Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1910-01-12
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson lIl.-First Quarter, For
Ian. Is, 1910.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.
Text Of the Lesson, Matt. iv, 1925.
Memory Verse. % Golden Text,
Matt. ~, 16-Commentsry Prepared
by Rev. D. M. Stearns.

by Rev. D. NJ. Stearns.
Luke tells us that Jesus, being full
Of the Holy Ghost, was led by the
Spirit into the wilderness. being forty
DAYS tempted of the devil, and that
after the temptation Jesus returned in
the power of the Spirit into Galilee
duke iv, /, 2, 40. II we desire n Sc
ouence of the events IN His life we
NAV have TO consider before His re-
turn to Galilee the whole of John l. 10,
to Nv. 81. But, combining ourselves as
far as possible to our lesson portion,
we should consider Johns brief min
tstry and the reason of his imprison-
ment He WAS filed with the Holy
Spirit from his birth, and Jesus said
Of him, Among those that are born
of women there Is not n greater proph-
ct than John the Baptist duke !, 10;
vii. 2S). He was n Spirit filed. God
sent man, IN very truth the Lords
messenger. Yet his ministry was not
what men count a success. Just few
months public ministry. then impris- |
onment because he dared to rebuke
sin In high places Mark vi. 1919, and |
then his martyrdom to please wicked
woman. But he was approved Of God
from first to last, and some time Wen
understand The devil could not con-
Quer Jesus Christ, but he was permit
ted to torment and to kill His faithful
messenger.
In connection with Jesus leaving
Nazareth to make His home in Caper-
naum we must read Luke iv. 1851.
and note how. after He had in the
power Of the Spirit read the Scriptures
and spoken In the synagogue ut Naza-
reth, His own townsmen thrust Him
out Of the city and attempted to kill
Him. Then He came and dwelt in Ca
pernaum, and great was the privilege
Of that city; yet see His words con-
corning 1t in Matt. xi, %. "a.
Notice the oft repeated phrase that
1t might be fulfilled" chapters 1. ID; II.
10, %; iv, II; viii, II; xxi. 4; XVI, 80;
xvii 35, etc.l and remember His res
direction words in Luke xiv, A, "An
things must be fulfilled which were
written In the law OF Moses and In
the prophets and in the Psalms con-
corning Me-" The quotation In our
lesson from lisa. TX, l, 2, leads on to
verses G, 7, and the King and the king
dom. So also in lisa. xiii. 6. z, where
He is spoken of as light Of the gen
tiles, the context says that He shall
not fail nor be discouraged till Ht
have set judgment in the earth (versc
A., or, in other words, till His kingdom
comes. The darkness is everywhere
and is increasing. and we are RICH
into the apostasy Of unbelief and thu
setting aside Of the written word anC
20 hl4l hax =
the word been forewarned, For, be
hold. the darkness shall cover tn
earth and gross darkness the people
but the Lord shall arise upon the
QsraeD, and Hrs glory shall be see
upon thee, and the nations shall com
to thy light and kings to the bright
ness Of thy rising" Qsa. X. 1-3). Jesu
preached, as John had done, "Repen
for the kingdom OF heaven is at hand
Ill, 2; iv, 10, but both John and Jesu
were slain and tho kingdom was pos
poned till the risen and ascende
Christ shall come again in power an
glory preceded by the real Elijah. G
foretold by Malachi and confirmed b
Jesus (Mal. Nv. 5. @; Matt. xvii. 1913
Read the last passage most careful
and see how the real Elijah shall be
Christ's second coming what John W;
to his first coming. Acknowledge
that John had come in the spirit ar
power Of Elijah and had been rejecte
He says in unmistakable words. "E
jah truly shall FIRST come"
Meanwhile He is calling unto Hi
self out Of the world those who a
willing to remain In the world as i
witnesses, counting all things but lo
for the excellency Of the knowledge
Himself and the glory of His XII
dom. If we will follow Him 1t MI
be by denial or remuneration Of s
and a willingness to die daily that 1
life may be seen in us Matt. xvi,
%: ii Cor iv. ID. But He does
call us TO this unworldly life withC
setting before us the kingdom, the 6
~ and the rewards Matt. xvi. 81,
xvii, 81. When Peter on one occas
said, Behold. we have forsakep all {
followed Thee-what shall we ha
therefore?" Jesus told him OF Il
earth with the Son Of Man In
throne Of His glory and the TIVE
apostles on twelve thrones ruling
twelve tribes Of Israel Matt. XIX.
2S). But listen to the last of the Sc
promises to the overcomers in Rev.
81, and think OF being with Him
His throne He told Abram OF
city which hath foundations; Nj
had respect unto the recompense
the reward; Paul said that the su
ings OF this present time are
x.-orSsy to be compared with the &