Part 3
Was there nothing but a manger Wretched sinners could afford, To receive the heavenly stranger? Did they thus affront the Lord?
See the kinder shepherds round him Telling wonders from the sky; Where they sought him, there they found him. With his virgin mother by.
See the lovely babe a-dressing, Lovely infant, how he smiled! When he wept, the mother’s blessing Sooth’d and hush’d the holy child.
LESSON XV.
THE WISE MEN.
MATTHEW ii.
THERE were some wise and rich men. They lived a great way from Bethlehem. They knew that God had sent his Son to be a babe but they did not know where to find him; so God put a beautiful star in the sky, and God made it move toward the place where Jesus was. So the wise men left their houses, and set out on a long journey; but first they said, Let us bring some presents for the Son of God: for he is a king. They took some gold, and some sweet-smelling stuff to burn. They looked at the star as they went. At last it stopped over a house in Bethlehem. The wise men were very glad indeed. They longed to see the Son of God. They went in, and there they saw Mary and her child Jesus: they fell down, and began to praise him, and to call him the Son of God, and the King.
They took out their presents, and gave them to him. Mary was poor; but now she had some money to buy things for her little baby.
LESSON XVI.
KING HEROD.
MATTHEW, ii. LUKE, ii. 51, 52.
THERE was a very wicked king called Herod. He lived a little way from Bethlehem. He heard that a babe was born in Bethlehem, and that some people said that the babe was a king.
Now Herod did not like that there should be any other king besides himself. Herod did not like that even the Son of God should be king. So Herod said, I will kill this babe that is called a king.
Herod knew that this babe was in Bethlehem; but there were many babes in Bethlehem, and Herod did not know which was the babe that was called a king.
Some people knew which it was; but they loved Jesus, and they would not tell Herod. A very wicked thought came into Herod’s mind. He thought, I will kill all the babes in Bethlehem. Do you think God would let Herod kill his Son? No. God knew what Herod meant to do. God sent one of his bright angels to speak to Joseph when he was asleep.
The angel said, A wicked king wants to kill the baby. Get up, Joseph; take Mary and the baby a great way off. So Joseph got up quickly; he took his ass, he put Mary on it, and she held the baby. It was dark when they set off. Nobody saw them go.
The next morning some men came with swords. Herod had sent them. They were come to kill all the babies. They opened every door, and said, Is there a baby here? Then they snatched it from its mother, and killed it, and the poor mother cried bitterly. Had you walked down the streets, you would have heard nothing but women weeping and crying out, My pretty babe is dead; I shall never see it more!
Was Jesus killed?
No: he was gone far away. His Father, God, had sent him away. Herod could not kill him, for God would not let him die so soon.
At last King Herod died. Then God sent an angel to speak to Joseph when he was asleep. The angel said, Joseph, go back to your own country; Herod is dead. So Joseph took the ass, and Mary, and the sweet child, Jesus, and they all came back to their own country.
Joseph was a carpenter. Jesus lived with Joseph and Mary, and minded all they said. He was a wise child, and loved to think of God. God his Father loved him, and everybody loved him, because he was so meek and kind. The older he grew the more they loved him.
LESSON XVII.
THE TEMPTATION.
MATTHEW iv. 1-11.
AT last Jesus grew to be a man. He knew that he must go from place to place, and teach people about God.
But first he went into a place by himself—called a wilderness. He had no house to sleep in there, no friend to speak to, no food to eat. In the night it was cold, in the day very hot.
There were no men, but there were lions, wolves and bears. At night they roared and howled; but Jesus trusted in his Father.
He ate nothing for forty days and forty nights, God kept him alive. When Jesus was alone, then he spoke in his heart to his dear Father.
At last someone came and spoke to him.
Who was it?
Not a man, not a bright angel, not God; it was Satan. I do not know how he looked. He was come to tempt Jesus to do wickedly, and not to mind God his Father. Satan knew that Jesus was hungry. He said to him, Turn these stones into bread! but Jesus would not, for God had promised to feed him himself.
