A Visit to Bethlehem
(No. 2915)
A SERMON PUBLISHED ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1904.
DELIVERED BY C. H. SPURGEON,
AT NEW PARK STREET CHAPEL, SOUTHWARK, ON LORD'S-DAY EVENING, DECEMBER
24, 1854.
"Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing which is come to pass,
which the Lord has made known unto us." Luke 2:15.
[The accompanying Sermon is substantially the same as I preached on the
Sunday evening before Christmas day. Some of my members expressed their
regret that the reporter was not present. I am not myself aware that
there is any novelty except in the arrangement. As for the Truths of
God, themselves, they are the simple old facts in which the saints of
all generations rejoice. Of course it is not in my power to reproduce
the exact words I then employed, but, with just the differences between
the effusion of one's pen and the utterance of one's tongue, I now
publish it and pray God to acknowledge it with His gracious
blessing.–C. H. S.]
(Notwithstanding the above note, which is in Mr. Spurgeon's handwriting
on the manuscript of the sermon, the publishers cannot find any trace
of its publication. They are very glad to be able to issue it just 50
years after it was preached).
NOT to Bethlehem as it now is, but to Bethlehem as it once was, I would
lead your meditation this evening.
Were you to visit the site of that ancient city of Judah as it is at
present, you would find little enough to edify your hearts. About six
miles south of Jerusalem, on the slope of a hill, lies a small,
irregular village, never at any time considerable either in its extent
or because of the wealth of its inhabitants. The only building worthy
of notice is a convent. Should your fancy paint, as you approach it, a
courtyard, a stable, or a manger, you would be sorely disappointed on
your arrival! Tawdry decorations are all that would greet your
eyes–rather adapted to obliterate than to preserve the sacred interest
with which a Christian would regard the place. You might walk upon the
marble floor of a chapel and gaze on walls bedecked with pictures and
studded with the fantastic dolls and other nicknacks which are usually
found in Roman Catholic places of worship. Within a small grotto you
might observe the exact spot that superstition has assigned to the
nativity of our Lord. There a star, composed of silver and precious
stones, surrounded by golden lamps, might remind you, but merely as a
parody, of the simple story of the Evangelists. Truly, Bethlehem was
always little, if not the least, among the thousands of Judah–and only
famous for its historic associations.
So, Beloved, "let us now go to Bethlehem" as it was–let us, if
possible, bring the wondrous story of that "Child born," that "Son
given," down to our own times. Imagine the event to be occurring just
now. I will try to paint the picture for you with vivid colors, that
you may apprehend afresh the great Truth of God and be impressed, as
you ought to be, with the facts concerning the birth of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ.
I propose now to make A VISIT TO BETHLEHEM and I need five companions
to render the visit instructive. So I would have, first, an aged Jew.
Next, an ancient Gentile. Then, a convicted sinner Next, a young
Believer And, last of all, an advanced Christian. Their remarks can
scarcely fail to please and profit us. Afterwards I should like to take
a whole family to the manger, let them all look at the Divine Infant
and hear what each one has to say about Him.
I. To begin, then, I WOULD GO TO BETHLEHEM WITH AN AGED JEW.
Come on, my venerable, long-bearded Brother–you are an Israelite,
indeed, for your name is Simeon. Do you see the Baby "wrapped in
swaddling clothes, lying in a manger"? Yes, he does and, overpowered by
the sight, he clasps the
Child in his arms and exclaims, "Lord, now let Your servant depart in
peace, according to Your Word: for my eyes have seen Your salvation."
"Here," says this faithful son of Abraham, "is the fulfillment of a
thousand prophecies and promises! The hope, the expectation and the joy
of my noble ancestry! Here is the Antitype of all those mystic symbols
and typical offerings enjoined in the Laws of Moses. You, O Son of the
Highest, are Abraham's promised Seed, the Shiloh whose coming Jacob
foretold, great David's greater Son and Israel's rightful King! Our
Prophets did herald your coming in each prophetic page. Our bards vied
with one another who should chant Your praise in sweetest stanzas! And
now, O happy hour–these poor dim eyes do greet Your beauteous form! It
is enough–and more than enough–O God! I ask not that I may live any
longer on earth!" So speaks the aged Jew and, as he speaks, I mark the
rapturous smile that lights up every feature of his face and listen to
the deep, mellow tones of his tremulous voice. As he gazes on the
tender Baby, I hear him quote Isaiah's words, "He shall grow up before
Him as a tender plant" and then, as he glances aside at the
virgin-mother, descendant of the royal house of David, he quickly looks
back to the sinless Baby and says, "A root out of a dry ground."
