The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1922-10-12
IMPROVED UNIFORM INTERNATIONAL
Sl1rqldaySchool 3
Lesson '
tBy REV. P. 3. F1TZwATER. d. D..
teacher OF English Bible in the Moody
Bible Institute Of Chicago)
Copyright. 1922. Western Newspaper Union.
LESSON FOR OCTOBER IS
The MINISTRY OF JOHN THE
BAPTIST

| LESSON TCXT-LulSe 3I-22
! GOLDEN TEXT-Rcpent ye, for tho
Rlngdom Of heavon Is at hand.--Matt. 3:2.
REFERENCE MATERlAL-Matt liz
| l9; Phil. 2:5-ll
PRIMARY ToPIC-What John Said
| About Jesus.
JUNIOR TOPIC-John Preaching ana
| Baptizlng.
| INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
"A Fearless Rcformcr
| YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
-Repcntance: What 1t Is and What 1t
| Does.
!. The Degeneracy Of the Times
(vv. /, p.
The Jews had sunk to very low
level of civil, moral and religious life.
Luke carefully enumerates the civil
md religious rulers in order to show
the protligacy 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 a
murderer Annas and Caiaphas were
corrupt ecclesiastical rulers.
u. The Nature Of Johns Ministry
wv. 3.G).
In the wilderness he underwent a
discipline which fitted him for his
task. Out of the wilderness he flashed
forth preaching the baptism Of re-
| pentencc for the remission of sins ".
| 81. This ministry Is declared to be
fulfilment of Isafah'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
| monarch Of the East about to make
n 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 nations Will
receive Christ the valleys need to
be filled with righteous deeds, the eX.
cceding 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.
~. The Content of Johns Message
| wv. 7-1S).
l. Denunciation of Sin wv. Z, 81.
He called them n 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-thc gcnuinencss of
their repentance was to be demon
strated by their works.
2. Announcement Of Judgment ".
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 1t very plain that for their
sins they should be called into judg-
ment. Paul's preaching of judg-
ment to come made Felix trembie
| (Acts :25).
3. Instructions to the Inquirers
wv. 1919. Q) The people tvv. 10,
11). 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 10 turn from life
Of selfishneSs and greed and do unto
others as they would be done by. ca
Publicans wv. -. 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. (3l
The soldiers (v. 14). These were likely
the policemen Of that day-at least
men OH military duty. He told them
to eXtort money from no man, to ac.
| cusc none falsely, and to be content
| with their wages. To nll these classes
| he made it clear that they should
hcnceforth perform their duty from
a motive of love instead of selfish
ness and greed.
4. Testimony to Jesus (vv. 1919.
The people were musing in their
hearts as to whether John was indeed
the Messiah. When John perceived
this he with tine humility declared
that his mission was so lowly in com
parison with Cllrist's that he would
be unworthy to perform the mcnial act
Of a slave in loosng thc latcct Of
His shoes. John baptized with water
but Christ, he declared. would baptize
with the Holy Ghost ana with fire.
". Johns imprisonment wv. 10,
2O).
Because Of his rcproof Of IIerod 70,
his wicked lewdness and other sins
John went to the dungeon. The preach.
er Of righteousness must become
martyr. Gods faithful prophets are
usually despised by the world, even
cast into prison, burned, or behcaded