After that, Satan took Jesus to the top of a great building, that was much higher than a church. It is dreadful to be on the top of a very high place; it makes one tremble to look down from the top.
Satan said to Jesus, Throw yourself down from this place; your Father will send his angels to keep you from being hurt, for you know that he has promised to take care of you.
Would Jesus have done right had he thrown himself down? No: Jesus knew that his Father would be displeased if he threw himself down; and Jesus always did the things that pleased his Father.
Then Satan took him to the top of a very high hill. He showed him the most beautiful things in the world, gardens and houses, ships and carriages, and fine clothes and feasts. He said, Look at these fine things. I will give them all to you. You shall have all the world for your own; only kneel down and call me God.
But Jesus said, I will pray to my Father, and not to you.
Jesus loved his Father better than all the things in the world.
Adam and Eve minded Satan, and disobeyed God; but Jesus did all his Father had told him. Adam was disobedient, Jesus was obedient.
Then Satan went away, and angels came from heaven and fed Jesus.
Satan goes about, trying to make children naughty. A lion could only eat your body, but Satan wants to have your soul and body in hell. Satan hates you. He is your enemy. But God is stronger than Satan. Say to God, Keep me from minding Satan, and God will keep you.
Upon that mountain’s height Two mighty princes stand; Jesus the Prince of Light, Satan at his right hand. Below them lies the prospect fair Of all earth holds of rich or rare.
Tables are seen around, Spread with delicious meats; Gardens where fruits abound, And thousand tempting sweets: Silver and gold and precious stones, Chariots and palaces and thrones.
Satan did once prevail On Eve to disobey: And now why should he fail To tempt the Lord astray? For Eve abundant food possess’d, While Christ with hunger is distress’d.
In vain the tempter tries The Saviour to deceive, For Jesus left the skies Our misery to relieve: His Father dear he sought to please, Nor wish’d for earthly joy and ease.
He had seen brighter things, And sweeter joys had known, Where angels touch the strings Around his Father’s throne. And shall he from that throne descend Before the evil one to bend?
No! He will hunger bear, And suffer sharpest pain, Till God shall hear his prayer, And his weak life sustain. And lo! ashamed the tempter flies, And angels feed him from the skies.
LESSON XVIII.
THE TWELVE DISCIPLES.
MARK, i. 16-20.
WHEN Jesus was a man, he began to teach people about his Father. Jesus used to preach.
Where did he preach?
Sometimes he preached to people in a place like a church; sometimes he preached in the fields; sometimes he sat on the top of a hill and preached; and sometimes he sat in a ship, and the people stood by the edge of the water to hear him. Jesus did not always live in the same place: he used to walk about from one place to another.
Did Jesus walk about alone? No; he had twelve friends always with him. He called them his twelve disciples.
How many are twelve? Let us count the little children in this room. Here are twelve. Jesus had just so many disciples.
One was called Peter, and another John, and another James, and another Thomas. I will not tell you the names of all, lest you should forget them.
Peter was a fisherman. He had a little ship, and he used to catch fish in the day and in the night. James and John had another little ship, and they used to catch fish.
One day Jesus passed by their ships, and Jesus saw Peter and his brother Andrew throwing a net into the sea to catch fish, and Jesus said to them, Come with me. And Peter and Andrew left their nets, and their ships, and went with Jesus.
And Jesus went a little further, and he saw James and John sitting in their ship, mending the holes in their nets, and Jesus said to them, Come with me; and they left their nets and went with Jesus.
Jesus called what people he pleased to come with him.
Shall I tell you why Jesus chose to have twelve friends always with him? What do you think was the reason?
Jesus wished to teach them about God his Father, that they might teach other people about him. They liked being with him, and listening to his words. Would you have liked to be always with Jesus?
When Jesus was alone with his disciples, he used to tell them secrets about God and heaven. They loved him very much indeed; they called him Master, and Lord. Jesus loved them still more than they loved him, and he called them his friends.
