Evening star., 1924-09-27

Three months study OF the life of
Jesus has brought us to a review.
In our studies of the first third of a
nine course we have traced
the days of our Lord in the flesh from
His birth to the opening of His CAL
ilean ministry. Some will take this
hour to teach a missionary lesson
emphasizing the application of the
principles of Christ's opening minis
try to the evangelization of the state
in which they dwell, while others
will use the hour to teach some spe-
cial theme which they consider has
been neglected during the quarters
study. The fact is that no two teach
ers will draw the same lessons from
the review. 1t will be incomplete
unless we use 1t as a means to ascer-
tain how much we have learned about
the Lords early life and opening
ministry,
Preparatory Period.
|. Our first lesson concerning the birth
of Jesus taught us how in the full
ness of time" He came to dwell
among a people peculiarly prepared
by centuries of history to welcome
Him in a land that was fitted by it's
position to be the doorway to a world
movement. The Romans had bridged
the chasms between nations by their
system of highways. This made pos
sible the rapid proclamation of the
gospel, The Greeks, who had been
conquered by the Romans, had, during
their dominion over the nations, given
to men a universal speech that was
fitted to express the Lords message
to men. The birth of Jesus was the
greatest event in human history. 1t
has made religion a life of co-opera-
tion with God. In His birth the Di-
vine life was brought within mans
reach and understanding.
One lesson gave us a glimpse into
the marvellous adolescent period of
the life of Jesus, when the powers
that were destined to revolutionize
the history of the world were unfold
ing in His life. The brief reference
was sufficient for us to see that His
growth was of a fourfold nature,
physically, mentally, spiritually and
socially. Most of His first thirty
years are a period of almost absolute
obscurity, broken only by one incident
concerning His life as boy. The si-
lent years of the Master were years
of preparation. During the early
portion of His life Mary taught her
child in the home. The teachings of
the Mother were supplemented by
those of the synagogue school and
the shop of Joseph. The message of
the incarnation, childhood and silent
years of Jesus tell US the story of
Gods love for men, for during that
period He was preparing the Christ
for His career as the Savior of men.
Opening of His Ministry.
Jesus stood at the threshold of His
ministry. when He presented Himself
to John and requested baptism at the
nf a iCt n iSfY =
of our Lord commenced with His be-
ing baptized of John in the Jordan.
Christianity was the product of a
movement that preceded its introduc-
ton. The forerunner had started it
by his reform movement, but he did
not know that Jesus was the Messiah
until he saw the spirit descend like
aSdove upon the Master at His bap-
tism. Christ's public conservation
to do the will of the Father result
ed not only in His taking His place
among men but in His being filled
with power to do the work of the
Messiah
Closely associated with His baptism
comes the temptation in the wilder
ness, when Satan sought to prevent
Jesus carrying out His mission. No
greater or more decisive battle was
ever fought than the one waged by
the Lord Jesus during the 40 days
contest with the tempter. At the
close of that conflict. during which
the Master had tasted, Christ resisted
the attempt to remove Him from the
ranks of men and put Himself in the
rank of gods. who never suffer any
physical limitations by utilization of
supernatural power. Christ refused
to turn the stones into bread, be-
cause He desired to meet the needs
and temptations of men at all points.
Satan sought in the second tempeta-
ton to turn the public conservation
of the Lord Jesus into fanaticism, but
He proved to the Tempter that it was
not necessary to do the foolish thing
to demonstrate His complete sur
render to God. The last temptation
was an effort to turn the Master aside
from death, symboliZed in His bap-
tism, to conquest by compromise.
The Lords mastery Of Scripture aided
II i'm to win.
Returning from His victory over
Satan, He won His first disciples, who
became the nucleus of the millions
who have since acknowledged Him as
a result of personal service. He show
ed His sympathy with the reform
movement started by John the Bap-
list by His attacks upon commercial
lied religion. Jesus cleansed the Tenn
pie and condemned the selfishness and
corruption of the interests that con-
trolled the services and sales of sacri-
fees for their own personal purse.
He won recognition from Nicodemus
scholarly and religious member OF
the Sandedrin, as a rabbi sent from
God because of His works. In the con-
versation held with Him, Jesus taught
the necessity of all being born again
The next conversation that we con-
sidered was with the disreputable
woman of Samaria at Jacobs well