A CHRISTMAS SERMON

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 152, 23 December 1911, Page 10 (Supplement)

A CHRISTMAS SERMON

THE BIRTH OF JESI'S. Extract of Sermon preached bv the REV. I!. ,1. LI UDELL in tin- Queen Stioet Primitive Methodist Church. "Now, when .Jesus was born."'—.Matthew ii.-I lhe note we strike to-ilay as we stand '» the midst of Christmas festivities is one of praise and thanksgiving to God our Lather. We liuve no authority in the Bible for celebrating the birth of Jesus on December 2,1 That date was not decided upon until centuries after the actual event, and then, probablv superstitioii tixed it. But as Christians have fixed upon this day, and as tens of thousands of men and women will turn their attention to the incidents connected with the Incarnation, we join them in celebrating this time as the anniversary of the Birthday of Jesus: That is what Christmas means to us—Christ's Biitlit ' /m"'' W ''* V l ''' s a< * o alwut l ' K! birth ot a child? Countless millions of children have been born and very few celebrate the birthday of any of them. Why should this Child have a pre-eminence so overshadowing in majesty and inlluence? Why should all other children be baptised in His name? It is because there was something about this Child found in no other. Whoever Jesus was His name today is the most potent and influential name in history. For two thousand J ears no name lias made such a deep impression upon human thinking and upon the spread of civilisation. Who celebrate the birth of Moses. Abraham, Solomon or Paul? Yet for centuries courts and governments, wealth .and poverty, people of all climes and 'tongues have dated their letters from Bethlehem. Jew and Gentile, bond and free, follow the calendar from the birth of Jesus—A D ( m the year of our Lord"). Ou,r nation crowns some names with glory because of their rulership, philanthropy or genius, but towering above all names is the name of Bethlehem's Child the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." The greatest men of history, the kings and princes of the earth take off their crowns, and with rapturous adoration cast them at the feet of Mary's Child, and bend the knee ?. iJml ' . Wha t is the meaning of all tins. Is it sentiment, emotion and superstition? No; it is because He is Em-manuel-God with us." So every temple cathedral, church, hospital, asylum, dotted all over the face of the earth, e , tributes to this Supreme Child of the world.

Our text is a most remarkable passa »e. Dr. Parker said these words are Among the most remarkable and significant in the New Testament— "When j esms Wfls born. We are so accustomed to read them in their context, and as part of something else that we miss the full force and tender music of their sublime passage. Now, when Jesus was born.

A A\\" ERA WAS OPENED IN lICMiN HISTORY. The condition of the race before Christ was bom is described as "people walkin« in darkness, and dwelling in the land of the shadow of death." The figure is striking The whole world was in darkness. lam was regarded as an enemv infirmity as a foe; and death as a dissolve. a sting, an agent of destruction. The people 0 f Messiah's day were covetous, malicious, full of envy, murder a „d deceit. They were haters of God, havin" no hope and without God in the world" But when the fulness of time was come God sent forth His Son. The reservoir of time had to be tilled l, y tll( , in || mvin „ of age after age, and when it was full to> the brim the Son of God appeared. V\fiy it should have been taken four thousand years for the world to be rine :S.V h r, ld haV( ' ha PP e "wl tliat the n n ;l 111 ~ilrkni' « all these millenniums we cannot tell; but (his we are told, that Jesus was sent forth when the fulness of time had come. ](e did not appear before 11 is time, nor after Ho wn•, punctual to His dav. and cried' " t W lO th - v will > 0,1 ®y God " The birth of Jesus is the grandest light of hj>tory: ,t is the pole star of human destiny, the hinge of chronologv. (lie grealc.-t. of all events, (he fultiiinent of prophecy. and the arising ,| lr So „ Righteousness. with healing in His wiii"s " '"'ii -Ic-us was born

A NEW lIOI'K WAS KINDLED IX THE HEARTS OK MEN'. When Cod created the world he pronounced lt "very good." but (hat. time I>y. The centuries had ['"lied on hearing with (hem the bisi of ''""d- 'J'" venomed fang.' (],.■ erintson tool". Ihe world was now at its deepest, and direst, need. The Roman lav in the Jewish hall, exacted oll'ering to l lMr enslaved the Hebrews. Millions were lying outcast and de-perate. as -hcep without a shepherd. For lour hundred years no piophcfs voice had been heard in .ludca. The last, gleam of pro--1 *': v l,v -Malachi. of a messenger appearing to prepare the wav of the Lord 11:1,1 "" l - fulfilled. Hope died in the leans of men. |!„t in the manger of Lethlelietn the Star of Hope appeared. 'gion Ist true and devout, whose heart went, out to men in svmpathv love, beganJo hope that the One who was born King of the Jews was the One who would revolutionise (he world. The outcasts of society began to hope that l ie One who would love them and lead I "em Cod ward had come; and stibsc'l'"'»t events proved that their (rus| had not bee,, misplaced. The sick came in hope ol receiving healing, the sinners in the hope of obtaining pardon, seekers after light and truth in the hope of finding enlightenment and the solution of lites problems. When Jesus was born

