_A decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed There is no grand reason, you see, given why Mary and Joseph should go to Judaea._ The angel who is said to have announced the coming birth does not appear again to tell them that they must travel, since otherwise the Son of David wi... [ Continue Reading ]
_Which is called Bethlehem_ DESCRIPTION OF BETHLEHEM The town is picturesque in the highest degree. Its fortified walls have long vanished, but its position on a long, narrow ridge, has confined it to the limits of three thousand years ago, and its houses, very probably, are just the same in appea... [ Continue Reading ]
_The days were accomplished_ THE BIRTH OF CHRIST The whole of the world’s history led up to this night. It is the hinge on which the history of man turns. The whole of mankind from Adam waited for this night. All the prophets, from righteous Enoch to John the preacher of repentance, laboured to pr... [ Continue Reading ]
_Her first-born Son_ BIRTH OF CHRIST THE LORD I. CHRIST’S RELATION TO THE POOR. 1. When He came in so lowly circumstances, consenting to lay His head in a manger, none of the pomps of royalty about Him, how touchingly and tenderly He spoke to the vast majority of the world. There is a bond of sym... [ Continue Reading ]
_In the same country shepherds_ THE SHEPHERDS AND THE MAGI AT THE CRADLE OF CHRIST (with Matthew 2:1). I. THE SHEPHERD COMES FIRST TO THE CRADLE OF CHRIST, BUT THE SAGE COMES TOO; THE JEW FIRST, BUT ALSO THE GENTILE. Here we have-- 1. A prophecy that, as in His cradle the Lord Jesus received “in... [ Continue Reading ]
_I bring you good tidings of great Joy._ CHRISTMAS-DAY LESSONS 1. The whole thought and idea of all that is told us about Christmas Day suggests the consoling, the cheering thought, that however gloomy our lot, however distressed our portion, God, the Almighty God, has not forsaken us. 2. There i... [ Continue Reading ]
_For unto you is born this day_ LESSONS FROM THE BIRTHDAY OF CHRIST The birthday of Christ!--a name which connects with the familiar associations of home-life the opening of the heavens to human hope, the inconceivable grace and condescension of Almighty God, the beginning of a state of things on... [ Continue Reading ]
_And this shall be a sign unto you._ --What the angels said to the shepherds was, “This shall be the sign unto you; ye shall find a babe,” a babe like any other, “wrapped in swaddling clothes,” differing from other babes only in the lowliness of His birth, “lying in a manger.” The absence of any adv... [ Continue Reading ]
_With the angel a multitude of the heavenly host_ THE ANGEL’S SONG I. CONSIDER THE PASSAGE AS IT LIES BEFORE US IN THE HISTORY. II. MAKE SOME PRACTICAL REMARKS UPON THE SUBJECT. 1. If this be the song and taste and sentiment of heaven, what is the taste and sentiment of the men of the earth who... [ Continue Reading ]
_Glory to God in the highest_ THE ANGELS’ SONG (A CHRISTMAS SERMON) First heard above the plains of Bethlehem it is one day to be heard over all the world. Its sweet melody is to be woven into every language which men have learnt to speak. The angels are to hear it in all dialects and tongues. It... [ Continue Reading ]
_Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see_ BETHLEHEM’S WONDER Every year the Christian heart takes, in thought, the shepherd’s pilgrimage to Bethlehem. In this district lay the fields of Boaz in which Ruth gleaned. Here the son of Obed was born. David was anointed in Bethlehem. Best of all, in... [ Continue Reading ]
_And they came with haste._ The course pursued by the shepherds is vividly typical of that which should be pursued by all Christian inquirers. 1. A process of inquiry. 2. The joy of distinct confirmation. 3. A bold proclamation of the truth which has been realized. The gospel is self-propagatin... [ Continue Reading ]
_And pondered them in her heart_ MARY’S MUSINGS Great things were these which she kept, and most fit for earnest pondering. Great were they to all, greatest to her, the “highly favoured” amongst women. Life was opening strangely upon her; and the last few months had crowded into their narrow compa... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the shepherds returned_ DIGNIFYING COMMON LIFE And then they returned to their fields, to their flocks, to their ordinary life; giving thus a beautiful example of pious diligence and fidelity in their vocation. An extraordinary privilege has been granted to them. They are not lifted up by it... [ Continue Reading ]
_For the circumcising of the Child_ CIRCUMCISION AND BAPTISM The teaching of Jewish circumcision resembles the teaching of Christian baptism. Both exhibit the putting away of the filth of the flesh; the first by a wounding of the body (which aptly recalls the severity of the elder dispensation); t... [ Continue Reading ]
_The days of her purification_ THE PRESENTATION IN THE TEMPLE I. 1. Consider the inner meaning of the law which was here fulfilled by the Infant Jesus. Ever since the day that Israel had been delivered from bondage by the death of the first-born of the Egyptians, the first-born had been considered... [ Continue Reading ]
_The days of her purification_ THE PRESENTATION IN THE TEMPLE I. 1. Consider the inner meaning of the law which was here fulfilled by the Infant Jesus. Ever since the day that Israel had been delivered from bondage by the death of the first-born of the Egyptians, the first-born had been considered... [ Continue Reading ]
_Whose name was Simeon_ READINESS FOR GOD’S WILL “Some years ago,” says a lady, “I made the acquaintance of an old peasant in a little German village, where I for some time resided. He was called Gottlieb, a name which has the very beautiful signification, ‘The love of God.’ The old man was well w... [ Continue Reading ]