Farewell, venerable Jew, your talk sounds sweet in my ears–may the day
soon dawn when all your brethren shall return to their fatherland and
there confess our Jesus as their Messiah and their King! II. My next
companion shall be AN ANCIENT GENTILE.
He is an intelligent man. Do not ask me any questions concerning his
creed. Deeply versed in the works of God in Nature, he has glimmering,
flickering Light of God enough to detect the moral darkness by which he
is surrounded, albeit the Truth of the Gospel has not yet found an
entrance into his heart. Call him a skeptic, from the heathen point of
view, if you please, but his is not a willful perversion of the heart,
it is rather that transition state of the mind wherein false hopes are
rejected, but the true hope has not yet been espoused. This Gentile is
staying at Jerusalem and we walk and talk together as we bend our steps
toward Bethlehem. He has told me what pleasure he feels in reading the
Jewish Scriptures and how he has often longed for the dawn of that day
which their seers predict. Now we enter the house–a star shines
brightly in the sky and hovers over the stable–we look at the Child
and my comrade exclaims in ecstasy, "a Light to lighten the Gentiles!"
"Fair Child of promise," he says, "Your birth shall be a joy to all
people! Prince of Peace, Yours shall be a peaceful reign! Kings shall
bring presents to You; all nations shall serve You. The poor shall
rejoice in Your advent, for justice shall be done to them by You. And
oppressors shall tremble at Your coming, for judgment upon them shall
be pronounced by Your lips."
Then sweetly did he speak of the hopes which had bloomed in that
birth-chamber. He looked as if, in that same hour, he saw the
application of many an ancient promise with the letter of which he was
already acquainted, to the wonderful Child he there saw. It was
refreshing to hear that entire quote from the evangelical Prophet,
words like these, "The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb and the
leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion
and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them."
As I bid adieu to this friend, you must allow me to offer you one or
two of my own reflections. When God, in His anger, hid His face from
the house of Jacob, He lifted up the Light of His Countenance on the
Gentiles. When the fruitful land became a desert, the wilderness, at
the same time, began to blossom as the garden of the Lord. Moses had
anticipated both of these events and the Inspired Prophets had foreseen
one as much as the other. The heart of the Jewish people made gross,
the heaviness of their eyes and the dullness of their ears are not more
striking as an exact fulfillment of Divine Judgment, than the extreme
susceptibility of the Gentile mind to receive the evidence of our
Lord's Messiahship and to embrace His Gospel! Thus had Jehovah said,
fifteen hundred years before, "I will move them to jealousy with those
which are not a people. I will provoke them to anger with a foolish
nation." Marvel not, then, but admire the crisis in history when Paul
and Barnabas were commissioned to say to the Jews who rejected the
Gospel, "Lo, we turn to the Gentiles."
I have consulted the map and looked with intense emotion at the route
which Paul and Barnabas took on their first missionary journey.
Antioch, the city from which they went forth, is situated directly
North of Jerusalem–and there, in not very unequal proportions, they
could find both Jews and Gentiles. "To the Jew first," was according to
the Divine Injunction and, on their own nation rejecting the Grace of
God, lo, they turned to the Gentiles with a result immediately
following that greatly cheered them, for the Gentiles heard with
gladness and glorified the Word of the Lord! As you follow the various
journeys of the Apostle Paul, you will see that his course was ever
Northward, or, rather, in a North-
Westerly direction–and so the tidings of the Gospel traveled on until
the Church of the Redeemed found a central point in our highly-favored
island!
I think I hear some of you say, "We are not antiquarian enough to
appreciate the society of your two venerable companions." Well then,
Beloved, the three that follow shall be drawn from among
yourselves–and it may be that you will discover your own thoughts
expressed in the sketches I am about to add.
