The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1910-01-05
Sunday School Column
Side Lights On Next Sundays Les.
son for Teachers and Pupils.
By CHAs. K. MEYERS

by CHAS. X. MEYERS 81
Jan. 9. The Baptism an Temptation
OF Jesus: Matt. i3 to 4, H.
Our lesson last week told of the
coming of John the Baptist as a
preacher and his work in arousing the
Jews to repentance for their sins, and
how he baptized such in the Jordan
river.
One day, Jesus his cousin came
asking for baptism. John who had
some idea of the true character oil
Jesus at first declined to baptise Him.
but when Jesus explained that it was
best for it to be done Ito fulfill all
righteousness" John baptized Him
the same as any other person. But
at this point the ordinary ceases and
/. the extraordinary begins for the
heavens seemed to open and there
was voice declaring "This is my
beloved Son, in whom l am vel,
pleased" The by ISLANDERS saw some
thing descend and rest upon the head
of Jesus. The scripture say the Spirit
OF God came upon Him.
Right after this tremendous an.
nouncement that the lowly carpen-
ter's son of Nazareth was the Son of
God came great testing of the one
who came into this immortal position.
We have always felt that as a lad
Jesus did not possess power to per-
form wonderous works, and that it
was only on the day of his baptism
and the descent of the Spirit that He
came to his full authority and began
His mission as the redeemer of the
world.
The bible record says that JESUS
was led by Gods spirit into the wild
erness there to be tempted of the
devil. Whether one looking on would
have seen two persons walking and
talking we do not say, but certainly
the thought was brought to the at
tention of Jesus that He was His
divine power to make bread to salts
fy His hunger, He having been forty
days out in the wilderness fasting. 1t
was a most natural temptation but
was resisted and with a calling to
mind the words of God as recorded in
the book of Deuteronomy, S-3 which
said that man shall not live by bread
alone, but by every word that pro.
ceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Then there came temptation to be-
gin His ministery by throwing Him
self from off the top of high dome
of the temple in Jerusalem. On land
ing in safety, at the ground in the
!, presence of multitude of people, it
would certainly quickly show to men
that He was the Son of God and
thus give heed when He spoke There
was scripture that God would care
for Him. This temptation was certain
ly enticing and might have overcome
one not well grounded as to his mis-
sion. Jesus met the second tempta-
ton with quotation from the
Psalms
There was third trial, however,
and this was to fulfil what was, pop
ularly expected of the Messiah-the
founding of an earthly kingdom, dis
placing the hated Romans and reign
ing supreme over the earth. This
would indeed be falling down and
worshipping the devil. The entice-
ment was to avoid the shame and the
cross, the opposition of the old Jew
ish church, to be met with favor by
the populace. Again Jesus triumphed
strengthening His position with the
we'll known command the God was
only to be worshiped. With this the
temptation ceased, and an angel
came to minister to Him.
There are many lessons to be
learned from this by us all. In fact
SO many that space does not allow
mention. 1t is certain that all christ
fans have the bible and the words of
God, of Jesus, and st. Paul at hand
to help when we are tempted and
tried. 1t is said in the bible that, with
every temptation way Of escape
will be given us. With our feet on
the promises of God, we are unassail-
able and this is where every person
ought to be.
Chamberlain Cough REMEDY is not