Jesus used to give them part of his things. But Jesus had no house to live in, and he had very little money. Sometimes Jesus and his friends were very much tired with walking far, and sometimes they were very hungry and thirsty. But kind people often asked them to come into their houses, and gave them food. Other people laughed at Jesus, and called him names.
Were the disciples good?—They were bad like us; but Jesus put his Spirit into them, and made them better. The disciples were not quite good like Jesus; they often quarreled with each other, and sometimes they were unkind to poor people.
How happy they who shared the bread Of Jesus here below! From place to place he traveled, And they with him did go.
What though they never had a place Where safely to abide, They saw their loving Master’s face, And followed by his side.
They heard him preach from hills and ships Of things to men unknown; But sweeter words dropped from his lips When they were all alone;
For then he would the things explain They could not understand, That heav’nly wisdom they might gain, And teach it through the land.
CHILD.
’Tis true I can not here below With thee, my Saviour, dwell; To heaven I one day hope to go, And there to know thee well.
LESSON XIX.
THE FIRST MIRACLE.
JOHN, ii. 1-11.
I TOLD you that some people used to ask Jesus to come into their houses. I shall now tell you of a man who did ask Jesus. This man gave a feast, and Jesus came to the feast. Mary, the mother of Jesus, came; and the disciples came. There were a great many more people besides at the feast.
There was some wine for the people to drink: but there was so little, that very soon it was all gone.
Jesus knew that the wine was gone. Could not Jesus give the people more wine?—Yes; for he made the world and all things in it.
There were some large stone jars in the room. Jesus said to the servants, Fill the jars with water, and they filled them quite full.
Then Jesus said, Take some, and give it to the master to drink. The servants did so; but Jesus had turned the water into wine.
When the master had tasted it, he said, What nice wine this is! Where did it come from?
The servants told him how Jesus had told them to fill the jars with water. Then all the people at the feast knew that Jesus had turned the water into wine.
This was the first wonder that Jesus did; it was called a miracle.
Why did Jesus do miracles? To show people that he was the Son of God.
The disciples now felt quite sure that Jesus was the Son of God.
Once Jesus to a marriage went; The numerous guests surround the board, When lo! they find the wine is spent;— This—Mary hears, and tells the Lord.
Before the guests’ astonished eyes Christ makes his heavenly glory shine; The thing desired he soon supplies. And changes water into wine.
How ready does our Lord appear Our fond desires to satisfy! And all that we can wish for here He is well able to supply.
LESSON XX.
SEVERAL MIRACLES.
LUKE, vi. 11-16.
AFTER Jesus had turned the water into wine, he did a great many wonders. He made blind people see, and deaf people hear, and dumb people speak, and lame people walk.
When Jesus came to a place, all the sick people crowded round him.
Jesus did not send them away because they disturbed him, but he cured them all—yes—every one.
This was the way in which he cured one blind man. He said, See! and the man could see that moment.
This was the way in which he cured a man who was deaf and dumb. Jesus put his fingers into his ears, and touched his tongue, and looked up to his Father in heaven, and said, Be opened! and immediately the string of his tongue was loosed, and he could speak plainly.
Once Jesus saw a poor sick man lying on a bed, and Jesus said to him, Should you like to be made well? The poor man said he wished very much to be made well. Then Jesus said, Get up, carry your bed, and walk. The man tried to get up, and he found that he could; for Jesus gave him strength.
One day Jesus was in a place like a church; he was preaching; when he saw a poor woman whose back was bent, so that she could not lift up her head. Jesus said, Woman, I have made you well; and then Jesus touched her with his hands, and her back grew straight, and she began to praise God.
Sometimes Jesus made dead people alive again. That was more wonderful than making sick people well.
Once Jesus was walking on the road. A great many people were walking after him, for people liked to see him do wonders, and to hear him talk. They met some men carrying a dead man to put him in the ground.
A poor old woman came after, crying very much. She was the mother of the dead man. He was her only son. Jesus was very sorry to see her cry. He came up to her and said, Do not cry, and then he touched the coffin. There was no top to it; the dead man was lying in it.
