The Progress. (Shreveport, La.) 1892-1900, 1898-01-01
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
International Lesson for January 2,
1SSS--Jesus and John Matthew

chaps. 1-3; Mark 1I-u: Luke 1-s; job
Ibis
TIME.-John the Baptist began to prea c,
In the summer OF A. D. 26 The baptism O
Jesus was about January, A D. a.
PLACE.-The preaching of John the Ba D
fist was In the wilderness of Judea-a wild
hilly. thinIy inhabited region (not a desert
lying west of the Dead Sea and the low e.
Jordan Johns ministry extended as ia.
north as Enon, near Salin, two-thirds O.
the way up the Jordan from the Dead Sea
The baptism OF Jesus was doubtless at the
fords of the Jordan. called Bethabara Nv,
miles northeast of Jericho.
EXPLANATORY
Work of John the Baptist-Vs.
7-12. John the Baptist was born
In the summer of b. C.. 5. six
months before Jesus, probably at Heb
ron. He was brought up in a 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 great religious
interest among the people. Great
multitudes crowded to hear him. The
whole nation was stirred to the depths
with fear, repentance and hope
2. When He saw many of the Phari-
secs and Sadducees:" The two leading
religious sects OF the Jews, including
the principal men Of the nation. Come
to his BAPTISM" Why? Possibly
with half-conscious feeling OF sin
and need. II the new kingdom was
coming, they might want chief places
IN 1t. They would be baptized Iuke),
If by SO easy a form they could be par
takers In the kingdom. 20 generation
$ofs-vfpers:" The most venomous and
dangerous of the many poisonous
snakes of Syria. It is of small size, gives
. powarning rattle and closely resem bles |
1.-The gray rocks where itlives. It darts |
upon its victim unawares. This treach- |
erous habit OF the viper and the deadly |
poison OF it's bite gave point to the |
comparison. WHO hath warned YOU
to fee from the wrath:" They had
come to be baptized, not to repent. to
go through a form, not to change their
natures. Who had told them that the
outward form would save them? THE
wrath to comet" The punishment that
must come upon the guilty nation, and,
the sinful individual, unless they for
sock their sins.
8. Bring forth therefore," il YOU
really wish to be saved, and to escape.
W you Wish to be baptized. ~Fruit.
meet for repentance"
II. II indeed .baptize you with wa,
-
fer;I give you the sign and symbol. =
call you to repentance; but cannot
give you new life. L point you to one n
that cometh after me-" whose fore =
runner | am, but who is so much great -
er. better, more worthy than I, that :,
MS shoes l am not worthy to bear" =
am not worthy to perform the low :.
.sts most. humble service for Him. =
he shall baptize you with the Holy
ihost, and with fire. of whom and Of
whose work fire is the symbol; enlight- o.
ming, purifying, life-giving, health =,
irving, comforting, consuming impuri- ~ w
les, full of power. &c 90
IL. Whose fan Is in His hand:" A \,
Vtnnowing fan. I'm His hand" all ~
eady for use. ''And He viii thorough ne
: purge (cleanse) His floor" separat- nj
ng the chaf from the wheat, the bad
rom the good. Ills wheat" The
God, the true members of His kipp