Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1908-01-11
JESUS AND JOHN
THE BAPTIST
Sunday School Lesson Tor Jan. -. 1908
Specially Arranged fer This Paper


God which takcth away the sin OF the
world. John I.c.
TIME.-John the Baptist began 90
preach I'm The summer az a. j. 25. lie
preached six months before Christ APP
pcared on the scene. He continued a
year and three months preaching while
Jesus preached. ul March A. il. -S. Jesus
was baptized January. a. II. His
temptauon-Iauuary and February. His
FIRST disciples-in February. The delega-
ton OF the Pharsees-Fcbruary.
PLACE.-The wilderness OF Judca. The
baptism Of Jesus at Bethabara. on the
east bank OF the Jordan.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
John preached the things that were
necessary before one could enter the
kingdom of God. CD Repentance and
confession Of sin CD a change Of
conduct that proved the repentance
90 be sincere. CD A public profes-
sion Of this change OF life by baptism.
essential TO the proof of their sin
cerity. TO permanance of the new life.
and TO power for good. (D The king
dom OF God is at hand.
This preaching led people 10 In
Quire what does an this mean? Who
is coming? What is coming?
The Witness Of John TO Christ
VS.. 1884. The Christian wants proof.
The issues are too important for
credulity We need 90 know.
The witness OF John is repeated.
reinforced. more and more clearly. all
down the ages. The facts written in
the history of 1000 years confirm his
testimony.
First. John Witnesses That Jesus
Is the Christ Che Son of God. lie re-.
fused 90 bee called the Messiah. He
was merely ONE who announced his
coming. And when Jesus returned 90
Bethabara. John pointed him out 90
the poople-"Herc lis the Messiah.
This IS the RodCemor from sin. This
IS the man whom God by sure signs
made known to me as The Saviour"
There is q great deal OF eyl in the
world yet in the best of countries. in
tho best Of people. But it is evil
fought against So is raining the vic
tory slowly but surely Tho very
revelations OF oFl. the controversies
and conflicts are s.rls that the power
OF Christ is worklus upon the evil. a
never ending conflict tu the good has
triumphed
Second. John Witnesses TO Jesus
as the Redeemer from SIN. v. 90.
Behold the Lamb OF Cod Jesus was
SO named by john because tho lamb
was used iu ttrcc Ways as "a symbol of
the dcllvcrance which Jcsu- brought.
CD John and h.s hearers We're fami-
lar with thc repre- -eltatior in Isaiah
(53.0 Of the coming one. cas- O. lamb
led 20 the siau.h 90 Suu more
would the Jew tl.nk OF the Passover
lamb as the tyre and irom.se OF ma
tonal delivcrauc. t2 The daily
sacrifice OF O. lamb was continually
before the Jews. GOA .hiug them the
meaning az au th. sacrifices. and CON
tiuualy reminding them of their
need of an a-olemont for sin.
10 is we'll worth noting that Jesus
died for our sins az the Passover
feast. and az tae holr of the daily
sacrifice (which tale-h away the
sin of the world" TO bear away
sin is 10 remove the guilt and punish
ment Of sin by expiration. or 20 cause
that sin be neither imputed nor pun
isheI. "-Thayer's Greek English Lex.
CD The work Of Christ is 20 Go this
for the whole world ain this sinful
world Is changed into the sinless
Paradise Rogalned. t2) Jesus pro-
vides redemption for AN the world.
CD He pardous past sin So that IL is
no longer remembered by him. but is
blctted out forever. t4) lie is. in
fact. removing SIN from the world.
Wherever he comes, sin is in the
process of removal from each heart
that accents him. and from the com
munity.
Third. The Witness Of the Holy
Spirit. V. 80 Il saw the Spirit de-
scending from heaven dixie a dove,
and il aboCe upon him" Re descend
ed not only in the manner Of dove.
but in bodily shape of a dove duke
1922. This means more than 1T
was as plain 10 him that Jesus was
possessed by the Spirit as If he had
seen the Spirit in a visible shape
alighting upon him" II was Deces-
sary for his assurance. and that OF the
people, that there should be some
visible proof OF the descent of the
Spirit, as there was at Pentecost. and
the results proved that the sign was
accompanied by reality. II may be
that John saw the effects in the de-
meanor OF Jesus. in his lOwliness. and
sympathy, and holiness, all of which
came TO their perfect bloom at and in
his baptism. Exp. Greek Test. But
the sign that accompanied this power
was given TO reveal the fact, in let
tiers that could be read from the
stars" that the invisible Holy Spirit
wes actually present; to make the
fact clear and unmistakable; to show
the source whence the power and its
effects came.
Practical Points.
The Dove espresso the indwelling
of Jesus in our hearts. awakening all
che gentler. loving, affectionate quail
ities of religion, sweetness of spirit,
graciousness Of feeling and Of man
ner.
Light cannot be hidden. II IL ceases
90 shine, IL ceases 10 exist