Jesus said, Get up, young man. He sat up and began to speak. Then Jesus said to his mother, Here is your son.
All the people were surprised, and said, This must be the Son of God. He can make dead people live again.
LESSON XXI.
THE SINNER AND SIMON.
LUKE, vii. 36 to end.
WHY did Jesus come into the world?—To save us from hell.
But why did God say that people must go to hell?—Because everybody was naughty.
Jesus can forgive people their naughtiness, and make them good. But Jesus will not forgive people who are not sorry. I will tell you of a proud man who was not sorry, and of a poor woman who was sorry.
A rich proud man asked Jesus to come and dine with him. Why did he ask Jesus? he did not love him;—he only asked him, that he might hear him talk: but Jesus said he would come.
The proud man treated Jesus very unkindly. He gave him no water to wash his feet, put no sweet ointment upon them, gave him no kiss.
A poor woman, who had been very naughty, saw Jesus go into the rich man’s house. She came up behind Jesus, and began to cry for all her naughtiness. She knew Jesus could forgive her, and she loved Jesus.
She had brought a box of ointment with her: she stooped down, and her tears fell upon Jesus’ feet, and with her tears she washed them: she wiped them with her long hair, and then poured the sweet ointment upon them, and kissed them.
The rich man looked at the woman very angrily; he knew she had been very naughty, and he was angry at seeing Jesus so kind to her.
But Jesus said to the proud man, This woman has been very naughty: but I have forgiven her, and she loves me very much. She loves me a great deal more than you do. You gave me no water for my feet; but she has washed my feet with her tears. You gave me no kiss; but she has kissed my feet ever since I came in. You gave me no ointment; but she has poured very sweet ointment upon my feet.
Then Jesus spoke kindly to the woman, and said to her, Your sins are forgiven.
So Jesus comforted this poor woman, but the proud man and his friends grew still more angry.
Jesus will forgive your sins if you are sorry, and if you ask him; but if you think yourself good, he will not forgive you; for Jesus cannot bear proud people. Though you are but a little child, you have done a great many wrong things; and you do not deserve to go to heaven. Oh, I hope Jesus will forgive you! I hope the Holy Spirit will come into your heart, and make you feel very sorry for your sins. Then Jesus will forgive you, and you will love him, as this poor woman did.
LESSON XXII.
THE STORM AT SEA.
LUKE, viii. 22-25.
JESUS often went into a ship with his disciples. Peter had a ship of his own, and John had another ship, and they liked to lend their ships to Jesus.
Once they were all in a ship when the wind blew very hard and the water moved up and down, and came over the ship. The disciples were afraid that they should be drowned.
Jesus had fallen asleep, and was lying on a pillow. The noise of the wind and of the water had not awakened him.
His disciples ran to him and cried, O Master! do you not care for us? will you let us die?
Then Jesus got up and said to the wind, Wind be still! and he said to the water, Be still! The wind left off blowing, and the water was smooth and quiet.
Then Jesus said to his disciples, Why are you afraid? Why did you not believe that I would take care of you?
Jesus knew that they were tossed about, and he would have kept them safe, though he was asleep.
The disciples said to one another, Jesus is the Son of God; even the wind and the water obey him.
The disciples, with Jesus their Lord, At sea in a vessel were toss’d; The winds loudly blew, the waves roar’d; They fear’d that they all should be lost.
The waters rush’d into the ship: For Jesus all eagerly look: He lies on a pillow asleep— Had he his disciples forsook?
Not so; while he slept he still thought Of them, and their bitter distress: His merciful eye slumbers not, But watches his children to bless.
He rises his work to perform: The wind and the waters obey: Soon hush’d is the terrible storm, The hurricane passes away.
How ready is Jesus to save! How strong is his arm to protect! His mercy we ever will crave; And deliv’rance will ever expect.
LESSON XXIII.
JAIRUS’ DAUGHTER.
LUKE, viii. 41 to end.
A RICH man came to Jesus and fell down at his feet and said, I have one little girl, and she is very sick; pray come and make her well. Jesus went with the rich man.
