The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1912-01-05
INTERNATIONAL
LESION
LESSON FOR IAuaRY
BIRTH OF JOHN FoEToLp.
~ Rev. William Evans, ID. D. sreetar Rih,e co,-
Moody Bible ~Institun Cnicago' Noufs

The Old Testament closes With
prophecy; the New Testament oman.
with the announcement Of The ful6lL.
ment Of that prophecy. Thus both
Testaments are characterized IN III,
lesson: The Testament, piophe,y,
the New Testament, f%ulfilnent. II
is clear from our Lords own worts
that John the Baptist fulfilled tbs OIL
Testament prediction, MAT. III IG
I'D. 1t may be that a more itsra \
fulfllment isc still future. precesdiH 4
Chrtst's second inning.
Our attention is first drawn I'd III
persons through whom God fulfllsM I
promise. Zacharias and ElizalA N
were both righteous, BY that Is \
E2eant that they were either sinle III
or perfect-no human being Is Till
but that they were parents who's
whole heart, mind, and strength wen
dedicated to the will and service Ill
God. Zacharias' unbelief shows th&8aS
ne was not sinless. IA
This is the kind Of people throusa
whom God Is willing, and ready evil
today to fulfill his promise and bles1
the world-not through perfect peaA
pie, but through those who are cosl
stantly striving after perfectim
There is no limit to the blessings G0d##
will confer upon the world through HI
us If only we will not touch the glorys ~
The glorious vision and message
came to John when he was perform ~
ing his duty. And so 1t Is alWayd
While shepherds watch their f1ocE
the angel comes. We must not fol
get that Elizabeth also In her modest
humble ~seclusion was used to bles $|
the world just as much as Zacharia5S 4
who was exercising a priestly functiq5
so high that the opportunity came D Y
o priest but once in a lifetime. Ga&
chooses the weak things as we'll sskB@8|
the great things: d. l.. Moody, the us@A8#
educated shoe clerk, as well as Pau
the scholar. So Isaac was a quiz AM
man and dwelt In tents.
The next thing to which our atte4
ton is the content Of the prophec
F1rse. 1t concerns a child. ZachariaHHa
ard Elizabeth we're ~childless. It H8
no sin to be childless provided that "A
law of nature Is violated. 1t is a III
thing to be childless. At least 1t waB
so considered in Old Testament dayl
Would that 1t were considered SO IA
day! A revival Of the mother instind
is needed.
This child was to be an extraordlpNN
airy child--well every mothers Child
Is wonderful This child was 10 a MD
before the Lord and prepare his wal
just as your child may follow after th
Lord and walk In his steps--a WORM
career for both John and your CHA
and every child. Why should we i'd
hold this ideal constantly bei0
#z#1
Upon the promised child was to res8
the vow Of the Nazarite. Thar msaD
two things: Absolute prohiI |
from in~toxicants, and entire
ton to God. Can you think - aE
two things more desirable for your
child, for every child? These paf
ents had an ideal before them Tod
their child, and that was a tremend
Gus help. Have you? Or do ya8asa1
bring your child up at random? STAB
today with an ideal. Let it be high
1t be the highest, even Christ. NBzI
The mission OF John, the BaptisS 881
was TO be performed by the aid OF thH
Holy Spirit. Is there not a snbb
contrast here between the prohibitiG
intoxication and the filling Will
spirit? Just az the person undo ID
Influence Of intoxicating liquor ssHz|
governed and controlled by such spf
Its, SO the Christian worker Is to u
SO fulfilled with the spirit ibid
every part Of him--intellect, sensibN
lies, will, feelings, are under III
control. This spiritual equt
is what is needed for Christie M
workers today, Not by might, nor y
power, but by my Spirit. saith tt7
Lord" a8B
Because the Baptist was spiritfa N#S1
ID, he was enabled to turn the he'd 37|&
# the children towards their fathas
Doubtless the Jews had become taHt sS8
ID with the idolatry OF the surrouDt 83|
ng nations SO that they had to SOM
'xtent forsaken the faith OF the pa 8Ae
riarehs. Spirit-flled men are needd ##aEf
ebay to turn the hearts OF the pre-
mt generation back towards ths'
aith once delivered unto the saints ,
Every Christian has the Holy Spif
just as Egypt has the river Mic
nut every Christian does not have tt5
ILLNESS Of the Spirit, any more than
Egypt always has the overflow OF ta
yile; and Just as the overflow Of ts
Vile means a bountiful harvest y
Egypt, SO the milling and oyerfov
ng Of the spirit In the believer meant
bountiful harvest d fruit unto eter
al life. 3
1t Is strange, is II not. that Zachaf
should doubt b the presence 81
his heavenly visitor! Surely one
hould believe in he p~resencelof such
sign as this. There are PEOPLE vi
ay who say that they wotfd believe
they could lear a voice from thu
shore apeaking to them. Or Y
ne should cme to them from me
life. bid the Jeys believe even a3s
lough Lazarus CAM back to them
ON the lead? M II We believe
ot the scriptures. neither would We
. persuaded in fhe presence OF 90
lpernatiral a fgn as this, Zacha
as continued Illustrations.
er<ituaf Need. ##58