the heavenly host and the wonder- ful proclamation. When we hear it or read it the joy bells commence to ring in our souls and we want to sing and shout with gladness of heart. (1) Watching the Flock, 8-9. Poor, humble, despised shepherds, who
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