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Sermon #2915 Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit 1

Volume 50

A VISIT TO BETHLEHEM

NO. 2915

[The accompanying Sermon is substantially the same as I preached on the Sunday evening before Christmas day. Some of my members expressed their regret that the reporter was not present. I am not myself aware that there is any novelty except in the arrangement. As for the Truths of God, themselves, they are the simple old facts in which the saints of all generations rejoice. Of course it is not in my power to reproduce the exact words I then employed, but, with just the differences between the effusion of one’s pen and the utterance of one’s tongue, I nowpublish it and pray God to acknowledge it with His gracious blessing.

—C. H. S.]

(Notwithstanding the above note, which is in Mr. Spurgeon’s handwritingon the manuscript of the sermon, the publishers cannot find any trace ofits publication. They are very glad to be able to issue it just 50 years afterit was preached).A SERMONPUBLISHED ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1904.DELIVERED BY C. H. SPURGEON,AT NEW PARK STREET CHAPEL, SOUTHWARK,ON LORD’S-DAY EVENING, DECEMBER 24, 1854.“Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing which is come to pass, whichthe Lord has made known unto us.”Luke 2:15.NOT to Bethlehem as it now is, but to Bethlehem as it once was, Iwould lead your meditation this evening.Were you to visit the site of that ancient city of Judah as it is atpresent, you would find little enough to edify your hearts. About six milessouth of Jerusalem, on the slope of a hill, lies a small, irregular village,never at any time considerable either in its extent or because of thewealth of its inhabitants. The only building worthy of notice is a convent.Should your fancy paint, as you approach it, a courtyard, a stable, or amanger, you would be sorely disappointed on your arrival! Tawdry decorationsare all that would greet your eyes—rather adapted to obliteratethan to preserve the sacred interest with which a Christian would regardthe place. You might walk upon the marble floor of a chapel and gaze onwalls bedecked with pictures and studded with the fantastic dolls andother nicknacks which are usually found in Roman Catholic places ofworship. Within a small grotto you might observe the exact spot that superstitionhas assigned to the nativity of our Lord. There a star, com2A Visit to Bethlehem Sermon #29152 www.spurgeongems.org Volume 50posed of silver and precious stones, surrounded by golden lamps, mightremind you, but merely as a parody, of the simple story of the Evangelists.Truly, Bethlehem was always little, if not the least, among the thousandsof Judah—and only famous for its historic associations.So, Beloved, “let us now go to Bethlehem” as it was—let us, if possible,bring the wondrous story of that “Child born,” that “Son given,” down toour own times. Imagine the event to be occurring just now. I will try topaint the picture for you with vivid colors, that you may apprehendafresh the great Truth of God and be impressed, as you ought to be, withthe facts concerning the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.I propose now to make A VISIT TO BETHLEHEM and I need five companionsto render the visit instructive. So I would have, first, an agedJew. Next, an ancient Gentile. Then, a convicted sinner. Next, a young Believer.And, last of all, an advanced Christian. Their remarks can scarcelyfail to please and profit us. Afterwards I should like to take a whole familyto the manger, let them all look at the Divine Infant and hear whateach one has to say about Him.I. To begin, then, I WOULD GO TO BETHLEHEM WITH AN AGEDJEW.Come on, my venerable, long-bearded Brother—you are an Israelite,indeed, for your name is Simeon. Do you see the Baby “wrapped inswaddling clothes, lying in a manger”? Yes, he does and, overpowered bythe sight, he clasps the Child in his arms and exclaims, “Lord, now letYour servant depart in peace, according to Your Word: for my eyes haveseen Your salvation.” “Here,” says this faithful son of Abraham, “is thefulfillment of a thousand prophecies and promises! The hope, the expectationand the joy of my noble ancestry! Here is the Antitype of all thosemystic symbols and typical offerings enjoined in the Laws of Moses. You,O Son of the Highest, are Abraham’s promised Seed, the Shiloh whosecoming Jacob foretold, great David’s greater Son and Israel’s rightfulKing! Our Prophets did herald your coming in each prophetic page. Ourbards vied with one another who should chant Your praise in sweeteststanzas! And now, O happy hour—these poor dim eyes do greet Yourbeauteous form! It is enough—and more than enough—O God! I ask notthat I may live any longer on earth!” So speaks the aged Jew and, as hespeaks, I mark the rapturous smile that lights up every feature of hisface and listen to the deep, mellow tones of his tremulous voice. As hegazes on the tender Baby, I hear him quote Isaiah’s words, “He shallgrow up before Him as a tender plant” and then, as he glances aside atthe virgin-mother, descendant of the royal house of David, he quicklylooks back to