The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-02-12
SABBATH SCHOd
INTERNATIONAL LESSON
FEBRUARY 10.
Lesson Text: 1.-THE Ministry Of john .
Luke Ill.,, 7-22-Golden Text:
Matt. ill.,, 2Com- q
mentary.

the wilderness (verse q and He came forth g
His command. We should always be surf
that God is calling, and not enter upon any
work simply because we think it right to do :
so; when he putteth forth His own sheep he I
goeth before them, and the sheep follow Him,
for they know His voice John Z, A..
20 generation Of vipers! (R. v, ye OH.
from the wrath to Gomez Matt i'll, 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. xiii, and by the Spirit In
Acts xiii, s. The religion Of the former was
all outward, to be seen by men, while their i
hearts were full Of hypocrisy and iniquity
Matt. xiii, 28; the latter denied the resur-
rection and that there were angels or spirits?
Jesus called them by the same name as John,
devil, the father Of lies John viii, A..
8. i'Bring forth, therefore, fruits worthy
of repentance" They trusted in the fact that
they were 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
8. 'sEvery tree, therefore, which bringeth
not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast
into the fire" Jesus used the very same word
in His sermon on the mount Matt. vii, 19)
and taught the same truth in His parable 0fS
the barren fig tree luke xiii, go. In tho
creation the word to every living creature
was: "Be fruitful and multiply" (Gen. l., "a
29. To the disciples Jesus said: Herein Is
My Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit"
John 1v., g..
asked him. saving: ttW hat shall we do, thenss
Having heard His words to the religious lead.
ers the common people ask what message He
has for them. They made no boast OF their
goodness, did not display their religion, per-
haps felt that they had none to speak OF; they
were the working people, and it required all
their efforts to earn enough and keep body and
soul together; but they had heard the cry to
repent, for the kingdom was at hand; they
had come to be baptized, and now how can
they show their sincerity? The answers, by
doing good with just what they have. -
II, 13. 'Then came also pubhcans to be
baptized, and said unto Him, Master. what
shall we doY' These were the tax collectors,
whose temptation, and perhaps custom, was
to collect more than the regular tax, so that
their own pockets might be we'll lined. They
were ant to be thieves and covetous Il Cor.
vi. 10Y, and for them John has by the Spirit
lust the right word. Rich Zaccheus, chief
among the publicans, seems to acknowledge
that he had made a good deal OF money In
this way, but when Jesus came to his mouse
and heart he brought forth fruits meet for
repentance by restoring fourfold to every
one whom he had wrongedn luke xix, 81.
IA. ssAnd the soldiers likewise demanded
of Him, saying: And what shall we do" His
answer to them is nearly in the words OF
Micah vi, s: DO justly, love mercy and
walk humbly with thy Cod" and reminds us
of Paurs words to Timothy: "Godliness with
contentment is great gain; ~ having
food and raiment ist us be thereWlth con-
tent" Q Tim. vi, 6, g.. So they all got 1t
just as they needed, and we can fancy tne
looks of each party as they swallowed gnelr
own medicine and then watched tne otners
taking theirs.
15 hAll men unused in their hearts OF John,
whether he were the Christ or not" No5
since the days of Malachi had preaching Ike
this been heard. Those who had read the
prophets might truly say, He talks like Elijah
and Micah.
latchet of whose shoes l am not worthy To-
unloose." He clearly gives them to under
stand that he is not the Christ.
:sHe shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost
and with fire" The water baptism was
symbol of the inward renewal, and token
Of subiection to the One unto whom they
were baptized, the King of the coming king.
dom, then at hand, but He Himself would
give them the power to serve Him and pu-
rify them from all their dross; and this NAL
acbi had foretold as well as the other proph-
cts Mal. iii, 1-3; Eek. xxxvi.. 27-29:
II. "Whose fan is in His hand, and He VIII
thoroughly purge His floor, and Will gather
His wheat into His garner; but the caa1 Inc he
will burn with fire unquenchable." Had
Israel received John as the herald OF Chrlst
and received Christ as their Messiah, the
Iinodom then at hand would have come to
fine daughter of Zion, and all this been ac-
complished: but in Matt Kill, 80, 39-4S Jesus
declares that this harvest will not be now
till the end of this age; and the reason Is
found in Matt. xii, "A, where it is said that
the Pharisees had determined to Kill HIM. In
Tmke xix, 11-19, He most plainly teaches
that the kingdom shall not come TILL here
turns from the far country:
1S. "And many other things in bis exnor-
tation preached He unto the people" OF, as IN
the Revised Version, with many other e1-
hortations therefore preached He good It'd
mos INTO the people" That the kingdom
was at hand. and that all their sins might
he forgiven, and they enter into it, was sure
" good tidings and would have proved so 70
the nation had they been meek enough 10 re,
ceive the tidings and Him who brought tnem:
19 90. "But Herod the tetrarch,
added vet this above all, that he shut up
John in prison. Had John not reprovea
Herod he might have escaped the prison;
Had he not taken such decided stano
against evil, and so fearlessly rebuked 1t even
in high places he would have made 1t easier
for himself. But John was set for the mN-'
tenance Of Righteousness and the overthrow
Of iniouity, and was willing for his Masters
sake to walk in the footsteps OF the prophets
III Chron. xvi, 10 xviii, 26.
q. "Jesus also being baptized, and praying
the Heaven was opened" We step back nov
in the record to the greatest event In all Jonns
hantizinp. According to Matthew and Mark,
it came to pass in those days that Jesus came
from Nazareth Of Galilee to Jordan unto JOIN
to be baptized of him. John at first refused,
feeling unworthy to baptize such an one, ou1
Jesus persuaded and John consented; then, as
Jesus came up out Of the water the heavens
were opened. Luke is the only one who re-
cords His praying at this time, and this IS one
of seven different occasions on which he is
spoken of US praying.
12 "And the Holy Ghost descended IN O.
bodily shape like dove upon Him" Heis
the true ark in whom alone the SPIRIT mas Q,
perfect resting place. reminding US Sc, OF Mar NOans
dove returning TO the ark, While the raven.
uuclean prd, couId nnd a resting place on
any dead carcass. He Is the only refuge:
from coming Judgment. ,..,J
"And q voice came from heaven, whc9
said: Thou art My beloved Son; in Thee !
am well pleased" At the transiiguratlon
the same voice said the same words. We
are we'll pleased with Jesus, then God will Do
we'll pleased with us for His sake.-Lesson
HelDer.
Iris sometimes said that the branches