III. Next in order is THE AWAKENED SINNER.
Come here, my Sister, I am glad to see you and I shall have much
pleasure in your company to Bethlehem. Why do you start back? Do not be
afraid! There is nothing to terrify you here. Come in! Come in! With
trembling apprehension my Sister advances to the rough crib where the
young Child lies. She looks as if she feared to rejoice and is beyond
measure astonished at herself that she does not faint. She says to me,
"And is this, Sir, really and truly the great Mystery of godliness? Do
I, in that manger, behold 'God manifest in the flesh'? I expected to
see something very different." Looking into her face, I clearly
perceived that she could scarcely believe for joy. A humble, but not
uninteresting visitor to the birthplace of my Lord is this trembling
penitent. I wish I could have many like her out of this congregation
tonight. You would see how Mystery is dissolved in mercy! No flaming
sword turning every way obstructs your entrance. No ticket of admission
is demanded by a surly menial at the door. No favor is shown to rank or
title–you may go freely in to see the noblest Child of woman born in
the humblest cot wherein infants ever nestled! Nor does a visible tiara
of light encircle His brow. Too humble, I assure you, for the fancy of
the poet to describe, or the pencil of the artist to sketch–like a
poor man's child, he is wrapped in swaddling clothes and cradled in a
manger. It needs faith to believe what the eyes of sense never could
discern as you look upon "the Prince of Life" in such humble guise!
IV. My fourth companion is A YOUNG BELIEVER.
Well, my Brother, you and I have often had sweet communion together
concerning the things of the Kingdom. "Let us now go to Bethlehem and
see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord has made known
unto us." I mark the sacred cheerfulness of my young friend's
countenance as he approaches the Incarnate Mystery! Often have I heard
him discussing curious doctrinal subtleties, but now, with calmness of
spirit, he looks on the face of the Divine Child and says, "Truth is
sprung out of the earth, for a woman has brought forth her Son and
righteousness has looked down from Heaven, for God has, of a truth,
revealed Himself in that Baby." He looks so wistfully at the young
Child, as if a fresh spring of holy gratitude had been opened in his
heart. "No vision, no imagination, no myth here," he says, "but a real
partaker of our flesh and blood! He has not taken on Him the nature of
angels, but the seed of Abraham. Heaven and earth have united to make
us blessed. Might and weakness have joined hands here!"
He pauses to worship, then speaks again, "In what a small, weak,
slender Tabernacle do You, O glorious God, now deign to dwell! Surely,
mercy and truth have here met together, righteousness and peace have
kissed each other! O Jesus, Savior, You are Mercy itself–the tender
mercy of our God is embodied in You. You are the Truth–the very Truth
which the Prophets longed to see and into which the angels desire to
look–the Truth my soul so long sought for, but never found till I
beheld Your face. Once I thought that the Truth was hidden in some
profound treatise, or in some learned book, but now I know that it is
revealed in You, O Jesus, my Kinsman, yet Your Father's equal! And,
sweet Baby, You are also Righteousness–the only righteousness that God
can accept. What condescension, yet what patience! Ah, dear Child, how
still You lie! I wonder that, conscious of your Divine Power, you can
thus endure the weary, lingering hours of Infancy with humility so
strange, so rare! I think if You had stood by me and watched over me in
my infant weakness, that would have been a service that I could well
admire, but 'tis past imagination's utmost stretch to realize what it
must be for You to be thus feeble, thus helpless, thus needing to be
fed and waited upon by an earthly mother! For The Wonderful, The Mighty
God to stoop thus, is humility profound!"
So spoke the young Believer and I liked his speech very much, for I saw
in him how faith could work by love and how the end of controversy and
argument is reached at Bethlehem, for "without controversy great is the
mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh."
V. Now I will go to Bethlehem with AN ADVANCED CHRISTIAN, such an one
as Paul the Aged, or John the Divine–no, rather with such an one as I
might find among the circle of my own Church members!
Calm, peaceful, kind and gracious, he seems as if his training in the
school of Christ and the sacred anointing of the Holy Spirit have made
him like a child, himself–his character is ripening and his fitness
for the Kingdom of Heaven is
becoming more apparent. Tears glistened in the old man's eyes as he
looked with expressive fondness on that "Infant of Eternal Days." He
spoke not much and what he said was not exactly like what any of my
other companions had spoken. It was his manner to quote short
sentences, with great exactness, from the Word of God. He uttered them
slowly, pondered them deeply and there was much spiritual unction in
the accent with which he spoke. I will just mention a few of the
profitable sentences that he uttered. First he said, "No man has
ascended up to Heaven, but He that came down from Heaven, even the Son
of Man which is in Heaven."He really appeared to see more in that
passage than I had ever seen there. Jesus, the Son of Man, in Heaven
even while He was on earth! Then he looked at the Child and said, "The
same was in the beginning with God." After that, he uttered these three
short sentences in succession, "In the beginning was the Word–"all
things were made by Him"–"and the Word was made flesh." He looked as
if he realized what a great mystery it was that our Lord Jesus first
made all things and afterwards was Himself "made flesh." Then he
reverently bent his knee, clasped his hands and exclaimed, "My Father's
gift–'Behold, what manner of love!'"