_And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost_ THE LEADING OF THE SPIRIT Observe that Simeon found Christ in the temple, being conducted thither by the Holy Ghost. There was an ancient promise, “The Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to His Temple,” and this probably drew the holy man to the... [ Continue Reading ]
_Brought in the Child Jesus_ DEDICATING CHILDREN TO THE LORD When the Duke of Kent was dying, he desired that the little princess Victoria should be placed beside him, and then he offered a very affecting prayer that “if ever she became the Queen of England, she might rule in the fear of God. ” H... [ Continue Reading ]
_Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace_ NUNC DIMITTIS I. Let us start with this great general principle which is full of comfort that EVERY BELIEVER MAY BE ASSURED OF ULTIMATELY DEPARTING IN PEACE. This is no privilege peculiar to Simeon, it is common to all the saints, since the grou... [ Continue Reading ]
_Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace_ NUNC DIMITTIS I. Let us start with this great general principle which is full of comfort that EVERY BELIEVER MAY BE ASSURED OF ULTIMATELY DEPARTING IN PEACE. This is no privilege peculiar to Simeon, it is common to all the saints, since the grou... [ Continue Reading ]
_A light to lighten the Gentiles_ THE LIGHT OF THE GENTILES I. EXPLAIN THE IMPORT OF THE TEXT. 1. The character of Jesus is exhibited under the image of light--the most glorious of all the creatures of God. (1) Among the properties of light are penetration and universality. Light would have been... [ Continue Reading ]
_Behold, this Child is set for the fall and rising again of many_ SIMEON’S PREDICTION This prediction has a very gloomy aspect, and speaks with a tone of sad foreboding in strange contrast to the riant tone of the song of thanksgiving which immediately precedes it. But was it too gloomy for the f... [ Continue Reading ]
_And there was one Anna, a prophetess_ FIRST FEMALE TESTIMONY TO CHRIST 1. Excited by long expectations. 2. Based on personal sight. 3. Given with full candour. 4. Sealed by holy walk. 5. Crowned by a happy old age. (_Van Doren._) ANNA AN EXAMPLE TO THE AGED Let me recommend to all persons a... [ Continue Reading ]
_Which departed not from the Temple_ NEGLECTORS OF PUBLIC WORSHIP I know that there are not a few who say that they can edify as well or better at home. Hence these eat their morsel alone. But, so far as I have ever known them, they are neither to be envied nor imitated. They have always been fee... [ Continue Reading ]
_Now His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the Passover_ THE LIFE OF JESUS I. JESUS CHRIST IN HOME LIFE. “And He went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them.” 1. We see Him settling down to the relationships of home. But Jesus Christ was perfectly conten... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the Child grew, and waxed strong in spirit._ OUR LORD’S EARLY YEARS UPON EARTH Notice a few things which are remarkable in our Lord’s Childhood, and which are too often wanting in that of others. 1. His obedience to His earthly parents. 2. A childhood of privacy and seclusion. He was kept i... [ Continue Reading ]
_And when He was twelve years old._ MAKING A JEWISH BOY A SON OF THE LAW The following description refers to ceremonies now practised:--“A few days ago I attended a very interesting service in a Jewish synagogue. A boy just twelve years old was brought by his father to be admitted as a member of th... [ Continue Reading ]
_When they had fulfilled the days_ THE GOSPEL OF THE CHILDHOOD We notice in the Child Jesus-- 1. A holy disposition. It was this which led His mother to bring Him with her to the Temple, and which led Him to tarry there after His mother had gone away. A holy disposition is the source and fountai... [ Continue Reading ]
_And they sought Him among their kinsfolk_ OUT OF COMPANY WITH JESUS It seems scarcely credible that that fond mother--that model of what a mother ought to be--could have gone a whole day’s journey without Jesus; but she did. And one can understand too how she fell into this error. She had a great... [ Continue Reading ]
_After three days they found Him in the Temple_ THE FINDING OF JESUS IN THE TEMPLE I. A lesson to boys and young men--THE MANLINESS OF OBEDIENCE AND SUBJECTION TO A MOTHER. II. Teachers may learn THE BEST METHOD OF ACQUIRING KNOWLEDGE, by asking and answering questions. III. Mothers are by this... [ Continue Reading ]
_Son, why hast Thou thus dealt with us?_ PERPLEXITY IN PRESENCE OF MYSTERY This question of the mother of Jesus reveals an experience of the human heart which is very common, which is most common in the best hearts and those who feel their responsibility the most. The Virgin Mary is the perpetual t... [ Continue Reading ]
_Wist ye not that I must be about My Father’s business_ THE EPIPHANY OF WORK 1_._ The Epiphany before us is, in the first place, that of the two lives, the seen and the unseen, the relative and the personal, the human relationship to the Divine. Let us try to place ourselves in imagination in tho... [ Continue Reading ]
_And was subject unto them--_ OBEDIENCE TO PARENTS How significant a sentence! God, whom the angels obey, is subject to Joseph and Mary I Children, behold your model, and learn from the example of Jesus to be obedient to your parents. I. BY REVERENCE. Reverence is required-- 1. By the law of nat... [ Continue Reading ]
_And Jesus increased in wisdom--_ A PATTERN CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH 1. He grew, not in stature only, but in wisdom and favour with God and man. Christ, as Divine, must have had all knowledge and power from the first. But subjecting Himself to the laws of human development, He thereby consented to an... [ Continue Reading ]