The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-06-26
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOE
JUNE %.
Lesson Text: "Saviour's Parting
Words" Luke xxiv., 44-53 (Mis-
stonary Lesson)-Golden Text:
Matt. xviii, documentary.

Go Ye. This is the genius Of the gos-
pei. This its missionary spirit. Begin at
Jerusalem, 1t is true, but with their faces
turned from 1t. Start from the centre. but
90 to the circumference. The command was
imperative. They were not to linger, or to
exercise their discretion Us to whittier they
were to Co. but to 20 in obedience to His
command. It was as abiding as the time was
to be long in which the work was to be done.
When one set of workers fell, another set
wereto spring into their places. The COM
mand was living present, as the Lord was
living and present Lord. Moreover, it in
cuded not only the eleven apostles, but the
whole company of disciples. Every Chris
tian has some part and some responsibility in
connection with this commission. Some are
evangelists, some pastors and teachers, some
prayers. some private witnesses, some givers
Of money-all earnestly engaged, each ac-
cording to his ability and according to his
talent, In winning men from sin to salvation,
from the power Of satan unto God. So long
as there is an unsaved man, woman or child
in the world, this commission Is an force;
this command Is upon every disciple ofJesus
Christ.-Pentecost.
THE FINAL CHARGE.
A. In these first six verses Luke gives
brief summary Of Christ's teachings after the
resurrection. Jesus speaks as though He
were not now with His disciples. In the old
form of existence He is not. He participates
more in the heavenly than in the earthly life.
As. Jesus was in condition now, by His words
and very presence, to open their minds.
Now that the Scriptures had been fulfilled,
and with the cross behind, the mind would
readily open to truth to which it had been
closed before. 46. There could have been no
gospel If there had been no cross; but the
death, even OF Jesus. would have had no
efficacy for the removal Of human guilt If He
had not risen from the grave. The one fact
Is invariably connected with the other In the
epistles (Taylor). At. Repentance here, as
everywhere, means the change OF mind and
purpose. It Is an antecedent condition OF
the remission of sins. It Is the change real
lied when the man first exercises faith. The
two things move together Dwight. 4s. An
apostle must be one who has seen Christ,
Acts l., 81, %. The Christian system rests
upon facts, to which the testimony Of those
who are eye-witnesses is given. The funda-
mental facts are the death, resurrection and
ascension OF Jesus. These are the basis Of
Christian preaching; and If theyar removed
the Christian preaching is emptiness, and 80
is the Christian faith Dwight. 49. The
promise of the Father here means the send
ing of the Spirit, which occurred on the day
OF Pentecost (see Acts ii.), ten days later.
Extraordinary powers were tnelrs: J.: ulat
of tongues. 2. Illumination OF minds. g..
Unusual power OF speech. 4. Miracles OF
healing. s. Discernment OF spirits CWatson).
THE FINAL DEPARTURE.
so. It would seem that Jesus had been with
them once more in the old familiar upper
room at Jerusalem; at least He walked some
little way with His disciples along an old and
familiar path. Probably the day Of ascen-
sion was Just six weeks after that on which
the last supper had been celebrated, and sew
eral of those present would we'll remember
the walk of that day. 81. The ascension
seems to have been slow and gentle. The
apostles could therefore view it distinctly
and deliberately. so that they might be as
sured of its reality. No chariot nor horses
of fire wele seen like those which waited the
prophet Elijah to heaven; no violent whir-
wind agitated the air, no blaze OF glory daz.
zled the eyes or overpowered the feelings OF
the anxious spectators. Every part of the
scene accorded with the character of the mild
and benevolent Master. Though parting
scene. there was in it nothing to terrify or
depress the minds Of the apostles. Filled
with an abiding awe, and yet with a great
and abiding Joy. they returned to Jerusalem
(Thompson).