As we retire from that manger and stable, that aged Christian puts his
hand on my shoulder and says, "Young man, I have often been to
Bethlehem. It was a much-loved haunt of mine before you were born. And
there is one sweet lesson I have learned there which I should like to
pass on to you. The Infinite became finite. The Almighty consented to
become weak. He that upheld all things by the word of His power,
willingly became helpless. He that spoke all worlds into existence,
resigned for a while even the power of speech! In all these things, He
fulfilled the will of His Father, so be not you afraid, nor surprised
with any amazement if you should be dealt with in like manner, for His
Father is also your Father. You who have reveled in the ancient
settlements of the Everlasting Covenant, may yet have to hang feebly on
the mercies of the hour. You have leaned on your Savior's breast at His
Table, but you may presently be so weak that you must rely on the
nursing of a woman. Your tongue has been touched as with a coal from
the heavenly altar, but your lips may yet be sealed as are those of an
infant. If you should sink still deeper in humiliation, you will never
reach the depth to which Jesus descended in this one act of His
condescension." "True, true," I replied, "my young Brother hinted at
the wondrous condescension of the Son of God. You have explained it to
me more fully."
Thus, Beloved, I have endeavored to carry out my purpose of going to
Bethlehem with five separate companions– all representative persons.
Alas that some of you are not represented by any one of these
characters! "Is it nothing to you, all you that pass by?" Care you not
for this blessed Nativity which marked of old, "the fullness of time"?
If you die without a knowledge of this Mystery, your lives will indeed
be a fearful blank and your eternal portion will be truly terrible!
VI. Give me your earnest attention a little longer while I try to
change the line of meditation. It may please God that
while I attempt to CONDUCT A WHOLE FAMILY TO BETHLEHEM, some hearts
which have thus far resisted all my
appeals may yet yield to the Lord Jesus Christ!
A familiar picture will serve my purpose. Imagine this to be Christmas
Eve and that a Christian father has all his household gathered with him
around the fire. Desirous of blending instruction with pleasure, he
proposes that "the birth of Christ" shall be the subject of their
conversation–that every one of the children shall say something about
it and he will preach them a short sermon on each of their remarks. He
calls Mary, their servant, into the room. And when all are comfortably
seated they commence.
1. After a simple sketch of the facts, the father turns to his youngest
boy and asks, "What have you to say, Willy?" The little fellow, who is
just old enough to go to the Sunday school, repeats two lines that he
has learned to sing there– many of you, no doubt, know them–
"Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior,
Once became a Child like me." "Good, my dear," says the father–"once
became a child like me." Yes. Jesus was born into the world as other
little babies are born. He was as little, as delicate, as weak as other
infants and needed to be nursed as they do–
"'Almighty God became a Man,
A Baby like others seen–
As small in size, and weak of frame,
As babies have always been.
From thence He grew an Infant mild,
By fair and due degrees
And then became a bigger Child,
And sat on Mary's knee.
'At first held up for need of strength,
In time alone He ran.
Then grew a Boy. A Lad–at length
A Youth–at last, a Man.'
"It is wrong to draw pictures of the little Jesus and then say that
they are like Him. Wicked idolaters do that. But we ought to think of
Jesus Christ as made in all things like unto His brethren. There was
never a thing in which He was not like us, except that He had no sin.
He used to eat, drink, sleep, wake, laugh, cry and hold onto His
mother, just as other children do. So it is quite right for you, Willy,
to say, 'once became a Child like me.'"
2. "Now, John," said the father, addressing a lad rather older, "what
have you to say?" "Well, father," said John, "if Jesus Christ was like
us in some things, I do not think He could have had so many comforts as
we have–not such a nice nursery, nor such a snug bed. Was He not
disturbed by the horses, and cows, and camels? It seems to me shocking
that He had to live in a stable."
