SUNDAY READING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 219, 24 December 1910, Page 7

SUNDAY READING.

"THE SAGES, THE STAR, AND THE SAVIOUR." (By Rev. C. H. Spurgeon). "Where is He that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the east and are come to worship him."—Matt. 11.-2. The incarnation of the Son of God was one of the greatest events in the history of the universe. Its actual occurrence was not, however, made known to all mankind, but was specially revealed to the shepherds of Bethelehem. The glad tidings were made known also to wise men, magicians, students of the stars and of old prophetic books from the faroff east. It would not be possible to tell how far off their native country lay; it may have been so distant that the journey occupied nearly two years of which they spoke concerning the appearance of the star.

We will now endeavor to learn a practical lesson from the story of the wise men who came from the east to worship Christ 'We may, if God the Holy Spirit shall teach us, gather such instruction as may lead us also to become worshippers of the Saviour and joyful believers in him. Notice their enquiry, "Where is He?" Many things are evident in this question. It is clear that when the wise men thus enquired there was in their minds interest awakened. The King of the Jews was born, but Herod did not ask "Where is he ?" until his jealousy was excited, and then he asked the question in a malicious spirit. Christ was born at Bethlehem, near to Jerusalem; yet through all the streets of the (holy city there were no enquirers, "Where 'is he?" He was to be the glory of Israel and yet in Israel there were few indeed who like these wise men asked the question "Where is He?" My dear hearers, I will believe that there are some here whom God intends to bless, and it will be a very hopeful sign that He intends to do so, if there be an interest awakened in your mind concerning the work and person of the incarnate God. 1 Those who anxiously desire to know of Him are but a slender company. Alas! when we preach most earnestly of Him, and tell of His/sorrows as an atonement „for human sih, we are compelled to flaraent most bitterly the carelessness of mankind, and enquire mournfully: "Is it nothing to you all ye that pass ! .*>y- ' Is it nothing to you that Jesus should die?"

He is despised and rejected of men; men see in Him no beauty that they should desire him, but there are a chosen number who enquire diligently, and who come to receive Him; and to these He gives power to become the sons of God. A happy circumstance it is, therefore, when interest is evinced. Interest is not always evinced in the things of Christ even by our regular Bearers. It gets to be a mere mechanical •habit to attend public worship; you become accustomed to sit through such a part of the service, to stand and sing at such another time, and to listen to the preacher with an apparent attention during the discourse; but to be really interested, to long to know what it is all about, to know especially whether you have a part in it, whether Jesus came .from Heaven to save you, whether for you he was born of the Virgin, to make suoh personal enquiries with deep anxiety is far from being a general practice. Would God that all who have ears to hear Would hear in truth.'

Am I at this moment speaking to anyone in particular? i trust I am. Some yeaTs ago there was a young man, who, upon such a morning as this—cold, snowy, dark—entered a house of prayer as you have done to-day. I thought as I came here of that .young man. I said to myself: "This morning is so very forbidding that I shall have a very small-congrega-tion, but perhaps there will be one among them like that young man." To be plain with you. it comforted me to think that the morning when God blessed my soul, the preacher had a very small congregation, and it was cold and bitter, and therefore I said to myself this morning, "Why should I not go up merrily to my task, preach if there should onlv be a dozen there ?" For Jesus may intend to reveal Himself to someone as He did to me and that someone may be a soulwinner, and the means of the salvation of tens of thousands in years to come.

I wonder if that will occur to that voung man yonder, for I trust, he lias the enquiry, of the wise men on his lios. I trust he will not ouench those desires which now burn within him, but rather may the spark be fanned to a flame, and may this day witness his decision for Jesus. Oh, has the Lord locked on that young woman, on that dear child or on yonder aged man? I know not who it may! be, but I shall indeed bless God this morning if the cry may be heard from many a lip, "Sir, what must I do to be saved? Where is He that is born King 'of the Jews?"

Consider the example of the wise men. They came to Jesus, and in so doing they did this things: they saw, they worshipped, they gave. Those are three things' which every believer mav do over again this morning, and which every seeker | may do for "the first time. First they saw the young Child. Ido not think Jihsy. merely said, "There He is," and so /enfted the matter, but they stood still and, looked. Perhaps, for some minutes -roey'«—. not speak. About his very face I do not think there was a supernatural beauty. Whether there was a beauty to everyone's eye I know not, but to theirs there was certainly a supernatural attraction—the incarnate God. They gazed with all their eyes. Thev looked "and looked and looked again. Thev glanced at his mother, but they fixed their eves Qn Bini. "They saw the young child." So,, too. this morning let ns think of ■ Jesus with ifixed and continuous thought. He is God. He is man, He is the substitute for sinners, He is will to receive all who trust Him. He will save, and save this morning all of us who rely on Him. Think of Him. If vou are at home this afternoon soend the time thinking of Him: bring Him before your mind's eye; consider and admire Him. What did the wise men next? Thev worshipped him. We cannot properly worship a Christ whom we do not know. "To the unknown Cod" is poor worship. But, oh! when you think of Jesus Christ, whose forth were of old from everlasting the eternally begotten Son of the Father, and then =ee Him coming, here to <be a man of the substance of His mother. and know and understand why He came and what He did when He came, then you fall down and worship him.

After worshipping, the wise men prp- ' rented their sifts. One broke open his casket of sold, and laid it at the feet of .] •the new-born King: another presented i frankincense—one of the precions nro- , duets from which thev oame: and others laid myrrh at the Redeemer's feet. All I these they gave to prove the truth of their worship. They wave substantial offering with no nigsrard hand. And now after yoi« have worshipped Christ in v-our soul and seen him with the eye of faith, .it will not need that I should say to you. "Hire Him yourself; irive Him your hnrt: -rive Him your substance. Whv, v»! will not- bn a },i e heir) doine i 4 -. He who renflv loves the Pavionr in his cannot heir) devoting to him his life, his st vo ngth. his all. With some people, \vh r n thev <rive Christ anvtliifisr or do ■ 'anvthinff for Him, it is dreadfully forced I work. They say, "The love of Christ J oueht to constrain ais." I do not know j that there is «ny spsh. teneftag that in

the Bible. However, I do remember one tenet that runs thus: "The love of Christ constraineth us." If thou hast gold give it; if thou hast frankincense give it; if thou hast myyrhgiveitto Jesusu; and if thou hast none of these things, give Him thy love, all t'hy love, and that will be gold and spices all in one. Give Him thy whole self, for He loved thee and gave Himself for thee.