The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1912-02-15
INTERNATIONAL
SJNDMSQlOOL
LESSON
LESSON FOR FEBRUARY ls.
MINISTRY OF JOHN THE BAPTIST.
~ Rev. william Evans, d u, Dlrvct.r Brbis oosrs
Moody Bible insti,uis, Chicsso,

Kingdom OF heaven lie al hsnd-Matt az
The story OF John the Baptist's min.
istry. opening as II does with
prophetic reference. connects the Old
and the New Testaments, showing the
New TO be the fulfillment of the Old.
Thus we say: The Old Ia in the New
contained, tho New Is In the Old ex-
planned the Old is IN the New con.
cesled. the New Is in the Old revealed.
Christ n the theme and unifier Of both
Testaments. II he had not been COM
Ing, the Old would not have been writ
ten; II he had not come. the New
would not have been written.
What a strange impression this fiery
preacher OF the wilderness. John, must
have made upon his hearers! His
dress, as his message. bore the marks
Of the wild. Strange. is II not, that
such a one should be chosen to pre-
pare the way for the Messiah? We
might have chosen different instru.
ment-a well dressed. polished, elo-
quent. silver-tongued orator.
The Baptist's message had its basis
In the word OF God-"The word of God
came unto John In the wilderness"
That is where every pulpit message
ought to come from. The business Of
the preacher and teacher of Christ is
not TO invent a gospel. but to proclaim
one already provided. The Bible is the
final critic OF the message.
Johns ministry was preparatory; It
looked forward to the coming OF some.
thing better. Just as John himself
gave way TO Christ. SO his message Of
repentance made room for faith in
Christ. John baptized with water un.
to repentance. The Baptists's ministry
went no farther than that Jesus
Christ turned the water OF Johns bap-
tism into steam by the fire of the
Holy Ghost. John prepared; Jesus re
generated
The necessity for repentance cannot
be overlooked in this lesson. In
sense. Il is the first step into the King
dom. Poth John and Jesus began their
ministry with a call TO repentance.
Repentance is clearly defined in this
lesson as a turning from a life Of sin
to a life of Righteousness. There are
three elements in repentance: First,
the intellect II involved-it is a
change OF mind or viewpoint; second.
the emotions are involved-it means
to have a care regarding the thing in
question, so we find the words sigh"
grief substituted for repentance;
third. the will plays prominent part
In repentance. for there is included In
the word the idea of an after-thought,
resulting In a change In ones course
OF action. Repentance Il not only a
heart broken for sin, but also from sin
That this is Johns meaning Of re-
pentance Is clear from his exhortation
to those who asked him the meaning
OF his call to northumberland no
more than that which is appointed
you; do violence to no man. neither
accuse any falsely; bring forth, there
fore. fruits worthy OF repentance. A
little boy was once asked the meaning
of repentance. He replied: 1T means
being sorry enough for thing b as
not to do It again"
John preached the wrath to come
Evidently he believed in future pun.
lshment He did not believe that the
desire TO escape future punishment
was sufficient or the best reason why
men should receive Jesus Christ And
It may be that no man really becomes
Christian who seeks 10 be one only
that he may escape the results Of his
sin. We are saved that We may glori-
fy God in the life that now Is as we'll
as to be delivered from the wrath to
come. He who does not serve Christ
here will not dwell with him In
heaven.
The fact OF wrath and future punish
ment is not an invention OF modern
theology. Christ believed in 1t and
taught II when he referred TO the
worm that dieth not. and the fire
that Is not quenched." and pictured
the ungodly being cast into "everlast'
ing fire" We should have to blot out
q large part OF the Bible II We were
to blot out all the Scriptures which
teach future retribution for sin.
When we consider the fearful atroci.
ties perpetrated upon the rons Of men,
the frightful iniquities precticed upon
helpless women and children. and then
see tbs ease and luxury and Splendor
In which the perpetrators OF these
crimes live. We would be very sorry
to be assured that there is no future
retribution' for the perpetrators OF
such deeds. Give the Justice of heaven
the same degree Of common sense
consideration that you give to the JUS
tice OF earth, and somewhere In the
other world you must place a peni-
Tertiary.
Johns preaching drew the crowds,
and 30 will the preaching and teach
ing OF the Gospel today, when pro-
claimed by men as consecrated to their
mission as John the Baptizer was 10
his. The crowd have not tired Of the
Gospel. but only OF the average preach
Or Of the Gospel The messenger. and
not the message. 10 at fault The
hearts of meL with all their needs. AS
well as tho Gospel OF Christ with all
Its power. is the same today as when
Christ walked upon the earth. John
wss bold preacher. and a study OF
his life shows us that he died beears'