The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1897-12-31
the SUNDAY SCHOOL.
international Lesson for January =
IsOs--Je.ss and John - Matthew
ALLY

T. ~ 1 !
Chrlst's life up 70 the Temptation Matt.
chaps. IL. Mark ll-I. Luke i-s; John
Il-lA
TIME.-John the Baptist began 20 preach
IN the summer or A. ID. - The baptism OF
Jesus was about January. A. ID 2.
PIACE.-The preaching Of John the Bap-
tist was in the wilderness OF Judea-a "lld,
billy. thinly inhabited region mot DESERT
lying west Of the Dead Sea ana the iower
Jordan. Johns ministry extended az Tar
north as Enon. near Salim. two-thirus OF
the way up the Jordan from the Dead Sea
The baptism or Jesus was doubtless at the
fords u the Jordan. called Bethabara. nve
miles northeast of Jericho
EXPLANATORY.
Work of John the Baptist.-Vs.
7-l2. John the Baptist was borr
in the summer Of b. {. 5, SIX
months before Jesus, probably at Heb
ron. lie was brought up in retired /
way in the wilderness. till he was 80
years old. Then six months before the |
public appearance of Jesus He began |
TO preach repentance in the wilderness
Of Judea. John the Baptist prepared
the way by awakening a great religious
4 intsrest among the people. Great
rnultitudes crowded TO hear him. The
whole nation was stirred to the depths
with fear, repentance and hope.
7. when He saw many of the Phari-
sees and Sadducees:" The two leading
religious sects Of the Jews, including
the principal men of the nation. Come
10 his BAPTISM" Why? Possibly
with half-conscious feeling of sin
and need. If the new kingdom was
coming. they might want chief places
in il. They would be baptized Luke),
If by so easy a form they could be par
takers in the kingdom. 20 generation
~ yipers:' The most venomous and
dangerous of the many poisonous
snakes of SYRIA. 1t is of small size, gives
no warning rattleand closely resembles
the gray rocks where ii lives. IL darts
upon its victim unawares. This treach-
erous habit of the viper and the deadly
poison Of its bite gave point 10 the
: comparison. .'Who hath warned you
10 fee from the wrath" They had
come to be baptized. not to repent, 10
! 20 through form. not TO change their
natures. Who had told them that the
outward form would save them? The
, wrath TO GOMEZ" The punishment that
must come upon the guilty nation, and
| the sinful individual, unless they for
] sock their sins.
e 5. Bring forth therefore" il you
really wish to be saved. and to escape
|. II you wish to be baptized. Fruits
0 meet for repentance"
: IL. Il indeed baptize you with wa
( ter l give YOU the sign and symbol
| call YOU to repentance; but cannot
E give you new life. j point you 10 one
J, that cometh after me-" whose fore
: runner am, but who is so much great
= er. better. more worthy than i, that
e his shoes / am not worthy to bear,
o am not worthy to perform the low
d est. most humble service for HIM
e He shall baptize you with the Holy
= Ghost. and with fire." of whom and OF
:. whose work fire is the symbol; enlight
= ening. purifying, life-giving, health
n giving. comforting. consuming impuri
y, ties. full Of power
= 10. Whose fan is in His hand:" \
: winnowing fan. I'm His hand al
~ ready for use. "And He will thorough
ly purge (cleanse) His floor" separat
irr the chaff from the wheat, the baf
n from the good. Ellis wheat" TIT
I. rood. the true members of His king
lie dom. Into the garner" Granary
ie the right place for the wheat; the king
r dom of Heaven; Heaven. But
the chafr:- The refuse, the useless, rep
4 rcsenting all who continue in sin. unre
y. pentant. good for nothing, harmful
az ..He will burn with unqucach
er able fire that no power can put GU
Ee or enable them to escape
Is Baptism and Descent of Holy Spirit
VS.. 1917. IL. "Then cometh Jesus:
\. Probably i'm January. ~ ID. ~ ate
- John had been preaching six months
IA ITO lie baptized of him:" As the othe
I'd people were doing
ge IA. -John forbade HIM" Heproteste
~ against IL. Il have need" lie recol
nized in some degree who il was
- Is. Thus it aecometh ms TO fulfill a
N righteousness" So that He would b
prepared for His great work. GD \
II a teacher OF the law Heshouldrecogniz
its authority and obey IL.
Is. Went up straightway out OF III
water and up the bank of the rive
- He was praying as lie went. luke 1921
\. Thus il was when He was transhgure'
he .The heavens we're opened:" in Mark. ]
it ". "rent asunder." He (Jesus) saw,
m. did John fJohn 1880, and doubles
ne all who were looking. 1.-The Spirit I
God descending like dove:' The dos
was historically connected in the Jev
ish mind With the abatement OF II
waters after the flood. and has becom
as well as the olive branch, symbol
peace among all Christian people.
We II. 40. a voice from Heaven Thr'
times during our Lords earthly mini
try was a voice heard from Heaven:
ut His baptism; t2) at His transfigur
ton Mark e:0; (3) in the courts
the temple during Passion Week IDOL
l2:2s). This is my beloved Son.
Whom I am we'll pleased:' Thus q
m, indorsed Him and His mission. a
showed to the Jewish nation that he
was the Messiah II must afso ha
strengthened and confirmed the hum