Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1895-05-30
THE SUNDAY school,
INTERESTING AND INSTRUCTIVE
"a LESSON.
Reflections Of an Eievating Character
Wholesome Food for Thought
Studying the scriptural Lesson In
teliigentIy and Probably.



Lesson for June 2.
Golden Text.-'sThe Lord Is risen In
deed."-Luke "a: "a.
Subject; "The Resurrection Of Jesus"
Mark 10: 1-S. He .is risen; he Is not
here; behold the place where they laid
him." Amen, we will do it. just look ut
the place and then leave it. He is not in
the grave. He Is risen, risen for our re-
demption and uplift. Presently, at the
righthhand of God he will be dispensing
the power of his resurrection. Preach it,,
live it. s"The power of his resurrection"
what is 1t in the Christian life? 1t signi-
fies life hid with Christ in God. If We
then be risen with Christ seek those
things which are above, where Christ
stitch on the right hand of God" There
he sits to-day, u conqueror henceforth
expecting till his enemies be made his foot
stool. 1t is the Office of the Holy Spirit
to reveal this Christ, Christ in this as
pect, to us. Not the Christ of the pill
grimage and humiliation, but the Christ
of Gods right hand, the Christ that liveth
and was dead, and behold he is alive for
evermore. Only by the Spirit do we ap-'
prehend the living Christ. Hence Afford
has called the Acts of the Apostles the
Gospel of the Risen Jesus" for it was at
Pentecost that, under the Spirits tutelage,
this revelation and dispensation began.
And It goes right on ''till he come"
The command to be filed with the Spirit
is just as authoritative as the command
to be baptized. A working church, a
church that expects results, can certainly
not afford to overlook the injunction.
Know the Spirit of the risen Christ. But
how be filed with the Spirit Some one
has said ''empty yourself and the Spirit
will come in to fill the vacuum" Another
has answered, Rather let in the Spirit
for emptying." We know not how to
make self-surrender save by the Holy
Spirits operations. Then Christ in us.
1.-THE first fruits of them that slept"
How fitting was Pentecost for the be-
stewal of the Spirit and the imagination
of the new dispensation! Symbolically 1t
was such, the day of ingathering, harvest
home day. That was indeed a rich har-
vest for the church when Jesus, having
finished his work, conquered the grave by
ascending to the right hand of God, "shed
forth this which We now see and hear"
1t was the gift of gifts that was there be-
slowed. Practically it was an acceptable
day. The people had come to the sacred
city from all parts of the world. They
thought it was for things old, but the
great householder meant to bring forth
to-day things new, and to send Israel forth
with the tidings throughout the length
and breadth of all lands. And this is
what it all meant: 1.-THE Lord is risen in
deedw
Observe the descent Of the Spirit. Ii
was upon them all at once. The language
seems to imply something of unexpected
ness. Thus often do Gods blessings find
us, only partly prepared. They startle us
with their suddenness, and the common
remark that God would surprise us if he
should all ut once answer our prayers is
not wholly to our disparagement. His
blessings viii always be glad surprise.
The gift of the spirit was such. But It
was accepted, and it's meaning was appre-
hended. This Jesus hath God raised
up" There was no tarrying or debating.
No querying, what is this? or what shall
we do with this? or what will the world
think of this? Straightway the disciples
yielded themselves to the new dispensa-
ton, and began to speak as the Spirit
from on high gave them utterance. And
knew that something marvellous had taken
place on earth and something more mar
yeous in heaven. Christ had taken his
seat. "Know assuredly," said Peter,
that God hath made that same Jesus
whom We have .crucified, both Lord and
Christ"
And that dispensation was to abide. Not
the physical outward signs of rushing
l,,t
witness. The abiding power Of the Holy
Spirit is power to witness the risen
Christ; the abiding gift of the Holy Spirit
is the gift of utterance in his name. The
word translated ''utterance" here is the
verb, to declare mighty and solemn mes
sage. The JUNCTION for such service is
from on high. There is no installing il.
Peter, Paul and Barnabas were to have
1t in large measure, with miraculous at
tending signs Luther, Wesley, Sturgeon
were to have the same with signs suited
to their day and generation. Such utter
ance is always with nameless something
that is the demonstration of the Spirit
and of power. There is a general guild
ance and influence of the spirit of which
the church becomes increasingly the heir,
but there is, above and beyond all spiritual
capacity, direct and immediate endow-
ment which we may well crave, and
which, when men observe it, leads them
to say as was said by Peter Of old, This
is that. What but God!
DR.. Alexander Maclaren makes preg-
nant comment on John xiv, LA, when he
caiis it, '"The words of the ascendeG
Lord" Christ is now at the right hand
of God. He is there in power. And this
ri Al
and reveals to us. Not the Christ of the
manger and the tomb. He is told of in
the Gospels. Here in the Acts and epis-
ties, and in Christian experience is reveal
ed by the Spirit, the risen and assembled
and omnipotent Christ. Trust him! de
clare him. ,H1ir'
81
Next Lesson-"The Walk to EmmaussH,
Luke "a: 1882.
"A Barrel of Flour for a Bear.