The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-09-11
MISSION OF THE SPIRIT.
Or. JOHN HALLS NOTES ON THE
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON.

Lesson NJ Of the International series fOl
Sunday, sept. i@--GoIdcn Text: IL,
VIII Guide You Into All Truth john
XVI, 500.
We have the New Testament and the his
tory of the Christian Church, but we must re-
! member the disciples had not They had
! given up ali Tor Christ To find him gone
themselves alone and hated because of him
Tvs. |, p might well make them doubt all he
had taught them, or stumble. Hence oar
lesson was taught them ". |, Revision),
that We should not he made TO stumble If
on the other hand they could only remember
and understand his words they would he all
the stronger. This is just what he told us;
he is the faithful witness they would say.
So he says ". 4, these things have |, etc.
But how could they be made to remember
and understand. The answer to that ques-
ton we are nov to get, and it is to be studied
in the light of these facts. Let Us put our
selves in tho place of this little company and
try to imagine their feelings, and we shall the
better see the meaning
l. Their situation Tvs. 80. Jesus was
going his way 30 him that sent him. He
came from God and went to God. He wa,
TO 20 back when his work on earth was done,
and it was soon to be "linished.' "None of
you, says he, TASK, me, Whittier gocst thou"'
This seems to contradict John xiii, 80, but only
seems Revcrt.ag TO the explanation given
of that passage, 1t is seen that Peter was
speaking of some place on earth, in Judea, to
which he thought Jesus going But Jesu, i,
speaking n,.e Of going from earth and to be
glolihcd in heaven, and none of them
took in the idea clearly enough to ask
about his destination and work when he
left the earth. His meaning Is, Won do
not take in the great crisis, and what am to
effect after going away They were not I'M
naturally dwelling with orrow ON their loss,
and not thinking of the great gain that would
come from His glori'iration in other forms
They were in this just what we are, God
takes away known blessings, and we are filled
with sorrow and brood On our loss, when we
should think Of what we shall gain in other
ways through the loss in gra'cs in expert
enre and in fresh forms of help from Gods
hand
He is telling them the truth: 1t was "cxpe-
dent, fit, proper, n part of the divine plan,
& rcc--so'v part, tina. He should go away.
w ny thif'litil. W iLc Nttp W SiC ~ 'ON. y
right hand CPs OK, y. C!l His ascension was
to be the proof of Gods being satisfied with
His work lActs ii, 80, 3D. 60 The divine Or
der was, first let law be satisfied, then this
great gift of the Spirit may be given to even
the rcbrlious" OPs xviii, lS). a. 1t is need
full that the church, the believers, should
walk by faith, not by sight. No is the
great reason Christ here dwellS upon. IF |
depart, will send Him unto you" How
much they needed TO have all this made plain
the latter history shows. They counted all at
an end when they saw Him buried You do
not find one of them saying, Nov, brethren,
let us loo; for the Comforter till Jesus came
and told them what to do See Luke xiv,
40, and Acts i, 4, >.
II. What the Comforter was to DO ". SID.
The word in Greek is that which wo make
Paraclcte. 1t may mean also advocate 1t
represents one who explains, vindicates and
so gives relief Hence the word "reprove,"
or us it is better in tie revision, convict"
Tho world, j. e., the men and women now IN
"the world,' that is, not in Christ, not be-
licving, have 10 be convicted of sim So it is
with all mon naturally II am not a sinner;
] am as good as others there is an excuse for
any little wrong thing did; | can make all
right and turn round Whcnl please" SO they
reason. They only say, God be merciful to
me II sinner when the spirit has shown them
Gods law character, claims and their
own badness Especially ". 81 have such
TO be shown their guilt in not believ-
ing in Jesus. This is to all who
hear the gospel the sin of sins. This
was the l.oauiua sin OF the jews. Christ
u L. 81, Z 1.,l
question is, What can we do. How can We
get Righteousness! And the first idea is, work
it out. Stop SHINING. Watch yourself. Do
good And, So Influenced, mer often go on
and say, work Righteousness ~ Furnishing
yourself First, go without sleep, clothes,
homes, live in caves and dens, go into monas |
teries, and so lay up righteousness. But the |
Spirit shows that that is not the kind of right
eousneSs needed. 1t is not perfect; it is not |
righteousness at all. and even if it were, it is |
leeded for the present, and does not cancel |
he past. The Spirit shows that the right |
'ousncsS-whiCh is pCrfcct-is Christ's, done |
md finished on the earth. That is the mean
ng Of " TO- which explains what is said in |
:. =
But one may say, How can this righteous
less of another, do us any good' That is
where Judgment comes in. He is not speak
NJ of the great and general judgment. See
he Revision on V. H. 1t is thing then past,
, O., when the Comforter is doing his work,
the prince of this world hath been judged"
Put it thus: Satan could say OF men, "Thcy
,clonG to me, they sinned, they are my SER
ants, not Gods. They have no claim
o heaven. They are to be with me-"
lis case was good so far. They were debt
rs, criminals, and justice demanded pun
'hment. But Jesus came, paid the debt,
,ore the guilt and destroyed this plea,
ccured Judgment against Satan. So God
5 Just, and yet the justitier of him that be
lcveth." This is the substance of the gospel
yStom, and men need the Holy Ghost to
onvict them of all this. Hence the need Of
'rayer for the Holy Spirit 1t is remark
bic thing that the bittercSt foes of Christi
nifty own the personal goodness, righteous
less of Jesus.
When ". ~, he says, II have MANY. .....
mt ye cannot bear them now" he is not
pcaking of more trouble on them, but Of
heir inability to understand him then. The
istory of the disciples after his death, and
cfore the Spirit came shows the truth of that.
Sut
". ~ they would be guided into all truth;
he Spirit would not speak of himself He is
person, divine person; but us in the plan
( salvation Jesus forgets self for us, so the
InlV Shirt lpayss tuu,h ahOut bip,Salf aud |