Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1902-01-04
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
lesson in tAe international sezies
fer Jaaaary 3, 1900 = TAe
Premise OF Power.

THE LESSON TEXT.
(Acts LILLY
L 1Es former treatise have mace
Theophilus, OF al thas- Jesus began oSSS
to do and teach
q Until the day in which He was taken
up. after that He through the Holy Ghoss
had given commandments unto tnS
apostles whom He had chosen:
& To whom also He showed AmseS1
alive after His passion by many nfa1liolS
proofs. being seen of them % days, ana
speaking of the things pertaining to the
Kingdom of God.
4 And. being assembled together with
them, commanded them that they should
not depart from Jerusalem, but wait IoS
the promise Of the Father, which, Satin he
ye have heard of Me.
5 For John truly baptized with water
but We shall be baptized with the HOLY
Ghost not many days hence.
s. When they therefore were come to-
gether, they asked of Him, saying, Lord
wilt thou at this time restore again the
Kingdom to Israel?
z And He said unto them, 1t is not foI
you to know the times or the seasons.
which the Father hath put in His own
power.
g But We shall receive power, after thai
the Holy Ghost is come upon you; and ys
shall be witnesses unto Me beth ii Jeru-
salem, and in all Judea, and in Samarta4
and unto the uttermoet part of the earth.
9. And when He had spoken these things.
while they beheld, He was taken up: and q
cloud received Him out of their sight.
10. And while they looked steadfaStiJ to-
ward Heaven. He went up. behold, TIVE
men stood by them in white apparel;
II. Which also said, Ye men of Galilee,
why stand We gazing up into Heaven? this
same Jesus, which is taken up from you
into Heaven, shall so come in like man.
ner as We have seen Him go into Heaven.
GOLDEN TEXT-WhiIe He blessed
them, He was parted from tn EN-, and
carried up into heaven.-Luke 24s51.
NOTES AND COMMENTS.
With this lesson we begin a series of
lessons in the book of the Acts of the
Apostles. 1t is study of the birth
and early development of the church.
In the first two or three lessons of the
quarter we study the power that
brought about the wonderful religious
movement almost Immediately follow
| ing the ascension of Christ. In sue
ceeding lessons we study the results of
the working of the power. Study the
entire first chapter of Acts, in con-
nection with this lesson. The chapter
may be studied with the following
| brief outline in view:
The work begun, VS. 1-S.
A commandment and a promise, VS.. 49,
Ascension and second coming, VS.. eli.
| A new apostle chosen, VS.. 1926.
The Work Begun.-The book of Acts
| is merely a continuation or sequel of
the Gospel according to Luke. Luke
says that in his Gospel he indicated
what Jesus began both to do and to
teach.' Jesus work was not done
when His bodily presence left the
earth. He was to continue the work
in the hearts of men and do even
! greater work because of the throwing
off of human limitations.
A Commandment and a Promise
On Thursday, May IS, A. D. 80, or
just 40 days after the resurrection
of Jesus, there was a meeting of the
disciples (not alone the apostles)
with their Master in Jerusalem.
From the city He led them out to the
| Mount of Olives near Bethany. The
commandment of Jesus was that the
disciples wait in Jerusalem "for the
promise of the Father" The promise
was the gift of the Holy Spirit. Why
was the Holy Spirit given? The gift
of the Holy Spirit meant power for the
disciples in extending the kingdom.
Ascension and Second Coming
After making the promise of the Holy
Spirit and indicating the line of their
work WITNESSING at home and abroad
wherever they should go), "He was
| taken up, and a cloud received Him out
of their sight" After jesus departure
two angels in the form of men stood
with the assembled company who
called their thoughts back to earth and
present duty, and this promise was
given to comfort them: "This same
Jesus, which is taken up from you in
to Heaven, shall so come in like man
ner as We have seen Him go into
Heaven"
A New Apostle While
awaiting the fulfllment of the prom
Use, word began to be circulated about
the city that Judas had committed sui
eide. There were a. least two rumors
afioat and perhaps more, so profound
was the impression it had made. Mat
thew says the traitor hanged himself;
Luke, in the chapter we are studying,
says he fell and burst asunder. One
thing was sure: he had come to his
end by his own hand. The traitor
could find no happiness in the accursed
80 pieces of silver. His tragic end made
a profound impression upon the other
apostles. They had been associated
with this man for at least a year or q
, year and a half. They had seen their
Lord betrayed and cruciied. Now ne
had come to his reward-a sad and i'm
pressive warning to all. Peter sug-
gested that another be named to fill
out the round number of II apostles
The choice of those present fell be
tween two: Justus and Matthias
Just what Justus and Matthias ever
did is not recorded. They were nj
t doubt earnest and devout men, but
the fact that these men were chosen
and accomplished no notable worl
: while others who were not thought o.
I did a great service for the early churcl
3 suggested the fallibility of the human
Judgment. The man little esteeme,
s by us often surprises US when it come
to bringing things TO pass. while tn
r man we look to az great often fails a
q the critical moment.