The Pulpit Commentary — Luke — Volume 1 — Section 62

l11we Rought to rule oul'l!e!ves and to be the mR~tera of our own lives, &nd who have ~uffered so much in ~0 mRny ways by this guilty det.hronement Rlld ueurpe.tlon, are now to find our true rest. 11n,l joy by submitting oumeh,es tn him who ie II the Lord" of all hearts and li,•es; in hie service is abiding peRce and" 1cre1tt joy." III. TIDINGS OF GENF:RAL AND OF PARTICULAR APPLICATION. These gle.d tidings are for "all the people," and they were for those startled and wondering shepherds. 11 To y0u is born." As we bear the angel's worde, we know that they are for all the wide world, and, whoever we may be,/or ua.--C. Vers. 13, H.-The Jiuman and tlu hea-ly world. The strange and elevating experience through which the shepherds of Bethlehem were passing prepared them for a scene which was fitted to awaken still greater surprise and spiritual excitement, For suddenly, all of them appearing together, a multitude of the heavenly host began to make angelic music; strains of sweetest song filled the air, and the words of that celestial chant, so exquisitely sweet, so full of comfort and of hope to our human race, were fixed in the shepherds' mind; they found a place in the sacred record; they make melody in our ear to-day. The scene and the song suggest to us- I. 'l'HE INTEREST WHICIT THE ANGELIC TAKES IN THE HUMAN WORLD. It is a striking and ~ignificant fact the.t the advent of Jese.s Christ to our world should be preluded and accompanied by the ministry of angels (eh. i. 11, 26; ii. 9). It confirms the truth elsewhere indice.tcd that the history of mankind is the subject of deep interest to the holy intelligences of ht>.aven. They inquire with a pure and heavenly curiosity into the relations of God with man (1 Pet. i. 12). They reverently admire the wisdom of God in his dC!llings with his human children (Eph. iii. 10). They rejoice over the smallest accession to the kingdom of God (eh. xv. 10). They expend their powers in the accomplishment of Gud's will concerning us (text, and Hcb. i. 14). Our Saviour is One in whom they also havP profound interest, though they need not his redemption, and their worship of him is a large element in their celestial joy (Eph. i. 10; Uev. v. 11-13). II. THE .ADVENT OF CHRIST .AN EPOCH IN THE KINGDOM OF GoD. Well might a multitude of the heavenly host chant those words of the text, "Glory to God in the L igbest;" well might they join in the high praises of the King of heaven. For when J csus Christ came as he thus came, in lowlineRS of perfect humiliation (ver. 7), that the worid into which he thus entered as a helpless babe might be redeemed and restored (rnr. 10), two things were done. 1. The exceeding greatness of the Divine grace received its most wonderful illustration. Possibly-may we not say probably ?- even the records of the kingdom of God contained no event illustrative of a more magnanimous pity &lid a more sacrificial love than this expression of "good will to rueu." 2. The foundation was laid on which a Divine kingdom of truth and righteous- ness should be reared. On the rock of the Divine incarnation rests the whole grand edifice of the restoration of the human race to the love and the likeness of God. 'l'hen indeed, when JeHfl was boru in Bethlehem, the glory of God was most fittingly cele- brated ; for then was the glory of his grace manifested, and theu was the glory that should be rendered him bv our humanity assured. IIL THE coMING OF CHRIST TO ouR WORLD THE INCOMING OF ITB PEACE. "Peace on earth." It has taken long for the work of Jesus Christ to bring about this result, even as things are to--day. And how much remains to be done I 'l'o some eyea it may seem as if only the elementary lesson had been learned. But if we look long enough end deep enough we shall see: 1. That the gospel of Jesus Christ has been, and ie, offering to every burdened human heart a peace which is immeasurably profound and inestim- al,ly precious. 2. That the teaching and the Spirit of Jesus Christ are perfectly fitted to inculcate and to inspire peace, and even love, bet1Veen man and man. 3. Thnt under his benign government, 11.nd just eo far as hie will is consulted, man is leaving strife and discord below and behind him, and is moving on an upward path toward the sphere where peace and purity dwell together.-C. Ver. 19.-The wudom of tuVout mtXlitation. Mary" kept" all those things which she had heard, treasured them in the secret chamber of her mini!, dwelt upon them in her heart. Much she must have wondered what it could all mean and what would be on, n. 1-52,] THE OOSPEI, ACCORDING TO ST. LUKE. 53