The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1917-01-31
SUNDAY SCHOOL NOTES
Side Lights on Next Sundays
Lesson for Teachers and Pupils
Edited by Charles X. Meyers.
CRAWFORD C o q MTY n d a z
SCHOOL ASSOCIATION

! SCHOOL ASSOCIATION
OFFICERS.
T. G. Dannatt, Vice-President, West Side
Sec Treas .Chas. X. Meyers Denison
49, Executive Committee
r. L. Hoffman, Denison; VIM. Lindberg,
Kiron; F. L. NanSlyke, MAMMA "a: -?
son; f. G. Virgins, Dow City.
| - Superintendents. .,.- .r,gn.,r
Elementary Grades :.....:. .;..,.:.:. .
| -. Miss Susie Craft, Denison
secondary Grade, F. L. Hoffman, Denison
Auu.' ,,epa Prof B. j. Still, Manila
Home nepaf' Ms! u, VI. pierce, Djsniison
Teacher rr ReH' 5. G. rourteiiot. Denison
Temperance Miss Mahetta joreensen, vail
Missionary Department 49,.
] ... So. Mrs. Anna Williams, benson
Feb. 4. Jesus the Saviour of the
World. John 8, 1-2l. -
We have for our lesson this week
one of the greatest portions OF the
bible. In contains that most precious
declaration of Jesus, the world famed
John 3-16." "For God SO loved the
world that He gave His only begotten
Son, that whatsoever believeth in Him
should not perish, but have eVerlast'
ing life" ,s,l
Before comments on the all import
ant declaration Of Jesus let us take
view Of the circumstances under which
it was made. When we turn, however,
to see as to these, we are confronted
with another remarkable series OF
statements as to being born again.,
and there looms up, a topic which has
been the subj ect of sermon is, lectures
and hooks without numbers. 1t Will
thus be readily seen that in this short
column little progress will be made
in throwing new light on, the remark
able verses to be considered.
As is vel known, the learned men
of the DAYS of Jesus were the Scribes
and Pharisees, for they were versed
in the law of Moses and the writings
of the prophets. The masses could not
read, and religious teachings were
handed down by word of mouth from
generation to generation. Our lesson
today tells us about how one OF the
most learned and respected members
+of the Sanhedrin, or high jewish coun-
Gil came to Jesus by night to gain m
formation as to the new religion. rms
man was Nicodemus. He was ruler
in Israel, one well versed in the Jew
ish law, and the regulations made Dy
the priests, for the daily conduct OF
the faithful Jew. This man came to
Jesus acknowledging that ne was q
teacher sent from God. Little did ne
expect that to him would be said some
Of the most striking declarations OF
the Saviour.
The meaning of the expression tine
Kingdom OF heaven" was, we DeneVe,
Gknown to Nicodemus as the state or
place where one would be right with
God. and accepted Of Him. Jesus az
the very beginning of the talk. came
right to the vital thought in the mfrd
q. his listener: by telling him how ,2hs
must enter this Kingdom of heaven.
Jesus said:
"Exept man is born ri the wa
ter and of the spirit, he cannot en-
ter into the Kingdom of God. Mar
vel not that l say unto thee, Ye
must be born again." 80
Nicodomus was astOllished at this.
To be born again seemed to hlm 10
mean to become a baby and again en-,
| ter the world. Jesus soon explained
that this was not meant. 1t was not
new physical birth, but new splritua!
one. How that was to be done, he dld
not tell Jesus called attention, to the
movements of the wind, saying tnat
one can feel that it blows and see the
results, but cannot control its comlngs
and going. Thus it was with the en-
tering into a man of the spirit" MIC
odemus had never seen the change
made in a man or woman by the enter
ing in Of the spirit of God, the expert
encing Of a new birth. Every reader
of the column is thus wiser than the
great Jew. Every grown up person
can give my name, men and women
who have experienced this new birth,
whose lives have been completely
changed, as in the, twinkling OF an
eve. Instead of loving and pract1clng
things degrading, nasty, vile. as IN the
past they now love things clean, help
! full, gentle, forgiving, self sacrlhclng:
Simply good resolutions would not
make this change, there. has~been
something supernatural 10 say such
people have been "obrn again" ex-
presses it the best.
Jesus on this. occasion made use OF
one of the striking events in the his
tory of the Jews when wandering IN
the wilderness to make plain His work
and mission in the world. 1t will be
remembered that at one time the Is
raelites were afflicted with the pres
ence of many poisonous snakes or
serpents, and that thousands of them
were dying from the effects Of bites
of the reptiles. Moses, their leader,
was directed by God to shape. a great
serpent of metal and place it high on
pole, and then to give notice that
everyone who looked at the serpent
on the pole would be cured, and it
turned out so. Making use of the we'll
known event, Jesus declared to Nico-
demus, CAS- Moses lifted up the SER
pent in the wilderness, even SO must
The Son of man be lifted up; that who.
soeyer believeth in. Him should not
perish, but have eternal life" Here
is the gospel plan Of salvation set
forth in a way to leave no sign OF
misunderstanding. The suffering Jew
Of old looked by faith at the. brazen
serpent and. lived and so by faith we
mist believe and trust in Jesus and
have eternal life. - .....,..--.
Now COMES John 1916, ~ which we
quoted at the beginning. The promise
-; yh% frpv, tho line IF IocuS cOI1d not