The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-04-14
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOB
APRIL 1S.
Lesson Text: "The Resurrection
Cor. XIV. 12-28-Golden Text:
Acts X, 1S-Commen-
tary.

While for this week we turn from the raSu-
lar lesson In the Acts TO special resurrec-
tton lesson, the connection ofthought Is not
broken, for In the next lesson IN order (Acts
Ii, 19-26) the great number Of believers In
Antioch and elsewhere were won through the
preaching Of Jesus and the resurrection, and
1t was the power OF His resurrection that led
them to send relief. every man according to
his ability, to the brethren In Jud8a by the
hands Of Barnabas and Saul.
IL, 13. "If there be no resuf :ection OF the
dead, then Is Christ not risen" The Sad
ducees taught that there Is no resurrection,
neither angel nor spirit (Acts xii, 81, and
everywhere the apostles seemed to find those
who hated the doctrine OF the resurrection
(Acts w.. 2; XVI, 8; xviii, 92). But 1t Is the
great fact which crowns all In the work OF
Christ. BY it He was with power declared
to be the Son OF God (Rom. l., A., and We,
must believe in our hearts that God raised
Him from the dead (Rom. K, 9; Thess. iv.,
LAY.
IA, Is. eff Christ be not risen, then Is our
preaching vain, and your faith Is also vain.
And all the apostles would be scored as talse
witnesses for preaching what was not true.
The resurrection OF Christ from the dead Is
the assurance 10 all men that He Is indeed
the Son Of David, the Messiah Of Israel ana
the Judge Of all men (Acts IL, 1881: xviii,
31.) As surety for US He was delivered for
our ofrenses, but II He Is not raised from the
dead there is no justification for the sinner,
for the surety remains!ln prison CRom. ig..
25). Unless Christ Is alive from the dead
there is no gospel to preach, no glad tidings
for sinners, and all preachers are fools and
liars.
16, II. "If Christ be not raised. your faith
Is vain; ye are yet In your SINS" A dead
Christ has no power to save or to forgive
sins, and think that Is the force Of the ques-
tion in verse 20. Why baptize any one In
the name Of dead Christi Israel was bap-
lized unto Moses as a living leader In the
cloud and In the sea q Cor. K, l, p. Our
Christ IS alive from the dead, an immortal
man, the God man, having all power In
He is the assurance to every believer of the
forgiveness OF sins, for there could not be at
Gods right hand one on whom any sin was
resting.
IS. 'iThen they also which are fallen
asleep In Christ are perished." II Christ Is
not at Gods right hand, alive forevermore,
then Stephen was deceived and lied when he
said, 81 see the Son OF Man standing on the
right hand Of God" (Acts vii., 56) Ananias
appeared unto thee in the way as thou cam
est" (Acts *, 17). and all Psul's testimony
as to the dead being absent from the body
and present with the Lord QI Cor. ", 8;
Phil. l., 21, 2S) Is simply without foundation.
19. "If In this life only we have hope In
Christ, we are of all men most miserable"
The present life Of the believer Is set forth
by the Holy Spirit both in the gospels and
the epistles as life Of tribulation and afflic-
I Pet. H., 20, al; w., 12, 1S). life of such
treatment from the world as Christ Himself
received CJohn xy., 19, 21), but the saffer-
ings are not worthy to be compared with the
glory to be revealed, and we are ever to con-
slider Christ and His sufferings lest We grow
weary and faint (Rom. viii, 1S; Heb. xt, 8;
20. "But now Is Christ risen from the dead
and become the first fruits of them that
slept" In verses to Paul mentions six
different appearances OF Christ after HIS
others recorded. Thus He showed Himself
alive after His passion by many infallible
proofs (Acts l., 81, speaking much OF the
kingdom during those forty days between;
His resurrection and visible ascension, the
kingdom which Is associated with the resur-
reclion OF the saints at the second coming OF
Christ (verses 50-54; Isa. XIV, 8, 9; Dan, dL,
Ia; Acts ILL.,, 20, 81; Math. XIV, 81, S2).
2i, %. "For since by man came death. by
man came also the resurrection OF the dead,
for as in Adam all die, even so in Christ
shall all be made alive" In verse 45 Adam
and Christ are spoken Of as the first Adam
and the last Adam. The first brought sin
and death upon the race, but the last has
brought life and resurrection for all who
will accept Him. All are Of necessity In
Adam, the one man ty whom sin entered
the world (Rom. ", II, 18, 19), all who
accept Christ are in Christ and enjoy the
benefits OF His righteousness, which are
sufficient for all who will accept Him and
whosoever will may (Rev. xii, I'D.
29. 'But every man In his own order,
Christ the first fruits, afterward they that
are Chrlst's at His coming" In Dol. l., IL,
and Rev. l., 5, Christ Is called the frstborn
or first begotten from tho dead, for by virtue
of His resurrection all resurrrctions have
taken place or will take place. Both Just and
unjust shall rise from their graves (Acts
XIV, 15), but there shall be an interval OF
1000 years between them. Rev. x1., 5, 8,
Is very plain upon this.
a. "fhen cometh the end, when he shall
have delivered up the kingdom to God,
even the Father" "The afterward" Of the
previous verse was already covered over
1900 wears since Christ rose from the dead
The ''then" OF this verse will cover the thou
sand wears Of the millennium, after which
will come the new heavens and earth wherein
dTelleth righteousness. when God shall be
all in all oversees %. 20; II Pet. ILL.,, lS). In
asmuch as "He Is able to subdue all Things
unto Himself" (Phii. ILL.,, 2I and will eventu-
ally, why not trust Him even now to subdue
US fully unto Himself and make US wholly
new creatures to His elory2 (Rev. XXI, o.
25, 26. "For He must reign till he hath
put all enemies under His feet. The last
enemy that shall be- destroyed Is death.
When He thus reigns and subdues, We are
to reign with Him (Rev. W, 10; xx.; 4, 81.
See also Ps cxlix. He is now at the Fathers
right hand on the Fathers throne waiting
for the completion of His body, the church,
but after that He will sit on His own throne
to Judge the nations and to rule the world
In righteousness. (Marh. xxxv., 81; Acts
xviii, S1). Then shall we he manifested
with Him (CoI. ILL.,, 4; I John ILL.,, 2; also
Rev. ill.,, 2l.) So time will come when on
this earth there shall be no more death:
neither sorrow ror crying, neither shall
there be any more pain (R-v. xxi, a.
Oh. let me know the power Of Thy resur-ec-
tioni
oh, let me show Thy risen life in calm and
clear reflection!
Oh. let me soar where Thou, my Saviour,
Christ, art gone before!
In mind and heart let me dwell always only
where Thou art.