The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-01-08
The Sunday School Commentary
SERMON, JAN. 9, BY REV D. NJ STEARNS

While the people were in expecta.
ton or 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
duke iii, Is, 23). The Jews had sent
priests and Levites from Jerusalem to
John to ask him if be 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 i. 10. 23,.
Then after His baptism John pointed
Him out as the Lamb of God who
taketl away the sin Of the world and
whom men are to follow. and men
bearing 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 it to be so now. for thus
it becometh US to fulfill all righteous
ness" (verse 49,. Remembering the
first recorded utterance Of Jesus, Il
must be about my Fathers business"
duke ii. 49). how suggestive is this
second utterance. Suffer it 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 ap-
points us. however unnecessary and
uncalled for many things may seem to
US, 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 identify Himself with sinners. for
those whom John baptized confessed
their sins verse g.. but Jesus had no
sins to confess. the heavens were open
ed and the Father testified to His de.
light in His Son. aud 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. II
do always those things that please
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" (Ezek +; Matt iii:
John i, Acts Wiz and <. Rev. " and XIX
we have in each 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. filled with the
Spirit from His birth duke i, 10.
needed special filing 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 Spirit? His desire is for
many to stand before Him. to serve
Him. to minister unto Him OIL Chron.
xxx. III. but He has to say to the
many: Il would. but ye would not"
''Ye will 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