Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-04-20
A SINGULAR COMMAND.
Dr.. Barrett on the Suspension Of
Church Activities.
Text: "But larry Yc In the City of Jcrusa-
lem, Until ie lie Enducd With Power
From on High Luke 2i:I9.

noon the pastor DR.. ]. Z. Barrett.
| preached on "A Singular Suspension of
Church Activities" basinS his remarks
on Luke. 2i;4o. After reading the text
he said:
singular command is this. Think
of it! For three years these disciples
have been with Jesus, under His per-
sonal instruction, being trained for
their divine work OF leading men into
Il new life, and now He is soon to leave
them. instead of bidding them go forth
| with renewed zeal into Il more active
service, pushing their work more vigor-
ousiy than ever before, He commands
them 10 suspend their usual activities
and 10 larry at Jerusalem till endued
with powerfully qualified for service
III Ills vineyard. The Infant Church is
directed by its Great Leader to let so
all OF It's work among men and simply
wait before God till the promise OF the
Rather be given to them. AS strange
ana unreasonable as it all may seem
! they promptly obeyed, and their obe-
| dience became the pathway to the most
wonderful and glorious achievement in
! the Christian ega-the Pentecost of the
church of Christ. SO marked We're the
effects of this movement upon expert
mental Christianity that it has become
Il dividing line, indicating the passing
OF the believer from the up and down
stage of his faith into the victorious life
| i'll Christ.
Up to this time of waiting at Jeru-
salem, the disciples had shown Il great
| lack IN themselves, even though they
| mad been under the Immediate personal
| influence of Jesus Himself but imme-
diately following this suspension of ex-
ternal activities. the disciples became
not ony courageous, but most effective
workers in bringing men 10 their
These facts appear most clearly in
their history rs given in the New
| Testament. Let us investigate:
l. Before Pentecost these disciples
showed Il decided lack of a consecrated
/ purpose.
The facts shall speak. 1t was on the
very verge of the betrayal Jesus was
| Himself in agony and in prayer. He
came to Ills disciples and found them
asleep. He evidently awoke them for
lie said unto Peter: What. could We
not watch with me one hour? Watch
| ana pray that We enter not into temp
| tation; the spirit indeed is willing. but
the flesh is weak" Then He went away
ana prayed the second time. and COM
ing back, He found them again sleep
Alas. for such devotion as they thus
displayed. The flesh is weak. It is true
but Jesus showed disappointment in
their devotion to Him in this moment
OF peril when asked: Gould ye not
watch with me one hour?"
ii. They showed a lack of Christian
! courage; 1t was moment OF trial. The
! enemies OF Jesus were pressing hard
they were bloodthirsty, and as they
| came upon Jesus to take II i'm the dis
cirles all forsook Him and fled. Luke
2G:56. Let us say it gently, but they
were towards. afraid of men.
| Ill They were lacking in an under
standing of the mission OF Jesus. Ac-
cording to Acts 1;6. they thought that
Jesus was about to set up an earthly
| kingdom by restoring the government
to Israel This thought seems not 10
| have been in His mind. He had de-
clared that His kingdom was not of
this world. Under Jesus own teach
ing and yet they did not grasp His
thought low slow to learn they must
have been. and their successors. in thu.
respect. are many.
These are the facts in the lives of the
| disciples before they had their Pente-
cost. Let us follow and see the trans
| formation which Is wrought in them in
their Pentecost. as is shown in their
after service
l.. They became fixed and strong in
their purpose to serve God Contrast
their conduct on the night of te be-
trayal. when they all forsook Him and
fled. with their conduct on the day of
Pentecost. The disciples were facina
an angry mob. but every man was
standing firm by his convictions. when
Peter. who denied his Lord. became the
spokesman. and facing the bowling
multitude, told them TO their face that
they, by wicked hands, had crucincd
and slain their Lord tActs 200 o3)
Marvellous change, Surely Pentccost
al wrought nightly in their hearts
and minds! They dcfied the Jewish
council and feared not the Roman SOL
der.
l. After Pentccost they endured suf-
fering with joy. counting it an honor
10 suffer for his name.
The jeers of the multitude the sever
| iiy OF the rulers and the darkness OF
prison walls. had no terror for them.
Since Pentecost they had become as
true 10 Jesus as the needle to the pole.
! Why? Pcntecost-that is all
III. They became unilinching Witness
es for the truth. including their adj
heernce to shat Uhcn) most hated doc
trine the Resurrection. CActs 4:2).
Nv. In the face of bitter persecution.
they boldly preached Jesus. fearing not
the face of man. y gainsaying world
Knocked them. but they were unmovcd.
deClarinSw what Jesus had done for them,
and that He was the Saviour of man,
| This was the heroism of Pentecost and
Is in most striking contrast with the
conduct on the occasion of the BETRAYAL
V. After Pentecost they speedily be-
come brave missionaries of the Cross.
They went everywhere preaching the
word Of God in great power. They were
not gospel sermonizers. but gospel
"gossippers': that is.using "gossippcrs"
in it's best sense, for they talked the
gospel everywhere they went Under
this sort OF preaching persecution ragged
but every stroke of the enemies hand
was as he blacksmih's hammer falling
upon red-hot iron. driving he burning
sparks in every direction. setting on fire
with the love of God human hearts by