Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1896-01-03
nHE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON I, FIRST QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SEGi-C, JAN. 5.

MA lONIL Still, JAN. D.
Text of the Lesson, Luke |, 5-17--Mem-
DRY Verses, Is, IG-Golden Text, Luke
/, 7G-Commcntary by the Rev. u. VI.
Stcarns.
D. "Thcro was in the days of IIcrod tho
king of JudTa Il certain priest named Zach
arias " We are now to have six months in
the gospel by Luke finding one lesson in
each chapter This chapter may he sum
married. under the Introduction, Gabriel $
visit to Xacharins and aftcrward to Mary,
Mary visit to Elizabeth and the birth of
John. The object of the gospel is to de-
clare the things which were "mOst surely
believed" (vrrsc u concerning Jesus. The
king and priest mentioned i'm this first
verse turn our thoughts to Him who is
the great Priest King after the order of
Mclchizcdck Teen xiv, Is; Ps. OK, ~.
What contrast to lIcrod. but the great
antelope of all true priests. For ourselves
see Rev. V. 9. 10.
+. "And they were both righteous be-
fore God, walking in all the command
mcnts and ordinances of the Lord blame
less They were united in the Lord
Gum. xxxvi Il, :; l Cor. vii, 49, Cor.
vi I'D. As to their standing before God,
they were both righteous ON the principle
of Abrahams righteousness (Gcn. XIV, & !;
Rom. iv, -. All who are truly i'm Christ
are righteous in Him, and this perfect
standing before God is Interchangeable (ROm.
X, A. II Cor. Y, 81; Isa. Xxi, 100.
Z. "And they had no child because that
Elizabeth WAS barren, and they both were
now well stricken i'm years. When nature
fails, then the hand of the Lord is made
more manifest, as in the case of Sarah,
Rachel, Hannah and Manoah wife. 1t is
written of Abraham that he considered
not his own body nor Sarah's body, but
only the promise of God, being fully per
suadcd that what He had promised He
was able also To perform (Rom. iv, 49,
2D When all possibility as far as human
eyes can see is taken away, then there is
opportunity for the Lord to magnify His
name that He may he glorilicd.
s. "IIr executed the priests office before
God. The two words "bcforc God" cover
about everything that concerts us In
Christ we are righteous before God, and
rs Ia our daily life we might take the word
| to Abraham. walk before me and he thou
perfect or sincere or upright (GCn. xvii.
u. The priests office is fully stated in III
ChrOn. xxx, 1, 1.-The Lord hath chosen
you to stand before Him TO serve Him.
and that We should minister unto Him and
burn incense Christ became our High
Priest by the things He suffered; we are
now in training for future priesthood
9. " His lot was To burn incense In
Ps. cXli, >, We read. "I.ct my prayer he
set forth before Thee as incense and the
lifting upof my hands aS the evening sacri-
flee. And in Rev. Will 3, I, we read of
incense offered with the prayers of saints.
The incense j. suggestive Of the merits of
Jesus Christ bv which alone anything we
do can he accepted before God but by
which the fccblcst service in His Name is
accepted.
10. And the whole multitI sr of the
people were praying without at he time
of incense The time of incense whcr
the people were praying without while
they waited for the priest torcturn tothcm
is suggc>tin of this whole age during
which our High Priest has gone into the
presence of Gud for us and we continue in
prayer, awaiting His return. He ever
livclh To make intcrccssion for US and SAYS
to Us, Bcciiusc live, We shall live also
(Iohn xiv, lW.
IL. And there appeared unto him an
angel of the Lord, standing on the right
/ '' " 49, $500 - - '' '''' '''s7N''
name was Gabriel. which means "God is
mighty lie l. twice mentioned In Daniel
as Hod messenger TO INN tDan WIN, l6i
TX, 30 lie aitrrward came to Nazarcth
with message for Mary oversees 20, 20.
II. ANA when HacharlaS saw him. he
was troubled and fear fell upon him We
might conclude from Judges xiii, -. that
there was IA superstition that the appear
ancc of an angel meant death, or perhaps
in the case OF HachariaN it was the ordi-
nary fear OF the supernatural, as when the
disciples were afraid IN the boat, or the
women al the Srpulcher (Nark Vi, ~, 30;
XVI y. Mary does not seem to have been
troubled by his visit, bur rather by what
he at first said (vrrse 2s).
10. But the angel said unto him. Fear
not, IacharlaS; for thy prayer Is heard
In verse 80 1t Is Fear not, Mary, and
from Gon. Nv, ], t" Key. /, II, ii might al
most he shld to hra prolonged " Fear not.
I All God thoughts To His people are