The Brinkley argus., 1912-06-14
INTERNATIONAL SUNRS0lO9L
 LESSON
LESSON FOR LURE 15.
tBy E. O. SELLERS. Director or Ever ing Department, The Moody Bible h. stitute of Chicago)

LESSON FOR jUHE 1J.
 cHRIs1's WITNESS TO JOHN THE
 BAPTIST.
 LESSON TExT--Matt. 11:2-1s
 GOLDEN TExT-"An1ong them that arc born of women there is none greater than Tohn: yet he that iss little in the kirr5op1 of God is greater than he."- Luke 7:ss.
 This Is the last lesson with the ex- ception of one that we are to have upon the character of John the Bap- tist Following the imprisonment of John by Herod, Jesus, for diplomatic reasons, made Capernaum his head quarters, and it was is Galilee that his great popular ministry was performed. Meanwhile John is shut up in the fort ress at Machaerus. on the east side of the Dead sea For one who had been so intensely active to be obliged to cit idly by and wait while another's s name and fame increases daily was . severe test of faith. His prototype, Elijah, had to meet similar testing q Kings 19: 5, 4); why, therefore, need we wonder that doubts should arise in the mind of the greatest born of won,an?" Not one of us at all familiar with the experiences of life and the subtility of temptation will be surprised when under these j11fcumstances we read of John's ques. ton, V 2-s This doubt is so natural that 1t bears upon it's very face the stamp of being genuine and that tho record was not fabricated. It is mo- ticable in the form of Johns question that he had no doubt as to the. char. acter of Jesus, the genuineness Of his miracles, nor any question but that he was sent of God. but still he ques- toned, Ifs this the Messiah"
 John was not envious (John 3:27-36), he was too great man to be that, but yet Jesus had not yielded the ax as he had expected, hence the mes- senger to Jesus and this frank ques- tion. John sets us the good example of taking his doubts to Jesus, and Jesus in a most tender way answers his doubting and at the same time turns 1t to his own advantage in con. f1rming his claims as the Messiah.
 John Sought Not Ills Own Glory. The second half of the lesson is the tribute of Jesus to the life and char acter of John the Baptist Jesus has, as we have just seen, sent his word of comfort and cheer to John when he turns to the mu]titudes with highly eulogistic testimony as to Johns work. his worth and his greatness. True, his faith seemed to be shaken for the mo. ment, but John was not a reed sha. ken of the wind" indeed not. John was not man seeking his own glory (Luke s:16l nor his own comfort (Matt. al. 4). He was not clad stump. tuotsly nuke 7:25). No, John was B prophet, man sent, commissioned, in. spired of God He had authority to speak for God (Luke 1:16, 26) in de. claring Gods will to man. Yes, John Is all of this and more, for he was him. self the subject of Old Testament prophecy (Mal. 3:1, etc.). This John was chosen among all men to go be- fore his face and to prepare R highway In the minds and hearts of Israel over which Jesus the Messiah might enter and begin the establishing of this new kingdom. 1t was in performing this service that John filled one of the highest offices ever filled by man. In this euloky we need to recall the diff ference in the miraculous births of these two men, John super naturally born of natural percentage, Jesus supernaturally born of woman but conceived of the Holy Spirit, hence the words of Jesus are to be under stood that among purely human beings none greater was born of woman
 Went to Christ nir,se!f.
 Jesus words in verse Is are tremen. dous with import Literally he says: T have told you these things about John and about my kingdom. now you who have ears have nn obligation rest. ing upon you because of what I have told you" There was need ct their understanding and accepting an i'm portant teaching, but the unreasonable Scribes and Pharlsees would accept neither the austere John nor the more social Jesus. John would rot join r. their gaity. Jesus mourned not bu, led more joyous life. yet they re l iected him also. This "Son of Man, not of man nor the man but son ol man, of humanity. known as friend oi the needy and the outcast, is himselt cast out by the religious leaders of his time. Nevertheless in the wisdom oi God tLuke HAD both John the Rap tist, and Jesus the Son of man and ot Mary, have been sent and the results l of their lives snd of their tearhings l prove them tU re 8 part nf Gods wiss l plan Gods ticdciti Is justified (v tal by its workings ot as soms trans 1 late 1t hy its children
 1 Great a- ~as Ichn the fcrerunner yet he that is in this newer kintdcr Jesus came to establish is vastly great I CT than the old Hebra:sm.
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