The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1905-01-05
Witness of John the
Baptist to Jesus " >e
Sunday School Lesson Tor Jan. 8. 1905
Prepared by the Highway and
Byway" Preacher.
loopyrIgAt. hob. 81 J. =. Ea.oa.I

TIME. 5ohn the Baptist began his min
istry in the summer Of A. II. 26 II was
about six months after this, In January
probably. A. ID q. that Jesus came 10 John
Tor baptism. IL was about six weeks later
when the deputaton Of Jews came 10 him
as recorded In this lesson
HlsACE-Thc preaching OF John was
mainly In the wilderness o. Judca. west of
the lower Jordan ana the Dead sea. The
incidents Of this lesson occurred at Beth
abara John PSI
A REMINDER Let ms not forget to
keep before us Johns purpose In writing
his Gospel Repeat John 0.3i Note the
reasons presented in This lesson why We
should believe in Jesus as the Son Of God
and believing might have life in Ills name.
Johns testimony tCf. v - with '. $40 IN
supplemented by Gods testimony, vs.. y,
% e. Matt sls. H. and Jesus j. an
nounced as 'the Lamb Of God, which tax
eth away the sin Of the world ~. y
The Lesson Outline.
THEME The Christ Announced
I.-Johns Testimony Of Himset-Ns ls'"-
Ol Johns Qucstioners
1a) Priests and LeviteS from Jerusa-
th) sent by the Phsrlsces ". "a
tc) Their Questions.-ys. 10. p, y. -
ca Johns Negations.-Ns. 20 n.
tsl Johns Afnrmntlon-V. 3
ca Johns Bapiism--v -.
lI-John's Testimony Of the Christ-Ns
q, Jesn. IN Thelr Midst-vs o. q
a) Unknown TO Them " ~
tbl His Exalted Character.--v. =.
10 Jesus Pointed Out.-V -
Ol The Limb OF God.
DOB The Worlds SIN Bearer
tD The sign from Heaven. VS.. 81 -
tD The Descent Of the spirit-N ~
cd d
SIG Il
"a The Positive Testimony y 81
Comparing Scripture with scripture.
Johns Testimony OF Himself. CD
Johns ouestioners. Johns six or seven
months Of preaching Is bearing irull
The Jewish leaders are stirred. The
Sppoint delegation OF priestz and
Levltes 10 20 10 Johu 20 ask who he
was. and what was his baptism. they
we're not seekers after truth so muoh
Is thoy we're critics Of the truth. They
came prejudiced. and they went away
without seeing or knowing the Christ.
So IL Is to-day. 1853. 10; Acts %; 20, =.
90 Johns Negations vs. 20. n
John was not willing 20 sail under any
false colors--Ron. 1888 He was MOI
The Christ. lie was not Elias. mote,
however. the later testimony Of Jesus.
Matt l1:14. l7;10-12. John spoke
literally: Jesus hguratively. There was
expectation Of literal return of Elijah
lie was not that prophet This last hav-
ing reference 70 Deut. 1873 which some
thought would be a second Moses.
(3) Johns Animation. % lie
was only a voice crying In the wilder
ness. A voice 10 utter Gods message.
Only a voice that the man might be OBJ
secured and the message emphasized.
What an example for preachers and
teachers to-day.
(D Johns Baptism. &c. Matt
3:11; Acts 1888.
Notice Johns fidelity 10 Scripture
lie quotes Isaiah the prophet IN iusii-
fication Of his claims. Gods children
ought always TO be prepared TO reply
to the questioner.--i Pet. 3:16.
n.-Johns Testimony OF tho chrisi.
a. Jesus In Their Midst 20. p.
There standeth one. among you, whom
We know NOT" Their hearts OF unbeiief
would not see OF receive Him. Thus al
the very beginning we find exemplined
that which has ever characterized the
world since then. Jesus in the midst Of
the world but unknown by the world.
Note the striking contrast between
Johns announcement OF the Christ TO
these carping critics. and to those who
were ready 10 receive his message. To
The former he says; Jesus Is In your
MIDST but you don't know Him. and OF
the morrow. when they have gone. he
(2) Points Jesus out 20 believing
hearts as "the Lamb Of God which TAX
eth away the sin OF the world"
The Jews In narrow race prejudice
we're looking for a national deliverance
while the world was forgotten and I'M
cared for Johns broad announcement
that the Christ was TO be the worlds
sin bearer must have been startling TO
his hearers. and yet how blessedly true
II was
CD The Sign from Heaven. The De-
scent OF the Holy Spirit upon Jesus and
the voice from Heaven was the Divine
" appointed sign to John whereby he
was 10 know the Christ II is the ac-
cepied opinion Of Bible scholars that
John never met Jesus until His baptism
which had taken place some 40 days be-
fore the incidents Of this lesson the 80
days temptation in the wilderness hav-
ing interviewed.
ca The Positive Testimony. John
was willing to receive the evidence OF
the Spirit and was ready TO beas posi-
tive testimony that this is the Son Of
God" Oh. that men everywhere would
be willing to receive the indisputable
evidences which God supplies in His
Word. and by His Holy Spirit. that Je-
sus is the Christ. the Son OF God!
Behold the Lamb OF God which
taketh away the sin OF the world. E"
Johns words have echoed through the
centuries. God had in expression OF
His infinite love and mercy and as pro-
vision for the need OF lost world, pro-
vided Himself (Gen 2z:S). Lamb.
which was a sufficient sacrifice (Heb.
9:12) for the atonement for the worlds
sin Jesus is the Lamb slain from the
foundation OF the world (Rev. 1881.