November, 1942
THE KING’S • BUS INESS
419
DECEMBER 20, 1942 THE BIRTH OF JESUS L uke 2:1-20 -
it was an unlikely story which the shepherds had to tell, but they per sisted in making it “known abroad.” Their witness'Was “concerning this child,” the One who was born in the manger. They told freely what had been revealed to' them, that “this child” was the “Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” This kind of witness is urged upon every believer today. Fourth, faith glorifies Christ (vs: 18-20), The shepherds’ witness was, met with wonderment and a lack of understanding on the part of those who heard the message, b u t they themselves “returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen.” The shep herds believed, and therefore received knowledge; they knew, and therefore were caused to rdjoice; th,ey rejoiced; and therefore .glorified God. This pro gram is to be followed also by.; every child of God today. Points apd Problems 1. "There were . . . shepherds abid ing in the field" (Lk. 2:8). God sends the glorious announcement- of the coming of the Only-Begotten Son, not to the nation’s prominent leaders, but to a group of humble shepherds out in the hills keeping, lonely watch over their sheep. The mother of our Lord was given a clear insight into the ways of a sovereign God when she sang in her great Magnificat: “He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of Tow de gree” (Lk. 1:52). 2. "And, lo, the angel of the Lord" (2:9). It cannot be said too often that this is not "the angel of the Lord.” There is no definite article in the Greek. It should be "an angel of the Lord.” The Angel of the Lord, so familiar to readers of the Old Testa ment, was Our Lord Himself in His pre-incarnate ministry; and when the angel referred to by Luke came to the shepherds, our Lord was a Babe lying in the manger. 3. "Good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people" (v. 10). Here, unfortunately , .% h e translators have again tampered with the. definite ar- ' tide. In verse 9 they put it in where it does not appear in the Greek. In this verse they leave it out where the Greek puts -it in. What difference does it make? Well, a great deal. The expression “to all people” refers to everybody in the world; and of course : this was good *hews for the whole World. But this particular announce-.' ment was intended for a particular people, and therefore the angel said it was “to all thé people.” The Mes siah was promised firs): of all to Is rael, and hence the good news comes first to them. Later it will be extended to all nations. 4. "A Saviour, which is Christ the Lord" Tv. 11). The world had seen, up
The ’“tidings” were good because they told who had been born: “a Saviour, which is Christ t h e Lord" (v. 11). As Saviour, He would relieve man’s fear and provide for man’s sal vation; as Christ, He would fill the office of the promised Messiah; as Lord, He would exercise all authority. For the shepherds, assurance would follow obedience; “ye Shall find” (v. 12). They were told to go to Bethle hem and there they1 would find a "babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger/’ and this Child would be the Saviour, C h r i s t and Lord. As soon as the angel finished the message, the angelic host, as though they could no -longer remain silent, burst forth in their exaltation of God and their interest in- mankind (vs. 13, 14). God’s glory and man’s good are brought together and' united in the Person of the Saviour. h i . M an ’ s F aith C hallenged fl5-20) In the, response of the shepherds, there is an illustration -of how faith must operate. First, faith comes to a decision (v. 15). It is voluntary, “let us”; prompt, “now: go”; free f r om doubt, “this thing which is come to pass”; and assured, “which the Lord hath made known.” The shepherds woujd not go to see whether the word was true; they already believed it to be true. Nor would they go to see what the angel made known, but what the Lord through the angel had told. Believers are challenged to ac cept the Word of God just as it stands. Faith that waits for proof is not faith at all. Second, faith acts on its decision (v. 16). Any decision is useless until j i s followed by action. The difficulty with many is that they are forever “going to do” something about what they say they believe, but they never come to the actual doing. Believers are challenged to act upon what they believe. ■ Third, faith bears witness to Christ (v. 17). From a human standpoint,
L uke 2:8 A n d th ere w e re in th e sam e co u n try sheph erd s a b id in g in th e fie ld , k e e p in g w a tc h over th eir flo c k by night» » A nd, lo, th e a n ge] o f th e Iior(l cam e upon th em , and th e g lo r y o f th e L ord sh on e r o u n d -a b o u t th em ; a n d ^ th ey w ere sore afraid . 10 And th e a n g e l sa id u n to th em , F ea r n o t; fo r, b ehold , I b rin g y o u g o o d tid in g s o f g r ea t jo y , w h ich sh a ll be to a ll people. 11 F o i u n to y o u is born th is d a y in th e c ity .of D avid a Saviou r, w h ich is C hrist the. Lord. 12 A nd th is sh a ll be a -s ig n u n to y o u ; Ye sh a ll fin d th e babe w rapped in sw a d d lin g c lo th e s, ly in g in a m a n g er. 13 A nd su d d en ly th ere w a s w ith j th e a n g e] a m u ltitu d e o f th e h ea v en ly h o st p ra isin g God, and sa y in g , 14 G lory to God in th e h ig h est, and on earth p ea ce, g ood w ill to w a r d m en. 15 And it cam e to p a ss, a s th e a n g e ls w ere g o n e a w a y from th em in to h eaven , th e sh ep h erd s sa id one to a n oth er, L et us n o w g o even u n to B eth leh em , and see th is th in g w h ich is com e to p a ss, w h ich th e L ord h a th m ade k n o w n u n to us. 16 A nd th e y cam e w ith h a ste , and fou n d M ary and Josep h , and th e bab e ly in g in a m an ger. i t And w h e n th e y had seen it, th e y m ade k n o w n , abroad th e sa y in g w h ich w a s to ld th em co n cern in g th is child. 18 A nd a ll th e y th a t heard it w o n dered a t th o se th in g s w h ich w e re told them b y th e shepherds. 19 B u t M ary k e p t a ll th e se th in g s, and pondered th em in her h eart. 20 A nd th e sh ep h erd s retu rn ed , g lo r i fy in g and p r a isin g God fo r a ll th e th in g s th a t th e y had heard and seen , a s it 'Was to ld u n to them . LESSON T EX T : L k. 2:8-20. GOLDEN T EX T : «T hou sh a ll ca ll h is nam e JE SU S: fo r h e sh a ll sa v e h is people from th eir sin s” (M att. 1:21).- DEV0TI03VAL READING? Isa. 11:1-9. Outline and Exposition I. M an ’ s G loom D ispelled (8, 9) I N THIS familiar passage, the shep herds present a picture of man kind at the- time that the Lord Jesus came to earth. Men as a whole were in darkness, doing their work and living, as it were, “by night.” While men were in this condition, “the glory of the Lord shone round about them,” because Jesus the Sav iour was born. He came bringing, in » His own. Person, the way out of con- fusion, dispelling mental darkness, and banishing the spiritual gloom, because He was, and is, the Way, the Truth, and the Life (cf. John 14:61. The birth of Jesus is God’s answer to man’s needs in every age and every condition. II. M an ’ s ,F ear R elieved (10-14) The shepherds “were sore afraid.” Theirs was the fear created by sin fulness in the. presence of holiness. But this fear was immediately ban ished by '.the angel’s “fear not.” The ► message was not one of judgment,, but of great joy, telling of the De liverer who had come. Against the t background of all the people’s sinful ness came the message! “I bring you good tidings” (v. 10).
B LACK BO ARD DRAW Ï2ÇG
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