INTERNATIONAL SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSONS
“If any man will do His will he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God.”—John 7:17. LESSON XII.—SUNDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1895. 8. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them; and they were sore afraid. 10. And the angel said unto them, Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12. And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14. Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. 15. And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. 16. And they came with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. 17. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. 18. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. 20. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them. Golden Text: “Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy.” Verse 10. NOTE.—One thousand years after the time of David, Christ the Saviour, of David’s line, was born into the world. His coming had been promised in the Garden of Eden, after the fall, and foretold by prophets all through the centuries, and at the time appointed he appeared to do his work. Even the place of his birth was known. “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall He come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel.” Micah 5: 2. This place is the scene of the present lesson, and it is a noteworthy fact, as showing the positiveness of the words of God, that to this place at just this time came Joseph and Mary, from their home at Nazareth. The occasion was the payment of taxes, as ordered by Cæsar Augustus, the reigning emperor. (1) To whom was the announcement of Christ’s birth first made? Verse 8. (2) Who appeared to the shepherds? Verse 9. Note 1. (3) How were they affected? Verse 9. Note 1. (4) How were their fears allayed? Verse 10. Note 2. (5) Who did the angel say was born? Verse 11. Note 3. (6) How were they to know the babe? Verse 12. Note 3. (7) Who appeared with the angel? Verse 13. (8) What was their song? Verse 14. Note 4. (9) After the departure of the angels, what did the shepherds propose to do? Verse 15. (10) What did they find? Verse 16. (11) Did they keep the news to themselves? Verse 17. Note 5. (12) What effect was produced? Verse 18. (13) How did Mary regard these things? Verse 19. (14) What did the shepherds then do? Verse 20. 1. The Angel of the Lord came upon them.—The idea is that the angel appeared to them suddenly, unexpectedly. As a consequence of this heavenly apparition “they were sore afraid.” 2. Fear not, . . . I bring . . . great joy.—This was the announcement for which the world had waited so long. It was the message that should have been given by the chief ones among the chosen people of God, the Jews. It was their privilege to be the repositories of the prophecies, and they should have been looking for the Messiah, with words of great joy for all people at his appearing. They were looking for him in an indifferent manner, but not to proclaim him a world’s Redeemer and Saviour from sin. They were looking for him to destroy their enemies and to raise up the Jewish nation to a proud estate. They were selfish and worldly, and hence unfit to announce the Author of peace. For this reason, simple-minded, humble shepherds were used, for such would not be above announcing the humble entry of the Prince of Life into the world. 3. In a manger.—It appears that Joseph and Mary found the usual inn, or khan, already full upon their arrival. Doubtless the dwellers of the town had taxed their hospitalities also at this time, when multitudes came to answer to their names on the tax roll. The only place found, therefore, for the accommodation of the wayfarers was a manger in a stall. In such humble quarters, surrounded by dumb brutes, was the Saviour of the world born. 4. Glory to God in the highest.—The announcement had been made, and in anticipation of the glorious work to be accomplished for a lost world, “the multitude of the heavenly host” praised God, giving him the glory, and proclaiming peace on earth and good will toward men. That we do not now see peace among nations, but instead war and its preparations, does not signify that the mission of Christ has been a failure. His special mission was to redeem men from their sins. In sin is unrest, strife of the soul, and earthly lusts; in him is peace, freedom from sin. In his own time, which is not far distant, he will come again with power and an infinitely greater personal glory than the Jews fondly looked for at his first coming. He will then abolish sin and establish universal peace, with a righteous nation. 5. Made known abroad the saying.—Evil men, instigated by Satan, did all in their power to destroy the infant Saviour, and it would have been a point gained by the enemy could the fact of his advent have been unheralded. But this was not to be. When the shepherds had heard and seen, they immediately spread abroad to the multitudes assembled in the city the joyful news, and related all that had happened. The news would thus be carried to various parts of the land. Even before this, the word was spreading concerning his coming, for there had appeared in the land and at Jerusalem the three wise men of the east, led by his star. Their question and the object of their visit (Matt. 2: 2) agitated the whole land. And so by angels and by men the fact and time of his advent were established, according to the prophecy.