A CLASS of boys and girls had listened to the reading from the second chapter of the book of Luke; how the angel told the shepherds of Bethlehem of the birth of Jesus; and later how He parents to the great temple as Jerusalem; then, for fear of the king who wanted to kill Him, they had carried Him to Egypt, but after a time brought Him to the town of Nazareth.
The teacher took a large map of Asia and pointed out the small country of Palestine, and the city of Jerusalem near the center; Bethlehem nearby, and Nazareth in the north. They also found the country of Egypt across the Red Sea.
One girl raised her hand for permission to ask a question, which was given. This was her question, very earnestly asked,
“Was it really to this world that Jesus came?”
The teacher answered her that it was truly to this earth that the Lord Jesus came, and lived at the very places shown on the map, and still called by the same names. And on a globe they then located their own land, America, and across the ocean, Asia and Palestine.
You see the girl had often heard of Jesus, but she thought it was a sort of fairy story and not really true. The teacher told them that it was also just outside the city of Jerusalem that the Lord died on the cross to take the punishment of our sins; that he was buried in a tomb in a hill nearby, but that God,
His Father, raised Him alive again and He went to heaven to wait until the Father sends Him again to take all who love Him there also.
The girl was very happy to realize the story of Jesus was really true, and trusted in His death for her sins, and spoke of His love to others.
When you see a map of Asia, look for the land of Palestine and find the places where the Lord Jesus lived when on this earth. Remember the story of Jesus is true; that He was the Son of God from heaven, holy and did no sin, but only did good to all, until He gave up His life at Jerusalem.
ML 02/21/1937