Brief Thoughts For Busy Teachers
LESSON I. SUNDAY, JANUARY 2, 1910. JOHN, THE FORERUNNER. Matt. 3:1-12. - OUTLINE.
people to put the highways in proper condition. John's life fitted him for his future service. Simplicity of food and dres s enabled him to devote his life to medi- tation upon the Word of God. He wa« independent. He cared not for the favo:- nor feared the frown of any. He ha I lived alone with God and had imbibe-1 His thoughts. While his heart wa 5 heavy by reason of the sins of his peo - pie, his soul was strong. His persona' - ity was potent and gave weight to hi 3 words. The testimony of a teacher i s helped or hindered by the life livec. A sweet, strong, sturdy, surrendered lif 3 lived in the power of the Holy Spiri; will make a message mighty. John Was a Voice, breaking the silencJ of centuries. He came in the spirit oi Elijah, but was not him (John 1:21 Matt. 11:14). Elijah will restore al things (Matt. 9:12). In his first adven ; John is the herald in the spirit off Elijah. In the second advent Elijali himself is the herald. (2) THE MESSAGE. | ' Repent Ye.'' There was no small stir in Jerusalen and Judea. The preaching of the proph - et aroused universal interest. The mes - sage was direct and definite. "Repent —change your attitude—change you r mind—turn away from your old life o f sin—the Kingdom is at hand." The Jews believed themselves to be the subV jeets of the Kingdom and the term was a familiar one to them. The conception of the Kingdom rested upon Ex. 19 :C? when God proposed to make of them a kingdom of priests, and which they act cepted, professing their willingness to obey God's voice and to do His will. Added to this was Daniel's prophecy concerning the Kingdom of the heavens] They looked forward to the coming of the King and hoped through Him to have deliverance. j The term " k i n g d om" implies a realn ruled by the Messiah as an absolute monarch. John specifies nothing of de tails, he only announces the fact—the long-looked-for Kingdom is at hand Matthew alone uses the term "K i ng dom of Heaven." Luke uses the tern] "Kingdom of God" referring to the same kingdom, and they are in some respects interchangeable terms. En; trance into the Kingdom of Heaven oi God is always by a new birth—neveij
(1) The Messenger of the Messiah..l- 4 (2) The Message of the Messenger..5- 7 (3) The Mission of the Messiah 8-12 Matthew, a Galilean publican—an apostle. His Gospel is Jewish—written to show that Jesus was the promised Messiah—King of the Jews. This fact must be borne in mind throughout the study of this Gospel In Matthew the predictions of the prophets concerning the Messiah are mirrored in the mar- velous life of Christ. Prophecy becomes history. In Those Days—The known world was ruled by Rome and had now reached its summit. Philosophy and religion had done their best. Confusion and uncer- tainty were everywhere manifested. The type of the rulers was found in Liberius, Pontus Pilate and Herod. Caiaphas and Annas were typical priests. The Jews chafed under the imposed restrictions and longed for de- liverance—it was the fullness of time. (1) THE MESSENGER. "The Voice of One Crying in the Wilderness." John the Baptist was the son of Zeehariah and Elizabeth, of the priestly tribe (Luke 1:5). Elizabeth was cousin to Mary the mother of Jesus, making John second cousin to the Lord. John was a consecrated Nazarite (Luke 1:15). His early life is recorded in the verse, Luke 1:80. His youth and manhood were spent in the wilderness in prepara- tion for his mighty mission. The Predicted Messenger —'' Behold I will send my messenger" (Matt 3:1). " T h e voice of Him that crieth" (Isa. 40:3). He was the last link binding the old to the new dispensation. Last of Old (Matt. 11:13); first of New (Acts 10:37). John's manner of life accorded with his profession. He was a reflection of that hardy, holy, gritty giant prophet Elijah. His coarse cloth- ing, desert diet and pungent preaching bore telling testimony to the fact that this servant sent by God was preparing the way for the coming of the Christ. In olden days the march of a monarch was heralded in season to permit the
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