Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1922-10-13
LESSON FOR OCTOBER IS
THE MINISTRY OF JOHN THE
BAPTIST
LESSON TExT-Luke s:l-22.

LESSON TExT-Luke s:i-22
GOLDEN TExT-Repent ye. for the
kingdom of heaven is at hand-Matt. 81
REFERENCE MATERIAL--Matt u:2-
10; Phil. 2:5-11
PRIMARY ToPIc-what John said
About Jesus.
JUNIOR ToPIc-John Preaching and
Baptizing.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
A Fearless Reformer.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
-Repentance: What 1t Is and What IL
Does.
1. The Deaeneracy Of the Times
(vv. !, p.
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 call
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 3-6).
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 w.
81. This ministry is declared to be q
ful6lment Of Isaiah's prophecy. The
message was described as one calling
upon the nation to prepare for the
coming Of the Messiah. This prepara-
ton was presented under the figure OF
q monarch of the East about to make
journey. servant was sent before
to prepare the highway. Valleys
needed. to be filed. mountains and
hills needed to be lowered, crooked
places needed to be made straight and
rough places needed to be made
smooth. To-day before the nations will
receive Christ the valleys need to
be filed with righteous deeds, the ex-
ceeding high mountains of sin and
iniquity need to be brought low, tho
crooked dealings OF the business world
must be Strengthened out, and the
rough ways Of nations and individuals
must be smoothed cut. Men must re-
pent of their sins before they can
receive Christ.
M. The Content Of Johns Message
wv. 7-1S).
L Denupciation of Sin (vv. 7, 81.
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 Of
their repentance was to be demon
strated by their works.
2. Announcement of Judgment w.
81. 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 a judg-
ment to come made Felix tremble
, (Acts "a :25).
8. Instructions to the Inquirers
(vv. 10-14J. ~ The people lyv. 10
III. Each man was to turn from his
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 unto
: others as they would be done by. (2,
Publicans (vv. II, 13). These tax
0 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 ". 14). These were likely
} men on military duty. He told then
to extort money from no man, to &C
r cuse none falsely, and to be content
!. with their wages. To all these ciasse:
he made it clear that they should
henceforth perform their duty from
. motive Of love instead Of selfish
4 ness and greed.
a A. Testimony to Jesus (vv. 1919
!. The people were musing In theil
/. hearts as to whether John was indeed
i. the Messiah. When John perceived
Il this he with fine humility declared
! that his mission was so lowly In com
! parison with Christ's that he would
i be unworthy to perform the menial acl
Of slave In loosing the latches ol
His shoes. John baptized with water
but Christ. he declared, would baptizs
:. with the Holy Ghost and with fire.
: W. Johns Imprisonment (vv. 10
2o).
Because of his reproof OF Herod FOL
his wicked lewdness and other siri
: John went to the dungeon. The preach
: er of righteousness must become I
:. martyr. Gods faithful prophets IN
8 usually despised By the world, evoz
~.~< fnta nriron hurned or hehandn1