the sinless Baby and says, “A root out of a dry ground.” Farewell,venerable Jew, your talk sounds sweet in my ears—may the daysoon dawn when all your brethren shall return to their fatherland andthere confess our Jesus as their Messiah and their King!II. My next companion shall be AN ANCIENT GENTILE.He is an intelligent man. Do not ask me any questions concerning hiscreed. Deeply versed in the works of God in Nature, he has glimmering,flickering Light of God enough to detect the moral darkness by which heSermon #2915 A Visit to Bethlehem 3Volume 50 www.spurgeongems.org 3is surrounded, albeit the Truth of the Gospel has not yet found an entranceinto his heart. Call him a skeptic, from the heathen point of view,if you please, but his is not a willful perversion of the heart, it is ratherthat transition state of the mind wherein false hopes are rejected, but thetrue hope has not yet been espoused. This Gentile is staying at Jerusalemand we walk and talk together as we bend our steps toward Bethlehem.He has told me what pleasure he feels in reading the Jewish Scripturesand how he has often longed for the dawn of that day which theirseers predict. Now we enter the house—a star shines brightly in the skyand hovers over the stable—we look at the Child and my comrade exclaimsin ecstasy, “a Light to lighten the Gentiles!” “Fair Child of promise,”he says, “Your birth shall be a joy to all people! Prince of Peace,Yours shall be a peaceful reign! Kings shall bring presents to You; all nationsshall serve You. The poor shall rejoice in Your advent, for justiceshall be done to them by You. And oppressors shall tremble at Your coming,for judgment upon them shall be pronounced by Your lips.”Then sweetly did he speak of the hopes which had bloomed in thatbirth-chamber. He looked as if, in that same hour, he saw the applicationof many an ancient promise with the letter of which he was already acquainted,to the wonderful Child he there saw. It was refreshing to hearthat entire quote from the evangelical Prophet, words like these, “Thewolf also shall dwell with the lamb and the leopard shall lie down withthe kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and alittle child shall lead them.”As I bid adieu to this friend, you must allow me to offer you one or twoof my own reflections. When God, in His anger, hid His face from thehouse of Jacob, He lifted up the Light of His Countenance on the Gentiles.When the fruitful land became a desert, the wilderness, at the sametime, began to blossom as the garden of the Lord. Moses had anticipatedboth of these events and the Inspired Prophets had foreseen one as muchas the other. The heart of the Jewish people made gross, the heaviness oftheir eyes and the dullness of their ears are not more striking as an exactfulfillment of Divine Judgment, than the extreme susceptibility of theGentile mind to receive the evidence of our Lord’s Messiahship and toembrace His Gospel! Thus had Jehovah said, fifteen hundred years before,“I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people. Iwill provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.” Marvel not, then, butadmire the crisis in history when Paul and Barnabas were commissionedto say to the Jews who rejected the Gospel, “Lo, we turn to the Gentiles.”I have consulted the map and looked with intense emotion at the routewhich Paul and Barnabas took on their first missionary journey. Antioch,the city from which they went forth, is situated directly North of Jerusalem—and there, in not very unequal proportions, they could find bothJews and Gentiles. “To the Jew first,” was according to the Divine Injunctionand, on their own nation rejecting the Grace of God, lo, they turnedto the Gentiles with a result immediately following that greatly cheeredthem, for the Gentiles heard with gladness and glorified the Word of theLord! As you follow the various journeys of the Apostle Paul, you will see4 A Visit to Bethlehem Sermon #29154 www.spurgeongems.org Volume 50that his course was ever Northward, or, rather, in a North-Westerly direction—and so the tidings of the Gospel traveled on until the Church of theRedeemed found a central point in our highly-favored island!I think I hear some of you say, “We are not antiquarian enough to appreciatethe society of your two venerable companions.” Well then, Beloved,the three that follow shall be drawn from among yourselves—andit may be that you will discover your own thoughts expressed in thesketches I am about to add.III. Next in order is THE AWAKENED SINNER.Come here, my Sister, I am glad to see you and I shall have muchpleasure in your company to Bethlehem. Why do you start back? Do notbe afraid! There is nothing to terrify you here. Come in! Come in! Withtrembling apprehension my Sister advances to the rough crib where theyoung Child lies. She looks as if she feared to rejoice and is beyondmeasure astonished at herself that she does not faint. She says to me,“And is this, Sir, really and truly the great Mystery of godliness? Do I, inthat manger, behold ‘God manifest in the flesh’? I expected to see somethingvery different.” Looking into her face, I clearly perceived that shecould scarcely believe for joy. A