September, 1939
TH E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
345
Even now, when all these things have been removed, I cannot see the star. A little black heart covers the end of the telescope, reminding us of those who are kept from accepting Christ by a heart of unbelief.
When this black heart is removed, I can see the star clearly. Boys and girls, be sure that you do not allow the things of this world to keep you from seeing Christ.
ise of the coming King was about to be fulfilled, and it fell to John’s lot to introduce the King who was now at hand. The testimony concerning His coming was complete, and John was closing the old economy. THEN came Jesus to be baptized. His baptism was at a definite time, with a definite purpose, and a definite meaning. THEN Jesus came to Identify Him self with the nation whose King He was, to formally accept His, office, and to fully dedicate Himself to its service. His baptism was a d u t y incumbent upon John as the minister of the old economy, and incumbent upon Jesus as being the One heralded by John in fulfillment of prophecy. Then God consecrated t h a t self-dedi cated life for the office of King. That His surrendered life was accepted was indicated by the opened heavens. It was the first time since creation that God could look with complacency upon any man. Equipment for Christ’s office was provided by the Holy Spirit’s coin ing upon Him, and assurance for the of fice was found in the words: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (v. 17). Thus John’s ministry was fulfilled, and with it the ministry of the Old Testament. The promised King had come, had been accepted by God, and had been introduced to the path that would lead to the cross on Calvary, and ultimately to the throne in Jerusa lem. Points and Problems 1. “Repent ye” (Matt. 3:2). The Greek word here means “to change the mind”; and this is not merely a change in a man’s opinions, but a radical and sweeping change in the mind itself. Re pentance has two aspects: negatively it is a change of the mind away from evil; and positively, it is a change of the mind toward God. Repentance and faith are not two separate steps in the direc tion of salvation, but they are simply two aspects of that supreme act of the soul when it receives salvation in Christ. There might be a certain superficial kind of repentance w i t h o u t belief in Christ, but no man can believe on Christ without at the same time repenting, for belief involves a definite change of mind in the sinner. 2. “The kingdom of heaven” (3:2). In the original language the expression is literally “the kingdom of the heavens.” Critical scholars have indulged in much speculation about the source of this ex pression so often used by the Lord in His teaching, and some have supposed that He simply invented it. To me, the Old Testament source of the ex pression is very clear. In Daniel 7:13, 14, R. V., we have one of the greatest
OCTOBER 8, 1939 THE FORERUNNER OF THE KING M atthew 3
fulness of His people. Moreover, he was in the wilderness because of what the people were: they were in bond age to a foreign power, and they must be called out, to true repentance to ward God. John’s message was, “Repent ye: for the kingdom of h e a v e n is at hand” M a tth ew 3: 1 In th o se d a y s cam e J o h n th e B a p tist, pre ac hin g: in .th e w ild e r n e ss o f Ju d ea, 2 A nd sa yi ng: , R e p e n t y e i fo r th e k in g> dom o f h e a v e n is a t h and . 3 F o r th is is h e th a t w a s sp o k e n o f b y th e prophet^ E s a ia s , s a y in g , T h e v o ic e o f o n e cry in g: in th e w ild e r n e ss, P r ep a re y e th e w a y o f th e Lord» m a k e h is p a th s s tr a ig h t. 4 A nd th e sam e J o h n h a d h is ra im en t o f c am e l’s h a ir, and a le a th e r n g ir d le a b o u t h is lo in s ; and h is m e a t w a s lo c u s ts a n d w ild h o n ey . 5 T h en w e n t o u t to h im J e r u sa lem , and a ll J u d ea , a n d a ll th e r e g io n ro u n d a b o u t J o rd a n , 6 A nd w e r e b a p tized o f h im in Jord an , co n fessin g : th e ir s in s. 7 B u t w h e n h e s a w m a n y o f th e P h a r is e e s and S a d d u cees com e to h is b a p tism , h e sa id u n to th em , O g e n e r a tio n o f v i p ers, w h o h a th w a rn ed y o u to fle e from th e w r a th to com e? 8 Br in g: fo r th th e r e fo r e fr u its m e e t fo r re p e n ta n c e : 9 A nd th in k n o t to s a y w ith in y o u r s e lv e s , W e h a v e A b ra h am to o u r fa th e r : fo r I s a y u n to y o u , th a t God is a b le o f th e s e s to n e s to r a ise up ch ild r en u n to A b ra h am . 10 A nd n ow a ls o th e a x e is la id u n to th e r o o t o f th e tr e e s: th e r e fo r e e v e r y tr e e w h ic h b r in g e th n o t fo r th g o o d fr u it is h ew n d ow n , an d c a s t in to th e fir e. 11 I in d eed b a p tiz e y o u With w a te r u n to r e p e n ta n c e : b u t h e th a t com e th a fte r m e is m ig h tie r th a n I, w h o se s h o e s I am h o t w o r th y to b ea r: h e s h a ll b a p tiz e y o u w ith th e H o ly G h o st, an d w ith fir e : 12 W h o se fa n is in h is h a n d , a n d h e w ill th o r o u g h ly p u r g e h is flo o r , and g a th e r h is .w h e a t in to, th e g a r n e r ;-b u t h e w ill b u rn up th e c h a ff w ith u n q u en ch a b le fire. 13 T h en com e th J e su s fr om G a lile e to J o rd a n u n to J o h n , to b e b a p tized o f h im . 14 B u t J o h n fo rb a d e h im , s a y in g , I h a v e n eed to b e b a p tized o f th ee, and c om e st th o u to m e? 15 A nd J e s u s a n sw e r in g sa id u n to h im , S u ffe r i t to be so n ow : fo r th u s it b e - com e th u s to f u lf ill a ll r ig h te o u s n e s s. T h en h e s u ffe r e th h im . 16 A nd J e s u s, w h e n h e w a s b a p tized , w e n t up s tr a ig h tw a y o u t o f th e w a te r : an d , lo , th e h e a v e n s w e r e op en ed u n to h im , and h e s a w th e S p irit o f God d es c e n d in g lik e a d o v e, and lig h tin g up on h im : 17 A nd lo a v o ic e from h ea v e n , s a y in g , T h is is m y b e lo v e d S on , in w h om I am w e ll pleased * LESSON TEXT: Matt. 3:1-17. GOLDEN TEXT: “Prepare ye the way of the Lord, m a k e his p a t h s straight” (Matt. 3:3). DEVOTIONAL READING: Mai. 3:1-6. Outline and Exposition I. P reparing for the K ing (1-6) J OHN came in fulfillment of many prophecies (cf. Isa. 40:3-5; Mai. 3:1; Lk. 1:15-17). His f i e l d of ministry was in the wilderness because of what he was: his was the voice of the law and the prophets, the last to be heard until the voice of the One of whom they spoke would be heard. As an Old Testament prophet, John had no place in the city or the temple; God had left both, because of the sin
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker