Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1917-01-04
LESSON FOR JANUARY I
JESUS THE LIGHT AND LIFE OF
MEN.

The studies for the first six months
Of this year are devoted to the gospel
Of John; the remaining portion of the
year to II Kings, Ezra and Nehemiah,
being a study with the prophets. One
year from now we begin the new
graded uniform lessons" recently
adopted by the recognized 1nterna-
tional Lesson committee.
John was younger than his brother,
James, and lived to be the Oldest Of the
apostles, dying somewhere between A.
d. 95 and 50. His name means
"Peace," though he Is surnamed the
"son Of thunder" (Mark 3:17). Five
Of the New Testament books bear his
name. He blended the g%entleness OF a
dove with the force and vision of an
eagle" The purpose of his gospel is
clearly stated (ch. 20 :S1). Only about
8 per cent Of 1t is found in the other
three gospels. Seventy-six times the
word witness" is used. The word
"father" occurs 40 times and the
name "Jesus'' 24O times.
I. The Word wv. 10y. Words utter
thoughts; a word Is an expression OF
an inaudible and invisible thing. As
the Word, Christ is Creator (ch. IA: g;
S:19), he Is the source of light. 1.-THE
word is God heard the life Is God felt,
and the light is God seen"-Moody.
This eternally existing person is called
the Word because in him God fully ex-
presses or reveals himself. The Bible
is the written word because in it God
speaks and reveals himself through
this person who is the eternal Word
(Heb. 1:3). The first verse brings out
the fact that there are at least two
persons in the G0dhead. the n divine,
person in company with whom the
word was, and the word, himself, was
GOD; that is, was also q divine per-
son. He who by his incarnation be-
came our brother and u savior was
first our creator and the creator of all
things, and apart from him not any
thing cine into existence. The Word
did not become the light of'men by his
incarnation in Jesus Of Nazareth. He
was aver the Light of Men. The light
that shone in the Old Testament time
shone from him. When sin came, night
came. Conditions Of the world since
| the fall have been that of dense spirit
ual and intellectual darkness, but In
the midst Of this universal darkness
there has always been a light. Our Sa-
vlor must first Of all be divine, having
all knowledge and power. He must
have also life which can create and
maintain existence. He must also be
light, for dead minds cannot know nor
dead souls see.
u. The Witness wv. 6-10). John the
Baptizer came for a witness. He was
not the light. Some might have
thought him to- be the promised Mes
siah. This he denied. He was a lamp
which held forth light to men concern
ing the true light (which llghteth every
man that tometh into the world" BE
reflected. light ". 81. John told all that
he knew. Testimony will expand as
experience enlarges. The spoken
word Of man must confirm the expert
ence Of the word In u lives. John
was a wonderful man, a man whom
God delighted to honor, but he was
man. Men are not asked to believe
blindly, but always upon an abundance
Of testimony.
al. The World wv. 11-14). Thii
werld was created by Jesus, ant
throughout its existence, he has beel
in the world, though the world knew
him not. This living light had beer
coming into the world. and was no
fully come until he was manifest t,
Israel at the baptismal act Of John
In order to be made manifest tn,
"Word was made flesh" in the persol
of Jesus. The world did not 'apprehent
the light ". 81 nor did the world which
he was In and which was made by hin
". 10Y. Even his own people, LITERAL!
his own household servants, I. e Israel
received him moi to themselves, bu
whoever receives him, even the vles
sinner Of earth, and takes him into bill
heart to be all Jesus desired to be, 50
vior. lord, teacher, friend, that instan,
he becomes q child of God. We canno
attempt to explain this mystery. Tn,
union of spirit and body was In on,
person. a sample fact; though unex
planned, still true. The union Of Got
with a human body, forming one per
son, Christ Jesus, sometimes spoken o.
separately, sometimes as a whole
sometimes as divine, sometimes as hu
man. We cannot divide his activities
Into two sections and say this IL divin,
and this Is human; they are inexpli
cably blended into n This Chris
really dwelt among US. He did mo-
merely appear to some persons, o.
come in a vision, End yet his abod.
among us was only temporary, only {
few years, and we beheld his glory. thu
glory of the only begotten Son. m.
world expected a Messiah and his Owl
creation, his own inheritance received
him not, rejected him, opposed him
cruciHed him. their lord. savior. KIM
and messiah. Those who receivedShi
and believed on Ills name became sons
To be q child Of God we must b.
born into the nature and character o
God. into his spiritual life. We ar
members Of his family. We are unde
a peculiar. loving care. dwelling unde
the shadow Of his almighty wing. W,
have q share in his beautiful home.