When they were near the house, some servants came out and said, The little girl is just dead; no one can make her well now.
But Jesus said, Do not be afraid; I can make her well.
Jesus said to the father and mother of the little girl, Come with me into the house. Peter, James, and John, you may come in, but no one else.
So they went up into the room where the little girl was lying in bed. A great many people were in the room, playing sad music, and singing sad songs, and crying, because the child was dead. But Jesus said, Leave off crying. The girl is only sleeping: she is not dead. Jesus said she was asleep, because he meant to make her alive so soon again. But the people laughed at Jesus, and said, She is dead, and they would not believe that he could make her alive again.
Jesus said, These people must be put out of the room. So he sent them out, and shut the door; but he let the father and mother, and Peter, and James, and John, stay in the room. He took the little girl’s hand, and said, Arise! At first she sat up, and then she rose up out of bed, and walked about the room. She was twelve years old. Jesus then said, Bring her something to eat.
The father and mother were much surprised at what had happened.
Hark! ’tis a father crying, And this is what he saith: “My little daughter’s lying Just at the point of death.”
The Saviour soon consented To come and heal the maid; Nor was he e’en prevented By hearing she was dead.
He found the people weeping Because her breath was gone; And when he said, “She’s sleeping,” They laughed him to scorn.
The Lord no sinful mocker Would suffer to remain; Then by the hand he took her, And bade her rise again.
Ah! see the maid arising According to his word; Does not the deed surprising Show Jesus to be Lord?
See in their fond embraces The parents clasp the maid; Ashamed are now the faces That mocked at what he said.
LESSON XXIV.
THE LOAVES AND FISHES.
MATTHEW, xiv. 13-22.
ONCE Jesus went into the wilderness with his disciples, and a great many people came after him; then Jesus preached to the people, and told them about his Father, and how he himself had come down from heaven to save them from Satan. They listened to him from morning till night.
When it was getting dark, the disciples came to Jesus and said, Will you not send the people home, for it is late?
But Jesus knew that the people had had nothing to eat all day, and he did not like to send them home tired and hungry. So he said to his disciples, Cannot you feed them?
No, said they; we have only five loaves and two small fishes, and see how many people there are!
But Jesus said, Make them sit down on the grass, and bring the loaves and fishes to me. So the disciples made them all sit down.
There were a great many people, as many as would fill ten churches—five thousand men, besides women and little children. How tired the little children must have been! it was time for them to have their supper and go to bed. We shall hear how Jesus fed all these people.
They sat down on the green grass. Jesus took the loaves and fishes; first he lifted up his eyes to his Father, and thanked him for the food, and then he took a piece of bread and gave it to Peter, and said, Feed all those people sitting there; and he gave another piece to John, and said, Feed those people; and he gave a piece of bread and fish to each of the disciples, and told each to feed some people.
One little piece of bread would not be enough for all the children in this room; but Jesus made the bread enough for all the people. Everyone had enough, and they threw upon the grass a great many little pieces. But Jesus said to his disciples, Take some baskets, and pick up the crumbs; and they filled twelve baskets full of little bits of bread. Then Jesus told the people to go home.
What a wonder Jesus had done! Yet you know that he feeds you, my little children, and all the people in the world.
How does he feed you?—He gives you bread.
Of what is bread made?—Of flour.
Of what is flour made?—Of corn.
Who makes corn?—God makes the corn.
Of what does he make it?—Of nothing. God makes things of nothing. Jesus is God, and makes the corn grow; so you see that Jesus feeds you. If he did not make corn grow in the fields we should die. But he will not forget us. He even remembers the little birds. They are too silly to plow, or to sow corn, or to reap or to put corn into barns, yet God does not let them starve. The birds cry to God, and he hears them, and lets them find food. Now God loves us much better than he loves the little birds, because we have souls; so he will certainly hear us when we pray to him.
If your mother had no bread in her cottage, and if she could get no money to buy some, yet God would hear her, if she loved him. He would not let her starve. Will you not ask God for bread every day, and say, Give me this day my daily bread?