Luke ii. 3-20.
On the last Sunday before Christmas, a little girl sat at the back of
a Church, holding in her hand a card which had just been given her, on
which was a beautiful picture of a sweet young mother and a tiny babe.
It was a Children's Service, and the Clergyman was telling them about
that card, and describing to them the Christmas story which we all love.
Presently he said: "Do any of you remember what my sermon was about
this time last year?"
There was dead silence in the Church, and then the Clergyman saw in the
very back, underneath the gallery, a hand raised up suddenly, in token
that some one could answer his question.
"Well, dear, what was it?" he asked.
[Illustration: THE INFANT JESUS AND HIS MOTHER.]
And in the surprised silence a little girl rose to her feet and said in
a clear, distinct voice, which reached every part of the Church:
"You asked us to pray this little prayer—
"'O come to my heart, Lord Jesus,
There is room in my heart for Thee!'"
"Yes!" said the Clergyman. "That was it! And you are a very good little
girl to have told us so nicely, and to have remembered it all this
time!"
So to-day, with this sweet thought in our minds, we can remember that
there is a place in the heart of each one of us which we can keep for
Jesus. We can think of His love to us, we can love Him in return, and
worship Him every day we live.
And if we make room for Jesus in our hearts here, we shall find by and
by He will give us "a crown of glory that fadeth not away."
Now let us think about the picture which all the Children at the
Service are holding in their hands, and looking at so earnestly.
They could see the Holy Babe and His mother. They could see some men,
shepherds, bending down and worshipping this Holy Babe; and they see
that this is not a beautiful Castle where a King would be born, with
curtains, and bright carpet and pretty cradle; but instead it seems
to be a sort of Cave, cut out of the side of a hill—a stable, with a
manger for the food of the cattle, while straw is scattered on the
ground, and there is an Eastern donkey, raising his head in wonder to
see a babe lying in his manger!
[Illustration: LYING IN A MANGER.]
How came those shepherds there? Do shepherds leave their sheep in the
middle of the night to go to a stable more than a mile off to see a
little new-born babe?
Ah! but it was something very wonderful that had happened in those dark
fields at Bethlehem, which made the shepherds go.
They had been quietly watching their flocks, and perhaps looking out
anxiously for the dawn, when suddenly, without any warning, an Angel
came down to them from heaven, and the Glory of the Lord surrounded
them with a great and wondrous light.
The shepherds were very frightened at first, but the Angel quickly
reassured them by saying that he had brought very good news, which
would be great joy to all people! For a Holy Babe was born in Bethlehem
that night, Who had come to this earth to be the Saviour of the World!
Then the Angel told them that they would know his words were true, by
finding the little Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a
manger.
And, suddenly, a multitude of the heavenly host were with the Angel who
had been sent first; and they all praised God, and said, "Glory to God
in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."
Then the angels all went back to heaven, and the shepherds turned to
each other in solemn awe, and they said, "The Lord has made known to us
a wonderful thing—let us go to Bethlehem and see for ourselves what has
come to pass."
So they left their flocks and hurried to the town.
And there, in a lowly stable, they saw the Holy Babe who was sent to
Mary on the morning of Christmas-day!
Months before this, the Angel Gabriel had been sent from heaven to tell
Mary that she was to be the most blessed of all women, for the Holy
Child who was to be given to her was to be called the Son of God.
Now He had come! And she laid Him—the Son of God—in the manger, because
there was no room for Him in the Inn.
Why did Jesus come to earth? How could His Heavenly Father spare Him?
He was very rich in heaven! But for our sakes He became poor, that we
might be rich! That was why He came—for our sakes!
Many years ago, just after a very happy Christmas, one of my little
girls came to me and said earnestly, "I love Jesus, Mother!"
I clasped her in my arms and said, "When did you find that out,
darling?"
"I was looking over my Christmas cards this morning," she said, "and it
was this one—and, as I read the words, all at once I knew that He had
come to save me!"