Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1904-03-23
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ever they undertook anything IN their
own strength it was an utter failure.
Their failure was cause of shame
upon their part, an opportunity for rid
icule upon the part Of the multitude,
and an occasion for a gentle rebuke by
their Lord and master.
Jesus admonished them TO undertake
nothing in their name, They were
10 absolutely depend upon him. Fol
when Christ was absent they were
weak. dead and unable to ill their mis-
sion.
Christ and his Apostles constituted
the Church Thus we have Christ in
the church, teaching the church and
constituting - hAe-giving power Of
the church The church could not.
aud cannot exist without Christ.
But it WIS not Chrlsfs purpose tc
always be present with his church in
his bodily form He came in his bodily
form temporarily, but especially to die
for his church
And. rs Christ approached his death
on the cross he led them to look for
and believe in his presence in The pow
er Of the Holy Sn.i.t.
After Christ's death, burial, resurrec-
ton and ascension to his mediatorial
throne. at the right hand of God. it
was still necessary that he be present.
As much as they needed his presence
while he was on earth, in equal meas
utc did they need his spiritual pres
ence after his ascension.
Hence the great need Of the church
is the presence and power of the Holy
Spirit.
When Christ, the great head of the
church, was about to take leave Of
them in his bodily form, he directed
them to look forward to the coming
Of his vicar" She Holy Spirit He
babe them 'Tarry We in the city of
Jerusalem until We be endowed with
power from on high" And when they
asked of him. saying. Lord. will thou
at this time restore again the kingdom
of Israel? he s&id unto them. or in
other words be pointed out unto them
the process by which the kingdom OF
Israel should be restored
He said unto them: "Ye shall re-
ceive power take it to mean this,
that they were to receive power to
restore the kingdom of Israel them
selves: or, Jesus will restore the king
dom of Israel, through them. by the
operation and filling Of the Holy
Spirit.
After the Holy Spirit has come
upon you" he viii. in my name. in my
stead, do it through you. The Holy
Spirit must do TIE work of Swing the
world. Therefore, we are in accord
with the opinion of Augustine and
Doctor y. J. Gordon in saying Pente-
cost was the birthday of the Shirt. .
These all praying are the same-"all
together for the same object
again they are the same, "all SLED
with Holy SpiritI
The inevitable consequences of
! these ''all' praying together for the
same object" and then being Fall fill
ed with Holy Spirit was the cause
of the mulitude being "pricked to the
heart" The Holy Spirit, in the church.
convinced the 5000 sous of sin, and
produced within them this prayer:
What are we to do?" And the same
Holy Spirit in Peter gave directions as
to their salvation. The answer came
as quick as a fash, by the spirit: RE
pent. ye! and be immersed each one of
81 If
the remission of your sins. and We
shall receive the free gift of the Holy
Spirit"
Now. the Holy Spirit, in the Apos-
ties. and others with them. worked
conviction of sin in the multitude, and
left them helpless and subject unto
them for further directions by the Holy
Spirit Therefore, they gladly wei
coined his word and were immersed;
and there were added, in that day,
about 5000 souls.'
Now, it appears to us, clearly. visi-
bly, and in most striking manner.
that if we ever hope to continue the
great work of saving the world. as
commenced in the church. by Christ
and his Apostles, We must be filed
with the Holy Spirit.
o, for the Christ-flled personality of
each believer. There must be in each
one of US a passion for souls like
Christ Let us follow the example of
the Apostles and pray perseveringly
until we are "all filed with the Holy
Spirit" and the great need CT the
church will be supplied.