The Montgomery tribune., 1908-05-08
Mission of the
Holy Spirit
Sunday School Lesson for May 10, 1908
Specially Prepared for This Faper


ther. and he shall give you another Com |
forter. that he< may abide with you for !
ever. "-John/1l1G
SCRIPTURAL REFERENCES. The |
Holy Trinity: Matt. 2Si9; Luke 1895; John |
20:22; Acts 5;S2; Cor. 1874; Eph. 2:lS. |
20; John 5:6-S; Rev. 22:l7. Names of the
Holy Spirit: John 1926; Rom. S:9 Gal.
46; Thes. AS; Heb s:14; 1929; Pet. !:
IL. 12: 4:h; Rev. AS. The Holy Spirit in
the old Testament: Gen. 1:2; 6:3; Ex.
3l:1-3; Mum. 27:lS: Judg. 6:A; Neh. 9:?o,
30: Job. 1884: Psa. 61:11, ~: 1sa. 32:l5,
4O:13; A:3; Ezek. l15, "a: Joel 2:2S Mic.
2:7 Zech 4:6; 1910. Sins Against the
Holy Spirit: Matt l23l. 32 Mark 1923. 20;
Acts 5:S. 4; ISL; slS-2o; Eph. 4:3o; Thes
5;l9; Heb. 1923. The Holy Spirit and
Prayer: zech. 1a:1o; Luke 1l:l3; Acts 4:3l
Rom. S:26, 27: Eph. 2lS; 6:lS; Jude 20. The
Teacher and Transformer: Luke 12:l2
John 3:5-S; 14:26; 1913, IA; Acts "a, IS; S:?9
80; Rom. So. II. H. 10: Cor. ga. 9-14;
8:l6: 12:4-1l: Cor. 3:17, IS: Gal. 5:l6-25.
Pet 1;2l; Rev. 2:7. The Comforter:
John 14:16, II; 1877; Acts 93l; Rom. 14:1';
1913, 30 Gal 6S; Eph. 3l4-lG; 4:3; 5:1S.
TlME-Thursday evening. April G, A.
d. 30. ..,,... ....,,.-.
PLACE.-.The uDper room In Jerusalem.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
This lesson, which follows immedi-
ately upon last Sundays, being another
portion Of our Lords last discourse
to his disciples, is one Of great and 2,
unique Importance. "The promise Of
the Holy Spirit" says Maurice, ''is
the characteristical one of thesei pas
chal conversations; 1t Is that which
distinguishes them from our Lords
diseourses to the multitude" This
was a promise to the disciples alone,
for the world outside John .14.171
could not receive the Comforter, theit
hearts not being prepared for him.
1t was promise precisely suited to
thel need Of the disciples, in view OF
the coming separation from their Lord.
1t taught them that there was to be
no separation, but that Christ, In his
Holy Spirit, would still be with them
Therefore 1T is a promise suited TO
the need OF Christians of all ages.
who long for present guide, comfort.
er. 'ahd upholder. The Holy Spirit is
Christs successor among men; and
therefore what can be more important
forf Christ's followers than to know
ldrh. love him, and obey him? Our
Lord disclosed him under FIVE aspects:
l. The Holy Spirit q witness to
Christ Tvs. 26, 27.)
IL. The Holy Spirit comforter IN
trial Tvs 10.
III. The Holy Spirit a Judge OF the
world Tvs. SID.
". The Holy Spirit a guide to
truth Tvs. 12-15).
V. The Joy and power of the spirits
reign Tvs. 1920.
Christ foretold what the spirit
would do in the world when he is
come. He was to do three htings:
l. "Reprove" Or. ". "convict') the
world Of Of. ". 'in respect orr sin.
"B} the world must be understood the
yet unbeieving part of mankind, so
denominated because it was far the
larger part, when these words were
spoken. as It still is."--AmeTicaa Com
mentary. The verb has double sense
''of convincing unto salvation. and a
convicting unto condemnation" Al
ford. The sin of the world is because
they believe not on" Christ ". 9)
1T Is notable proof OF Christ's d.
vinity that he. the meek and lowly.
should select this unbelief in himself
as "the only sin worth mentioning.
Yet. indeed, 1t is the root of all other
sins whatsoever. 1t Is the reigning
as well as the damning sin Of the
world. Whitefeld. 1.-THE es-
sence of sin is living to self. Belief
In Christ is the surrender of self
Alexander Maclaren, d. d. AS belief
of Christ Is the beginning of all good
for man. disbelief of him Is the begin.
ming Of all evil.
2. The Holy Spirit would also con.
vict the world in respect "of righteous
ness. because l go to my Father"
The first step in the spirits work is
conviction Of sin; the second is the
exhibition Of righteousness. "The
Ss of Christ on earth as the pattern
for all mankind being completed, the
spirit makes known to man the ma.
ture of that life, and thus shows what
the nature of righteousness is."--
Cambridge Bible.
g. The Holy Spirit would also con.
vict the world in respect "of judgment,
because the prince of this world is
(R. ". hath been") judged" "The
prince Of this world" (see John 70:
81; 14:30) is Satan, the ruler of oil
such forces of evil as Judas had now
become. Jesus knew that there was
personal devil. That settles it,
Deems. However ludricous vulgar
superstitions may have made the no.
tion, there Is nothing ridiculous, nor
anything which we have the right to
call incredible, in Christ's solemn,
declaration that the kingdom Of dark
ness has a king" Mac
laren, D. d.
The judgment that the Holy Spirit
gives is not only a condemnation and
casting out of Satan, but 1t is an en-
lightenment of the. righteous, so that
they can form a just judgment regard
ing the works of the devil.
The spirit will guide us into all