The Twin City star., 1912-01-13
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson II.-First Quarter, For
Jan. IA, 1912.

" ~S~' W. vi
Jan. II, 1912.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.
Text Of the Lesson, Luke l, $3.50.
Memory Verses. 76. 7-GoIdsn Text,
Luke !, 6e-commentary Prepared BY
Rev. q. NJ. Stearns.
Will some one tell why the visit Of
Gabriel to Mary. with the most won
derful announcement ever made to any
mortal. Is wholly omitted. and the
Christmas lesson Of Dec. "a again as
reason why. but simply to pray. Lord
talk with US by the way and open to
US the Scriptures. May each one mo-
tice and firmly believe the assurance
Of the supernatural birth and Mary's
acceptance Of 1t. perhaps little dream.
ing the cost to herself Of such an hon.
or verses 35. 3S,. Then notice the
plain and simple prediction concern.
ing the throne of David and the CON-
ing kingdom (verses 30-33,. See Eliza
beth and Zacharias filed with the
holy Spirit and note all their words
oversees Al. 81. Observe carefully the
r. v. Of verse 81. mo word from
God shall be void Of power" I have
In my mind associated with this lisa.
". II. 1T shall not return unto me
void. but 1t shall accomplish that which
please" When Elizabeth. filed with
the Holy Spirit. said. blessed is she
that believed. for there shall be a per-
formance of those things which were
told her from the Lord" verse 45),
then Mary burst forth with. my soul
doth magnify the Lord. and my spirit
hath rejoiced in God my Saviour" clos
ing with. "As He spake to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his seed forever"
Many Of Mary's utterances remind us
Of Hannah's prayer or song in Sam.
II. Ito. closing with. HE shall give
strength unto His King and exalt the
horn Of His anointed." This is the
first reference to Christ as the Messiah
or anointed one. Compare John /. Al.
The son Of Elizabeth being born at the
full time and the eighth day. or time
for circumcision. having come. there
was little perplexity about a name
for the boy. as some would have him
called by his fathers name. but his
mother said. He shall be called John"
They made signs to his father. who, to
the surprise Of all. wrote. His name is
John" verses 57-63). See verse 13 and
find the other six who were called by
name before they were born. two Of
them several hundred years before, or
at least one. -..l ..
Notice the release Of Zacharias from
his affliction which came upon him be-
cause Of unbelief. Faith in Jesus
Christ, the reception Of Him as ones
personal Saviour. not only delivers
from the wrath to come. but delivers
from all bondage. The truth shall
make you free. If the Son shall make
you free ye shall be free indeed John
viii. 80. 36). The hand Of the Lord
upon the child reminds us that he was
to be filed with the Spirit from his
birth (verses Is. 66,, and the two say
ings make Us think Of Ezek. iii. IA;
viii. 8. This is your need and mine,
dear reader, the hand Of the Lord upon
US and the Holy Spirit filing and
controlling. From verse 67 to the last
verse of the chapter we have the say
ings Of Spirit filed Zacharias. telling
US Of the kingdom which would have
come had the people been willing to
receive John and Jesus and the king
dom, but which. because Of their re-
lection of all. Is still in allegiance. wait
Ing for the King to come again in
glory to set up His kingdom of peace
and righteousness. He had spoken by
the mouth Of all His holy prophets in
all the Old Testament Scriptures con-
corning kingdom to include all ma
tions. with Israel redeemed people at
the center oversees 6s-75: Ps. lxxii. II,
1S: xvii. II; lisa. II. IA; TX. 1-22. and
everywhere). The prophets told. how
ever. Of Messiah who would be de-
spised and rejected and be cut of and
have nothing as well as Messiah who
as son Of David would sit on David's
throne lisa. LII: Dan. vii. Is. IA; *,
28 margin,. but they did not tell of
the long interval of this present age
between the sufferings and the glory.
when during the postponement Of the
kingdom and the scattering Of Israel
He will gather out by the gospel
people to share His glory and reign
with Him when the kingdom comes.
This was reserved to be communicated
to Paul and through him to us. See
Rom. xvi. 25-27: xi. 25-27: Eph. lii.
Concerning the postponement Of the
kingdom until His return see Luke xix.
11-13: Acts iii. 20. 21. and notice the,
joyful worship Of the disciples when
they understood that He would come
again In due time to fulfill all the
prophecies concerning His kingdom
luke xiv. 1927. 44-53,. The words Of
Zacharias and of all the prophets shall
be as literally fulfilled as were all the
predictions concerning His birth and
humiliation. and the time draws ever
nearer Meantime while we wait for
the literal fulfillment on Israel we
may find in our lives, as His redeemed