humble, but not uninteresting visitor tothe birthplace of my Lord is this trembling penitent. I wish I could havemany like her out of this congregation tonight. You would see how Mysteryis dissolved in mercy! No flaming sword turning every way obstructsyour entrance. No ticket of admission is demanded by a surly menial atthe door. No favor is shown to rank or title—you may go freely in to seethe noblest Child of woman born in the humblest cot wherein infants evernestled! Nor does a visible tiara of light encircle His brow. Too humble,I assure you, for the fancy of the poet to describe, or the pencil of the artistto sketch—like a poor man’s child, he is wrapped in swaddling clothesand cradled in a manger. It needs faith to believe what the eyes of sensenever could discern as you look upon “the Prince of Life” in such humbleguise!IV. My fourth companion is A YOUNG BELIEVER.Well, my Brother, you and I have often had sweet communion togetherconcerning the things of the Kingdom. “Let us now go to Bethlehem andsee this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord has made knownunto us.” I mark the sacred cheerfulness of my young friend’s countenanceas he approaches the Incarnate Mystery! Often have I heard himdiscussing curious doctrinal subtleties, but now, with calmness of spirit,he looks on the face of the Divine Child and says, “Truth is sprung out ofthe earth, for a woman has brought forth her Son and righteousness haslooked down from Heaven, for God has, of a truth, revealed Himself inthat Baby.” He looks so wistfully at the young Child, as if a fresh springof holy gratitude had been opened in his heart. “No vision, no imagination,no myth here,” he says, “but a real partaker of our flesh and blood!He has not taken on Him the nature of angels, but the seed of Abraham.Heaven and earth have united to make us blessed. Might and weaknesshave joined hands here!”Sermon #2915 A Visit to Bethlehem 5Volume 50 www.spurgeongems.org 5He pauses to worship, then speaks again, “In what a small, weak,slender Tabernacle do You, O glorious God, now deign to dwell! Surely,mercy and truth have here met together, righteousness and peace havekissed each other! O Jesus, Savior, You are Mercy itself—the tender mercyof our God is embodied in You. You are the Truth—the very Truthwhich the Prophets longed to see and into which the angels desire tolook—the Truth my soul so long sought for, but never found till I beheldYour face. Once I thought that the Truth was hidden in some profoundtreatise, or in some learned book, but now I know that it is revealed inYou, O Jesus, my Kinsman, yet Your Father’s equal! And, sweet Baby,You are also Righteousness—the only righteousness that God can accept.What condescension, yet what patience! Ah, dear Child, how still You lie!I wonder that, conscious of your Divine Power, you can thus endure theweary, lingering hours of Infancy with humility so strange, so rare! Ithink if You had stood by me and watched over me in my infant weakness,that would have been a service that I could well admire, but ‘tispast imagination’s utmost stretch to realize what it must be for You to bethus feeble, thus helpless, thus needing to be fed and waited upon by anearthly mother! For The Wonderful, The Mighty God to stoop thus, ishumility profound!”So spoke the young Believer and I liked his speech very much, for Isaw in him how faith could work by love and how the end of controversyand argument is reached at Bethlehem, for “without controversy great isthe mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh.”V. Now I will go to Bethlehem with AN ADVANCED CHRISTIAN, suchan one as Paul the Aged, or John the Divine—no, rather with such anone as I might find among the circle of my own Church members!Calm, peaceful, kind and gracious, he seems as if his training in theschool of Christ and the sacred anointing of the Holy Spirit have madehim like a child, himself—his character is ripening and his fitness for theKingdom of Heaven is becoming more apparent. Tears glistened in theold man’s eyes as he looked with expressive fondness on that “Infant ofEternal Days.” He spoke not much and what he said was not exactly likewhat any of my other companions had spoken. It was his manner toquote short sentences, with great exactness, from the Word of God. Heuttered them slowly, pondered them deeply and there was much spiritualunction in the accent with which he spoke. I will just mention a few ofthe profitable sentences that he uttered. First he said, “No man has ascendedup to Heaven, but He that came down from Heaven, even the Sonof Man which is in Heaven.” He really appeared to see more in that passagethan I had ever seen there. Jesus, the Son of Man, in Heaven evenwhile He was on earth! Then he looked at the Child and said, “The samewas in the beginning with God.” After that, he uttered these three shortsentences in succession, “In the beginning was the Word—“all thingswere made by Him”—“and the Word was made flesh.” He looked as if herealized what a great mystery it was that our Lord Jesus first made allthings and afterwards was Himself “made flesh.” Then he reverently bent6 A Visit to Bethlehem Sermon #29156 www.spurgeongems.org