The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1909-12-30
The
Sunday School
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COM.
MENTS FOR JANUARY 2.
Subject: John, the Forerunner Of
Jesus, Matt. 3:f-12--Com-
NIT Verses 2, 8.

GOLDEN TExT.-"The voice of
one crying in the wilderness, Prepare
ye the way of the Lord, and make
His paths straight" Matt. 3:3.
TIME.-A. D., 27. PLACE.-The
Wilderness of Judea
EXPOSITION.-I. "Repent Ye, For
the Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand"
1-6. Johns message is very like that
OF the last prophet of the olden days
Comp. Nal. 3:1-5; 4:1-3). He had
received his training for the work in
none Of the rabbinical schools of the
day, but largely in solitude and COM
munion with God in the wilderness
(Luke 1:80). AS he had received his
message directly from God (Jno. 1:
33; Luke 1922 he waited for no call
or ordination by man before deliver
ing 1t. He sought not the synagogue,
but the opep air, for the delivery OF
his message. His was a startling cry,
Repent ye; for the kingdom of heav-
en- is at hand" The average Jew
looked at himself as the unfortunate
victim of other mems hostility to God.
John said to them, You are yourself
a sinner against God. Your great
need is not deliverance from Roman
domination, but repentance from your
own SINS The one cry of the pro-
phets of God unto man Is, repent"
Johns reason for immediate repent
ance was new. Newer still was his
announcement that the King was
right at hand, and the character of
the Kings work. The kingdom of
heaven was near them, because the
King was about to appear. He was
about to set up His kingdom in the
hearts of those who would receive
Him. Furthermore, He would have
set up His kingdom on earth IL He
had been accepted by His people.
More than seven centuries had passed
since Isaiah lisa. 40:3-5) had uttered
his prophecy OF coming of the Lord
and of the forerunner who should
precede Him. He had come at last.
Gods word had been fulfilled to the
letter, as 1t always will be sooner or
later, though the fulfillment may wait
for centuries as in this case. John
came in the spirit and the appearance
of Elijah of old Comp. 2 K. is;
Matt. 17:12, 13). His whole manner
OF life was a protest against the pre-
vailing worldliness and self-indul-
gence. Jesus did not follow in the
footsteps of John in the outward man.
ner of His protest. But men who
would represent God and have power
with men should live lives of great
simplicity. Johns earnestness, rug
gedness, fearlessness, renunciation of
self and stern declaration in the pow
er of the Spirit of the message God
gave him awakened great interest
Men were convinced that he was "a
man sent from God"
III. Bring Forth Fruit Meet For
Repentance, 7-1O. John was no trim
mer. He was not an adept at honied
words (cf Matt. 1894; 1898; Jno.
SAD. John believed in a coming
wrath of God against sin. 1t was not
any more popular doctrine in that
day than 1t is now, but It was true,
and men needed to hear about It, and
so this faithful man of God told them.
The way to flee from the wrath to
come" and to prepare the way of the
Lord" and to be ready for "the king
dom" was to repent with that genuine
repentance that would show itself in
a transformed life, bringing forth
fruit worthy Of repentance. No one
was ever saved by pious ancestry.
A son OF Abraham may be a child Of
the devil (Jno. S:37, 3S, Al, 44).
III. The Baptism With the Holy
Wind and Fire, II, IL. John has
emphasized the need of good fruit:
ne now discloses the secret of bearing
It, A mightier than he was coming
who would baptize with something
more efficacious than water-'in the
Holy Spirit and in fire." Some have
interpreted these words to mean that
there are two baptisms between which
one may have his choice-"the bap-
tism in the Spirit" (now) or 1.-The bap-
tism in the fire of judgment" as in
the next verse (hereafter). The orig
inal does not admit of this interpre-
tation. John doubtless had in mind
fsaiah's expression, "the Spirit of
burning" (Isa. 4:4) when he uttered
these words. In verse IL we have
three baptismal elements, water"
with which John should baptize them
unto repentance; the Holy Wind"
and fire." with which Jesus would
baptize them. In Acts 2:2, 3, we
have the fulfllment of the promise in
the case of the apostles when they
found themselves engulfed in a
mighty wind" from heaven"
tongues OF fire resting upon their
heads, and they themselves "iilled
with the Holy Wind" The promise
80 piOiIlSc hOI VI lWO DdpllSU1S, one
OF blessing and the other OF cursing,
but OF one two-fold baptism of bless
Ing, Holy Ghost and fire." But what
does 1t mean to be baptized in fre?
The answer is found In considering
the work that fire" does. ID
Fire" reveals Il Cor. 3:13). (2)
Fire" refines lisa. 4:4; Zech. 1896
Nal. 3:1-3), (3) "Fire" consumes
f1lthiness and scum eek. 24:9-11).
(4D Fire" illuminates (5) Fire.
makes to glow and melt Ger. 23:29)I
(6) Fire" generates energy. A bapl
tism In fire" then reveals us to our
selves; consumes the filthiness and,
scum = the selfishness, ambition.
woridliness and vileness that we have
vainly contended against for years,
out of us; makes US to burn and glow.
with love to God and man and truth,
love for souls; fills US with heavenly
energy.