The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1912-02-15
SUNDAY SCHOOL,
Lesson vII.-First Quarter, For
Feb. Is, 1912.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.
Text Of the Lesson. Luke iii, I'LL.
Memory Verses. IS. 17-Goiden Text,
Matt. iii, documentary Prepared
by Rev. .. M. Stearns.

The first two verses OF our lesson in
tro'luce us to seven men who were. in
certain sense. great men. but only
one was truly great. Caesar. plate,
Herod and Philip were great in the
eyes of -the world of politics rs earth
rulers. -innas and Caiaphas as high
priests were great in the eyes Of re-
!ig.ous people. but only of John could
it lie truly said great in the eyes of
the Lord" not greater prophet than
John the Baptist" duke j. IL: vii. 2S,.
He was also filled with the Holy Spirit
from his birth. so he must have spent
his time in the wilderness with God in
very special way.
We read seven times in Mum. IL
that the priests began their ministry
when about thirty years of age. so we
| judge from verse % of our lesson chap
/ ter hut John. as well as Jesus. began
theii public ministry ut that age. He
knew When to come forth and begin
because the word of God came unto
him" SO the word Of the Lord came
unto him in whose spirit and power
he went forth Il Kings xvii. 2. 81.
From ten. XIV. l. where we read that
the word Of the Lord came unto
Abram," how many times we find this
| statement and how much ii means of
definite commission from heaven. How
/ very strong it is in Eek. j. ). where
We read. The word of the Lord came
| expressly unto Ezekiel, the priest"
| Unless we each for ourselves hear His
! vote. in His word His book is not TO
| US what it might be. This gospel may
be said to begin and end with repent
an;e ara remission Of sins (verse ):
l. II; xiv. Al. The gospel that does not
proclaim the remission of sins by the
blood Of Jesus is not the gospel of the
grH Of God. but Il perversion of the
! gospel of Christ {Gal. /. q. u. Every
truly penitent soul. having received the
Lorl Jesus Christ and thus havin.
the forgiveness of sins. is commission
ed to say to every unsaved person.
Through this man is proclaimed unto
you the forgiveness of sins q John ii.
| l.: John i. 10; Rev. xxi, Is; Acts xiii
80, 3o,
The herald of the Messiah was pre-
! dicted in lisa. 81, 5: Nal, i'll. |. but in
both places in connection with great
blessing upon Israel. John said Of
himself that he was neither the Mes
siah nor Elijah. but just the voice of
which Isaiah had spoken to prepare
the way Of the Lord John j, 1929
Both John md Jesus Christ suffered at
the hands of those who should have
received them Matt. xvii, 1l-13). 50
the kingdom that was at hand and
would have come If the Messiah had
been received did not come and still
awaits the return of the King to bless
Israel, and not till then shall all flesh
see the salvation Of God 1t is after
the Lord shall have comforted Jerusa-
lem. when He shall be reigninS in
Zion. that all the ends Of the earth
shall see the salvation of our God Elsa.
Xix. 6: lii. 7-10,. This is the age of
worldwide evangelization that from a 1!
nations the elect church may be gath
cred ard prepared to administer with
Him us joint heirs the affairs of the
/ kingdom. in every age true repent
ance must be followed by fruits meet
for repentance We must prove to peo-
/ pie by our works the reality of our
faith. God reads the heart. but PEG
pie read the illustrations in our lives.
The Illustrations in some books are so
poor that they do not help the story.
1t IS even SO in our lives. Not every
one that saith, but be that
doeth.' our Lord said. And elsewhere
it is written that faith without works
is dead" Matt vii. q; JAS. ii. 2O,.
We are delivered from the wrath to
come without any works Of ours. but
wholly through Jesus, the Son Of God
raised from the dead q Thess. i. lJ.
Yet. as q tree is known by its fruit, 50
the believer should be known by his
actions If we are new creatures in
Christ we should walk in newness Of
life. nlanifesting the fruit of the Spirit
(Rom. vi %: Gal. Y, 22, The ques-
tons of verses 10. IL and II. What
shall we DR. z" remind us of the ques-
ton in John 81, %. What shall we do
God:" Our Lord replied. This is the
work Of God, that We believe on Him
whom lie hath sent" Thus only can
salvation come to any one Being
saved. what then: do justly. love
mercy and humble myself to walk
with God" (Mic. vi. 8. margin, Show
sincerity By love to others as opportu-
nifty offers md as God gives the abii-
ty. TO the people. the publicans. the
soldiers. He gave separate answer
suited to their circumstances. We are
not to look around and consider what
others are DING. but each for himself
ask, Lord. what wilt Thou have me
to do?" c ,ncerning our looking at or
thinking of what others are doing. we
need the L~rd's word to Peter. what
IS that to thee? Follow thou me!'' or
the word t. Thess. iv. II. Study 10
be quiet and to do your own business
and to work with your own hands =
As the people wondered at John 1t WIS
his delight to point them away from
himself to the one whom he came to
announce. Of whom be spoke as ..orc
mightier than |, the latchet of whose
shoes ! am not worthy to unlOose''
Verse l6i. and of whom he a lit e
later cried. "Behold. the Lamb 1T
God" Gohn |. %. 3G,. Instead Of WA
ter baptism He would baptize with
the holy Ghost and with fre.
Here is message Of hope and gooi
= Lob