Volume 50his knee, clasped his hands and exclaimed, “My Father’s gift—‘Behold,what manner of love!’”As we retire from that manger and stable, that aged Christian puts hishand on my shoulder and says, “Young man, I have often been to Bethlehem.It was a much-loved haunt of mine before you were born. Andthere is one sweet lesson I have learned there which I should like to passon to you. The Infinite became finite. The Almighty consented to becomeweak. He that upheld all things by the word of His power, willingly becamehelpless. He that spoke all worlds into existence, resigned for awhile even the power of speech! In all these things, He fulfilled the will ofHis Father, so be not you afraid, nor surprised with any amazement ifyou should be dealt with in like manner, for His Father is also your Father.You who have reveled in the ancient settlements of the EverlastingCovenant, may yet have to hang feebly on the mercies of the hour. Youhave leaned on your Savior’s breast at His Table, but you may presentlybe so weak that you must rely on the nursing of a woman. Your tonguehas been touched as with a coal from the heavenly altar, but your lipsmay yet be sealed as are those of an infant. If you should sink still deeperin humiliation, you will never reach the depth to which Jesus descendedin this one act of His condescension.” “True, true,” I replied, “myyoung Brother hinted at the wondrous condescension of the Son of God.You have explained it to me more fully.”Thus, Beloved, I have endeavored to carry out my purpose of going toBethlehem with five separate companions—all representative persons.Alas that some of you are not represented by any one of these characters!“Is it nothing to you, all you that pass by?” Care you not for this blessedNativity which marked of old, “the fullness of time”? If you die without aknowledge of this Mystery, your lives will indeed be a fearful blank andyour eternal portion will be truly terrible!VI. Give me your earnest attention a little longer while I try to changethe line of meditation. It may please God that while I attempt to CONDUCTA WHOLE FAMILY TO BETHLEHEM, some hearts which have thusfar resisted all my appeals may yet yield to the Lord Jesus Christ!A familiar picture will serve my purpose. Imagine this to be ChristmasEve and that a Christian father has all his household gathered with himaround the fire. Desirous of blending instruction with pleasure, he proposesthat “the birth of Christ” shall be the subject of their conversation—that every one of the children shall say something about it and hewill preach them a short sermon on each of their remarks. He calls Mary,their servant, into the room. And when all are comfortably seated theycommence.1. After a simple sketch of the facts, the father turns to his youngestboy and asks, “What have you to say, Willy?” The little fellow, who is justold enough to go to the Sunday school, repeats two lines that he haslearned to sing there—many of you, no doubt, know them—“Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior,Once became a Child like me.”Sermon #2915 A Visit to Bethlehem 7Volume 50 www.spurgeongems.org 7“Good, my dear,” says the father—“once became a child like me.” Yes.Jesus was born into the world as other little babies are born. He was aslittle, as delicate, as weak as other infants and needed to be nursed asthey do—“‘Almighty God became a Man,A Baby like others seen—As small in size, and weak of frame,As babies have always been.From thence He grew an Infant mild,By fair and due degreesAnd then became a bigger Child,And sat on Mary’s knee.‘At first held up for need of strength,In time alone He ran.Then grew a Boy. A Lad—at lengthA Youth—at last, a Man.’“It is wrong to draw pictures of the little Jesus and then say that theyare like Him. Wicked idolaters do that. But we ought to think of JesusChrist as made in all things like unto His brethren. There was never athing in which He was not like us, except that He had no sin. He used toeat, drink, sleep, wake, laugh, cry and hold onto His mother, just as otherchildren do. So it is quite right for you, Willy, to say, ‘once became aChild like me.’”2. “Now, John,” said the father, addressing a lad rather older, “whathave you to say?” “Well, father,” said John, “if Jesus Christ was like us insome things, I do not think He could have had so many comforts as wehave—not such a nice nursery, nor such a snug bed. Was He not disturbedby the horses, and cows, and camels? It seems to me shockingthat He had to live in a stable.”“That is a very proper remark, John,” said his father. “We ought all ofus to think how our blessed Lord cast in His lot with the poor. Whenthose Wise Men came from the East, I daresay they were surprised, atfirst, to find that Jesus was a poor man’s Child. Yet they fell down andworshipped Him, they opened their treasury and presented to Him verycostly gifts—gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. Ah, when the Son ofGod made that great stoop from Heaven to earth, He passed the glitteringpalaces of kings and the marble halls of the rich and the noble—to takeup His abode in the lodgings of poverty. Still, He was ‘born King of theJews.’ Now, John, did you ever read of a child being born a king before?Of course you never did—children have been born princes and heirs to athrone—but no other than Jesus was ever born a King. The poverty ofour Savior’s circumstances is like a foil which sets off the glorious dignityof His Person. You have read of good kings, such as David, Hezekiah andJosiah, yet, if they had not been kings, we would never have heard ofthem. But it was quite otherwise with Jesus Christ. He was possessed ofmore true greatness in a stable than any other king ever possessed in apalace! But do not imagine it was only in His Childhood that Jesus wasthe Kinsman of the poor. When He grew up to be a Man, He said, ‘Thefoxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Manhas nowhere to lay His head.’ Do you know, my children, that our com8A Visit to Bethlehem Sermon #29158 www.spurgeongems.org Volume 50forts were purchased at the expense of His sufferings? ‘He became poorthat we, through His poverty, might be rich.’ We ought, therefore, tothank and praise the blessed Jesus every time we remember how muchworse off He was in this world than we are.”3. “It is your turn now,” said the father, as he looked at his littledaughter—an intelligent girl who was just beginning to be of some assistanceto her mother in the discharge of her daily domestic duties. Poorgirl, she modestly hung down her head, for she remembered, just then,how frequently little acts of carelessness had exposed her to tender butfaithful rebukes from her parents. At last she said, “Oh, Father, howgood Jesus Christ was! He never did anything wrong.” “Very true, myLove,” the father replied. “It is a sweet subject for meditation that yousuggest. His Nature was sinless, His thoughts were pure, His heart wastransparent and all His actions just and right. You have read of thelambs which Moses, in the Law, commanded the Jews to offer in sacrificeto God. They were all to be without spot or blemish—and if there hadbeen one taint of impurity in the Child that was born of Mary, He couldnever have been our Savior. Sometimes we think naughty thoughts andnobody knows it but God. And, sometimes, we do what is evil, but we arenot found out. It was not so with the meek and lowly Savior—He neverhad even one fault! His delight was in the Law of the Lord and in thatLaw did He meditate day and night. Even when we do not commit anypositive sin, we often forget to do our duty, but Jesus never did. He waslike a tree planted by the rivers of water that brings forth its fruit in itsseason. He never disappointed any hopes that were set upon Him.”“There now,” said the father, “we have already had three beautifulthoughts—Jesus Christ took our Nature, He condescended to be verypoor and He was without sin.”4. There was, in the room, a big boy who had just come home fromboarding school to spend his Christmas holidays, so his father turned tothis son and said, “Fred, we must hear your remark next.” Very short,very significant was Master Fred’s response—“that Child had a wonderfulmind.”“Indeed He had,” said the father, “and it would be well for all of us ifthat mind were in us which was also in Christ Jesus. His mind was Infinite,for He took part in the eternal counsels of God. But I would rathersuggest to you another line of thought—‘In Him was Light.’ The mind ofJesus was like light for its clearness and purity. We often see thingsthrough a misleading medium. We form wrong impressions which wefind it trouble enough afterwards to correct. But Jesus was of quick understandingto discern between good and evil. His mind was neverwarped by prejudice. He saw things just as they are. Never had He toborrow other people’s eyes—and the ideas hatched in other people’sbrains never guided His judgment. He had light in Himself and that lightwas the life of men, so capable was He of always instructing the ignorantand guiding their feet in the paths of peace. His heart was likewise pureand that has more to do with the development of the mind and the improvementof the understanding than we are apt to suppose. No corruptSermon #2915 A Visit to Bethlehem 9Volume 50 www.spurgeongems.org 9imagination ever tarnished the brightness of His vision. He was always inharmony with God and always felt good-will toward man. You might wellsay, Fred, that He had a wonderful mind.”5. The children having each made some observation, the father nextaddressed Mary, the servant. “Do not be timid,” he said, “but speak outand let us know your thoughts.” “I was just a-thinking, Sir,” said Mary,“how humble it was of Him to take upon Himself the form of a Servant.”