Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1912-01-12
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I 77,e Sunday
School Lesson
JANUARY "a, 1919.

IA JANUARY ~, 1912.
the BIRTH OF JOHN THE BAP-
list.
Golden Text--Blessed be the Lord
God OF Israel; for he hath visited
and redeemed his people, Luke 1858.
Lesson Text.--Luke 1890 Com
NIT VS.. $3.50 or rs. n.
Time.-July, B. G. 5. Place.-The
Hill Country Of Judah.
Exposition 1.-The Birth Of John
the Baptist, 81, IS. Gods Word
proved to the very letter. w. 81 CT.
v. 10; CHI 2:6, I; Gen. :1;2, 3; Mum.
90; 1917 There was also a very i'm
mediate fulflment OF the promise that
many shall rejoice at his birth. (see
v. 14.) The coming of the child was
magnifying OF Gods mercy. ". So
r. w Little did the neighbors and
kinsfolk who rejoiced with Elisabeth
realize how much was wrapped up In
the birth Of that child.
II. The Circumcision and Naming
of John the Baptist, 1858. Every
thing was done In strict accordance
with the law Of God. ". SO; CT. Lev.
|12;3; CHI 2:21: Gen. 17:12; 21:34;
Phil. S:5.) The neighbors undertook
the naming of the child. The name
they suggested seemed appropriate
enough but God already had named
the boy ". 13). so any other name
was wrong. Doubtless q. had com
municated to Elisabeth what the an
gel had told him and she, without any
explanations stood firmly for Gods
commandment. The neighbors were
bound to have their way, but Zacha-
riah settled It, Note exactly what
Zachariah says, Ills name Is John. "
There was no going back on Gods
Word.
III. Zacharias' Song Of Praise,
CATS. The appointed term Of pun
ishment Of Zacharias was ended. (cf-
v. 20), and Zacharias had stood for
Gods promise ". So CT. v. 49,. And
Immediately "his mouth was opened
and his tongue loosed.' He at once
used his restoration Of speech to
praise God. The manifestation Of
Gods power caused all to fear ".
65 CT. 7:16; Acts 2:43; s, II; 1871;
Rev. 11:11.) Those who heard these
sayings did wisely. "They laid them
up in their hearts (cf. ps. 11s:11;
CHI. 2:19. 81; 9:44.) The change in
verse Sc Of "and" to "for" in the
Revised Version is deeply significant.
When the Inland Of the Lord is with q
child. people may well inquire, What
manner of child shall this be. The
Holy Spirit is a Spirit of song and
praise. V. 81 Ct. Eph. 5:1s-20) The
Spirit came upon elisabeth and she
burst forth into song (see VS.. 4146) I.
and now Zacharias rs filed with the
Holy Ghost" and he, too, bursts into
song. Later we shall see aged ST.
neon filled with the Spirit and he
will burst into song Heaven itself
| is most musical place. The songsof
Zacharias Is wonderful. Every clause
In 1t Is worthy of an attention that
1t is impossible to give here 1t is
song Of salvation The word
salvation Ii found three times in
| 1t (see r. w and the thought Of
salvation runs all through 1t. 1t
sings of salvation from. all enemies,
and salvation from sin? This saliva
| tion is to the end that we may serve
God w. 74), salvation unto service.
That Is the kind Of salvation that
is greatly needed in our churches to-
day. The character Of the salvation
to which we are saved Is also deeply
significant. It IL first Of all service
without fear" There is so much
servile service in our day, but that
is not Christian service. AS children
Of God we have mot received the
spirit Of bondage again unto fear but
the spirit Of adoption (placing as a
son whereby we cry Abba Father"
(Rom 8..15. In the next place, 1t is
a service I'm holiness and righteous
ness" Gods salvation makes holt
ness Of heart and life possible to US,
and He expects us to serve Him Tin
holiness and Righteousness" This
is one OF the most glorious things
about the salvation God has provided
for us in Christ, that 1t Is q saliva
ton unto holiness Of heart and holt
ness Of life and not merely a saliva
ton from the torment that sin neces-
states. Sin itself Is an immeasur-
ably worse thing than any torment
sin itself entails, and Jesus saves us
from sin. Matt 1920 In the next
place the service is before Him.
that r. III the presence sof God and III
Fellowship with God Finally 1t As
perpetual sSfvtce AL the Stiayse Of
our life." The dawn will soon come
" 49, thecnight shadows will all
soon flee away, and "the SUN Of
Righteousness" will shine upon them
shat sit in darkness and the sha-
dow OF death" ". 79.) What a wide
difference there is between the songs
OF Elisabeth and Mary and Zachari-
as and the sickening twaddle Of much
OF our modern hymnology.
Leading Questions nv What does
this lesson teach about Gods Word?
What may we learn from the conduct
Of Elisabeth? The conduct of Zach
arias? What does the lesson teach
about the Holy Spirit? About God!
About Salvation?
roo SOON 70 TELL.
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