The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1905-01-20
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
li sSON ", FIRST QUARTER. INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, JAN. 22.
Text Of the Lesson, John Al, LII.
Memory Verse, 11-GOlden Text,
John II, documentary Prepared
by Rev. ID. NJ. Stearns.


by Rev. ID. M. stearns.
copyright. 1906. by American Press Assocation.l
1t would be very helpful In pursuing
these studies In this gospel to get
concise summary of the events of each
chapter. Chapter might be summa-
rized as the word of God, John the
Baptists testimony to the Lamb OF
God and the calling of six disciples;
chapter Ii, the marriage In Cana, the
passover cleansing OF the temple, the
prediction of His death and resurrec-
ton Some one has said that Gods
word, like Gods worlds, moves IN
circle one of the institutions of the
garden of Eden was marriage, and in
the restored paradise shall be the mar
riage of the Lamb.
Here we have the first of our Lords
miracles and His glory manifested ut
marriage in Cana. The peculiar one
ness of His people with Himself is
often thus set forth. Thy maker Is
thine husband, the Lord of Hosts is
His name" Turn, o backsliding chill
dren, saith the Lord, for l am married
unto YOU" Married To Him who Is
raised from the dead, that we should
bring forth fruit unto God" Qsa. liv,
B; Jer iii, IA; Rom. vii, A. The one
ness Of Adam and Eve is used by the
Spirit through Paul as a type of Christ
and the church (Eph. V, 30-32).
The title Mother of Jesus here CIV
Ell to Mary reminds us of the great
honor conferred upon her, a truly cost
ly honor to herself, but all honor with
Christ is very costly. "All who will
live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer
persecution" IF we suffer we shall
also reign with Him" Oh Tim. iii, u;
II, ~. When one said, Blessed is the
womb that bare Thee" He said, Yea,
rather blessed are they that hear the
word OF God and keep it." And again
He said, My mother and my brethren
are these which hear the word Of God
and do it, duke ri, 2S; viii, 2D. The
fact of Jesus and His mother and His
disciples being at the marriage might
indicate that it was the marriage OF
friend or relative.
Presently at the marriage there was
need. 1t is always our need that
draws forth His fullness and gives
Him opportunity to show His glory.
His mother calls His attention to the
lack of wine and He gives her to I'M
! derstand that He will see to it at the
right time. She evidently so under
stood it, for she said to the servants,
| "Whatsoever He saith unto you do IT.
! (verse -. There is nothing in the least
discourteous in His reply to His moth
err He could not be anything but kind
/ to her. for God is love, and love is
! kind always. There is a proper time
and way for everything, and He is
never too fast nor too slow. LAS for
God, His way is perfect" Happy are
those who can truly say, 'My times
are in Thy hand Ps. xviii, 80; XXI,
15). His mothers word to the servants
is a good word for each of us at all
times. for willing and obedient sub
mission to Him is everything. The an
gels who excel in strength do His COM
mandments, hearkening unto the voice
Of His word Ps. ciii, 20).
The six waterpots having been at
our Lords command filled to the brim,
He then said, Draw out now and
bear unto the governor of the feast"
and when the governor had tasted the
| wine, not knowing whence 1t came, he
called the bridegroom and commended
the wine as the best which they had
had on this occasion Our Lord did in
q moment that which ordinarily takes
several months by means of the vine,
but whether by the vine or by His
word in a moment 1t is His doing and
equally easy to Him by whose word
the heavens were made and all the
host of them by the breath of His
mouth Ops. xxxiii. g.. There is nothing
too wonderful for Him who created
the heavens and the earth by His great
power and stretched out arm DER.
xxi, 10.
Just try to think what that power
would do in and through these vessels
Of ours If they were only wholly at
His disposal. One suggestion in con-
nection with wine is gladness-"Wine
that maketh glad the heart Of man"
Ops. civ, 15)-but it is earth's gladness
and soon past. Thy love Is better
than wine" (Song 1, y, and when we
have learned the power and unchange-
ableness of His love we no longer
crave the transient joys Of earth. Wa
ter is suggestive Of the word Of God,
as in Eph. V, %: Ps. cxix, 8, and If we
were as full of the word as these wa
terpots were full Of water the same
Lord could easily cause us to be so
full of the wine OF the kingdom, the
real joy of the Lord, that people might
have cause To talk of us as they did Of
the disciples at Pentecost acts ii, 49,.
We have the treasure In earthen YES
sells that the eXcellency of the power
may be Of God and not of us Gil Cor.
iv, y. These earthen vessels are tenn
pies OF the Holy Ghost, and He would
have us clean temples, free from all
filthiness of the flesh and spirit Il Cor.
vi, 10, 20; ii Cor. vii. II, living as those
who are risen with Christ should live,
having our affections on things above,
looking forward to the marriage Of the
Lamb and rejoicing greatly in 1t, and
In Him whom having not seen we love,