“Right, Mary, quite right. And it is always profitable to consider how Jesuscame down to our low estate. We may well be reconciled to any ‘lot’which Jesus voluntarily chose for Himself. But there is more in your remark,as applicable to Bethlehem and the Nativity, than you perhaps imagined,for, according to Dr. Kitto’s account of the inn, or Caravanserai,it was the servant’s place that the holy family occupied. Imagine now asquare pile of strong and lofty walls, built of brick upon a basement ofstone with one great archway entrance. These walls enclose a large openarea with a well in the middle. In the center is an inner quadrangle consistingof a raised platform on all four sides covered with a kind of piazza.And then, in the wall behind, there are small doors leading to the littlecells which form the lodgings. Such we may suppose to have been the‘inn’ in which there was ‘no room’ for Mary and Joseph. Now for a descriptionof the stable. It is formed of a covered avenue between the backwall of the lodging apartments and the outer wall of the whole building—thus it is on a level with the court and three or four feet below the raisedplatform. The side walls of those cells, in the inner quadrangle, projectingbehind into the courtyard, form recesses, or stalls, which servants andmuleteers used for shelter in bad weather. Joseph and Mary seem tohave found a retreat in one of these. There, it is supposed, the Infant Jesuswas born. And if it is so, how literally true is it that He took on Himthe form of a Servant and occupied the servant’s apartment!”6. Once more the father seeks a fresh text and, looking at his wife, hesays, “My Dear, you have taken a quiet interest in our conversations thisevening. Let us now hear your reflection. I am sure you can say somethingwe shall all be pleased to hear.” The mother looked absorbed inthought. She appeared to have a vivid picture of the whole scene beforeher and her eyes kindled as if she could actually see the little Darling lyingin the manger. She spoke most naturally and most maternally, too.“What a lovely Child! And yet,” she added with a deep sigh, “He who isthus fairer than the children of men in His cradle, after a few short yearswas so overwhelmed with anxiety, suffering and anguish, that His visagewas more marred than that of any other man! And His form more thanthat of the sons of men.”A pensive sadness stole over every countenance as that godly motheroffered her reflections. Woman’s tenderness seemed to be sanctified byDivine Grace in her heart and to give forth its richest fragrance. The fatherpresently broke the stillness as he said, “Ah, my Love, you havespoken best of all! His heart was broken with reproach! That humblebirth was but the prelude to a life still more humble and a death even10 A Visit to Bethlehem Sermon #291510 www.spurgeongems.org Volume 50more abased! Your feelings, my Love, are most precious evidence of yourclose relationship to Him—“‘A faithful friend of grief partakes;But union can be noneBetwixt a heart that melts like waxAnd hearts as hard as stone.Betwixt a head diffusing bloodAnd members sound and whole,Betwixt an agonizing GodAnd an unfeeling soul.’”7. “To close up now,” said the father, glancing round with animatedexpression upon his household, “I suppose you will expect a few wordsfrom me. Much as I like your mother’s observations, I think it would behardly right, on such an auspicious day, to finish with anything melancholyand sad. You know that fathers are generally most thoughtfulabout the prospects of their children. I can look at you boys and think,‘Never mind if you have a few hardships so long as you can struggle successfullyagainst them.’ Well now, I have been picturing to myself themanger, the Baby that lay in it, and Mary, His mother watching lovinglyover Him. And I’ll tell you what I thought. Those little hands will one daygrasp the scepter of universal empire! Those little arms will one daygrapple with the monster, ‘Death,’ and destroy it! Those little feet shalltread on the serpent’s neck and crush that old deceiver’s head! Yes, andthat little tongue which has not yet learned to articulate a word shall, beforelong, pour from His sweet lips such streams of eloquence as shallfertilize the minds of the whole human race and infuse His teaching intothe literature of the world! And again, a little while, and that tongue shallpronounce the judgments of Heaven on the destinies of all mankind!“We have all thought it wonderful that the God of Glory should stoopso low, but we shall one day think it more wonderful that the Man of Sorrowsshould be exalted so high! Earth could find no place too base forHim—Heaven will scarcely find a place lofty enough for Him! If there isjust this one thing to be said about Jesus Christ, He is ‘the same yesterday,and today, and forever.’ We may change with circumstances—Jesusnever did and never will! When we look at Him in the manger, we maysay, ‘He is The Wonderful, The Counselor, The Mighty God.’ And when wesee Him exalted to His Father’s right hand, we may exclaim, ‘Behold theMan!’