"That is a very proper remark, John," said his father. "We ought all of
us to think how our blessed Lord cast in His lot with the poor. When
those Wise Men came from the East, I daresay they were surprised, at
first, to find that Jesus was a poor man's Child. Yet they fell down
and worshipped Him, they opened their treasury and presented to Him
very costly gifts–gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. Ah, when the Son
of God made that great stoop from Heaven to earth, He passed the
glittering palaces of kings and the marble halls of the rich and the
noble–to take up His abode in the lodgings of poverty. Still, He was
'born King of the Jews.' Now, John, did you ever read of a child being
born a kngbefore? Of course you never did–children have been born
princes and heirs to a throne–but no other than Jesus was ever born a
King. The poverty of our Savior's circumstances is like a foil which
sets off the glorious dignity of His Person. You have read of good
kings, such as David, Hezekiah and Josiah, yet, if they had not been
kings, we would never have heard of them. But it was quite otherwise
with Jesus Christ. He was possessed of more true greatness in a stable
than any other king ever possessed in a palace! But do not imagine it
was only in His Childhood that Jesus was the Kinsman of the poor. When
He grew up to be a Man, He said, 'The foxes have holes, and the birds
of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.'
Do you know, my children, that our comforts were purchased at the
expense of His sufferings? 'He became poor that we, through His
poverty, might be rich.' We ought, therefore, to thank and praise the
blessed Jesus every time we remember how much worse off He was in this
world than we are."
3. "It is your turn now," said the father, as he looked at his little
daughter–an intelligent girl who was just beginning to be of some
assistance to her mother in the discharge of her daily domestic duties.
Poor girl, she modestly hung down her head, for she remembered, just
then, how frequently little acts of carelessness had exposed her to
tender but faithful rebukes from her parents. At last she said, "Oh,
Father, how good Jesus Christ was! He never did anything wrong." "Very
true, my Love," the father replied. "It is a sweet subject for
meditation that you suggest. His Nature was sinless, His thoughts were
pure, His heart was transparent and all His actions just and right. You
have read of the lambs which Moses, in the Law, commanded the Jews to
offer in sacrifice to God. They were all to be without spot or
ble-mish–and if there had been one taint of impurity in the Child that
was born of Mary, He could never have been our Savior. Sometimes we
think naughty thoughts and nobody knows it but God. And, sometimes, we
do what is evil, but we are not found out. It was not so with the meek
and lowly Savior–He never had even one fault! His delight was in the
Law of the Lord and in that Law did He meditate day and night. Even
when we do not commit any positive sin, we often forget to do our duty,
but Jesus never did. He was like a tree planted by the rivers of water
that brings forth its fruit in its season. He never disappointed any
hopes that were set upon Him."
"There now," said the father, "we have already had three beautiful
thoughts–Jesus Christ took our Nature, He condescended to be very poor
and He was without sin."
4. There was, in the room, a big boy who had just come home from
boarding school to spend his Christmas holidays, so his father turned
to this son and said, "Fred, we must hear your remark next." Very
short, very significant was Master Fred's response–"that Child had a
wonderful mind."
"Indeed He had," said the father, "and it would be well for all of us
if that mind were in us which was also in Christ Jesus. His mind was
Infinite, for He took part in the eternal counsels of God. But I would
rather suggest to you another line of thought–'In Him was Light.' The
mind of Jesus was like light for its clearness and purity. We often see
things
through a misleading medium. We form wrong impressions which we find it
trouble enough afterwards to correct. But Jesus was of quick
understanding to discern between good and evil. His mind was never
warped by prejudice. He saw things just as they are. Never had He to
borrow other people's eyes–and the ideas hatched in other people's
brains never guided His judgment. He had light in Himself and that
light was the life of men, so capable was He of always instructing the
ignorant and guiding their feet in the paths of peace. His heart was
likewise pure and that has more to do with the development of the mind
and the improvement of the understanding than we are apt to suppose. No
corrupt imagination ever tarnished the brightness of His vision. He was
always in harmony with God and always felt good-will toward man. You
might well say, Fred, that He had a wonderful mind."
