Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1890-02-14
THE MINISTRY OF JOHN.
LESSON VII, FIRST QUARTER, INTER.
NATIONAL SERIES, FEB. 1e.
Text OF the Lesson, Luke III, s-22--Com-
nit Verses 16-t7-Golden Text, Matt.
i'll, documentary by the Rev.
ID, NJ. Stearns.


Compiled from Lesson Helper Quarterly by per.
mission of II. S. Hoffman, publisher, Philadel-
phia
John is supposed to have been now about
80 years of age Verse 90 of this chapter
informs us that Jesus was about that age
when He began His public ministry. John
was about six months older than Jesus, and
probably preceded Him in His ministry about
that time. The Levites were not to begin to
serve about the tabernacle until they were 30
years old; this is stated just seven times in
Mum. iv, and may have been the reason why
John and Jesus began th9ir ministry at
that age All we know of the history Of
Johns thirty years is summed up in two
sentences: "He shall he filled with the Holy
Ghost, even from his mothers womb" and
"'The child grew, and waxed strong in spirit,
end was in the deserts till the day of his
showing unto Israel luke i, $780,
T. "Then said He to the multitude that
came forth to be baptized of Him." He had
not come forth from the wilderness of His
own accord, He did not run without being
sent, for the word of God came unto Him in
the wilderness verse p and He came forth at
His command.
90 generation of vipers! C2. ", We Off
from the wrath to Gomez Matt iii, Z, says
that he addressed these words to the many
Pharisees and Sadducees who came to his
baptism They were the religious people of
the day, fully described by Jesus in His eight
woes in Matt. xii, and by the Spirit in
Acts xii, 8. The religion of the former was
all outward, to be seen Of men, while their
hearts were full of hypocrisy and iniquity
Matt. xii, 2S; the latter denied the resur-
rection and that there were angels or spirits.
Jesus called them by the same name as John,
and told them they were on their way to hell
Matt. xiii, 3d. On another occasion lie
told them that they were children of the
devn, the father of lies John viii, A.
s. Bring forth, therefore, fruits worthy
of repentance They trusted in the fact that
they we're descendants of Abraham, and
therefore the promises to him were sure to
them; they did not see that in order to be
true children OF Abraham they must believe
as he Believed and live as he lived. They
were like those in our day who think that, be-
cause they have been baptized in infancy and
in due time confirmed, therefore they are
Christians and sure of heaven, no matter how
they live To all such the word is, "If you
have truly repented and turned to God, prove
it by your works Faith without works is
deadn JAS. ii, 20, 2D.
o. "Eyury tree. therefore, which bringeth
hoU lorlh so"u lIu'' Is He"n uo"n ana caSO
INTO me nre' Jesus used the very same
words IN Ills sermon on 'he mount lMatt' WI,
", and taught The same truth IN lis parable
of the barren fig tree luke xiii, CO.
~, H. Inc people lh. ' e, the hultltudesl
asked nm, saying; w mar shall we 90, theh
Having head Ills words to therellgIons Lead
/ ..I.-
ers, the common people ask what message lie
mas Tor theh. Ihey maze no BOAST OF thelr
| goodneaS' az not uNpay lheir relSIoh, per
maps felJ int tAey h"d none 10 speak or they
were the WORKING people, ana II required
All tielr eHort9 10 earn enough 10 keep nOuy
anu soul t'Sethhr' Out they had heard tAe
CRY 10 repent loI inc hI'E"'lh was al uaHd
they nad come To De bap'lzej' anu no" now
can 'HeA suO" mn s"'CeII'S Inc answer
Is, by uolne Ro'n WIN Jusu WAT they nave
ne lnaU huIh' ne thaU halh' lel MN 60
"haU he can "I'p ll''V 10 help thoSo VINO
nave h"ilils' ana mus prove the slhcerllF
| OF ms repentance James says Just the same
thlhS i'll chap, H. I'' Io anu JoHn ASKS Low
the rove Oh Goa can u"sA IN any one VINO
mas TINS worlds goods ana seeth ms prother
nave need yet shutteth up ms bowels OF com
passion from nm Il John III, ~,
~ 10, linen came aiso pubIlcanS TO DC
pdpt4Ncu' ana salu unto hiil' master "uay
shiI we do' lHeS' were the TAX collectors
NnoSe TEN Plu'lo'' anu perhaps custom was
10 co-leet more IMAM tne regular TAX So th"'
'nelr own pockets might ne wen liheu'
- ana the So'tc'S likewise demanded o'
him. say lhb, ANA "Hau Shall we do' Tvs
answer 10 thtnl IS nearly III lhe words 81
MIcan W. :: 70 justly love mercy ana
Walk Hu'Nply win Iny God' ana reminds US
OF I"ui . words 10 IihAothy; Dodllness WIN
coh.ehlilenl Is great suIh' haNiA5
loou anu ralhlehU Leu us Ne herewith coz
tent u Inn w. u o. 30 they all got II gust
as they needed anu we can Fancy the looks
oI cach party rs lney swallowed their own
H'e!lclle ana theii "a'cheu lhe othefs taxing
Vhelr'
3D. An men huseu IN thelr hearts OF
o"ph' "hether lie were the thrlst OF not
Not since the dnNS OF Maiachl had preaching
IKE TINS peeh heard lhoSe VINO h2a read
the prophets might truly say, lie talks like
Elijah and Micah. Some, knowing from
Daniel that about this time the Messiah
should aDpear. wondered in their lear,5 if
tlis was tLa Io,,o, ,,r,r,isod Na-sioL
~ "ona ~, ,I,', III =,
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