The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-01-07
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL,
Lesson II. First Quarter, For
Ian. 9, 1910.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.


1t-Msmory Verses, ", 10, 11--coId-
en- Text, Heb. II, 1s-commsntary
Prepared by Rev, .. N. stsarns.
While the people were in expecta-
ton OK suspense and men were reason
ing in their hearts as to whether John
was the Christ or not, Jesus, being
about thirty years of age, came to
John TO Jordan to be baptized OF him
luke Iii. Is, 23l. The Jews had sent
priests and Levites from Jerusalem to
John to ask him IL he was the Christ
or Elijah or that prophet, but John
replied that he was neither the one
nor the other, but only the voice OF
one crying In the wilderness, MAKE
straight the way OF the Lord, as said
the prophet Isaiah" John /, 10, 23).
Then after bis baptism John pointed
Him out as the Lamb of God who
taketh away the sin OF the world and
whom men are to follow, and men
hearing John followed Jesus. We are
not good witnesses unless those who
see and hear us follow Jesus because
OF us. According to our lesson, John
at first refused to baptize Jesus, feel
ing his own unworthiness, but Jesus
said, ''Suffer 1t to be so now, for thus
1t becometh Us to fulfill all righteous
ness" (verse 49, Remembering the
first recorded utterance Of Jesus, az
must be about my Fathers business"
Uuke II, 49l, how suggestive is this
second utterance, Suffer IL to be so
now" As believers in Him and
therefore His representatives here we
should always be about His business,
and in reference to all that He APP
points US, however unnecessary and
uncalled for many things may seem to
rs, we should remember His words,
Suffer 1t to be so now" Whatever
God appoints Is right and best, and
we manifest His high righteousness by
cheerful submission to all that is right
In His sight. Thus we shall be ap-
proved OF Him In some sense as Jesus
was. When Jesus began thus publicly
to identity Himself with sinners, for
those whom John baptized confessed
their sins Cverse 81, but Jesus had no
sins to confess, the heavens were open.
ed and the Father testified to His de-
light in His Son. and the Spirit came
as dove and abode upon Him. Thus
we see the Father. Son and Holy
Spirit in this great event. 1t seems to
me that this testimony from the Father
covers all the previous life at MAJ.
areth, while the testimony at the
TRANSPORTATION (xvii. 81 covers all His
public life. He could truly say of
Himself in relation to His Father, IL
do always those things that please
Him" John viii. 29l. We can never
be satisfied with ourselves while we
stay In these mortal bodies, but we
can walk with God in fellowship II
we are always well pleased with His
Son Jesus Christ In the seven chap
tiers in which we find the phrase
Heaven opened" CEzek /; Matt. fiji;
John /, Acts vii and K, Rev. Nv and XIX
we have In each a vision OF Christ.
He Is always the center OF alteration
by the hosts in heaven and the redeem
ed on the earth. II Jesus, who must
have been, like John, filed with the
Spirit from His birth luke /, 15),
needed special filling or amounting for
His public ministry is it any wonder
that so few have any public ministry
unto Him when so few seem to know
or care anything about a special anoint-
ing Of the Spirit2 His desire is for
many to stand before Him, to serve
Him, to minister unto Him QI Chron.
xxx, III, but He has to say to the
many: II would, but ye would not;''
Eye viii not come unto me-" The
same devil who blinded and led astray
Adam and Eve is still binding the
minds of the lost to the light of the
glorious gospel and the minds OF the
saved ones to the light OF the glory Of
God and His kingdom. To submit to
God means to resist the devil JAS.
", z; Pet. v, 8, o.. and until we have
learned something OF his devices and
how to resist and overcome him we
are not qualified for service as wit
nesses unto Christ. God did all He
could for the comfort and happiness
Of Adam and Eve. but the devil told
them that be would do better for them
and make them like God. The devils
lie won and has been winning the
crowd ever since by his suggestions
on the same three lines. Something
for the body, something for the mind
and the power to lord It over others
seem to cover the most of his deyices--
good for food. pleasant to the eyes, a
tree to be desired to make one wise
(Gen. iii, 81. Bread for the body, the
esteem OF men, the world and its glory.
Tie tlrst may include all qualifications
of the body, the second all that might
give us praise from men and the third
every phase OF dominion over others
Whatever you desire get it; do or be
something wonderful In the eyes OF
man; get power over men by geld or
politics or In any way the devii may
suggest How does our Lord reply 7
Things for the body are not important
in comparison with the life and health
Of the soul, the food OF which is the
word Of God To desire greatness In
the eyes of others Is called tempting
the Lord our God. To bow down to
the devil for the sake of worldly ad-
vantage is forbidden by Thou shalt
worship the Lord thy God ana Him
only shalt thou serve" Woula we
live in fellowship with God and in the
comfort Of the ministry of the angels
1t must be by rejoicing in the Lord
our righteousness and in hunger for
. greater manifestation Of It in us; by