The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1894-09-06
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
SEPTEMBER 81.
Lesson Text: "Jesus aud Nicode-
mus" John Ill.,. 1-t8-Golden
Text: John i'll TO-
Commentary.

OF chapter H.. and we might read this way:
He knew what was In man. Now, there was 10
man. See II. V, SO this ruler Nicodemus IL In
troduced ~ specimen. and Jesus proceeds
TO read TO him his sthoughts and deal with him.
In the next chapter He takes the woman OF
Snmaria as specimen. and from the rich
religious ruler and the poor ungodly woman
He shows US tho best and the worst In man
and that each must and may he born anew.
2. Better 10 come TO Jesus by night than
not at all. Tho great thing Is TO come, and
the great assurance is "him that cometh
unto Me will in no wise cast OUT (John
vi. 37).
3. All tho verilies In John are double
ones, and there are % Of them. this being
the second one. Tho first IL chapter l. 81,
and the third and fourth are in verses 8 and
ii OF our lesson. II is just tho word amen,
nni might bc read amen. amen. Jesus calls
Himself "rhc Amen" in Rcv. Ill., II.
4. Nicodcmus, though so religious. was
only natural mau, and understood not
spiritual things, therefore asked so foolish
question. The preaching OF the cross IL 20
them that perish foolishness. and tho things
OF the Spirit Of God are foolishncss 10 tho
natural man G Cor. L., IL w., IA.
D. jesus enlarged upon His first statement
m TO the necessity OF the birth from above,
aud now emphasizes that necessity and says
that IL is accomplished by water and the
Spirit Both James and Peter testify that wo
are born again by the word of God (Jnmcs t.
Is 4; Pet. T., 23). Paul says that the wnter
signifies the word (Eph. ", 2G. with which
compare John Nv., 3. and Ps. cNix.. 9
&. The flesh OF natural man can only pro-
duce the flesh or natural man. II may bo
cultivated and educated and become very
talented and refined but IL IL only nosh and
cannot please God (Rom. Will. ~. When We
nre born anew or from above ny receiving "A
life we never had before. even Jesus Himself,
then we are snid to be In the spirit, not in tho
flesh (Rom. viii, o..
Z. When Jesus says Must" that settles
everything for the mind that IA meek AMI
Submissive. There Is another In verse H.
and IA truly ~ tho Son Of Man had TO bs
crucied SO surely must every refined tai
ented. educated, religious man or woman be
born from above by receiving Jesus, or hs
shall never see or enter the kingdom OF God.
One may he very near the kingdom and not
enter in, like the scribe OF Mark xii. -, OF
whom Jesus said. Thou art not far from the
Kingdom OF God
4. The work OF the Spirit In tho heart OF
man Is at first secret work. ''as II man
should cast seed into the ground, and should
sleep, and rise night aud day, and the seed
should spring and grow up, ho knoweth not
how MARX iv.. 2G, 27).
2. Tho natural man continues TO ask,
"HowY' The man IN whom tho Spirit works
simply believes and receives with meekness
the engrafted word (Jns. h., ~ "The on.
trance OF Thy words giveth light. II giveth
understanding unto the simple" (Ps. cxix,
1900, but as long as we are asking
how or why we are not simply re-
ceiving. Rather let us say. Lord. | be-
lieve. or like Mary, BE 1t unto inc accord
ing TO Thy word.
10. A teacher in Israel might have known
that at the word of tho Lord. In tho vision
OF Ezekiel, tho dry bones came together.
Lg, 90 IA Ia, "A .f.I
flesh. and 10y the Spirit of the Lord they
stood up an exceeding great army (Ezek.
xxxvii, l-l0). The testimony OF evgry
spirit ;Aled man In tho Old Testament his
tory, COZ, Z mis- sin and h8lplessasss and
giving trec ms glory us Joseph, Isaiah,
Daniel and others (Gen., XII, IL lsn. vi. 8.
Dan. Y, &. 10 Mic. Ill.,, -, taught the
helplessness ot the flesh and the Gecessity OF
the Spirit and word Of God. "'
II. Notice that IL say unto you" Of Christ
In tho gospels is equivalent TO "fhus SAT-
the Lord In the Old Testament for th,
Lord, or Lord OF Hosts OF tho Old Testament,
Is none other than the Christ OF the New
For u simple proof see Rev. xNiii.. 6, 49, or
perhaps Isa. VI, 3, with John xii, II. would
be more plain to some. One who knows be.
cause he has seen is surely u good witness,
yet how often false witness Is believed rath-
er then u true one! Compare chapter ", 49,
-. The only one thing To do with the tes-
timony Oft true witness is TO believe. as
otherwise we make the witness a liar. and
those who believe not God nra guilty of max
ing Him liar Il John v. 100. Unbeliet
keeps unsaved souls In a lost condition, and
even those who believe to the saving OF the
soul are kept from enjoying the rest and
peace and JOY which Is their privilege by not
believing fully. Tho last half OF John ILL.,,
*, proves the first. and Heb. Ill.,, IL. to iv.,
3, the second. BE not afraid only be-
lieve.'
10. Very often in this GOSPEL wo havo tho
testimony OF Jesus that lie came down from
heaven, came forth from tho Father, was
sent from God but here He testiies that
even while He was on earth He was still In
heaven. The other view of this great fact Is
that now in heaven at the right hand OF God
lie IL still with us alway. and wherever two
or three are gathered In His name He is in
the midst (Muth. xviii, 20 xviii. 20).
IA. Jesus now takes Nicodemus back to
something he must have been familiar with
the story OF the SHINING and bitten Israeli
ties and the wondrous healing by the brazen
serpent lifted up upon pole In sight OF all.
The brazen serpent was the likeness OF thar
which by its poisonous bite was Staying tho
thousands OF Israel.
10. The bitten IsIaelite who looked upon
the brnzen serpent lived. "When no beheld
the serpent of brass he lived" (Num. XXI, 81.
Looking is equal to believing or receiving.
The sinner, when convinced OF his sin and
helpessness and led TO see Jesus made u sin
Offering on the cross for him. dying IN his
stead, the just for the unjust receives Him
as his substitute, and believing that Christ
was made u curse for him he, through the
atonement OF Christ, is instantly saved.
10. Let sinner convinced of his sin take
this verse and write II out, putting his own
name in full instead OF ''ths world" and
"whosoever' andle him look up TO God and
say sincerely, 80 God, | do most heartily
believe that :" then he can go on and say,
"And thank Thee that, receiving Jesus as
my own Saviour, have Thy word for II that
lnow have everlasting life and shall never
perish | believe such soul to be truly
born from above. Lesson Helper.
CONDEMNED ny THE CONVENTION.
The Christian Endeavor Convention
adopted the following resolutions on the
question of int oSlcants
"Resolved, That We recognize the sale and
use OF intoxicants rs the greatest evil Of the