Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1894-08-02
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
AN INTERESTING AND iNsTRuo-
TIVE LESSON.
Renections Of IN Elcvating Character
wholesome Food for Thought - Study
ing the scriptural Lesson IntelligentIy
and Probably.


The subject for, this lesson Is the
Baptism OF Jesus, and is found In the
opening sentences OF Marks Gospel:
.rhe beginning OF the gospel OF Jesus
Christ, he says, and then note how he
begins. It Is with an act OF obedience
to the divine behest, Johns personal
| fulfillment OF prophecy. In this Mark
Is true TO his practical, stf Aightfor.
ward self. Each one Of tho evangel-
lists may be sal to disclose his FREEDOM
inant spirit and purpose by the way
he begins his gospel. Matthew, writ
ing for the Jews, primarily, commences
with the genealogical tables. John,
writing for the broad philosophical
mind, strikes at once at the great basal
principle OF redemption. Luke, of the
Greek cast, the kind physician writing
for all the Gentiles, goes back both in
his narrative and his geneal gy to
show how Christ Is the Savior OF all.
the record o. deeds OF service, proves
himself the pragmatist or reporter
among the sacred four. He aims to
tell the story of the wonder-worker, to
give the moving annals of the gospel
day, and he loses no time in going
about it.
COLLEEN TExr-"Thou art my beloved
Son, In whom am well pleased MARK
I'LL.
Poius. In the Lesson.
"The beginning of the gospel" a
good beginning, the beginning OF
everything that is cool. Certain bad
beginnings had already been made.
Notice the beginning OF Gene is.
the hook of beginnings: beginning OF
unfaith, of sin, OF death. Now the
beginning of that which will make the
crooked straight, the beginning Of
the gospel.
Notice how Mark goes back to the
Old Testament, and to almost the last
wo. d OF it, for his beginning OF the
New Testament, thus dovetailing the
two together and in reality proving
them one and in eparable. Notice,
also, how this quotation from Malachi
and lisa all at the outset is the only
Scripture quotation in Mark. Having
taken his text, he goes right forward
to the practical proof in the life and
epistle He' first summons John the
Baptist. In Marks, panoramic picture
of the Christ life the figures come
naturally and in their most graphic or
picturesque sequence. John comes
first, usn ering IN the Christ; but the
Christ once Introduced, John disap-
pears. HE must increase, but l must
decrease.
What was John doing? Two things:
Raptisipg and preaching. / ut the
word and the ordinance each had the
ole object repentance, and through
that the remission Of sins. 1t is not
baptism unto tt e remission of sins, but
repentance unto the remission of sins.
AS the preaching of it elf q d not re-
NIT sin, SO also the baptism did not. 1t
was repentance that gave the human
fitness for Gods sovereign work OF re-
mission. Peter at the Fentecost, in
this CO. nection, next gives the clue to
it all. He does not say, as some have
emphasi ed it Acts =. 49, Repent and
be baptized for the remission of sins.
but Repent and he baptized every one
of you in the name of the Lord Jesus
Christ, for the remission of SINS" John
was preach ng AMI baptizing with this
paramount purpose, to prepare the way
of the Lord. And pre- emily by that
prepared way, Gods way, not mans,
the way of meekress and self-s lrren'
der, Christ anne walking. All at once,
enc day, there appeared among the
people at the rivers brink stately
form and noble brow. John in recog
milton cries, Behold the Lamb of God,
and he involuntarily shrinks from his
holy task. Then, treasured he FER
forms the sacred rite. the dove de
sends ana the signs OF the reve alton
vouchsa ed to John beforehand are
complete. He that shall baptize yor
with the Holy Ghost is come. AND
now from the heavens them selves by
the voice of God the eyes OF man are
turned away forever from the forerun
ner to the Christ Thou art my be-
loved Son."
The best hint and illus ration" for
this lesson is baptism itself There i.
no preaching like it. What can homo,
God like this at of meek obedience to
his word; what can honoc the Son like
this becoming acceptance of his ex'
ample of righteous acceptance OF the
Fathers will: what can honor the
Spirit like this crucifxion of the flesh
for the sake of the truth as it is in
Jesus And SO here at the baptisma
waters the voice of God till speaks the
clearcst ard best: This is my Beloved
Son, in whom | am we'll pleased.