terested spectators. There are not many kings and queens left in the world, but whenever one does pay a visit, great public interest is aroused. Let us then consider the real King, the Lord Jesus Christ. He was hid den in human form, but this makes Him all the more fascinating and wonderful to behold.” Christ was recognized by the magi but feared and hated by Herod. He was heralded by John the Baptist but driven of satan into the desert. He TODAY'S WISE MEN Who were the wise men long ago? No* Herod, tearful lest he lose his throne, Not the Pharisees, too proud to claim their own, Not those whose province it was to know, Not money changers, running to and fro, But those who traveled weary and alone, W ith doubtless faith because before them shone, The star that led them to the manger low. Who are the wise men now when all is told? Not men of science, not the great and strong, Not those who wear a kingly diadem Not those whose eager hands pile high the gold, But those amid the tumult and the throng, Who follow still the Christ of Bethle hem. taught with divine authority. Some believed in Him while others turned away, and would have nothing to do with Him. He was always regal in His authority for His kingdom was not of this world. It was the kingdom of heaven come down to earth. We need to see at this Christmas hour how wonderful it is to behold Jesus Christ, not only as the Babe born in Bethlehem, but as our Saviour who indwells the hearts of everyone who believes and trusts in Him.
them for their sins. It does tell, how ever, the love of God to us who have wandered far from Him. It is impossible to separate Easter from Christmas, for He who was born in a stable was despised and rejected by those whom He came to save. His crucifixion not only expressed the full ness of divine love, but also revealed the hatred of man’s heart, energized by the devil himself. We cannot overlook the fact that millions who forget God throughout the year are literally forced to remem ber that “God so loved the world” at this season. Christmas carols sound forth from many areas. They tell out the glad story that Jesus came to save. Men may ignore their message, may even try to forget and yet the word continues to ring out. We grieve at the way Christmas has become com mercialized, nevertheless, we see the message go out into all the world. In examining the m ean ing of Christmas, we find it is a time of fellowship for our families. The prac tice of exchanging gifts has been greatly abused and yet there is some thing sweet and precious in remem bering loved ones in this manner. For children it is an important time. Many, who in later years have wan dered far from the Lord, can look back with tender feelings upon truly Christian Christmas observances in childhood days. These influences can be used by God to draw them back from the paths of folly. The world would lose a great deal of its warmth and the joy should Christmas ever be forgotten. There are many, however, who keep Christmas and yet r e j e c t Jesus Christ as Saviour. To reject Him is to incur endless judgment. You may be the only real Christian somebody knows. How you observe the day will make an indelible impression on oth ers. We need to be very humble as we consider this great responsibility. Dr. V. Raymond Edman declared, “Every body wants to see a king. When roy alty makes a visit to any city and com munity, there is always a crowd of in
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