The Wilmington daily Republican., 1902-01-08
RECEIVING = =.
POWER
4 Sermon Preached by
Rev. John Shape. Jan.
5th, 1902.

Text: "Ye shall re.eive powel
after that the Holy Ghost has come
upon you." Acts IS.
Jesus last words on earth before
his ascension were the words of the
text. Slow Of heart were the dis
elples to believe all that Jesus had
spoken, ana were as his ascend.
ing form disappears through yield.
ing air. they stand gazing heavy.
eyed at the ieaden sky, little dream.
ing OF the full interest of his closing
message. or Of the source and pur.
pose OF his promised power.
There are two words for power
used in the New Testament aud
both OF them are found 10 this first
chapter Of the Acts Of the Apostles
and in such close proximity, as al
most to touch each other. One of
them means. ''power of choice. -
permission" right" "authority"
and 10 found in =; the other me q o
strength, ability. inherent power
1T is found in the text.
Perhaps an examination of-say
tive passages of Scripture will ade-
quately illustrate the difference in
these two words. lu John 1918;
Cor. 9-lS; Matt. 2l-23: and Acts
IL, the word translated power
means power OF choice. permjs-
sion. liberty. authority 10 Luke
LII, Acts 49, 6-S, | Thess. Is,
Rom. Lilo. aud III the text OF the
morning, power is quite a differ
ent word. 1t mears In these pas.
sages. strength, ability, inherent
power. 1t is word from which we
get oar English word "dy amite-'
le shall receive power dynamite,
to blow up indifference, to sha,ter
doubts aud scatter sins) when the
Holy Ghost is come upon you.
There are three things in the text
OF the morning that gather up its
truth aud teaching aud the first is:
The promise OF power What
IS power is second only in import.
ance to that other question. "what
Is TRUTH Ii is not sufficient TO
answer as many great teachers on
hlgh spiritual themes on both sides
oil the AtIan'lc have horsepower
is power. Other things are power,
loo. knowledge is power; money
is power: and to say that power is
power is toglve neither deGuitlun
nor enlightmcnt. 1t may be that il
study, however curSory OF the
source and purpose of power will
AID us in at least an approach to
Inc true meaning of power.
Every man wants power The
little child grasping with its tinv
hand Tor material OBJECTS whenever
they come his way. is an illustra-
ton of the desire for power. And
this is not an unworthy ambition,
II the motive back ol it is pure. 10
desire power, to want personal
superiority, to flaunt personal giits,
to cultivate vanity, is unworthy
oi any child Of God aud will meet
with failure at the start, This
Jeweled possession is soon lost il we
lose sight oil its source and purpose.
And now what every man wants
Christ has promised. The mer.
chunts wants it, that he NAV serve
help his patrons; the lawyer tnat
may move the Jury; the ply siclan |
that he may serve in large degree
his fellows; The preacher tina, he
NAV lit his hearers to the throne
Of God.
The promise of the Chr,at had |
back OF 1t Christs experience. See
how large a place the Holy Spirl,
had IN the lie aud DEVELOPMENT OF
Iesns. In his conception Matt. l.
Is, his cndncement lisa. | :l-3)
l!s amounting Matt. ) l6-l7;) his |
miracles lActs 10: IS; his tcmpta-
Ion Luke ~ his a,onement (he
'tlcred himself to God through the
Eternal Spiril0 his death tActs ,
SD his resurrection ii Peter 3: Is
%, } the Holy Spirit was mighty
orce. Christ ever recognized his
ntiucncc, aud grve glad recorui-
ion Of his power in his life. Jesus
tnew the value Of the Splits CO.
operating agency and hence could
promise the diecip!es sutcess oy
promising them power
ii The source Of this power. 1t
:omees when the Holy Spirit comes
md abldes llkc him, forever. There
lie four positions that Illus
rate aud explain the operations of
he Holy SPIRIT in his relations to
ncn. Thev are the propositions
O. in. with and upon III, Holy
spirit comes 10 men when he con
inces them OF SIN. He comes in
nen at their regeneration. He
ONES with men for fellows ship and
Ipou men for power lie came up-
II Jesus at his baptism 10 the sym-
vol OF the dove. and equipped Him
Or his lies work, ond at pentecost
aiming tongues like as OF fire. sat
pom each one of tne one hun ired
nd twenty IN the upper room and
hey were all filled with the Holy
host
Mary admit the coming Of the
plrit 20 them In conviction, joy.
lilly confess his work in them in
heir regeneration, acknow ledge
he sweetness oi his fellowship with
hem in trouble or sorrow, who
now naught OF his power upon
lem for sorrow.
There are iour figures used in
criptur:, illustrative OF the Holy
pirit's work in. with and unou
10 hearts Of men. The first figure
that Of wind. In Gen. al, We
lad God breathed into mans
ostris the breath Of lille and man
&c ME a liuinn ami NlIan. Ii =;