The Tupelo journal., 1908-01-31
Jesus theSaviOur
of the World
Sunday School Lesson for Feb. 2. 1908
Specially Prepared for This Paper


verses 14-16.
GOLDEN ~TEXT.-"For God so loved
the world that he gave his only begotten
Son. that whatsoever believeth in him
should not perish, but have everlasting
life. '-John 3:16.
TIME.-Sometime in April. A. ID. 81,
during Jesus visit at Jerusalem for the
Passover. John was still preaching in the
wilderness. Early I'm the first year OF
Jesus ministry, he having five or six
followers at that time.
PLACE.-Some room in Jerusalem at a
house where Jesus was a guest. Reached
by an outer stairway.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
What Is the Kingdom of Heaven?-
1t is that condition or state where
God reigns as king, where he is the
supreme object of love and service,
where his will is the law, and men
obey 1t as naturally as they breathe,
and where all his subjects are formed
in his holy image and inspired with
his spiritual life. 1t is that for which
we pray in the first petitions of the
Lords Prayer. He belongs to Gods
kingdom
Who recognizes God as his Father;
Who hallows his name;
Whose supreme desire and aim is that
his kingdom shall come;
Who does Gods will on earth as it is
done in heaven.
And when all men have this SUI
preme choice of God, then this world
will have been transformed into the
kingdom of heaven.
Paul expresses the essential mean
ing when he places the fruits of the
Spirit" whose ource and inspiration
are the Holy Spirit, in contrast with
the works of the flesh"
This kingdom naturally required
some form or organization to best &C.
complish its work. But the two ideas,
however closely allied, are distinct, as
are body and soul. One may have the
form without the spirit; and one may
have the spirit without the ~organiza-
ton.
What Was Jesus Teaching About
Belonging to the Kingdom of God?-
V. 3. Verify, verify" Repeated for
the sake of emphasis. a." the teacher
sent from God, SAY INTO thee" This
is my message. Except a man be born
again" Greek, another, again." or
anew" as in R. V. and Am. R., from
above" Whosoever is born again is
born anew and born from above. Ex-
cept a man have a new spiritual life
impaired by the Holy Spirit, in addi-
ton to his natural life received
through his parents, "he cannot see,"
understand, know the meaning of, feel
the motives, realize the presence of,
the kingdom of God"
What Is 1t to Be Born Anew, from
Above?-We have a natural physical
life. We live in a world of sense. Our
supreme choice may be to enjoy this
life, TO make its pleasures and desires
supreme, to possess the things that
minister to it, at any cost, at the ex-
pense of other people, at the expense
of conscience and duty and love. This
is h life of the flesh, of this world.
A thousand good, lovely, and charming
things may come into this life. But
the test of the life is what is our
supreme choice"
This life is impaired by the spirit
of God, enabling one to choose God,
and gain the victory over the lower
nature. 1t is by this power, through
this inspiration, under this influence
of the spirit which are the virtues of
the kingdom of heaven.
V. S. Except a man be born of
water and of (the) Spirit."-(There is
no article in the Greek before
"Spirit.") To understand this, note
several things in the circumstances:
% John was baptizing with water as
a symbol of repentance. (2) Baptism
symbolized the cleansing of the soul
from sin. (3) Baptism symbolized the
outward profession, the entering into
the visible kingdom. (4) Nicodemus
was familiar with the rite with this
Specification.
Water may denote either or both of
two allied meanings. "a The Lord
here declares that there are two ele.
ments' or factors In the new birth;
putting away the old life and receiving
the new. Water was the natural and
familiar symbol of cleansing from sin,
of putting away the sinful past, of
confession of sin. This act the Phari.
sees were not inclined to believe as
applied to themselves. They refused
to be baptized by John, and thus con,
fess their need of forgiveness.
What Was Jesus Authority for This
Teaching?-It was, first, the authority
of the Scriptures. To Nicodemus' ex.
clamation (9) How can these things
be-" Jesus refers him to the Scrip
lures.
v. 10. cart thou a Master" a
teacher, 'of Israel" your business be.
ing to study and explain the Scrip.
lures. "And knowest not these
things?" You will find this truth In
the Scriptures you teach, as, for in.
stance, in Eek. 11:19; 1881; 1925;
Jer. 24:7; S1:33.
1t was, secondly, the authority of
personal knowledge and experience.
v. 16. God So Loved the World
Not merely heavenly beings, angels
and seraphim, and saints, but this
poor, sinful, unworthy world, so far
from him in character.
Let VI quietly ponder the great
deep utterance. First there is
1.-THE Lake-'God SO loved the
world next
.The River-'that he gave his only.
begotten Son. thirdly,