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T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
July 1924
the Holy Spirit and His Father's audible voice. The bap tism of Jesus marked His public entrance upon His Mes sianic work. When God calls to duty, He supplies the nec essary power. In giving His beloved Son the Holy Spirit, God furnished Him with the equipment He needed for His great task. Jesus had lived a simple, quiet life at Nazareth for thirty years. From this time a marked change takes place. He is equipped with the fulness of the Spirit. In the power of the Spirit He went into the wilderness to battle with Satan. In the power of the Spirit He came teaching and preaching in Galilee. In the power of the Spirit He healed the sick and cast out demons. He was thus girded for the tremen dous task to which God called Him. “ God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto Him.” John 3:34. It is significant that the Spirit came upon Him in the form of a heavenly dove. In the Old Testament the action of the Spirit is sometimes compared to a mighty wind or a rushing flood or a consuming fire. These figures suggest violence. The door suggests infinite gentleness and tenderness. It was a fitting symbol of the Spirit of Him who would not break the bruised reed or quench the smoking flax. It should also be observed that the Spirit came upon Him in answer to prayer, “ Jesus also being baptized and pray ing,” Luke 3:21. This seems the only Scriptural condition for His bestowment, Luke 11:13; Acts 1:14. How easily this condition may be fulfilled! What excuse can there be for every believer not being filled with the Spirit! “ A voice came out of the heavens, Thou art my beloved Son, in thee I am well pleased.” vs. 11 R. V. This voice was heard on two other occasions, Matt. 17:5, John 12:28. At the transfiguration the same words were repeated that were heard at His baptism. In the latter case Jesus was in the midst of His abounding ministry. At His baptism He was at the close of thirty silent years. God was equally pleased with His beloved Son when He did nothing at all and when He was working mighty miracles and preaching wonderful sermons. It is unwise and unscriptural to make comparisons that are antagonistic between God and Christ, as if wrath characterized the Father and love the Son. God and Christ are one in their passionate desire for the sal vation of men. The voluntary humiliation and perfect obedience of our Lord prompted these expressions of Divine pleasure. He that huinbleth himself shall be exalted. The baptism of Jesus was the only occasion in Scripture and in history where the three Persons of the Godhead became manifest to men. The Father was audible, the Son was tangible, the Spirit was visible. The senses of sound, touch and sight testified to their reality. A three-fold cord is not quickly broken. V. 1- This verse constitutes the title of Mark’s Gospel. His narrative takes up the work of John the Baptist while he was fulfilling his ministry of six months prior to the en trance of Jesus upon His public mission. John began his preaching in the summer of A. D. 26, COMMENTS when he was thirty years of age and FROM THE Jesus was baptized six months later or COMMENTARIES when He was thirty years old, the age V. V. Morgan at which Jewish priests were installed into their office.— Pract. Com. V. 2. The coming of the forerunner of Jesus, as well as that of Jesus Himself, was prophesied centuries in advance. The first prophecy here quoted is from Mai. 3:1, and. the second is from Isa. 40:3.— Sel. In the mountain regions, the washing of the hillsides by the heavy winter rains de stroys each year a large portion of the best laid road?. In the desert regions the shifting sands, and in the more fertile regions, the abundant growth of weeds and shrub bery, make Eastern roads well-nigh impassable, unless care
to the Passover traveled in companies; friends and neigh bors would go together;! some of them rode on mules and horses, perhaps, but many of them walked all the way. It was with such a company as this that Joseph and Mary started hack home to Nazareth, and they thought Jesus was in the company with them. So they went on until evening. Then they looked for him, but could not find him anywhere. Then they started back alone to Jerusalem. They "had been one day in coming to the place where they missed him; it took them one day more to go back to Jerusalem. Now where do you suppose they found him? In the temple, talking with the doctors, or wise men, hearing what they said, and asking them questions. They were greatly surprised at the words Jesus spoke, for he was only a boy twelve years old. His mother spoke to Jesus telling him how they had looked for him. Jesus answered, “Why have you looked for me? Did you not know that I must be about my Father’s business” ? He meant that he must be doing what his Father in heaven had sent him on earth to do. For God had sent him to teach men, and explain the Scriptures to them, be fore he should die on the cross for their sins. Then Jesus returned home with his mother and Joseph, and obeyed them in everything they asked him to do. As he grew, God blessed him. (Teach memory verse). Do you love God’s house, and are you doing God’s will, by telling others the story of Jesus? -j-v -a in WATER— cleansing K d t t l f 7 P i l ln HOLY SPIRIT— regeneration MJ d p l l L V U in FIRE— enduement So every life dedicated to God’s service should have the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost. Titus 3:5 At first sight the baptism of Jesus seems a work of super erogation. John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. Jesus was holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners. He did no sin neither was guile found in His mouth. Heb. 7:26; 1 Pet. LESSON 2:22. It is not written that John hesi- EXPOSITION tated to baptize anyone else. Jesus gently F. W. Farr put John’s objection aside and shared in the baptism of publicans and sinners. The only explanation of it is that it was an anticipation of Cal vary. The identification of the Saviour with the race he came to save began with this act that opened His public ministry. He was acting vicariously. As one man might endorse the note of another, Jesus became responsible for the sins of the human race. The Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all. The same eternal love that carried Him to the cross to offer sacrifice for sin, here constrained Him to confess the sins of the race He came to redeem. Two Significant events accompanied his baptism, the descent of # JULY 20, 1924 THE BAPTISM OF JESUS Golden Text: “ Thou are my beloved Son, in thee I am well pleased.” Mark 1:11. Lesson Text: Mark 1:1-11 Devotional Reading: Isaiah, 42:1-4.
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