I-XIVKKSAI. J« v WAS AWAKEXKI). e birth of our Lord Jesus is i,,,,,!i» Rica v.-lkEsollil. ■ I Ss.rliltb glng : nc,ie tain lrom whence Hows unbounded iov \\e associate with His crucifixion much or sonowtul regret, but we derive from lis I) iriii at Retlilehem nothing but dc- ■ ight. There was joy in Heaven over the •■vent. It was an event -o rull ~f j,,v 1 ' angels hastened earthwards to announce it, with gladness to the sons of men. .Icsii., had little to do with the fact, for Christ, took on Himself not the nature ol angels, but, of (he seed of Abraham. Yet the thought (hat, the < reaior should be linked to the created. lh,it ill" Invisible and Omnipotent should l!li " alliance, with men. caused I lie angels to rejoice. They bene.: friends of !'"• groom. rcjuie.'i! \vi( :■ 11 iiu j„ m, V :' >'••• -1 ;-e,| ,; is nics-age "I'ehold, I In iug von glad tidings o! great joy which -lia 11 be to all I"'"!' 1 "- ''no no sooner h.nl (he chief angel made his announcement than he was j.,::ie,| b> a mull i; ude of i he heaven!y !iu-i. who broke fortii in that famous '•ano, (he only one s|i„g |„. : been heard by human ears -"I'lory to Cod ill the highest, and on I" •"'c. goodu ill towards men." ' Let, the ear, h 0... jov ml. If (he l>irt hof Jesus was jo\ tut to the angels, ivhat should '' It should make lis 'dad and i ilv !» ll "' ,i"y. -Oh! lie joyful', all ye lands. Ureak forth into jov, ye waste places ~f Jerusalem. Lcl'a'll' the trees ot ill" lield clap their hands, for Jesus has ben born." Ye poor, be glad, for Je Us born in poverty. Ye sons of' toil rejoice, for lie comes as the Son of a carpenter. Ye people be happy, for the Prince of the Democracy is born. Let the heaven and the earth be glad, since God in Christ has eome to men. When Jesus was born

MAN'S SAVIOUR APPEARED. "Thou slialt call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins." Jesus was His Hebrew name. Every Hebrew know perfectly well what, the name meant—Jesus, or Joshua, signifying Saviour. 'l'llis was the name given Ilim in His cradle. Cold in His cradle, the dewdrops are shining. Low lies His head, with the beasts of the stall. Angels adore Ilim in slumber reclining, Maker, and Monarch, and Saviour in all. He was called Jesus in His childhood — the Holy Child Jesus. Jesus in the Temple, Jesus disputing with the doctors, Jesus emancipating the minds of men from superstition, setting them loose from the traditions of the fathers, and when He was crucified they set tip over His head, "Jesus Nazarenus Rex .Tudaearum"—•"Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews." So from the beginning to the close of His life men recognised Him as Jesus. "Behold! unto you is born in the city of David a Saviour which is Christ the ljord." There are none this Christmastide who appreciate the Christ so much as tlioso conscious of their own guilt and who are anxious to be rid of it. To save sinners is His birthright; for this purpose was He born. It is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. It was a most wonderful time when Jesus was born. When He was born, a King was born; a Prince of Pince was born. When He was born Heaven and earth were, glaxl; hell trembled to its very foundation; the seed of the woman then began to bruise • the serpent's head. Now, it will avail us nothing for Christ to be born in Bethelem unless He is born in our hearts as the hope of glory. He must be bom as a living passion, a tender force, a supreme influence. When Jesus is born in the human heart peace becomes a universal possibility, and goodwill a universal necessity. Take it for granted that where the Spirit of Christ is, there is no hatred, no malice, no un-1 brotlierliness. "If any man have not J the spirit he is none of His." j Christians, awake, salute the happy morn, j Whereon the Saviour of the world I was born; Rise to adore the mystery of love Which hosts of angels chanted from above; With them the iovful tidings first began Of God Incarnate and the Virgin's Son. With ten thousand blessings resting upon our heads, I wish you, my hearers, A JOYFUL CHRISTMAS.