The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1890-12-17
JESUS, PARTING WORDS.
International Sunday School Lesson for
December Ell, 1890.
Especially arranged from S. S. Quarterly.


Especially arranged from S. S. Quarterly
LESSON TExT-Lulle :4l53
GOLDEN TExT-H go and prepare place
for you, will come again, and receive you unto
myself.-John 1873
CENTRAL TRUTH-The duty OF the hour Is TO
make known the Gospel to the world.
T1ME-Verses 44.49 are o summary OF the
teaching during the forty days. The ascension
was Thursday. May IS, A. d. 30.
PLAcE-The ascension was from Mount
Olivet near Bethany.
HELPS OVER HARD PLACEs-44. 'These are
the words which spake unto you:" See Luke
1898: Mark 1888. These strange events which
have staggered your faith should be the means
OF strengthening 1t, because they are the fulfill
ment not only OF what told you beforehand
should take place, but OF what was foretold
ages before in the Scriptures. (which were
written in the law of Moses" etc. The Old
Testament Scriptures are full OF Christ He Is
the focus on which are concentrated the rays
from all the ages Of revelation. AS in the
ancient Roman Empire all roads led to Rome,
where golden milestone was placed so the
prophecies from every age. the types OF every
ceremonial the guiding hand Of Providence
in all history center upon Jesus Christ
45. "Then opened He their understanding" This
is what first of all they needed as a preparation
for their work Of proclaiming the Gospel. Thus
alone would they understand Gods plan of saliva
ton; thus only would they know the full truth
about Jesus the Christ: thus only would they
avoid false ideas about Christ, and errors which
would injure whore He desired to bless. 49,.
"And thus it behooved:" was fitting. The
Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead:"
these were the two great essential facts OF the
Gospel. The Christ made an atonement on the
cross for the sins Of the world, and He was
raised again to prove His divinity, to reveal i'm
mortal life, and open Heaven to the world. A..
sand that repentance" the duty Of repentance
on the part Of men, the motives for repentance
revealed and emphasized by the cross, the aids
to repentance by the assurance Of Gods for
giveness in Jesus Christ and by the gift of the
Holy Spirit. "And remission Of SINS" the for
giveness Of sin, the removal Of Its punishment,
and deliverance of the soul from the power Of
sin. among all nations, beginning at Jeru-
SALEM" they were to begin at home but by no
means to remain there. These are the march.
ing orders Of the church. the bugle call to serv-
ice and victory 49, "And ye are witnesses OF
these things:" and still the power Of preaching
and Of teaching is not in arguing, but in wit
Messing In declaring the truths known and
tested by experience. 40. "And, behold, send
the promise Of my Father upon you:" the prom
Use Of the gift Of another Comforter contained
III OuTlStb ldSt COutCISbtlOu WIN buc oActCu.
This was the promise Of the Father, made in
the Old Testament lisa. 44:3; Esek 80 :s7; Joel
2:2S-32). until We be endued with power from
| on high" Q) the power Of working miracles
| (9 personal, moral and spiritual power in the
conflicts and temptations of life, and especially
In bearing suffering and persecution for Christ's
sake; (9 power In the ministry Of the world
beyond that which belongs to human eloQuence
and wisdom, or even to the mere natural
adaptation Of the truth to human wants. 80.
"And be led them out from Jerusalem" This
was his eleventh and last appearance. 81.
| He was parted from them" by beginning To
ascend upwards. "And carried up into Heav.
en-" there has been stupid objection raised
that, as the world is turning around all the
time, going up would not necessarily lead Il
any point in the sky, called heaven. But Il
there is such central point, any being going
up from this world short distance could
change his course to that direction. no matter
in which direction he started. It was ut thii
time, doubtless, that the great change camt
over His body described in Cor. 15:51.5S.
| LESSON COMMENTS.
For the last two lessons we have been
dealing with the story Of the resurrec
ton of our blessed Lord. In this lessor
we continue that, and read how H,
opened the understanding of the disci
Piles, so that they might understand thu
Scriptures in all their meaning. He ex
planned to them the real meaning of Hi
death, and then told them that salvatio
was to be preached in His name, begin
ming from the city Of Jerusalem and ex
tending to all nations. OF the truths O
His life, death and resurrection the,
were to be the living witnesses, but frs
they were to wait in the city of Jerusa
lem till they were baptised with thu
Holy Spirit, who was to give them pow
or TO witness for Him. After that HI
led them out on the Mount of Olives al
far as Bethany, and there gave them Hi
parting blessing, and while He wa
doing this they saw Him rise from theil
midst, and cloud received Him out o
their sight. AS they were gazing won
deringly toward Heaven, two men il
white apparel stood by them, who told
them that this same Jesus whom the,
had just seen disappear should in lik'
manner return some day. This fillet
all their hearts with joy, SO that the.
returned to the city, and daily were il
the temple praising and blessing God.
The disciples knew the Script
ures probably better than many o
us know our Bibles. Yet the.
had made some very sad mistake
in their Interpretation Of them. The,
needed Divine help in order that the
might understand them Alright Thi
the Master gave to them.
The disciples saw Him ascend. an,
the men in white bore witness as t
where He had gone. Yes, we have al
surance that Jesus in His bodily form
in Heaven to-day. We are not worship
ing a Saviour who is we know no
where. Has any one seen Him there
Yes; Stephen as he was about to die sal
Him; for he said: "Behold. l see tn
heavens opened, and the Son of Ma
standing on the right hand Of God.
Has any one else seen Him in glory
Yes; when Paul fell to the ground o
his way to Damascus he saw Jesus !
glory and heard Him speaking to hin
Jesus told him who He was; for whe
Paul said: ''Who art thou, Lord!
Jesus answered.: 81 am Jesus, whol
thou persecutest." John, the believe
, disciple, saw Him. For on the islam
.. of Patmos, when he was in the Spirit O
the Lords day. he heard voice benin
him, and, turning to see who it was VIII
spoke, he saw lone like unto the Son I
|, Man." and the voice proclaimed: II a
. He that liveth, and was dead, and b
hold I am alive for evermore, Amel
and have the keys Of nell and of death
BY these witnesses we are doubly a
. | sured that our Saviour Is in Heaven