Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1909-12-30
John, the F~orerunner
of Jesus

Specially Arranged for This Paper

LESSON TEXT.-Matt. 3:l-12. Memory
GOLDEN rExr.-"rhe voice of on.
crying in the wilderness. Prepare ye the
way OF the Lord. make his paths
straight."-Matt 33.
TIME.-John began to preach In the
summer of A. D.. 20. He preached six
months alone. then a year and three
A. d. rs.
PLACE.-The wilderness Of Judea.
Suggestion and Practical Thought.
1. The Personal Preparation Of the
H~erald.-vs. 1, 1. When was John the
Baptist born? In the summer Of
B. c. S.
In what place? In the hill country
Of Judah, probably in n of the priest
ly cities.
Who were his parents? Zacharias, q
priest. and his wife Elizabeth.
What was his relation to Jesus? He
was a relative. perhaps a second
cousin, Mary and Elizabeth being rela.
tives, translated cousins" In the
A. v. of Luke 1885.
Where did he spend his youth and
early manhood? In the wilderness or
\ sparsely inhabited districts in COM.
Amunion with God. with nature. and
with the Scriptures, living under the
power of the Holy Spirit. While he
meditated the fire burned.
Why is he called the Baptist? Be.
Dcause he baptized those who %repented.
and did not merely bring them to re.
pentance.
What was his character? He was
1l1oA ,yith xho O~trtx frNr, hi, ohtll-
hood. He obeyed the Spirit. He was
a hero, a martyr, brave. He spoke the
truth at all costs. He deserved a
place in the Hall Of Fame" for he.
\ roes Of the faith.
Why did John live in this manner?
] 1. Because 1t was the perfectly nat
ural way in which a poor man would
live in the wilderness.
II. John Prepared the Way by His
Message.-Vs. 1.3. Game John the
Baptist, preaching in the Wilderness"
the wild lands and pasture lands Of
(Judea. The people lived almost en-.
/ttrely In towns. preaching here is
? not our modern preaching. 1T means
%proclaiming or acting like a herald.
I and implies that the uplifted voice
, and the brief. urgent message of one
I who runs before the chariot and
shouts: THE king, the king" His
preaching Is like a succession of light
ming flashes"
4 His message is summed up In two
. sentences, two blasts of the trumpet;
the call to repentance and the rous-
ing proclamation that the kingdom OF
heaven is at hand."-Maclaren. in
} Expositions of Scripture. Matthew.
2. Saying, Repent we" (Metanoe-
ite). The Greek word Is compound.
ed of a proposition with two mean
Sngs, after and with, and a very mean
ing to perceive, and to think as the
esult of perceiving. Hence the mean
ng to think after a deed is done, and
10 think with. in comparison with
ywhat ought to have been done. OF
might have been done, and so 10 think
differently after. 1t Is a change Of
mind resulting in a change of conduct
The emphasis Is on the change oil
mind and heart, rather than on the
sorrow which is the impulse thai
leads to the change OF conduct.
n NEW NlOtlNc lOT ntpeHtduCe.-
"'For the kingdom OF heaven is a
hand" The new era is about to be
gin, with its new leader, Jesus, new
powers through the Holy Spirit. new
motives, new truths. new hopes, new
Joys; with deliverance from sin, anC
disease, and bondage. (For the def
milton of the kingdom of heaven" Sc.
Lesson lid
III. John Prepared the Way by Con
s. 6. s. Then vent out to him" tn
Inhabitants of Jerusalem" practi
cally the whole city, "and all Judea.
They did not all go out at once. bu
kept going and coming. He did no
60 to them. but they came to him
not only the common people. but als'
the soldiers. Pharisees. Sadducees
and leaders OF the nation.
What attracted such crowds? Plain
ly there was something there whicl
they needed, and which they realize
that they needed. They vent as tn
hungry go for food and the chill,
for fire. and the poor for plenty. a
the doves gather in st. Marks squar
in Venice, at the hour when grain
scattered. Here we find a lesson TO
preachers and teachers.
Nv. Preparation by the Presentation
OF Motives for Entering the Ne,
Life.-Vs. 7-l2. First Motive. Coz
seriousness of Sin. 7. when he sa,
many of the Pharisees and Saddl
GEES" The two leading religion