The Elbert County tribune., 1917-01-12
LESSON FOR JANUARY "A
JOHN THE BAPTIST AND JESUS.

LESSON IFXT-John 1.ly-A
GOLDEN TExT-Behoie. tho lamb of
vorld.-John 1:29.
John began his public ministry In the
summer of A. D. 20 and the baptism of
Jesus probably took place In January.
A. d. 81. The delegation from Jerusa-
lem to interview John must have ap-
peared along toward the latter part of
February.
!. John the Witness wv. 1919.
Johns ministry created great excite
ment. The people were In expectancy.
AL classes were reasoning as to who
this strange but marvelously forceful
man might be. Some thought perhaps
he was the Christ Uuke 3:15). To
settle this question n committee was
sent to Jerusalem to investigate.
Malachi, the prophet has suggested the
coming of Elijah (Mal. A :5) before the
Messiah should come, and another
prophecy indicated that the prophet
should be like unto Moses (Deut
1S 1913. John freely confesses to
this delegation that he is not the
Christ nor Elijah nor the prophet pre-
dicted by Moses. How foolish and
silly are those modern ones who pro-
fess to be the messenger of the COW
enant or some other fanciful title. In
dicating the return of the witness
which is to precede the coming of
Christ. John exercises humility In the
way he states his real position though
he does apply to himself the prophecy
of Isaiah Elsa. 40 :3-5) which sets forth
what his mission was to be. A voice
can be heard but not seen. With our
bodily eyes we never see spirit. No
man ever saw the soul Of his nearest
friend. We do see God, however, In
his works, in his marvellous deliver
ances and his guidance OF the world
and his answers to prayer.
u. John the Baptlzer wv. 1920.
AS John had denied that he was the
Christ or Elijah, the priests and Lew
ties made bold to question his author
ity at a later time (Matt. 21-23). and
still later the authority of the apos-
ties and the priests (Acts :2S). John
answers them with another display OF
his humility. His baptism In water
was nothing to the baptism of the
coming one (See Matt. 3 IL; Acts :5).
Though Christ was In their midst, they
were blind and did not recognize him.
(See w. 10, IL; ch. $40; :3).
Johns baptism of repentance denotes
baptism which penltent submitted
to that he might receive the pledge
and assurance that his sins were for
given. Baptism meant the cleansing
of the people from past sins that they
might be fitted for entrance into the
kingdom. Baptism is not conversion.
1t is a witnessing and symbol of
spiritual truth that we are dead unto
sin, and have risen to newness Of life
(Rom. $3.50. Like John, our voice
must be not only that of humility but
1t must be really voice with u mes
sage from God, one that sounds an un-
mistakable note. one that can be heard
wherever we go. one that will make
men happier, stronger, braver, more
like God. to prepare the way for Christ
In the hearts of men.
III. Tho Witness Of the Spirit wv.
28-34). The writer Is very explicit,
stating the exact time that these things
occurred, for he was an eye witness.
John first testifies that Jesus was the
Lamb of God, referring of course to
the sacrificial lamb. the atoning sacri-
fee of the Old Testament (Gen. % :7-S;
Ex. II :3; lisa. SO ~. AS the Lamb Of
God, Jesus would take away the sins
of the world; thus the thought Is pri-
marily that Of atOnement, a substitu-
ton of another and the deliverapce
from the guilt Of sin. The next day
after Johns witness to the delegation
from Jerusalem. he saw Jesus coming
unto him. and said to the assembled
people, Behold the Lamb of God"
This refers not so much to his charac-
ter, that of innocence, meekness and
patience, as to his Office, his completed
work of atonement by the sacrificial
death wherein he takes away the sins
Of the world. On the ground Of the
propitiation for sin which Jesus
wrought Il John 2:2; Matt. 20 :2s; II
Cor 5:21: Gal. 3:13) sin Is removed
from the sinner as far as the East is
from the West. God dealt in mercy
with men before Christ's time because
of the lamb which was slain from tho
foundation of the world (Rev. 13 :S).
Here John says that at first he did not
recognize Jesus as the Messiah. but he
does bear record that he saw the
spirit descending at his baptism. and it
abode upon him.
The work of Christ Is for the whole
world till all its sin Is removed.
He is actually removing sin from the
world, and when he comes again. sin
will be banished. Luke's record adds
that this same Messiah is to baptize
with the Holy Ghost and fire.
Christians are to be on fire for God.
The gift Of the holy spirit at Pente-