The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1900-12-27
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson i'm the International Series for
December 30, 1000
Review.
prepared by II. c. Jenington.1
THE LESSON TEXT,


gives authority to His teachings. His
coming was heralded by the angels,
His star was seen by the wise men of
the east, and other signs showed that
He was no ordinary man, but the
promised Messiah sent to redeem His
people. and having in Himself the es-
sence of the Divine nature.
He was the Son of Man. being a
lineal descendant of David. king of
Israel. and having for His mother
the Virgin Mary. Being the Son of
Man, 'He was tempted in all points
like as we are, yet without sin" This
gives US affinity with Jesus Christ and
furnishes the promise that through
Him. the Goldman, we may. rise above
our lower and meaner selves and come
into fellowship with all that is divine.
Recall the opportunities of the time
of Jesus coming. This was no acci-
dent, but part of the divine plan.
There has been no other period in all
history when all the nations of the
known civilized world were included
in one great empire, and this under
Roman rule. This meant universal
peace, that there was one language
that could be generally understood.
and easy access to all parts. The
Jews had gone into every land,
and, being an essentially religious
people, carried with them the Old les
lament writings as we know them.
Recall the childhood and youth of
Jesus and His probabl surroundings.
advantageous and otherwise. Remem-
ber that all Jewish children had abun-
dant opportunity to become familiar
"-ith the Scriptures, and th1' ut
Nazareth. His childhood home and
surt of international crossroads. lie
would come into contact win all
types Of people. Into the midst ii all
this place the picture of the boy
Jesus at the age of -. seeking to
learn Of the Jewish rabbis. auG the
purpose of His life which was thus
early brought out by the question:
"Wist We not that | must be about
my Fathers business?"
Then comes the introduction to His
public ministry. The first event was
the preaching of John the Baptist
then the baptism of Jesus; thirdly.
the descent of the Holy Spirit. and
last, His temptation in the wilder
ness. For 40 days He thought and
prayed and tasted. Here with His
life before Him He was met by the
three greatest temptations that could
come to a man of His human tempera-
ment and capacities. The first was
the temptation to command the stones
to become bread. This may be in
terprcted as the temptation to put
physical and material things above
that which is spiritual. The second
was to east Himself from pinnacle
into the crowded court of the temple.
This would have gained him immedi-
ate recognition, but not so could He
become the redeemer of the world
The last temptation was to become
the recognized ruler of all the king
doms of the earth. This was a subtle
temptation, for He had come to es-
tablish His kingdom on earth. It
was the temptation of power and in
volved the putting of Satan in the
place of God. We are not to suppose
that the temptations of Jesus were
not genuine. He was human as well
as divine. and these temptations were
the battles between the two natures
for supremacy. and the divine tri-
nmphed.
Jesus ministry extended over parts
of at least three years. The first
year was the year of beginnings. At
Cana of Galilee He performed His
first miracle. At Jerusalem He ac-
complished His first reform by driv-
ing out of the temple the money
changers. His first recorded discourse
was contained in the conversation
with Nicodemus. His first great min
istry was in Judea. 1t was during
this year that He began gathering
about Him body of disciples. 1t
was from among these disciples that
He afterwards chose 12 to be apostles.
The second year was the year in
which He laid down the great funda-
mental principles of the kingdom of
Heaven. These are contained mainly
in the Sermon on the Mount Very
briefly in the Beatitudes Jesus points
out those who will come into the
kingdom.
The third year was one of many
notable events, and early in it there
began to show signs of gathering op-
position. 1t was during this year that
John the Baptist was beheaded. Then
we have the rejection of Jesus at
Nazareth, the sending forth of the
Twelve and the feeding of the five
thousand. The main discourses of this
year We're: On the Sabbath. on hu-
mility. on welcoming sinners. to the
rich young ruler and the talk at the
home of Iaccheus. The notable para
bles uttered included that of the
great supper, the lost sheep, the lost
coin, the prodigal son, the unjust
steward, the rich man and Lazarus.
and the pounds. 1t was in this wear
that His TRANSPORTATION occurred.
Bits of Truth.
When you open your heart to lust
love will leave your life.
Fidelity to old truths demands hos
pitality to new ones.
1t takes more than a high price to
make a thing highly precious.
A mans wealth may be measured
by his capacities, not by his coin.
There is only one single step from
the level rock over the precipice OF
ruin.
If men put more sense into theil
1