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December 29, 1909. THE PRESBYTERIAls
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THE BAPTISM AND TEMPTATION OF TESUS.
Lesson for January 9, 1909.
Matthew 3:13-17 and 4:1-11.
GOLDEN TEXT.?"In that he himself hath suffered being
tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted."?
Heb. 2:18.
DAILY HOME READINGS.
M.?Matt. 3:13 to 4:11. T.?Isa. 61:1-11.
T.?Iaa. 11:1-10. F.?John 1:19-34.
W.?Isa. 42:1-9. S.?Heb. 4:1-16.
S.?Acts 10:34-43.
SHORTER CATECHISM.
Q.?How is the word made effectual to salvation?
A.?The Spirit of God maketh the reading, but especially the
preaching of the word, an effectual means of convincing and
converting sinners and of building them up in holiness and
comfort through faith unto salvation.
TOPICAL OUTLINE.
Our Lord at the Door of His Ministry?
Po nf 1Ku TaK? vo 1^1"
MW|jb*?<v<u M/ u uuu, I Xtf'JLUt
Acknowledged by the Spirit and the Father., vs. 16, 17.
Tempted by the devil, ch. 4:1-11.
LESSON COMMENT.
Why should Jesus desire or receive baptism? Not as a
sign of his reception into the Church, for he had already
been recognized as a member of the Church in the rite of
circumcision. Not as a sign of the washing away of any
personal sin, for he personally had no sin.
But according to the usage of the Church of that day
the induction of a priest into office was marked by baptism.
Jesus came as our great high priest. Therefore at the
beginning of his official work, God would have him regularly
baptized by a priest of the regular tribe of Levi. This baptism
was an omciai recognition by John of the fact that though he
was not a descendant of Aaron, yet he was God's high priest.
In this we find a special light* upon the reply of Jesus:
"Suffer it to be so now, for thus it becometh us to fulfil all
righteousness." Let us grasp the special, gospel meaning
of that word "righteousness." It means redemption work.
Christ seems to say, that as the rules of redemption work called
for the Induction of & priest by baptism, therefore he must be
baptized.
But when we ask what was symbolized by baptism at that
day, we find a vivid answer in the words of John: "I have
need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?" John
did not need ceremonial baptism. Being six months older
than Jesus, and the eldest son of a priest, John had doubtless
received the ceremonial baptism of the priesthood six
uiuuiuB ueiure. 16i ne nas "neea to De baptized" of Jesus.
Obviously the thought iu John's mind was of the real baptism,
the spiritual influence, that was symbolized by the application
of water. As it were to say, I have need of the cleansing
work of the Spirit on my soul which thou only canst
give. John was speeking of the substance, rather than the
ceremony.
In consonance with this view is the comment of John
of Damascus who wrote in Greek about the year A. D. 600.
He says "John tne Baptist was baptized by Jesus" on that
occasion. He did not mean that Jesus administered ceremonial
baptism to John; but rather that on that day John received
a touch of spiritual influence.
And there was enough to produce this influence. Besides
the recognition that Jesus, the God-man, was applying to him
for recognition, there, was also the voice of God the Father,
saying, "This is my beloved Son." It could not fail to exercise
a powerful influence upon John.
Let us be careful that when we receive the ceremonial
baptism we seek also the spiritual baptism and influence.
As John applied the water God the Father added the
[ OF THE SOUTH 13
spiritual baptism. In an audible voice' God spoke, "Thou
art my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." And from
that time a new character marked the life of Jesus. From
that time he consecrated himself to the active work of the
Messiahship. In his first sermon (see Luke 4) he expresses
uns:"Tne spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed
me to preach the gospel to the poor and to preach the
acceptable year of the Lord."
In Luke's account of the Baptism one significant expression
occurs. It is in chapter 4:1, "Jesus being full of the
Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit
into the wilderness" to meet the temptations of Satan. The
third chapter told of His baptism; the fourth chapter tells
us that from that time Jesus was "full of the Holy Ghost." The
baptism had been much more than a mere ceremony.
JUST TODAY.
By M. L. M.
Just let me do my best today,
Nor trouble for tomorrow's care,
Speed Thou my loitering feet away,
Sweet messages for Thee to bear.
Let me not once delay my task
That Thou hast planned for me to do.
The grace, the strength is all I ask.
That I may to the end prove true.
i:
So, if I pass this way no more,
1 leave no duty unfulfilled;
No sheaves unbound for heavenly store.
My soul's fair garden-plot untitled.
Give me to see the moments fair.
That bring me golden deeds for Thee,
Grant me not blind to what they bear,
The strength to prove my loyalty.
So, as the passing moments speed,
Oh lead me on to work Thy will!
Of joy I claim no earthly need,
Nor present gain?Thy glory still!
ON THE QUESTION OF FREE WILL.
In the "Sunday School Times" we find a paragraph on free
will which is well worth perusal and meditation.
"But no man who has ever sinned, and who is unredeemed,
has a free will. He has voluntarily taken a death-poison intohis
own veins which commits him to eternal death and makes
me term "rree will" nothing but an empty, taunting mockery.
We see this plainly in those who are besotted in the slavery
of sin. What does a drunkard know about free will? We
say that he wills, or chooses, to drink, but there is no freedom
in his choice. He has got to drink, whether he wants
to or not. What is so evident In the besotted sinner is just
as true of the sinner who is very respectable, and who has
sunk to no such depths. It is not so evident here, but his
free will is gone, too. Of course, a sinner, even the sot, can
exercise a certain limited amount of "free will" in the choice
of minor and comparatively unimportant details in his life,
,uvu uo nueiuer ae saau put nis coat on or take It off. But
the freedom of his will is not unlimited; in matters of the
spiritual life he forfeited free will with voluntary sin. And
there is no such thing as a limited free will. The will is either
free or it is not free; if it is limited in any detail, it is
not free will.
"In other words, because all have sinned and have come
short of the glory of God, free will does not exist save in the
lives of those in whom the effects of sin have been done
away with by the redeeming power of the Son of God. The
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ui me unsaved sinner is in slavery to death and the
Devil. All that such a one can do is to cry out to God "for
the will to commit nimself to God: and such a cry God always
honors."