The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1909-11-05
PEOPLES PULPIT.
Grieving the Spirit.
Text, "Grieve Not the Holy
Spirit Of God, by Which You
Were Sealed Unto the Day Of
Deliverance" (Ephesians iv, BOY.

ancc. But his wisdom determines that
the lesson of the sinfulnpss Of sin and
the bitterness of It's fruit must first he
thoroughly learned Then the deliver
ancc to righteousness and life may be
the better appreciated and all danger
OF rpvCrsiOn TO sin be avoided. ara
an eternity OF righteousness and bless.
inc result.
Preparation for this great program
has not been swift, nor Is haste ncccS-
snrv. The lesson OF sin and its bitter
frultagp has come to the world during
SIX thousand years. though no single
member or the race needed or received
so prolonged lesson. The first step
Of recovery was accomplished by orr
Rcdcrmrr's sacrifice of himself The
second step has been In process since
Pcntccost Uhe calling and accepting
OF the antitypiral Levites, specially
amongst these Of the antitypical priest
hood who now rrioicingly suffer with
the Er"nt High Priest. They lay down
| their lives In his service. under the
| promise that In the First Resurrection
they shall be with their Redcemcr and
share his glory and. as n royal priest
| hood" under him. rule. instruct and
every way assist In uplifting the
"grOaniug creation" during the Milcn.
nial Kn"dom of the great Mediator,
whose members they,will ~. This step
! In the Divine rlan is spoken of in the
Scriptures as "1'ip Mystery of Cod"
that the Church now being selected are
"mcmberS' of The Christ. AS soon as
this "mysterv hidden from ages" shall
he completed and the Church be glori-
fed. with her Lord. then our prayer
and the prayer of our Rpdermer will
Begin to have futillmcnt-"'Th King
dom come: thy will be done on earth
as ii is done in heaven"
Not all who have named the name of
! Christ: not all who have turned away
from sin: not all who have made full
conservation of themselves even will
attain to the glorious things which
God hath in reservation for them that
love him" Only such of the conSe-
Grated as learn in the School Of Christ
the great lesson of supreme love to
God and heart obedience to his will
Outward obedience also to the extent
of ability only these will he accounted
worthy to share In the Kingdom. 1t
is these that are mentioned in our text
as sealed by the holy Spirit of prom
Use and waiting for the resurrection
morning. the delivcrancP day. the day
of attainment to the glorious things
which God has in reservation for the
faithful. AS loving parent watches
the progress of his child in school. so
the Heavenly Father is interested In
our progress, aud DESTROYS that we
e shall make our calling and our election
sure to the heavenly GlOries. Lence
he pictures himself us pleased with our
progress and as griCrcd when we fail &c
learn the necessary lessons. He has
promised us Il place with our Lord In
his Millcnnial Kingdom Throne, but
the promise is conditional one OuI
Redeemer expresses it thus: TO him
that overcomCth will | grant to sill
with me in my Throne" Thus we get
l glimpse OF Gods special interest il
each Of his consecrated. spirit begotter
: children. They have his love and favO
and smile in proportion as they follow
the Redremer's footsteps. A failure
to walk In this way grieves the Lord
spirit or tigurat'vely brings his frowr
!, instead of his smile and tends to sep
arate us from his love.
} The child of God should seek to evel
| live in the sunshine of the Heavenly
Fathers favor. Whatever clouds arise
J. between such and their very hes'
. earthly friends will he light atliction'
9 indeed If they still abide In fellowship
' with the Heavenly Father and the Son
J, through the holy Spirit-the spirit o
f love. the spirit Of Truth. the spirit O
: obedience. the spirit of self sacrifice
p Indeed. If earthly friendships ant
Y earthly loves he entirely severed
. through faithfulness to the Lord. th'
( loyal one may reach the place where
y ! he can "reioice in trbuation also"
Sealed by the Holy Spirit.
j. A seal is an authoritative mark
e With signature a seal implies tina
J. the contract of the document Is M
J. longer open. no longer Il. mere pro
e poSal. but an accomplished finished
i agreement or bargain. In oIden times
:, seals were usually impressed In way
Wnlle IL WIS Ntl SOU we StHl ltSel
represented coat of arms or some
: thing representing the personality o
$ the one who used it. The preSsur
$ upon the soft wax was gradually In
e creased and then held firmly until thu
/ wax had cooled. hardened. and permit
G ted the removal of the seal. withou
n injury to the impress which then wa
= clearly revealed. This is the menta
r picture which our text brings before
= our minds. God our Creator. our Fa
3 Their. imprcsSes upon our willing heart
: by his holy Spirit his own characte
Il likeness, which Is specially eXemplifeC
l. for us in the words and dOings of on
Rcdeemor and the apostles who walk
J. cd in his steps Of devotion to God ant
= to Righteousness and In self sacrifice 4
= the interest of others.
G What a beautiful picture our tex
s then gives w Of the holy Spirits opera
@ ton upon our hearts, sealing us, mark
o Ing us. continually deepening the in
r preston. eventually transforming uS
| Al,