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T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
translation). Real Gospel preachers are divinely called, divinely commissioned and filled with the Holy Spirit. According to the New Testament, the redeeming work of Christ is applied to the individual by the Holy Spirit. This is the creative work of God and the beginning of a new life. “Ye must be born again,”: stands over the threshold of Christianity. This is a supernatural work by a supernatural Person. The Word of God is the instrument employed. The power of the early church was not in its architecture, eloquence, machinery or material resources. It was in the possession of the Holy Spirit. Only that believer who is filled with the Spirit can reveal Christ to those seeking Him, or create a desire for Christ in the hearts of the indifferent. Pentecost marked the beginning of a new era. There was a series of Pentecosts, so to speak, in different lo calities and for various classes. In Acts 2, it was a Jewish Pentecost, in Acts 8, it was a Samaritan Pentecost, in Acts 10, it was a Gentile Pentecost, and in Acts 19, it was an Ephesian Pentecost. In Acts 2, however, there was the initial and official out-pouring of the Spirit that opened the dispensation of the Spirit. It was the fulfilment of “the promise of the Father.” The Spirit came to take the place of Christ and to do for the disciples everything that Christ had done and vastly more besides. The Holy Spirit “sat upon each of them.” The Church is the “Holy See,” (seat). John was told to identify Christ as one upon whom the Spirit not only de scended, but abode. The dove is a bird that seeks a rest and a rest unlike the raven that wanders on restless wing. The Heavenly Dove found a place to descend and rest on the head of the Son of God which He had not found since the morning of creation. He finds a resting place now in the body of Christ, formed out of believers to be a habitation for God. When Christ had made an end of His redemptive work by purging our sins, He sat down at the right hand of God in heaven. At the same time the Holy Spirit sat down upon earth, as if the church were a cathedral in which the Heav enly Vicar of Christ occupies the chair for presiding over its affairs and sending forth His witnesses to do His service. The great need of the Church is to recognize the presence and the presidency of the Holy Spirit. Apostasy consists in giving to man what properly belongs to God. Reliance on human ability and effort brings disaster and defeat. Dependence on God alone insures victory and success. “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.” Acts 2:1. The Day of Pentecost—The feast of Pentecost (Deut. 16:9-10) was one of the three great festivals,—ap pointed as the feast of the grain harvest (Ex. 23:26; Num bers 28:26), and subsequently regarded also as the cele bration of the giving of the law COMMENTS from the from Sinia. It was restricted to COMMENTARIES one day and celebrated on the H. G. Dean fiftieth day after the first day of the Passover (Lev. 23:15-16.— Meyers’ Commentary. They were all together in one place—It cannot be sup posed that the disciples could have assembled together in any part of the temple in such numbers without specially attracting public attention. The multitude, morover, which came together (v. 6) does not necessarily imply the prox imity of the temple, but simiply makes the impression that some spacious spot existed in the neighborhood of the house then occupied by the disciples, which afforded sufficient room for a large collection of persons.^Langes Commen tary.
Telling Every one About Jesus. Acts 1:6-11. Memory Verse.-—“Ye shall be my witnesses.” Acts 1:8. ApproachWhat is one thing you can do for a good doctor who has cured you? To tell others of him is not only treating the doctor well, but is helping other people whom he may cure. If some boy or girl had saved you
from drowning, wouldn’t you be glad to introduce him or her to your friends? (Arnold’s Practical Commentary.) Lesson Story,—-One day I was riding in a street car through the city, and
ELEMENTARY Mabel L. Merrill
a man driving a truck ran in front of the car, and the motor- mian could not stop in time to keep from hitting the truck. No one was hure but the truck was damaged. The conductor of the car asked myself and the others sitting in front of car to write our names and addresses on a piece of paper. Do you know why, Charles? Yes, because we saw the ac cident, and he wanted us as witnesses, because the man running the street car was not to blame, but the man driv ing the truck. A witness is one who knows the thing he is telling is true. There are people in all parts of the world who do not know Jesus or believe in Him, and we who do know Him, should be his witnesses to tell others, for we do know that He is God’s Son, and that he is the only one who can save people from their sins. Jesus worked hard and healed thousands of people, both body and soul. Then he went to heaven, to get it ready for our home forever. He is coming back again for all who love him and are being his true witnesses here on earth. Did you know boys and girls, that is why he leaves us here in the .world after we already know Him as our Saviour, that we may tell the others who do not know Him? The people who do now know Jesus are lost, and can never go to heaven. Do you know someone who is lost? Have you told them about. Jesus? Jesus is calling for witnesses to go and tell others about Him. Some of you are willing now to go and be missionaries when you grow up, but did you know you can be real missionaries right now among the boys and girls in your neighborhood, at school, or where ever you may go? Jesus did not ask us to do this wonderful work for him by ourselves for he knew we could not do it. When he went home to heaven He sent his Holy Spirit to be our helper, just as He was Jesus’ helper when He was on earth. It is his Holy Spirit who gives us power, and makes us love the lost ones so much that we want to see them saved. Our memory verse tells us that the saved people are to be Christ’s witnesses. “Ye are my witnesses.” Do you know Jesus as your Saviour? Do you tell others? Closing Prayer. December 2, 1923 The Power of the JEarly Church Golden Text: “Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Acts 2:21. Lesson Text: Acts 2:1-4; 37-42. Devotional Reading— Joel 2:28-32. Every individual Christian is a missionary of Christ com missioned and qualified by regeneration to practice and preach the Gospel. Jesus said, “All power, all authority is vested in me. Therefore, go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel.” There was no EXPOSITION “go” in Judaism. It was a stay-at- Dr. F. W. Farr home religion. Christianity is aggres sive, persistent and conquering. It is not a philosophy, ritual or creed. It is the life of Christ. It is Christ: “Till they attain the full knowledge of God’s truth which is Christ Himself.” (Col. 2:2) (Weymouth’s
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