The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-01-06
SABBATH SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
JANUARY 10.
Lesson Text: ssThe Holy Spirit
Given," Acts H., 1-13-Golden
Text: Acts H., 4-"Com-
mentary.

I. "And when the day OF Peutecost was
fully come, they were all with one accord
in one place." The waiting Gays OF prayer
between Ascension and Pentecost were
marked by one event, the choosing Of Mat
thias, which may have been OF God or may
have been due to Peters restless spirit,
which, as on other occasions, found 1t dih-
cult to wait quietly without doing some
thing. The word "pentecost" is only found
elsewhere In Acts Xxx, 16; I Cor. XVII, 8; but
'pentekosta'' Is the Greek for "ffty," and
the law said that fifty days after the day
new meat Offering unto the Lord (Lev.
xxiii., 16). This meat offering, typical OF
the gathering OF the thousands to Christ at
Pentecost, was baked with leaven, sugges-
tive of the evil still In the believer which Is
met only by the sacrifice.
Q. "Andsuddenlyt there came sound from
heaven, as OF q rushing, mighty wind, and
1t filed all the house where they were sit
ting" There had been nothing unusual
during those waiting days, but Just quiet
continuance In prayer and a waiting for the
fulfllment Of the'promise. How He would
come-I mean the promised Comforter-or
when, they had not been told, and whether
any OF them thought Of the Levitical fiftieth
pray, to walt and to expect with uwaver-
ing faith In their absent Lord.
8. And there appeared unto them cloven
tongues like as Of fire, and 1t sat upon each
OF them" John had said, "He shall baptize
you with the Holy Ghost and with fire" Luke
ILL, 16), and here was fulflllment. On
Christ the Spirit came as dove (Luke ill.,,
22), for In Him was no sin nor dross needing
purifying fire. We do not read thatHe came
again as fire nor did they again need to wait,
but as they prayed or spoke the Spirit filed
them (Acts iv.. 81; K, 44-46). The Spirit
having come, there is no need to wait for
to be filled with the Spirit for Gods glory,
He will quickly do 1t. Yet we may need to
wait to BIZ made ready. =
4. "And they were all filled with the Holy
Ghost and began to speak with other tongues
as the Spirit gave them utterance." What 8
contrast is here to Babel (Gen4 XII where
there was but one language and the people
were gathered together against Godi Here
they are with one accord for God and are
enabled In moment to speak all languages.
There Is no credit whatever due to them, nor
is it through one particle OF skill on their
part, but tho Holy Spirit takes possession ol
them and speaks through them the words
Of God concerning the works Of God (verse
II. chapter w., 81; K, 46).
S. "And there were dwelling at Jerusalem
Jews. devout men. out OF every Nation un'
der heaven" From oil the world they had
come to worship God according to their Law
to keep the Passover and the feast d
weeks, or of the hftieth day. The time viii
come again when Jews from ell Nations shall
be gathered to their own land, the Spirit o
the Lord shall be poured upon them, ,and ther
with Paul-like devotion to Jesus OF NaZaertt
will they tell to all Nations the joyful tiding.
Geek. xxxv1., 24-28; lisa. xvii, 81 Ps. Xvii.
j, 2. y. -.
6. "Now, when this was noised abroad, the
multitude came together and were scon
founded, because that every man heard
them speak in his own language" The re.
vised version Gays, "When this sound wa.
known throughout the city, and the people
came together. The disciples had no diff
ficulty in getting congregation, as many
nave to-day. They did not advertise, mol
even blow trumpet as the law permitted
them to do (Num. K, y. This was wholly
the work Of God and OF His Holy Spirit.
z, 8. "And they were all amazed and
marveled, saying one to another. Behold
are not all these which speak Galileansi
And how hear we every man In our own
tongue, wherein we were born2" The two
men at the ascension addressed them as
''Ye men of Galilee" g., III. They were
country people, not citizens oirJerusalem,
the holy city. They were not from any oi
the schools or the centers Of human wisdom,
They were very common people In the eyes
Of the world, and yet they are heard speak
ing all the languages under heaven. This
was truly an unheard Of thing, and well
might the people say "We never saw K on
this fashion," The One who is perfect IN
knowledge COB xxxyi., ~ had entered into
them, and being familiar with all languages
He spoke through them any language with
equal ease. Something like this He does
sometimes even now. E,,l-i p
9-11. owe do hear them speak In ou,
tongues the wonderful works Of God" Here
are at least twice seven different NATIONAL
ties listening to humble Galileans speaking
with ease all their various languages. Vel
may we say, "Wno teacheth like Htmf" (Jot
xxxvl, 22). This self-same Spirit still lives
and He lives in every believer, dividing tt
every man severaily as Ee will q Cor. xii.
to-day have from God to lay out for God i
He saw that we were whole hearted for Hin
and had no ambition but to make Hts name
giorious2
IL. "And they were all amazed and were
in doubt, saying one to another, What mean
eth this?'' The men OF Athens said to Paul
"Thou bringest certain strange things to oul
ears. We would knew, therefore, what these
things mean" (Acts xviii, 20). This they
said because he preached unto them Jesus
and the resurrection, and In our next lesson
We shall find Peter explaining this strangt
occurrence by preaching Jesus and, the res
direction. Some of them knew that q yery
long time ago, about 1400 years or more
their God had done some wonderful things
through Moses-even unheard Of things
and that some of their ancestors had ever
heard the very voice OF God speaking out o.
the FIRE on Mount Sinai, but that was 81
very, very long ago, and wouldnever occur
again. AS to supernatural things In thei
own time, well, there were some rumor5 o
such, but they were not to be believed anc
the blasphemer who wrought them had been
cruoifed. and so that was the end Of them.
IS. "Others, mocking. said, These mer
are full of new wine" So at Athens soIn'
mocked. and others said, We will hear the'
again Of this matter. And al Rome som'
beloved and some believed not (Acts xviii,
80; xviii, 24). IT would seem from Eph. w.
18, that being filled with the Spirit produces
in the believer some results which are no
unlike those produced by wine in the natura
man-among others cheerful or hilarioui
giving III Cor. ix., D.-Lesson Helper.