The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-11-28
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
DECEMBER 2.
Lesson Text: "Christ's Testimony to
JOHN" Luke VIII, 24-35-Gold.
en- Text: Luke viii, 81
Commentary.

a. md when the messengers OF John
were departed He began to speak unto the
people concerning John. What went ye out
into the wilderness for to see2 A reed
shaken with the wind?" It is possible that
this lesson precedes in the order OF events
the lesson Of last week. John, from tie
prison into which Herod had put him mark
VI. II Math. vi. q. had sent MESSENGERS
to Jesus to inquire If he were the Christ.
Jesus wrought miracles before them and
said they should tell John what they had
seen and heard, and add. "Blessed is he
whosoever shall not be offended in Me-"
Then Jesus begins to talk to the people
about John and asks them II he was like
reed shaked with the wind, weak one
easily blown about.
70. but what went ye out for to see? 4
man clothed In soft raiment? Behold they
which are gorgeously appareled and live
delicately are In kings courts" They knew
John did not indulge in fine clothes nor
luxurious living, but as 1t Is written, "The
same John had his raiment of camel's hair
and leathern gIrdle about his loins. and
his meat was locust and wild honey" (Math.
ILL.,, y. He sought not earthly comforts nor
self indulgence. but lived to make known
and point out the Lamb OF God, who taketh
away the sins Of the world. he did not seek
any greatness for himself (John l., 29; Jer.
XIV, 81.
26. "But what went ye out for to ses2 A
prophet? Yea, say unto you, and much
more than prophet" The father Of John,
filled with the Holy Spirit, after the birth Of
the child had said, "Aud thou, child, shalt
be called the prophet OF the Highest, for
thou shalt 80 before the face OF the Lord to
prepare His ways" (Luke l., 76). A prophet
was not necessarily one who predicted
future events, but rather one who spoke for
God. Abraham is the first one called q
prophet In the Scriptures (Gen. xx., y, but
he uttered no predictions, yet he was Gods
representative. See Aaron, the prophet or
spokesman for Noses (Ex. w., 1; vii, ~.
n. ''This is He of whom 1t Is written, Be-
hold. send My messenger before Thy face,
which shall prepare Thy way before Thee"
The Spirit, through Malachi, had said this
some 400 years before (Mal. ILL.,, y, and
about 800 years before Malachi the same
Spirit had said through Isaiah that voice
would cry in the wilderness, Prepare ye
the way Of the Lord" elsa. H., 81. How
clear to God is the end and all the steps
that lead to It from the very beginning, and
He says, "My counsel shall stand, and
will do all My pleasure Elsa. XVI, iO).
28 "For say unto you, Among thoseth
are born OF women thers Is not q greater
prophet than John the Baptist, but he that
Is least in the kingdom of God is greater
than he." Gabriel said Of him, "He shall be
great In the sight of the Lord and shall drink
neither wine nor strong drink, and he shall
be filed with the Holy Spirit even from his
mothers womb" Guke l., 15). Although he
was permitted by God to languish and die In
prison, yet he ceased not to be great In the
sight of the Lord. ,.,.,,.. 81,
29. Sand all the people that heard Him
and the publicans justified God, being bap-
tized with the baptism Of John" All who
honor the messenger Of God by believing and
obeying His word thus honor God (Math. Z,
40), but those who reject the message and the
messenger dishonor God and make Him q
liar because they believe not His message
QJohn ", 10). ..-.
80. "But the Pharisees and lawyers re-
iected the counsel of God against themselves,
being not baptized of Him. In chapter
xvi, IA, it Is written that ''they derided Him,
and He said unto them, eye are they which
justify yourselves before men, but God
knoweth your hearts, for that which Is highly
esteemedamong men is abomination in the
sight of God" The heart Is deceitful and
desperately wicked. and none can thoroughly
know it but God (Jer. xvii, 9, 10) therefore
His word Of trust must be against 1t, and to
proves US children ofthe devil.
81. "And the Lord said, Whereunto then
shall liken the men OF this generationa
And to what are they nke?" He was ever
finding analogies In nature and In people.
He called Himselfa vine, door, q shep-
herd, the light, the way, the truth, the life.
He compared the present condition OF af-
fairs. called the mystery Of the kingdom, to
mustard tree, heaven, etc. He said
A. ho a,,If tn1f fn1 xyfc
and used similtudes by the ministry OF the
prophets (Hos. Kill, 10y.
80. ''They are like unto children sitting in
the market place and calling one to another
and saying We have piped unto you, and ys
have not danced. We have mourned to you,
and ye have not wept." The children could
not please their fellows, and mother Johnno
Jesus could please that adulterous genera
tion. But they did not try. They sought
only to please God, and they did It. Tho
Father testified from Heaven that He was
we'll pleased with Jesus (Math. ILL.,, II xvii,
81, and Jesus has just borne good testimony
to John in this our lesson.
SO. For John the Baptist came neither
eating bread nor drinking wine, and ye say
that he hath devil" The Spirit through
Isaiah wrote that In his day he that departed
from evil was accounted mad Elsa. lx., 15,
margin), and through Hosea: ''The prophet
is a fool. The spiritual man is mad" CLOS:
ix., y. Since the days OF Cain men OF God
like Abel have been accounted beside them
selves and not f1t to liye-ft only to be cur
of from the land of the living (Jer, xi., 19).
a. ''TEe Son of man is come eating ana.
drinking, aud ys say, Behold gluttonous
man and wine bibber, friend OF puon.
cans and sinners" Truly ''the carnal mind
Is enmity against God, for 1t Is not subject
to the law of God, neither indeed can be
(Rom. viii, y. Let US not grieve nor take
it amiss II for His sake we are called un.
reasonable and uncalled for names. And
IL the things attributed to Him are the very
farthest from the possibility OF our doing the
fellowship with Jesus is all the closer. Lei
us never seek to please people, but ever
study to show ourselves approved unto GOO,
ambitious to be we'll pleasing unto Him u
Tim. H., Is; II Cor. ", 9, R. v, margin);
IS. ''But wisdom is justified OF all het
children" Self-condemnation justihes COO
and God justifies those who condemn them;
selves. It is only when We take the place OF
the guilty, accepting Gods testimony agalna
us and receiving Jesus as our righteousness
that we are justified in His sight. All suca
honor Christ, who is the wisdom OF COG
and He honors all such by making them 40
6epted in Him q Cor. l., "a. 80, and Eph- Il
c).-Lesson Helper.