Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1896-01-17
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON III, FIRST QUARTER, INTER-
NATlOE, L Sc S, JAN. 10.

Text of the Lesson, Luke iii, 15-22-Mem-
DRY Verses, 21, 22-Golden Text, John l.,
a9-Commentary by the Rev. ID. NJ.
stearns.
10. "And as the people were In expecta-
ton and all men unused in their hearts of
John, whether he were the Christ or not"
John was in the deserts till the day of his
showing unto Israel (chapter |, SOY. Then
in Gods appointed time the word of God
came unto John in the Wilderness, and no
went forth to preach the baptism of re-
pentance for the remission of sins (chapter
iii, 2, -. The effect upon many of the
people was simply that of suspense and
debating as to whether John was the
Christ or not. See margin. Some of
them asked him if he was the Christ or
Elijah or that prophet. They need not
have debated the question, nor have re-
manned in suspense, had they been subject
to the prophets Isaiah and Malachi, nor
would they have reasoned much as to who
John was had they been truly expecting
Him whom John preached.
16. "John answered, saying unto them
all: l indeed baptize you with water, but
one mightier than l cometh, the latchct of
" iANf0 INV 4 flll " NNA Wy " ~
He shall buptizc you with the Holy Ghost
and with fire John said that he was
neither elijah nor Christ nor the prophet,
but only a voicc-to he heard and not seen
crying, "Makc straight the way of tho
Lord And so he cried, "BGhold the
Lamb of GodI' (John i, 81, %, 20, 3G.)
When aftcrward they told John that all
were following Jesus, he said; "This my
joy, therefore, is fulfilled. He must in
crease, but | must decrease" (IOhn iii, ~,
800. This beautiful spirit of John which
seeks nothing for self, but aims only to
magnify the Lord, is very much to be de-
sired and is within our reach, for it is the
Spirit of Christ Himself, who never sought
His own will nor His own glory (JOhn v,
30; vi, IS; viii, 800. He is ready to fill us
with His Spirit (.uke XII, l3), and He will
when we are ready by His grace to live
His life Oh Cor. iv, 10, I'D.
II. "WhOSc fan is in His hand, and He
will thoroughly purge His floor and will
gather the wheat into His garner, but tho
chnff He will burn with fire |unqucnch-
able" The baptism of Israel with tho
Holy Spirit and with fire will he ut tho
harvest time, the end of this age (Math.
xiii, 40-43; lSa. xiv, 3; Nal. iii, -, but
individual believers may and should bu
AlNh Z WV lAAA AItNHF hbAa hAHf AAANN
also know somewhat of the experience Of
fire, for there is much dross in us to be-
consumed. The unquenchablc fire is, how
ever, the sanc as the Lord Himself re
fcrrcd To in Mark tx, 43-4S; Math. Xiii, ~.
see also Rev. xiv, Oil.
Is. "And many other things in his cX-
hortation preached he unto the people. -
In John iii, 2G-aG, we find that, among tho
other things, John preached that Jesus is
the son of God (scc also chapter i. 34);
that He was sent of God; that He spako
the words Of God; that whatsoever receives
the son hath life. but he that receives not
the Son hath no life, but abidcs under tho
wrath of God; that II man can receive
nothing except it be given him from hcav-
en-, and that it is IL great honor to he IL
friend of the Bridegroom, even Of Jesus
Christ. Elsewhere He taught that repent
ance is nothing unless it is proved to be
real by works corresponding thereto. We
may listen to preaching as sound and
Christ honoring as that of John, but wo
read that even the word Of God will not
profit those who hear it unless they believe
ii CHeb. iv, -.
~. but llerod, the tetrarch, being re-
proved by him for Ilcrodias, his brother
Philips wife, and for all the evils which
lIcrod had done Tho particulars of this
will he found in Mark vi, l7-20, where it
is also written that lIerod believed John
to be IL just and holy man, heard him
gladly and did many things. some would
say, therefore, that John might have dom
moro for Hrrod if he had kept his favor
and been gentle with him and not rcbukcd
his sin, but the true servant of God has no
thought of pleasing men 50 as to keep
their favor, even though they be rs great
as Hcrod tGal. j. lO). our II and constant
aim must be to please Him who has given
us so great IA trust as His gospel Oh Thess.
ii, y.
%. "Addcd yet this above all-that he
shut up John in prison. This was no
new experience for "A prophet of the Lord,
rs il king of Judah put Hannni in prison
because of the Lord message through