Basic HTML Version
Observing Christmas, December 17
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. And the
angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold I bring you good tidings of
great joy, which shall be to all people.
Luke 2:9, 10
.
The 25th of December has long been commemorated as the day of Jesus’
birth, and ...it is not my purpose to affirm or question the propriety of cele-
brating this event on this day, but to dwell upon the childhood and life of our
Saviour. It is my purpose to call the attention of the children to the humble
manner in which the Redeemer came to the world.
All heaven was interested in the great event of Christ’s advent to earth.
Heavenly messengers came to make known the birth of the long-promised,
long-expected Saviour to the humble shepherds who were watching their
flocks by night on the plains of Bethlehem. The first manifestation that
attracted the notice of the shepherds at the birth of the Saviour, was a radiant
light in the starry heavens, which filled them with wonder and admiration....
The astonished shepherds could scarcely comprehend the precious message
borne to them by the angels, and when the radiant light had passed away, they
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. And they
came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was
told them concerning this child” (
Luke 2:15-17
)....
What matchless love Jesus has manifested for a fallen world! If angels
sang because the Saviour was born in Bethlehem, shall not our hearts echo
the glad strain, Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth, good will to men?
Although we do not know the exact day of Christ’s birth, we would honor the
sacred event. May the Lord forbid that any one should be so narrow minded
as to overlook the event because there is an uncertainty in regard to the exact
time. Let us do what we can to fasten the minds of the children upon those
things which are precious to everyone who loves Jesus. Let us teach them
how Jesus came into the world to bring hope, comfort, peace, and happiness
to all.... Let the hearts of all respond with exceeding joy for the priceless gift
of the Son of God.—
The Review and Herald, December 17, 1889
.
[361]
372