The Holly chieftain., 1922-10-12
LESSON FOR OCTOBER IS
THE MINISTRY OF JOHN THE
BAPTIST

6AP PIISl
LESSON TEXT-Luke 3:l-2
| GOLDEN TEXT-Repent ye. for the
Kingdom of heaven IL at hand.-Matt- s:E'
REFERENCE MATERIAL-Matt H.
| 10; Phil. 2:6-l1.
PRIMARY ToPIc-what John Said
| About Jesus.
JUNIOR TOPIC-John Preaching and
| BaptizinE.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
"A Fearless Reformer.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
Repentance: What 1t 10 and What u
Does.
!. The Deseneraey Of the Times
tvv. /. 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 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.
u. The Nature Of Johns Ministry
| wv. 3-6).
| In the wilderness he underwent
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
fulfilment of Isaiah's prophecy. The
message was described as one calling
upon the nation to prepare for the
coming of the Messiah. This prepara-
tion was presented under the figure Of
a monarch Of the East about to make
journey. A servant was sent before
to prepare the highway. Valleys
needed to be filled, mountains and
hills needed to be lowered, crooked
places needed to be made straight and
rough places needed to be made
smooth. Today before the natiols Will
receive Christ the valleys need to
be filled with righteous deeds, the ex-
ceeding high mountains of sin and
iniquity 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.
III. The Content Of Johns Message
wv. 7-1s).
]. Denunciation of Sin wv. 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 sincerlty-the genuineness Of
their repentance was to be demon
strated by their works.
| 2. Announcement of Judgment ".
| o.. He declared that the axe was laid
| at the root of the tree and that the
tree not bringing forth fruit was to be
John made 1t 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 "a :25).
| 3. Instructions to the Inquirers
wv. 1014). ~ The people wv. 10,
11). Each man was to turn from his
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. IL, 13). These tax
1 = ,xrtn Ift, nf Il
and oppression were not asked to give
up their occupation, but to exact only
that which was appointed by law. (3)
The soldiers w. 14). These were likely
| the policemen of that day-at least
men on military duty. He told them
| to extort money from no man, to ac.
cuse none falsely, and to be content
with their wages. To all these classes
he made 1t clear that they should
henceforth perform their duty from
motive of love instead of selfish
ness and greed.
4. Testimony to Jesus wv. 1873.
The people were musing in their
hearts as to whether John was indeed
the Messiah. When John perceived
this he with fine humility declared
that his mission was SO lowly in com.
parisOn with Christ's that he would
be unworthy to perform the menial act
of slave in loosing the latchet Of
His shoes. John baptized with water
but Christ, he declared, would baptize
with the Holy Ghost and with fire.
| ~. Johns imprisonment wv. 10
20).
| Because of his reproot of Herod for
his wicked lewdness and other sins
John went to the dungeon. The preach
er of righteousness must become q
martyr Gods faithful prophets are
usually despised by the world, even
cast into prison. burned, or beheoded