156
April, 1939
T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
II. A ctive G oodw ill
ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be en dued with power from on high” (Lk. 24: 49). The disciples, in obedience, “were all with one accord in one place” (Acts 2: 1). The promise was fulfilled, and the Power—the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Godhead—came. Two mighty symbolic signs appeared first—wind and fire. Wind, is both gentle and powerful; it may gently cool a fevered brow or by its power uproot trees and de stroy ships. So also is the Holy Spirit— in tenderness wooing a sinner, comforting the broken-hearted, or healing the penitent backslider. Again, He, in sternness con victs us of the sin that besets our lives. And as we yield He deals in power with that sin. The other symbol is fire. Fire has three major uses. It gives light, it gives heat, and it purifies. So the Holy Spirit enlightens our understanding. The Holy Spirit is likewise, the source of all our warmth of love to God. As fire purifies metal, consuming all dross, so does the Holy Spirit descend upon our earthly na tures, and by trials and discipline, He purges out all that is báse and earthy. If we fail to yield to the Holy Spirit, we are powerless, useless Christians. An en gine stands on the track; everything is in perfect condition; the mechanism is perfect, water in the boiler, coal, oil in the fur nace—but it does not move. What is the matter? There is no steam! There has been no fire kindled; there is no heat! So the Christian must have the fullness of the Holy Spirit if he is to have power. “Ye
tion; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not im puting their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconcilia tion. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.” This is our responsibil ity as “Christian Endeavorers"-—ambassa dorship for our crucified, risen Saviour. As ambassadors, we need to represent our Sovereign worthily, both in our lives and in our spoken words. W e shall do more for world goodwill in this way than by any other method, for it is His way. Our bitter feeling toward any human being means defeat in every part of our life. W e cannot be right with God while we are wrong with a fellow man; only the lives that are right with God are winning lives. That is a striking word in a letter from Dan Crawford, the African mission ary, “What a settling of old scores there is when the blood of the cross cleanseth away all crookedness between men, as well as a man and his God. Your straight, strap ping African can often be crooked enough; but here we have the change; and now you have the man who is straight of back as well as straight of life, who believes the new doctrine, that no man treats Christ well who treats his brother wrongly.” —Sunday School Times. Helps for the Leader I. “C rooked " and “S tra ig h t ”
True missionaries of Jesus Christ have done much to foster goodwill among na tions. There is coming a day when Christ shall rule and "peace on earth” will be a reality. Until that day comes, "missions are the footsteps of the Almighty on His way to final triumph.” During all great catastrophes such as famines, floods, and earthquakes, missionaries have wonderful opportunities to manifest the goodwill of America as they dispense help.—M. G. G.
MAY 28, 1939 SO U R C E S O F S P IR IT U A L P O W E R A cts 2:1-21 Meditation on the Lesson
Power —what a word to conjure with! Nearly every one longs for power of some sort. Youth is intrigued by exhibitions of power. W e all marvel at the statements re garding the power generated at Boulder Dam. W e rejoice in the radio’s mighty power to span continents and oceans, guide airships, send SOS calls, or bring beauti ful music into our homes from miles away. But radio is not for one moment to be compared to the mighty Power—the Person —who came into the world on the day of Pentecost. W e learn in our lesson that this day, fifty days after the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, was the one which saw a fulfillment of the words of the proph ets and of Jesus. Christ had said, “Tarry
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