5. The children having each made some observation, the father next
addressed Mary, the servant. "Do not be timid," he said, "but speak out
and let us know your thoughts." "I was just a-thinking, Sir," said
Mary, "how humble it was of Him to take upon Himself the form of a
Servant." "Right, Mary, quite right. And it is always profitable to
consider how Jesus came down to our low estate. We may well be
reconciled to any 'lot' which Jesus voluntarily chose for Himself. But
there is more in your remark, as applicable to Bethlehem and the
Nativity, than you perhaps imagined, for, according to Dr. Kitto's
account of the inn, or Caravanserai, it was the servant's placethat the
holy family occupied. Imagine now a square pile of strong and lofty
walls, built of brick upon a basement of stone with one great archway
entrance. These walls enclose a large open area with a well in the
middle. In the center is an inner quadrangle consisting of a raised
platform on all four sides covered with a kind of piazza. And then, in
the wall behind, there are small doors leading to the little cells
which form the lodgings. Such we may suppose to have been the 'inn' in
which there was 'no room' for Mary and Joseph. Now for a description of
the stable. It is formed of a covered avenue between the back wall of
the lodging apartments and the outer wall of the whole building–thus
it is on a level with the court and three or four feet below the raised
platform. The side walls of those cells, in the inner quadrangle,
projecting behind into the courtyard, form recesses, or stalls, which
servants and muleteers used for shelter in bad weather. Joseph and Mary
seem to have found a retreat in one of these. There, it is supposed,
the Infant Jesus was born. And if it is so, how literally true is it
that He took on Him the form of a Servant and occupied the servant's
apartment!"
6. Once more the father seeks a fresh text and, looking at his wife, he
says, "My Dear, you have taken a quiet interest in our conversations
this evening. Let us now hear your reflection. I am sure you can say
something we shall all be pleased to hear." The mother looked absorbed
in thought. She appeared to have a vivid picture of the whole scene
before her and her eyes kindled as if she could actually see the little
Darling lying in the manger. She spoke most naturally and most
maternally, too. "What a lovely Child! And yet," she added with a deep
sigh, "He who is thus fairer than the children of men in His cradle,
after a few short years was so overwhelmed with anxiety, suffering and
anguish, that His visage was more marred than that of any other man!
And His form more than that of the sons of men."
A pensive sadness stole over every countenance as that godly mother
offered her reflections. Woman's tenderness seemed to be sanctified by
Divine Grace in her heart and to give forth its richest fragrance. The
father presently broke the stillness as he said, "Ah, my Love, you have
spoken best of all! His heart was broken with reproach! That humble
birth was but the prelude to a life still more humble and a death even
more abased! Your feelings, my Love, are most precious evidence of your
close relationship to Him–
"'A faithful friend of grief partakes;
But union can be none
Betwixt a heart that melts like wax
And hearts as hard as stone.
Betwixt a head diffusing blood
And members sound and whole,
Betwixt an agonizing God
And an unfeeling soul.
7. "To close up now," said the father, glancing round with animated
expression upon his household, "I suppose you will expect a few words
from me. Much as I like your mother's observations, I think it would be
hardly right, on such an auspicious day, to finish with anything
melancholy and sad. You know that fathers are generally most thoughtful
about the prospects of their children. I can look at you boys and
think, 'Never mind if you have a few hardships so long as you can
struggle successfully against them.' Well now, I have been picturing to
myself the manger, the Baby that lay in it, and
Mary, His mother watching lovingly over Him. And I'll tell you what I
thought. Those little hands will one day grasp the scepter of universal
empire! Those little arms will one day grapple with the monster,
'Death,' and destroy it! Those little feet shall tread on the serpent's
neck and crush that old deceiver's head! Yes, and that little tongue
which has not yet learned to articulate a word shall, before long, pour
from His sweet lips such streams of eloquence as shall fertilize the
minds of the whole human race and infuse His teaching into the
literature of the world! And again, a little while, and that tongue
shall pronounce the judgments of Heaven on the destinies of all
mankind!
"We have all thought it wonderful that the God of Glory should stoop so
low, but we shall one day think it more wonderful that the Man of
Sorrows should be exalted so high! Earth could find no place too base
for Him–Heaven will scarcely find a place lofty enough for Him! If
there is just this one thing to be said about Jesus Christ, He is 'the
same yesterday, and today, and forever.' We may change with
circumstances–Jesus never did and never will! When we look at Him in
the manger, we may say, 'He is The Wonderful, The Counselor, The Mighty
God.' And when we see Him exalted to His Father's right hand, we may
exclaim, 'Behold the Man!'–
"'His human heart He still retains
Though enthroned in highest bliss
And feels each tempted member's pains,
For our affliction's His.'"
