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The Christmas Cycle
even unto the death of the cross (Phil 2:8). This same sacrifice He was to impose on His Church
and on all who were redeemed by His grace. This is the law of grace. “For both the Jews require
signs and the Greeks seek after wisdom. But we preach Christ crucified: unto the Jews indeed a
stumbling block and unto the Gentiles foolishness. But unto them that are called, both Jews and
Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser
than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For see your vocation, brethren, that
there are not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble. But the foolish
things of the world hath God chosen, that He may confound the wise” (1 Cor 1:22 ff.). This is
not the wisdom of the world, but the foolishness of God; the weak, the ignorant, the poor, and
those whom the world despises, these hath God chosen. “Suffer the little children and forbid
them not to come to Me, for the kingdom of God is for such” (Mt 19:14).
“But when it is grown up, it is greater than all herbs and becometh a tree” (Gospel). It
was a small and unimpressive group of disciples which Christ gathered about Him in the
days of His preaching. Yet He can assure them that “it hath pleased your Father to give you
a kingdom” (Lk 12:32). The Lord had scarcely left them when on Pentecost this small group
of disciples was augmented by three thousand others. “And by the hands of the apostles
were many signs and wonders wrought, among the people. . . . And the multitude of men
and women who believed in the Lord was more increased” (Acts 5:114). From this small
beginning the Church spread rapidly throughout Judea and Samaria. Soon the faith in Jesus
spread to Damascus, Antioch, Asia Minor, and Rome, in spite of the opposition of the civil
power. “He that humbleth himself shall be exalted” (Lk 14:11). Thus the Apostle of the
Gentiles explains the mystery of the kingdom of God: “But the foolish things of the world
hath God chosen, that He may confound the wise; and the weak things of the world hath
God chosen, that He may confound the strong. And the base things of the world and the
things that are contemptible, hath God chosen, and the things that are not, that He might
bring to nought things that are” (1 Cor 1:27 f.).
Thus the Church of Christ is stronger than any earthly power and more durable than any
mere earthly kingdom. In spite of all the force that is brought to bear on her for her destruction,
she lives and prospers and grows. In spite of the persecutions which she has suffered, in spite of
the false teachers who have arisen within her, she continues her way serenely and unperturbed.
False philosophies arise to undermine her doctrine, but she conquers them all with her wisdom.
Her enemies continually oppose her, but she silences them all with the example of her purity,
and virtue, and holiness. Indeed, the mustard seed has become the greatest of all herbs. “The
right hand of the Lord hath wrought strength; the right hand of the Lord hath exalted me. I
shall not die, but live, and shall declare the works of the Lord” (Offertory).
The above principles apply not only to the Church, but also to every individual soul. This universal
law of grace was exemplified by Christ in His own birth as a helpless babe in Bethlehem. “He
that humbleth himself shall be exalted,” is the first law of all spiritual growth. “Blessed are the
poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 5:3). In spite of the perverted teachers of
Israel, the scribes and Pharisees, He gathers His disciples about Him and invites them to learn
of Him “because I am meek and humble of heart” (Mt 11:29). He rejoices “because Thou hast
hid these things from the wise and the prudent and hast revealed them to the little ones. Yea,
Father, for so hath it seemed good in Thy sight” (Mt 11:25 f.).
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