—“‘His human heart He still retainsThough enthroned in highest blissAnd feels each tempted member’s pains,For our affliction’s His.’”So closed the series of observations by the various members of aChristian family around the Christmas fire. The father said it was time toretire. And he bade them all, ‘good night.’” And as the father said, so sayI, “Good night and God bless you all!” Amen.EXPOSITION BY C. H. SPURGEON:LUKE 2:1-19.Sermon #2915 A Visit to Bethlehem 11Volume 50 www.spurgeongems.org 11[Remember, the Exposition was before the sermon.]We will now read the story of our Savior’s birth as it is recorded in theGospel according to Luke.Verses 1-6. And it came to pass in those days, that there went out adecree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And thistaxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria). And all wentto be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee,out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the City of David, whichis called Bethlehem (because he was of the house and lineage of David) tobe taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. Little didany idea enter into Caesar’s head that he was accomplishing the purposeof God by bringing Mary to Bethlehem at that particular time so that herChild might be born there! But God can accomplish the purpose of HisProvidence and of His Grace in any way that He pleases! And althoughCaesar is not aware of all that is involved in his action, his decree whichhe intends to simply be a means of registering his subjects and of fillinghis coffers, is to be overruled by God for the fulfillment of the prophecyuttered centuries before the event happened—that Christ must be bornat Bethlehem! It may seem to some of you a strange thing that thereshould be an imperial edict issued from Rome which should have an importantinfluence upon the place of birth of the Child, yet I do not doubtthat in God’s esteem, the whole of the great Roman Empire was of verysmall account in comparison with His Son, our Lord and Savior, JesusChrist! And today the thrones and dominions of the mightiest monarchsare only like the small cogs of the wheels of Divine Providence where thewelfare of even the least of the Lord’s people is concerned. He reckonsnot events according to their apparent importance—the standard of thesanctuary is a very different measure from that which worldlings use.When any purpose of God is to be accomplished, all other things will besubordinated to it!6, 7. And so it was, that while they were there, the days were accomplishedthat she should be delivered. And she brought forth her first-bornSon and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger;because there was no room for them in the inn. Now has heavenly Glorywedded earthly poverty and, henceforth, let no man dare to despise thepoor and needy since the Son of the Highest is born in a stable andcradled in a manger! How low the King of Glory stoops, and how gloriouslyHe lifts up the lowly to share His Glory!8, 9. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in thefields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of theLord came upon them, and the Glory of the Lord shone round about them:and they were sorely afraid. For such is the condition, even of gracioussouls, that the near approach of the Divine Glory begets in them tremblingand alarm! Oh, how wondrously changed shall we be when we areable to bear even the glories of Heaven! Have you ever thought of this,dear Friends? The beloved Apostle John saw Christ in His Glory and hewrote, “When I saw Him, I fell at His feet, as dead.” And these shepherds,12 A Visit to Bethlehem Sermon #291512 www.spurgeongems.org Volume 50even at the sight of “the angel of the Lord,” “were sorely afraid.” You andI, Beloved, must undergo a marvelous change before we shall be able tobe at Home with God in His Glory—but that change shall, through Hisabundant Grace, take place before long!10-12. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for behold, I bring yougood tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is bornthis day in the city of David, a Savior who is Christ the Lord. And this shallbe a sign unto you; You shall find the Baby wrapped in swaddling clothes,lying in a manger. “This shall be a sign unto you,” said the angel to theshepherds—and this is the ensign of the Christ of God even unto thisday. There are some who are constantly bringing discredit upon religionby their pompous ritual and gorgeous ceremonies buried beneath theweight of their sensuous worship! But the living Christ is still found insimple, lowly guise, “wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.”13. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenlyhost. They had heard the heavenly herald’s proclamation and hurrieddown to join him in publishing the glad tidings! They could not bear thatonly one angel should announce the birth of the Christ, so, “suddenlythere was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host.”13-19. Praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and onearth peace, good will toward men. And it came to pass, as the angelswere gone away from them into Heaven, the shepherds said, one to another,Let us now go to Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass,which the Lord has made known unto us. And they came with haste, andfound Mary, and Joseph, and the Baby lying in a manger. And when theyhad seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told themconcerning this Child. And all they that heard it wondered at those thingswhich were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things,and pondered them in her heart. Mary laid these things up in store andpondered them, giving them their due weight and value. Oh, that we didthe same with every Truth of God that we learn!—Adapted from The C. H. Spurgeon Collection, Version 1.0, Ages Software, 1.800.297.4307