So closed the series of observations by the various members of a
Christian family around the Christmas fire. The father said it was time
to retire. And he bade them all, 'good night.'" And as the father said,
so say I, "Good night and God bless you all!" Amen.
EXPOSITION BY C. H. SPURGEON: LUKE2:1-19.
[Remember, the Exposition was before the sermon.]
We will now read the story of our Savior's birth as it is recorded in
the Gospel according to Luke.
Verses 1-6. And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a
decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And
this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria). And
all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went
up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the City
of David, which is called Bethlehem (because he was of the house and
lineage of David) to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great
with child. Little did any idea enter into Caesar's head that he was
accomplishing the purpose of God by bringing Mary to Bethlehem at that
particular time so that her Child might be born there! But God can
accomplish the purpose of His Providence and of His Grace in any way
that He pleases! And although Caesar is not aware of all that is
involved in his action, his decree which he intends to simply be a
means of registering his subjects and of filling his coffers, is to be
overruled by God for the fulfillment of the prophecy uttered centuries
before the event happened–that Christ must be born at Bethlehem! It
may seem to some of you a strange thing that there should be an
imperial edict issued from Rome which should have an important
influence upon the place of birth of the Child, yet I do not doubt that
in God's esteem, the whole of the great Roman Empire was of very small
account in comparison with His Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
And today the thrones and dominions of the mightiest monarchs are only
like the small cogs of the wheels of Divine Providence where the
welfare of even the least of the Lord's people is concerned. He reckons
not events according to their apparent importance–the standard of the
sanctuary is a very different measure from that which worldlings use.
When any purpose of God is to be accomplished, all other things will be
subordinated to it!
6, 7. And so it was, that while they were there, the days were
accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her
first-born Son and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a
manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. Now has heavenly
Glory wedded earthly poverty and, henceforth, let no man dare to
despise the poor and needy since the Son of the Highest is born in a
stable and cradled in a manger! How low the King of Glory stoops, and
how gloriously He lifts up the lowly to share His Glory!
8, 9. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the
fields, keeping watch over their flock by night And, lo, the angel of
the Lord came upon them, and the Glory of the Lord shone round about
them: and they were sorely
afraid. For such is the condition, even of gracious souls, that the
near approach of the Divine Glory begets in them trembling and alarm!
Oh, how wondrously changed shall we be when we are able to bear even
the glories of Heaven! Have you ever thought of this, dear Friends? The
beloved Apostle John saw Christ in His Glory and he wrote, "When I saw
Him, I fell at His feet, as dead." And these shepherds, even at the
sight of "the angel of the Lord," "were sorely afraid." You and I,
Beloved, must undergo a marvelous change before we shall be able to be
at Home with God in His Glory–but that change shall, through His
abundant Grace, take place before long!
10-12. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for behold, I bring you
good tidings of great joy, which shall be to allpeople. For unto you is
born this day in the city ofDavid, a Savior who is Christ the Lord. And
this shall be a sign unto you; You shall find the Baby wrapped in
swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. ' 'This shall be a sign unto
you," said the angel to the shepherds–and this is the ensign of the
Christ of God even unto this day. There are some who are constantly
bringing discredit upon religion by their pompous ritual and gorgeous
ceremonies buried beneath the weight of their sensuous worship! But the
living Christ is still found in simple, lowly guise, "wrapped in
swaddling clothes, lying in a manger."
13. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly
host They had heard the heavenly herald's proclamation and hurried down
to join him in publishing the glad tidings! They could not bear that
only one angel should announce the birth of the Christ, so, "suddenly
there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host."
13-19. Praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on
earth peace, good will toward men. 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 to Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come
to pass, which the Lord has made known unto us. And they came with
haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the Baby lying in a manger. And
when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told
them concerning this Child. And all they that heard it wondered at
those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all
these things, and pondered them in her heart Mary laid these things up
in store and pondered them, giving them their due weight and value. Oh,
that we did the same with every Truth of God that we learn!
–Adapted from The C. H. Spurgeon Collection, Version 1.0, Ages
Software, 1.800.297.4307
PRAY THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL USE THIS SERMON TO BRING MANY TO A SAVING
KNOWLEDGE OF JESUS CHRIST.
END OF VOLUME 50