Mexico Missouri message., 1908-12-31
ASCENSIONOF
OUR LORD
suadsy sehesl Lessen fer Iaa. ,, Ieos
spseially Arranged for rnis Rapsr

unlEHlnsu IrHnuHllH
LESSON TExT.-Aets I;l-M Memory
GOLDEN TExT.-"And e came 70
pass while he blessed them. he was part
ed from them, and carried into heaven"
Luke N:5i.
TIME.-The spring Of A. ID. 90 The
Ascension. May Is. The ten days walt
ing. May is-2S.
PLACE.-The Ascension was from OIL
vet. near Bethany. The meeting place
OF the Disciples was in the upper room In
Jerusalem.
PLACE IN HIsToRY.-rhe close OF the
earthly life OF Jesus Christ. The birth
OF the Christian religion.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
The life OF Jesus on earth. including
az What he was; CD What he did;
(3) What he taught; was an essential
condition Of all his power during the
centuries of Christianity.
II made him real being to uS,
while unseen on earth.
II illustrates his teachings for all
ages.
II was a perpetual ideal, by which
20 test all we are and do and teach.
II Is in itself a supreme power to
influence character.
nlustrations.--I know of no dlscor.
dant note among educators In the tes-
timony that The greatest thing a
teacher ever brings to a child ia not
the subject matter, but the uplift
which comes from heart contact with
great personality"
President Charles F. Thwing records
the results Of "a very interesting
study OF so representative men to
questions involving the best thing coll
lege does for a man." The entire drift
OF the testimony was that the most
these men got from college was inspi-
ration from life contact with great
leaders.
mo nobler feeling" says Carlyle.
than admiration for one higher than
himself dwells in the breast OF man.
II is to this hour, and AZ all hours, the
vivifying influence in mans life"
The promise of the Father was the
special. overlooking gift OF the Holy
Spirit. as we learn from verses
and s. and the fulfillment OF the
promise in the next chapter The Fa.
Their had promised this gift through
Joel (2:2S, 29) as shown in Acts q:
II. IS; through Isaiah (32:15; 44:3):
Haggai (2:5); Zechariah (4:6; 1910.
1870.
The promise is called The Promise
for II really includes all the promises
OF the coming OF the kingdom of God
The disciples we're the instrumen
tally used by the Great Leader. God
works not only directly on the hearts
OF men, but through his people on
other men. God In men is the power
through which the kingdom OF God has
80 far come. and is to come in is
fullness. "The agencies he employs
must, by their very nature, be the
Divine Spirit and the human disciple
--Kirtley. The achievements OF the
apostles in the story of the Acts were
the account of what Jesus continued
TO do after his ascension. The author
OF "The Fifth Gospel" q. e.. Saint
Paul's gospel as recorded in his epis
ties. many Of them written before this
first Of our four gospels,) shows thai
the apostles not only preached the fact
OF Jesus life. but the significance o.
the life which Jesus continued Il
teach them through their own ex
perience guided and inspired by the
Holy Spirit.
1. They had their ideal In the prom
Use OF the Father.
2. They were imbued with power b!
the Holy Spirit.
3. They we're changed, transformed
by the Holy Spirit. into new mel
fitted TO carry on the work of Christ
4. They knew 4he facts about Christ
and they experienced his presence ant
his teachings, so that they could b
witnesses to the whole world.
II was at this time, doubtless. tina
the great change came over his bod
described In Cor. 1888. For sue
change is signified by his appear
ance rs John saw him (Rev. 1:12-16)
The Importance of the Ascension
1. II ls the one fitting ending 10 th
earthly life of Jesus. Coming frof
the Father he returns to the Father.
2. The last view OF Jesus is not O
the cross, but going homo in glory.
3. II kept before the disciples III
fact that he is their ever living Saviour
We do not worship anG serve an
trust a dead ssvious. but one who /
alive foreyarmore.
4. He IAN rule and guide his peopl
Infinitely better there than on an
earthly place. where but few coul
come into his near presence.
s. II places Jesus before all men a
their ideal.
s. 1T enables US 20 realize his d
vinIty. without losing his humanity"
z. II gives ~ the true idea OF n
Kingdom as a spiritual kingdom {
righteousness.
j, 8. The doctrine OF the ascension
with its hope Of future glory, with 4
, transngured son Of man mot son
Jew or Greek, but OF mani on a
! throne, adds now dignity to life" 4,