The copper era and Morenci leader., 1922-10-13
LESSON FOR OCTOBER 15 THE MINISTRY OF JOHN. THE
 BAPTIST
LESSON TEXT-Lulze s:l-22.

BAF LIS
 LESSON TEXT-Lulxe S:1-2a.
 GOLDEN TEXT-Repent ye. for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.-Matt. Ss.-
 REFERENCE MATERIAL-Matt. u:.- l9; Phil. 2:5-n.
 PRIMARY TOPIC-What John Sad About Jesus.
 JUNIOR TOPIC-John Preaching and Baptizing.
 INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC A Fearless Reformer.
 YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC Repentance: What It Is and What ls Does.
 l. The Deeeneracy of the Times (vv. l, ?.
 The Jews had sunk to very low level of civil, moral and religious life Luke carefully enumerates the civil and religious rulers in order to show the profiigacy of the times, and there fore the need of a messenger to cali the people back to God and virtue. Herod, the son of the Great, was murderer Annas and Caiaphas were corrupt ecclesiastical rulers. !
 II. The Nature of Johns Ministry (vv. 3-8).
 In the wilderness he underwent . discipline which fitted him for his task. Out of the Eilderness he flashed forth preaching the baptism of re- rentence for the remission of sins (v. 3. This ministry is declared to be fufilment of Isaiah's prophecy. The message was described as one calling upon the nation to prepare for the | .sol, Nlx r, ton was presented under the figure of monarch of the East about to make | journey. A servant was sent before l to prepare the highway. Valleys needed to be filled, mountains and hills needed to be lowered, crooked i places needed to be made straight and rough places needed to be made smooth. Today before the nations wit | receive Christ the valleys need to | be filled with righteous deeds, the ex- 1 ceeding high mountains of sin and iniquity need to be brought low, the | crooked dealings of the business world nuat be. strengthened out, and the rough ways of nations and $pdividuals must he smOothed out. Men must re- pent of their sins before they ~sa receive Christ.
 III. The Content of Johns message (vv 7-1S).
 l. Pronunciation of Sin (vv. 2, SD. He called them "a generation of VI pers'' This shows that he charged them with deceitfulness and wicked ness Knowing the subtle hypocrisy of these Jews, he demanded evidence Of their sincerity-the genuineness oc their repentance was to be demon strated by their works. ?. Announcement of Judgment (v. %. He declared that the axe was laid at the root of the tree and that the tree not bringing forth fruit was to ee ; hewn down and cast into the frc. John made it very plain that for thefr sins they should be called into 1udg- ment. PauPs preaching of judg- ment to come made Felix tremble : (Acts 24:25).
 8. Instructions to the InQuirers
 (yv. 10-14). CD The people tvv. 10,
 ID. Each man was to turn from hfs
 besetting sin and show love and kind
 ness to his fellow men. Clothing and : food were to be given those who had
 need. They were to turn from a life of selfishness and greed and do uneo others as they would be done by, s2s
 Publicans (vv. 12, 13). These tax gatherers who were guilty of greed l, and oppression were not asked to giVs
 up their occupation, but to exact onls
 that which was appointed by law. 6, r The soldiers (v. 14). These were llkels the policemen of that day-at least r men on military duty. He told then | to extort money from no man. 10 ac cuse none falsely, and to be eonten' with their wages. To all these classes he made it clear that they should
 henceforth perform their duty iron , il motive of love instead of selfish : ness and greed.
 i. Testimony to Jesus (vv. 15-1Si
 rheT people were muslng in theh : hearts as to whether John was indeet ihc Messiah. When John perceived
 this he with fine humility declareS
 that his mission was so lowly in com parsun with Christ's that he wOulO be unworthy to perform the menial ae
 Df a slave in loosing the latchet O E His shoes. John baptized with water r. but Christ, he declared, would baptix'
 with the Holy Ghost and with fire.
 W. Johns Imprisonment (vv. 1s 20}.
 Because of his reproot of Herod fo
 his wicked lewdness and other sin John went to tie dungeon. The preack Q CT of righteousness must become
 martyr. Gods faithful prophets ar
 usually desplsed by the world, eve Q east into prison, burned, or beheadet
 likeness.