VIII-SCRIPTURE READING (TEACHING BY PARABLES)—

Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his field: which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown it is the greatest of herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.

Another parable spake he unto them: The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till the whole was leavened.

All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them. That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.

IX-SONG (ALL STANDING)

Serenity

Arr. from Wallace

1. We may not climb the heav'nly steeps To bring the Lord Christ down;

In vain we search the lowest deeps, For Him no depths can drown. A-men.

2. But warm, sweet, tender, even yet

A present help is He;

And faith has still its Olivet,

And love its Galilee.

3. The healing of His seamless dress

I's by our beds of pain;

We touch Him in life's throng and press,

And we are whole again.

X-SCRIPTURE READING (THE TEACHING of life)—

Seeing then that we have a great high priest that is passed into
the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the
feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we
are, yet without sin.
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne
of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of
need.

1. Thou didst leave Thy throne and Thy kingly crown, When Thou

cam-est to earth for

me;

But in Beth-le-hem's home there was

found no

room For Thy holy na - tiv - i

ty.

Oh,

come to my heart, Lord Jesus, There is room in my heart for Thee! Amen.

(Used by permission of The Century Co.)

2. Heaven's arches rang when the angels sang,
Proclaiming Thy royal degree;

But in lowly birth didst Thou come to earth,
And in great humility.

3. Thou camest, O Lord, with the living word,
That should set Thy people free;

But with mocking scorn, and with crown of thorn,
They bore Thee to Calvary.

4. When heaven's arches shall ring, and her choirs shall sing,
At Thy coming to victory,

Let Thy voice call me home, saying, “Yet there is room,
There is room at My side for thee."

REF.

And my heart shall rejoice, Lord Jesus,

When Thou comest and callest for me.

-EMILY E. S. ELLIOTT (1864)

II-RESPONSIVE READING (ALL SEATED)

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying,

Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we saw his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

And when Herod the king heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

And gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ should be born.

And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judea: for thus is it written through the prophet.

And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, art in no wise least among the princes of Judah, for out of thee shall come forth a Governor, who shall be shepherd of my people Israel.

III-SONG (ALL STANDING)

Ilfracomb

S. Webbe

1. There is a green hill far a - way, With-out a cit

Where the dear Lord was cru-ci-fied, Who died to save us all...... A-men.