The Dolores star., 1924-07-18
nRR0vED UlRoRM INTERNATIONAL
Sl119ldoySchool
' Lesson '
tBy REV. p. b. FITzwATER, DID, Dean
of the Evening School, Moody Bible In
stitute of Chicago.)
%. 1921. Westsrn Newspa per Union)
Lesson for July 20
THE BAPTISM OF JESUS


LESSON TEXT-Mark 1:1-11.
GOLDEN TEXT-'"Thou art my be-
loved Son. in whom l am well pleased.
Mark l:ll.
PRIMARY ToPIC-Jesus Pleases His
Father.
JUNIOR TOPIC-John and Jesus at
| the Jordan. -.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOP
IC-Jesus Dedicates His Life.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
THE Meaning Of Baptism.
| In order to appreciate the lesson
for today one should have an under
standing of the purpose of the Gospel
according to Mark. In the Old Iesta-
ment Is set forth an august portrait
of Jesus Christ Who Is the Branch,
the King (Jer. % :5). the Branch, the
Servant Czech 3:S), the Branch, the
Man Czech. GID, the Branch of Je-
hovah lisa. 10y. The four-fold ac-
count of the Gospels placed alongside
of these predictions fits exactly. Mat
thew exhibits Him as the Promised
King, Mark as the Servant of Je-
hovah, Luke as the Man Redeemer
and John as the Son of God. Inc
theme of Mark is the Gospel of Je-
hovah's Servant tChap. 1 ~. The key
verse is 10: :45, and the key words are
"straightway," "forthwlth," "immedi-
Gtely."
l.. Who the Servant Is ". ~.
Jesus Christ, the Son of Cod
Jesus means Saviour. Christ means
Anolnted This Servant who so fully
| ,I ~, Code will is
none other than Gods Son.
u. The Servants Forerunner wv.
2-s).
l.. Who He Was wv. 2-3). He was
John the Baptist. His mission was to
prepare the way for Gods Servant.
He was prophesled concerning more
than five hundred years before he
came. Elsa. 0:3).
Q. His Message wv. 3-S).
N) prepare the Way of the Lord"
". 81. This means to remove from
your hearts everything which hinders
the incoming of the Lord. to break
down the high places of pride and to
straighten out the crooked places, not
only to confess your sins, but to give
substantial evidence of repentance.
(2) Baptism of Repentance for
the Remission of Sins" ". ~. In
preparation for the coming of Christ
the people were to repent and those
who repented We're to be baptized.
Baptism was administered to those
who repented as an expression of the
penltence which led to the forgiveness
of sin.
(3) The Coming of Christ wv. Z.
81. This coming was to be much
greater than that of John. This
superior dignity was not only in His
person but In the work He was to
perform. John baptized with water.
but Jesus was to be the baptlzer with
the Holy Ghost.
8. His Success ". 81. People from
all over Judea and from Jerusalem
went out and were baptized. Johns
dress and demeanor were in keeping
with his stern mission. His food and
dress Indicated that he had withdrawn
from the world as protest against
Its follies and sins.
III. The Baptism of the Servant
: wv. 9-1I.
While the forerunner was discharg-
Ing his office Jesus emerged from his
seclusion at Nazareth and demanded
baptism at Johns hands.
l. Its Significance.
Negatively. 1t was not because He
had sinned for He was absolutely sin
less, harmless. undefiled, separate
from sinners. This separation was so
complete that even the Devil could
find no occasion against Him. (John
IA :30).
Positively. Its Significance Is found
in harmony with the purpose of His
coming into the world. which was to
secure for His people salvation through
death and resurrection. This act was
His official entrance Upon His work. 1t
was an act of consecration on his
part to the work of saving His peo.
pie through sacrifice. While baptism
is sinners ordinance, He was bap.
tized, not because He had sinned, but
because He took the place of sinners
He was so devoted to them that He
entered upon His mission by submit.
ting to the ordinance which typified
death and resurrection. In this He
who knew no sin was made sin for
us that we might be made the right
eousness of God In Him III Cor. 5 :21)
2. Approval From the Open Heavens
(vv. 10. 11). Immediately following
His conservation to His work the
heavens were opened and the Spirit
came and abode upon Him. followed
by the words Of approval from the
Father. All these were essential fol
the work upon which He now en-.
tered.