Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1890-02-15
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON FOR
FEBRUARY 10.
Lesson Text: The Ministry Of john,
Luke IL, 7-o2-Golden Text: Matt.
iii, documentary on the
Lesson.

iii. 2.-Commentary on the
Lesson.
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
gsnt for the word Of God came unto Him IN
the wilderness verse p and He came forth al
His command We should always be sure
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
poeth before them, and the sheep follow Him,
Tor they know His voice John X, Al.
20 generation of vipersl tR. v, yc off
spring of vipersl who hath warned you to fee
from the wrath to Gomez hiatt. ill.,, Z, says
that he addressed these words to the many
Pharisees and Sadducees who came to his
baptism. They We're the religious people OF
the day, fully described by Jesus in HIS eight
woes in Matt. xiii, and by the Spirit IN
Acts xiii, 8. The religion of the former was
all outward, to be seen by men. while their
hearts were full of hypocrisy and inlqulty
Matt xiii, 2Sl: 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 that they were children OF the
devil, the father of lies John viii, Al.
8. t'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 ne
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.
Q, Every tree therefore, which bringeth
not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast
into the fire. Jesus used the very same words
in His sermon on the mount Matt VII, III,
and taught the same truth in His parable OF
the barren fig tree luke xiii, 6-9. In the
creation the word TO every living creature
was. 'Be fruitful and multiply Gen. l., q,
2S). To the disciples Jesus said: Herein IS
NV Father glorified that ye bear much fruit
John XIV, 81.
10. II. 1.-THE people tR. ", the multitudesl
asked him, saying: "W hat shall we do, them
Having heard His words to the religious lead
ers, the common people ask what message be
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 tc
repent, for the kingdom was at hand; they
had come to be baptized, and now how car
doing good with Just what they have.
IL, 10 'Then came also publicans to be
baptized, and said unto Him, Master, what
shall we dor 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 well lined. They
were apt to be thieves and covetous Il Cor.
vi, 10), and for them John has by the Spirit
just 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 house
and heart he brought forth fruits meet Tor
repentance by restoring fourfold to every
one whom he had wronged" luke xix, s.
A. 'And 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 God, and reminds US
of PauIs words to Timothy: Goodness with
contentment is great gam; having
food and raiment let us be herewith con
tent q Tim. vi, 6, g.. So they all got il
Just as they needed, and we can fancy the
looks of each party as they swallowed theif
own medicine and then watched the Others
taking theirs
15 "All men unused in their hearts of Jonn
whether he were tho Christ or not" Not
since the days of Malachi had preaching like
this been heard Those who had read the
y
and Micah.
16. Zone mightier than / cometh, the
latchet of whose shoes | am not worthy to
unloosen He clearly gives them to under
stand that he is not the Christ.
He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost
and with fire." TIE water baptism was
symbol of the inward renewal, and token
Of subsection 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
achi had foretold as well as the other propb
cts NAL. ill.,, 1-3; Eek. xxxvi. 27-29l.
II. ''Whose fan is in His hand, and He wild
thoroughly purge His floor, and will gather
His wheat into His garner hut the chaff He
will burn with fire rnquenchable." Had
Israel received John as the herald of Christ,
and received Christ as their Messiah, the
kingdom then at hand would have come to
the daughter of Zion, and all this been ac-
complished; but in Matt. Kill. 80, 39-43, Jesus
declares that this harvest will not be now
till the end of this age; and the reason is
found in Matt xii, Il. where it is said that
the Phalisees had determined to kill Him. IL
Luke xix, 11-19, He most plainly teaches
that the kingdom shall not come till He re-
turns from the far country.
1S "And many other things In His exhor.
tation preached He unto the people" or, as in
hortations therefore preached He good It'd
ings unto the people That the kingdom
was at hand, and that all their sins might
be forgiven, and they enter into it, was sure
ly good tidings. and would have proved so tc
the nation had they been meek enough to re-
ceive the tidings and Him who brought them.
49, 90 But Herod the tetrarch y
added yet this above all. that he shut up
John in prison. Had John not reproved
Herod he might have escaped the prison
Had he not taken such a decided stand
against evil, and SO fearlessly rebuked it even
in high places, he would have made it easier
for himself But John was set for the main
tenance of Righteousness and the overthrow
of iniquity, and was willing for his Masters
sake to walk in the footsteps of the prophets
Oh Chron. xvi, 10 xviii, 26l.
81. Jesus also being baptized, and praying
the Heaven was opened" We step back now
in the record to the great test event in all Johns
baptizing. According to Matthew and Mark,
it came to pass in those days that Jesus cams
from Nazareth of Galilee to Jordan unto John
to be baptized of him. John at first refused,
feeling unworthy to baptize such an one, but
Jesus persuaded and John consented; then, ae
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 ono
of seven different occasions on which He is
spoken of as praying.
%. "And the Holy Ghost descended in
bodily shape like dove upon Him" He is
the true ark in whom alone the Spirit finds a
perfect resting place, reminding US of Noahs
dove returning to the ark. while the raven,
unclean bird, could find resting place on
any dead carcass. He is the only refug,
from coming Judgment.
'And voice came from heaven, which
said: Thou art My beloved Son; in Thee !
am well pleased" At the TRANSPORTATION
the same voice said the same words. If We
are well pleased with Jesus, then God will be
well pleased with US for His sake Lesson
HELPER.
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