”Is PATRIOTISM Sinful?”

Does God Achieve His Goals? OR, does Satan achieve his goals?

The Adversary’s Goals:

SCRIPTURE: "The ‘Devil’ ... walketh about seeking whom he may DEVOUR." I Pet 5:8

SCRIPTURE:"The ‘Thief’ (Devil) cometh not, but for to steal, to kill and to DESTROY." John 10:10

QUESTION: Do you Believe Satan the Adversary Succeeds?___ Or Fails?___

God the Father’s Goals:

SCRIPTURE: "For God sent NOT His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world though Him might be SAVED! See John 3:16 John 3:17

SCRIPTURE: "Beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, ... The Lord is ... NOT willing that any should perish, but that ALL should come to repentance. 2 Pet 3:9

QUESTION: Do you Believe God the Father Succeeds?___ Or Fails?___

God the Son’s Goals:

SCRIPTURE: "For the Son of Man is come to seek and to SAVE that which is lost!" Luk 19:10 "For I came NOT to judge the world, but to SAVE the world. John 12:47

SCRIPTURE: "And I, if I be lifted up from the Earth, I WILL DRAW ALL men unto Me." Joh 12:32

QUESTION: Do you Believe God the Son (Jesus Christ): Succeeds?___ Or Fails?___ center>

God the Spirit’s Goals:

SCRIPTURE: Jesus declares: "'I ’WILL’' send Him (Holy Spirit) unto you, and when He is come 'He ’WILL’' testify of Me: John 14:26

SCRIPTURE: "He ’WILL’ reprove the world [convict, convince, correct] of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment: John 16:7

SCRIPTURE: (1) Of sin, because they believe not on me; ... (2) Of righteousness, because I go to my Father; ...(3) Of judgment, because the 'Prince of this World' IS JUDGED!^[A] John 16:8-10


QUESTION: Do you think God the Spirit Succeeds?___ Or Fails?___




ULTIMATELY, WHO, ACHIEVES THEIR STATED GOALS? GOD or Satan?

If you believe
God the Father,
God the Son, and
God the Spirit
Win over Sin and Satan;
Please "CLICK" below!
"I Believe GOD WINS the Battle for the World!"






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