March, 1941
TH E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
98
LESSON: I brought two fans with me this morning. While they are both fans, they are entirely different. What is the difference between- them ? “One is electric and the other has to be used by hand.” You are correct—-one has power and the other has to be pushed, or it will not accomplish the work that a fan is supposed to do. In looking at these fans, I am re minded of many who attend church. Some who call themselves Christians have to be pushed along in order to get them to do anything. Others have a power from above which makes them work willingly. We will give these fans names, be cause they remind us so much of real people. We will call the electric fan "Fanny,” and the other “Frona.” An electric fan to run must be con nected with the electricity. Jesus Christ knew that His followers could not mani fest His power unless they had first received it. Just as the fan must be con nected with the electric current, so those who want power must be in living touch with Christ. Jesus wanted His follow ers to know this, and He said, “But ye shall receive power, after that the. Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8). When Christ wants some one to work for Him, I am sure that He takes the one who has power, rather than the one who has to be pushed, just as you and I would choose an electric fan in prefer ence to a hand fan.
that will be sure to come true, If-your father is going on a long business trip,
return which does not include His actual bodily appearance is a false theory. The T-rd Himself is to come again. Points and Problems 1. “Speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God” (v. 3). Barnes’ comment here is a sample of the gen eral confusion among commentators as to this statement: “The meaning is, Jesus gave them instructions about the organization, spread, and edification of His church.” But Luke says “kingdom,” not “church.” And although it is true that the church is within the kingdom o f ' God, the two are not synonymous. Luke knew the difference, too, and is very careful in the use of the two,words, never once confusing them. 2. “But wait for the promise” (v. 4). The promise had been very specific, having to do with the coming of the Holy Spirit to indwell and baptize the disciples into the Body of Christ (John 14:17; Acts 1:5; 1 Cor. 12:13). Further more, He came on the day of Pentecost, and for men after that day to talk about “waiting” for the Spirit is an indication either of ignorance of what happened that day or else unbelief toward what God has plainly declared. 3. “ Ye shall be witnesses unto me” (v. 8). This certainly applies to all the saved. But we should not overlook the fact that it was spoken in the first in stance to certain men, some of whom become the writers of the New Testa ment books, and thus have been liter ally witnesses “unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Golden Text Illustration . A cts 1 :8 The Associated Press carried this dis patch: “Glasgow, Ky.—Leslje Puckett, after struggling in vain to start his coupe, lifted the hood and discovered that some one had stolen the motor.” There are many reasons that cars do not run. For ways that are dark and tricks that are vain, the automobile at times can be very temperamental and peculiar. But the most valid reason which an automobile could have for not running is that it has no motor. There are many reasons that a church often finds it difficult to make progress, but sometimes the reason is the obvious one—a missing motor. It is a piece of machinery without 'a power producer within it. There is no great dynamic, no effectual contact with a superpower. —H. E. Luccock. Jesus’ Promise ■ A cts 1 :1-12 MEMORY VERSE: “Lo, I am with you alway” (Matt. 28:20). APPROACH: “Good-by” can be a very sad word. But all the sadness is taken out of it if the person who is going away makes some lovely promise
and he says to you before he goes, “I’ll bring you a present when I come back —the nicest one' I can find,” you can think of scarcely anything else, can you? LESSON STORY: The Lord Jesus was
going away. He had to leave His dis ciples: Peter, James, and John, and all the others who believed in Him and loved Him. How they would miss Him! But before He went, He made two wonderful promises to His people. He promised, first of all, that He would send them One to comfort them and teach them always, so that they need never be lonely or afraid. This One would be the Holy Spirit, a member 'of the Divine Family, just as God the Father is, and as the Lord Jesus Christ the Son is. The Holy Spirit could not begin His work of helping the Lord’s people until the Saviour had returned to heaven. But Jesus said that when He left, the Holy Spirit would surely come. And He did! The second promise was even more glorious than the first one. The Lord Jesus said, “I will come again, and re ceive you unto myself” (John 14:3). As the Lord’s followers were gathered about Him, one day after He had told them this happy news, and as they saw His body rising, rising, rising from the earth until at last they could see only clouds and sky, the Bible does not tell us that they cried at all, though their best Friend was leaving them. How could they, if they were thinking about what He had promised? We should think about that, too, for it may be today that we shall see “this same Jesus,” returning to earth just as He said He would do. • Object Lesson P ush and P ower OBJECTS: An electric fan and a hand fan. APRIL CHRIST SHOWS (E a ste r L uke tjuke 24:13 And, behold, two of them went that same day to a Tillage called Emma us, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. 14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened. 15 And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned. Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. 16 But their eyes were hoiden that they should not know him. 17 And he said unto them, 'What man ner of communications are these that ye hare one to another, as ye walk, and are sad! 25 Then he said unto them, O .fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:
13, 1941 HIMSELF ALIVE L esson ) 24:1-43
26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and .to enter into his glory! 27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning him self. 28 And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further. 26 But they constrained him, saylug, Abide with us; for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went In to tarry with them. 30 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.
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