The true northerner., 1894-08-03

Lesson for Aug. o.
The subject for this lesson Is the
Baptism OF Jesus" and Is found IN tho
opening sentences of Marks Gospel:
"The beginning OF the gospel of Jesus
Christ, he says, and then note how he
begins. 1t is with an act of obedience
to the divine behest, Johns personal
fulfi ilment of prophecy. In this Mark
Is true 10 his practical, str aightfor-
ward self. Each one OF the evangel-
lists may be said to disclose his predom-
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
'or all the Gentiles, goes back both in
his narrative and his geneal gy to
show how Christ is the Savior OF all.
And here Mark, plunging at once into
the record OF deeds OF servi-e, proves
himself the pragrhatist 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.
GOLDEN TExT-"Thou art my beloved
Son. In whom ! am well pleased MARK
1:1L
Points I'm the Lesson.
"The beginning of the gospel"
good beginning, the beginning of
everything that is good. Certain bad
beginnings had already been made.
Notice the beginning" of Gene is.
the look 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 realty proving
them one and in.eparable. Notice,
also, how this quotation from Malachi
and Isaiah 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
work of Gods servant-the living
epistle. He first summons John the
Baptist. In Marks panoramic picture
of the Christ life the figures come
picturesque sequence. John comes
first, usnering n the Christ; but the
Christ once introduced, John disap-
pears. He must increase, but l must
decrease"
What was John doing? Two things:
Baptising and preaching. / ut the
word and the ordinance each had the
one object ct-repentance, and through
that the remission OF sins. 1t is not
baptism unto tt 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
titness for Gods sovereign work OF re-
mis- ,ion. Peter at the Fentecost, in
this co nection, next gives the clue to
1t all. He does not say, as some have
emphasi ed it Acts 2: 3S) Repent ana
be baptized for the remission of sins"
but Repent and be baptized every one
of you in the name of the L ord Jesus
Christ for the remis ion of SINS" John
was preach ng AMI baptiziny 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 meekness and self-s lrren-
der Christ anne walking. All at once,
OlO udiy al pOoiIo dhAOhS OhO
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, reassured he Ier-
forms the sacred rite, the dove de.
scends ana the signs of the reve alton,
vouchsa ed to John beforehand are
complete. He that shall baptize you
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 illustration" for
this lesson is baptism itself. There IL
no preaching like it. What can honor
God like this act of meek obedience to
his word; what can honor the Son like
this becoming acceptance of his ex.
ample of righteous acceptance of the
tather's will: what can honor the
Spirit like this cruciixion of the flesh
for the sake of the truth as it is in
Jesus And so here at the baptismal
waters the voice of God etill speaks the
clearest and best: This is my beloved
Son, in whom l am we'll pleased.
Next Lesson-"The Temptation OF
Jesus" Matt. 1: Ill.