The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1910-05-19
PASTOR RUSSELL'S
DISCOURSE ON
PENTECOSTAL
BLESSINGS
GREAT WHITSUNTlDE SERMON
Al ALBERT MEMORIAL
Hall


full sonshlp and joint -heirship with
Christ, until first their sins had been
cancelled Then they could be accept
ed In Christ on the terms which the
Father has appointed
Those very disciples who received
the blessing In the upper room on Pen
tecost. had forsaken sin. had become
Jesus disciples. had made full conse-
Grafton Of all their earthly hopes aud in
terests. had been accepted by the Lord
Jesus, and he had put his Spirit upon
them. enabling them to do many mighty
works IN his name However IL was
one thing to do mighty works through
his spirit or power, and another mat.
ter to possess that spirit Inherently
to act directly as agents of Divine ia.
vor Instead OF Indirectly. II is In har.
mony with this thought that we read
that after our Lord breathed upon
them the holy Spirit. symbolcnlly i'm
parting his Spirit. aud commissioning
them as his representatives To preach
the Gospel. he told them. nevert heless.
to tarry at Jerusalem until they were
endued with power the holy Spirit
until the Father should recognize them
directly as his ministers aud ambassa
lors.
From the standpoint OF Divine JUS
tice. the Apostles aud believers were
still under the sentence of death as
sinners at the time of our Lords death.
at the time of his resurrection, at the
time of his ascension. Then he said
to them. 1T is eXpedient for you that |
go away. for If go not away. the
Comforter will not come unto you"
John xvi, u. After the forty days.
invisibly present with his disciples.
except on few occasions for few
moments each. our Lord ascended. and
after ten days the holy Spirit from
the Father came upon the waiting
household of faith. II evidenced to
them the fact that their sins had been
forgiven for Christ's sake. that they
were justified freely from all things
through his sacrifice. and that their
conservation to sacrifice themselves
had been accepted of the Father. and
that heDceforth they might count
themselves as ''joint-sacrticers with
Christ" members of his Body" men,
bers OF "the Church of the First born.
whose names are written Ia heaven"
members OF the "Seed OF Abra ham,
Galatians Iii. 29I.
Keys Of the Kingdom.
The Master In speaking to st. Peter
assured him that to him were commit
ted the Keys OF the Kingdom OF Heav-
en-, which slgnlhed that the way into
the Kingdom at that time had not yet
been opened. and that Peter would be
honored by being the Lords servant
to do the opening work. There were
two of these keys" and therefore
there were two opening works to be
accomplished.
The Church. under Christ her Lord,
is Gods kingdom. not yet set up or es-
tablished ''in power aud great glory
not yet finished or inaugurated. The
work of this Gospel Age is to "cal'
or invite such as have hearing ear to
become joint-heirs In this Kingdom.
for which he taught us to pray. Thy
|
earth as IL Is done In heaven" SO
many as genuinely accept this heav-
enly calling this high calling" to glo-
ry, honor. and immortality. are proba-
tionary members Of the Kingdom of
Heaven. Such are Scripturally ex-
horted to continue faithful to their
vows of consecration. and thus make
their calling and election sure to q
place In this glorious Kingdom. which
will be lnaugurated at the second COM
ing Of Christ. But the Lord instructs
all saying. "Sit down first and count
the cost Uuke xiv. 2S); "but If any
man draw back. my soul shall have no
pleasure In him" (Hebrews x. 3SI
All who are thus spirit-begotten (by
the holy Spirit. John |. 13, during this
age are promised spirit birth, to
spirit-being In the resurrection. We
read. 1T Is sown In corruption; It Is
raised In interruption: 1t Is sown II
dishonor; II Is raised In glory: 1t Is
sown In weakness; 1t Is raised In pow
er: II Is sown an animal body; 1t Is
raised spiritual body. For this
l say, brethren, that flesh and blood
cannot inherit the Kingdom OF God;
neither doth corruption inherit incor-
ruption" Il Corinthians XIV. 42-44, 50).
The entire period between the first ad-
vent and the second advent OF oar Re-
deemer is set apart In the Divine Pro
gram for this great work of selecting
from amongst men the little fock."
such as shall be counted worthy of
these honors on the spirit plane. and
the privilege of participating with Mes
slab In his great work of the next age.
To the Jew First.
Only Jews received the Pentecostal
blessing. The Gentiles were excluded
for three and a half years thereafter,
In harmony with a Divine promise
made to the Jewish nation. Then came
the time for similar privilege to be
extended to the Gentiles, and the rec
ord informs US that Cornelius was
the first Gentle TO be received into
| l.tl In Ia