Middletown transcript., 1899-01-21
suNpAv scHooL 1EssoN.
international q $. Lesson for January
22d, 1893.
J 2 p ID al 1IzIN15uacIau5,-- Uul Vs71 -
Read the whole chapter.

international 9. $. Lesson for January
22d. 1893.
Jesus and Nicodemus. John 8: :1-16.
Read the whole chapter.
Golden Text. For God SO loved
the world, that He gave His only be-
gotten Son, that whosoeyer belieyeth
iD Him should not perish, but have
everlasting life. John 3: is.
There must have been a great deal
of talk about the wonderful things
that Jesus was doias: how He bad
turned water into wine, and driven the
trader out of the Temple with a whip.
He was poor and despised by many
people because He was laboring man;
and many hated Him because He was
good and called Himself the Son of
God.
There was one of the Pharisees
named Nicodemus, who knew that
Jesus came from God because no one
else could do such miracles. Nlcode-
mus belonged to the Council that after
ward condemned Jesus to death. but he
was not against Him, 50 he came to
Him by night.
Jesus knew Nicodemus-for He
knows all things and all men--and told
him at once that there is only one way
to get into Heaven. There must be
complete change wrought in every man
by some oneroutside, for the sinner is
like dead man with no hope inside;
only going, to corruption and getting
worse every day. This change must be
q new birth, Except man be born
again, he cannot see the Kingdom of
God.
So the only hope is in the Holy
Spirit, who cannot be seen any more
than the wind; but who alone can per-
form this wonderful regeneration or
making over new. Nicodemus could
not understand such thing, but we
can, for we have the Spirits statement
in His Book, "Whosoever believeth
that Jesus is the Christ is born of God"
And He alsS says of Jesus, "As many
as received Him, to them gave He
power to become the sons of God, even
to them that believe on His name:
which were born of God
And then Jesus told Nicodemus
plainly the way to be saved. He re-
minded him of the time when the Jews
had sinned against God, and He had
sent fiery serpents into their camp,
which were biting and killing the peo-
pie; and when they ad no hope they
called on God, and He told Noses to
put brass serpent on pole SO that
every one could see it, and whosoever
looked on it was saved. And then
Jesus said, "As Moses lifted up the
serpent in the wilderness, even SO must
the Son of man be lifted up; that who
soever believeth in Him should not per-
ish; but have eternal life. For God so
loved the world'that He gave His only
begotten Son, that whosoever believeth
in Him should not perish, hut have
everlasting life. !"
When Jesus was afterwards lifted up
on the cross, AMI paid our debt, all peo-
pie could know just what He meant by
! believing and being born again.
There are two men now in Heaven
with Jesus, who had the creates earthly
honor ever conferred on any one. They
are Nicodemus and Joseph of Arima-
thea; two of His disciples, secretly for
| fear of the Jews. When the other dis
ciples had forsaken Him, these two
men begged His body of PLATE, and
gently taking it from the cross, wrap
ped it in burial clothes with costly
spices, and laid tin a new tomb heWn
out of the rock.
*x
International s. s. Lesson for January
Goth, 1899.
Jesus at Jacobs Well-John 4: 5-15..
Read to ADD verse.
Golden Text Whosoever drinketh
Of the water that shall give him shall
never thirst. John 4 IA.
As Jesus wished to go from Judea,
whe.e Q He had been teaching and bap-
tizing with His disciples; to Galilee, a
northern province, s'He must needs go
through Samaria," lying between. He
came to city of Samaria called Sychar,
near which was piece of land once
owned BY Jacob, the Father OF the
Israelites, who had temporarily dwelt
there and dug well.
Jesus came to this well about noon,
and being "wearied with His journeyn
sat down 10 rest, while His disciples
went into the city to buy food. How
blessed, as we became wearied with
our journey, tc know that Jesus can
sympathize with us, especially if like
Paul "in journeyings often" and Tin
WEAKNESS" in His work we have fellow.
ship with Him.
IA woman Of Samaria@ came to
draw water, and Jesus said to her,
"Giye Me to dfink.' The woman
thought it strange request as "the
Jews have no dealings with the Sama-
ritans, but as" God SO loved the world"
as to give His Son to die for it, ''there
is no respect Of persons with God,' nor
any outside the reach of The Sayiour's.
love. nor the love of His disciples.
Jesus spoke to her of "the gift of
God" which sis eternal life through
Jesus Christ our Lord" of which she
knew not or she would /" have asked of
Him the living water" She was like
many whom s'the god of this world
hath blinded lest the light of
The glorious Gospel Of Christ should
shine unto them.D
The loving words Of Jesus are ring.
ing still along the years, "lfany man
thirst let Him come unto Me and
drink and even before His day Isaiah