The Tupelo journal., 1905-01-13
Witness OF John the
Baptist TO Jesus Y Y
Sunday School Lesson for Jan. g. 1905
Prepared by the Highway and
Eyway'' Preacher.
Copyright, 1905. oy J. NJ. Edson.,

concerning John in Mai. 3:1-3; AS, 6.
GOLDEN TEXT.-"Behold the Lamb Of
God which taketh away the sin OF the
world."-John J:2a
TIME.-John the Baptist began his min
istry in the summcr Of A. ID. 10. 1t was
about six months after this, in January
probably, A. d. 27, that Jesus came TO John
for baptism. 1t was about six weeks later
when the deputation OF Jews came &c MIN
as recorded in this lesson.
PLACE,-The preaching of John was
mainly in the wilder less of Judea, west of
he lower Jordan and the Dead sea. The
incidents Of this lesson occurred at Beth-
abara John 1:2S).
A REMINDER-Let us not forget 10
keep before us Johns purpose IN WflthS
his Gospel. Repeat John 2o:3i. Note the
reasons presented in this lesson why we
should believe in Jesus as the sen OF zoo
and believing might have life IN tils name
TOXINS testimony (Cf. v. 20 with V. S) is
supplemented by GODS testimony, VS.. u,
So; Of. Matt. S:16, 10 and Jesus is an
nounced as the Lamb of God. which tax
eth away the sin of the world.'-V. ~.
The Lesson Outline.
THEME:-The Christ Announced.
I.-John's Testimony OF Himse.f.-Vs 1870
"a Johns Q~uestioners.
(a) Priests and Levites from Jerusa-
lem.-v. 10.
% Sent by the Pharisees ~. "a
(c) Their Ques:ions.-vs. 10, z, Y, 20.
o. Johns Negatiors.-vs. 70, q.
80 Johns Af1rmation.-v. 70.
% Johns Baptism.-v. 70.
u.-JoLn's Testimony of the Christ'-Vs.
q, Jesus in Their Midst.-vs. &c, q.
(a) Unknown to Them.-V. 20.
% His Exalted Character.-v. q.
C) Jesus Pointed OGt.-v. ~.
(a) The Lamb of God.
(b) The Worlds Sin Bearer.
'C0 The Sign from Heaven.-Vs' 81 %:
Ial Tte Descert Of the Spirit.-v. 81.
M The I6entifcation.-y. 50, CT. Matt
3:16, II.
IN The Positive Testimony. "a.
Comparing Scripture with scflPVaIe
L-John's Testimony OF Himself ~
Jobn's Ouestioners. Johns SIX or seven
months of preaching is bearing 1rul''
The Jewish leaders are stirred. Ire!
appoint a delegation OF priests aho
Leyites to go to John to ask who ne
was. and what was his baptism. Inc!
were not seekers after truth so u
as they were critics OF the truth. Inc!
came preiudiced. and they went away
without seeing or knowing the christ
So it is to-day. Is. Go, 10; Acts 2S;2o, ~
(2) Johns Negations.-vs. 20, u
John was not willing to sail under any
false coIors.-Rom. 1913. He was moi
the Christ. He was not Elias. (Note
however. the later testimony OF Jesus
Matt. 11:14; 17:10-12. John spoke
literally; Jesus figuratively. There was
expectation of a literai return of Elijah.)
He was not that prophet. This last haV-
ing reference to Deut. 1915, which some
thought would be a second Moses.
90 Johns Afirmation.-v. %. He
was only a voice crying in the wilder
ness. A voice to utter GODS message.
only a voice that the man might be Oh
scured and the message emphasized.
What an example for preachers ana
teachers to-day.
(4) Johns Raptism.-v. 26.-Matt,
3:11; Acts 1885.
Notice Johns fidelity to Scripture.
He quotes Isaiah the prophet in justi-
fication Of his claims. Gods children
ouaht always to be prepared to reply
10 the uuestioner.-t Pet. 3:15.
u.-John's Testimony Of the Christ.
IN Jesus in Their MiGst.-vs. 70, u.
There standeth ne. among you whom
We know not" Their hearts CT unbelief
would not see or receive Him. Thus AT
the very beginning we find eXemplified
that which has ever characterized the
world since then. Jesus in the midst OF
the world but unknown by the WorlG.
Note the striking contrast between
Johns announcement of the Christ to
these carpiny critics, and to those who
were ready to receive his message. TIC
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 cut to 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
1t was.
(3) The Sign from Heaven. The De-
scent of the Holy Spirit upon Jesus anc
the voice from Heaven was the Divine
Nv appointed sign to John whereby he
was to know the Christ. 1t is the ac-
cepted opinion of Bible scholars tina,
John never met Jesus until His baptism.
which had taken place some 40 days be-
fore the incidents of this lesson. the 50
DAYS temptation in the wilderness hav-
ing interviewed.
90 The Positive Testimony. John
was willing to receive the evidence OF
the Spirit and was ready to bear posi-
tive testimony that this is the Son OF
God" Oh, that men everywhere would
be willing to receive the in%disputable
evidences which God supplies in His
Word. and by His Holy Spirit, that Je-
s,s is the Christ, the Son Of God!
Behold the Lamb of God which
taketh away the sin of the world
Johns words have echoed through the
centuries. God had in expression OF
His infinite love and mercy and as pro-
vision for the need CT 2 lost world, pro-
vided Himself (Gen. 22:S). a 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. 1879.
Behold" Their this Lamb OF God.
There is life for a look at the Crucited