The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1922-10-12
LESSON FOR OCTOBER is
THE MINISTRY OF JOHN THE
BAPTIST
LESSON TExT-Luke s:i-22

LESSON TEXT-Luke 3:i-22
GOLDEN TEXT-Repent ye. for the
kingdom OF heaven II at hand.-Matt. 81.
REFERENCE MATER1AL-Matt u:2-
10, PHI 26-tL
PRIMARY ToPIC-what John Said
About Jesus.
JUNIOR ToPIC-John Preaching and
Baptizing
INTERMEDIATES AND SENIOR TOPIC
"A Fearless Reformcr.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
-Repentance: What 1t Is and What IL
Does.
!. The Deoeneracy Of the Times
wv. ], y.
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 pronigacy Of the times, and there
fore the need Of a messenger to call
the people back to God and virtue.
Herod, the son Of the Great, was
murderer Annas and Caiaphas were
corrupt ecclesiastical rulers.
%. The Nature Of Johns Ministry
wv. 3-6).
In the wilderness he underwent q
discipline which fitted him for his
task. Out of the wilderness he flashed
forth preaching the baptism of re-
pentence for the remission of sins ".
81. This ministry is declared to be
fulflment of Isaiah's prophecy. The
message was described as one calling
fnr ha
coming of the Messiah. This prepare
ton was presented under the figure of
a monarch of the East about to make
a journey. A servant was sent before
to prepare the highway. valleys
needed to be filed. mountains and
places needed to be made straight and
rough places needed to be made
smooth. Today before the nations viii
receive Christ the valleys need to
be filled with righteous deeds. the ex-
ceeding high mountains of sin and
inlquity need to be brought low, the
crooked dealings of the business world
must be Strengthened out, and the
rough ways of nations and individuals
must be smoothed out Men must re-
pent of their sins before they can
receive Christ.
~. The Content Of Johns Message
wv. 7-1S).
1. Denunciation of Sin wv. Z, 81.
He called them IA 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 of
their repentance was TO be demon
strated by their works.
., Announcement Of Judgment ".
%. He declared that the axe was laid
at the root of the tree and that the
tree not bringing forth fruit was to be
hewn down and cast into the fire.
John made it very plain that for their
sins they should be called into judg-
ment. Paul's preaching Of judg-
ment to come made Felix tremble
(Acts 4:25).
8. Instructions to the Inquirers
wv. 1919. ~ The people wv. 10,
y.
besetting sin and show love ana KIND
ness to his fellow men. Clothing and
food were to be given those who had
need. They were to turn from life
/ of selfishness and greed and do unto
others as they would be done by. (2)
Publicans wv. u, 13). These tax
gatherers who were guilty of greed
and oppression were not asked to give
| up their occupation, but to exact only
! that which was appointed by law. (3)
| The soldiers ". l4). These were likely
the policemen of that day-at least
men on military duty. He told then
to extort money from no man, to ac
cuse none falsely, and to be content
with their wages. To all these classes
he made il clear that they should
henceforth perform their duty from
a motive of love instead of selfish
ness and greed.
4. Testimony to Jesus wv. 15-ls),
The people were musing in their
hearts as to whether John was indeed
the Messiah. When John perceived
! this he with fine humility declared
I that his mission was so lowly In com
/ parison with Christs that he woulc
be unworthy to perform the mental &C
of slave in loosing the latchet o.
His shoes. John baptized with water
but Christ, he declared, would baptiz'
with the Holy Ghost and with FIRE.
". Johns Imprisonment wv. Is
20).
Because of his reproot of Herod 70
his wicked lewdness and other sim
John went To the dungeon. The preach
err of righteousness must become ,
martyr. Gods faithful prophets ar,
usually despised by the world ever
cast into prison. burned, or beheaded