The Madison journal., 1914-12-19

S(JNlMS0|1II|
-. - . LESSON |. |
(By z. o. SELLERS I'll
sunday School Cons uirecto}
LESSON FOR DECEMBrA
THE ASCENSION

:, LESSON TEXT-Luke s4so-s,. A..
GOLDEN TEXT-He wa, ,,,,
.ota vioIn u received Him out OF tbei, I up
We have now reached ,h
son OF the present course IN uaal !,
or Christ, next Sunday be;ns s s.s
TO the review. The lessoD s, ue'o
nave selected the continuous ,c.o'|
OF this final earthly act q,
as given US by st. Luke, for M tba u
OF Acts is a continuance Of N. y
pei Of Luke (Acts In In.sm
thls Is really but one account y"
consider only that found in ths
!. The Proof Of the R.su,.... -
wv. 1-3. This book of The Ac,ss sI
continuation of what Jesus "bs...
do and gives us the record oi s"a sau
continued this work by means a, ~
whom he had chosen" (v N
lowing his resurrection he gave m
commandments through the ~
Spirit" viz. in the nova,
the Holy Spirit. A like honor y.
upon every believer to hear ana
obey the commands of Jesus give,
the power and demonstration NJ
Holy Spirit. The all-sufficieut M
Isee also Cor. 15:4-S) was that IL
had been seen for period a,
days. This is the many ipfalv
proofs During that time they
alone saw the risen Lord. but
Versed with him, ate with him. anil
communion with him. During
days Of communion he gave thet
commands as to the things copey
ing the kingdom OF God" This
tailed a burden that these commaj
be proclaimed in ever widening
cles to the utmost bounds of the e,I
Additional Experience.
u. The Promise Of the E,th
w. 4-8. The disciples were not to
gin the proclamation of their mess,
until they were fully equipped n,
they had received that all essept
preparation, the enduement Of
Holy Spirit. Here, again, the SCI
lures are to be fulfilled lisa. a
Joel 2:S. also Luke 24:49). That
days delay was not time lost, for u
spent in preparation is never N
lost. We must not suppose IN
men as not regenerate John 1911
1879. but as lacking an equipml
necessary for the successful executa
OF their important task. We as
levers cannot call him Lord exc
by the power of the Spirit Il {.
12:3), but We do not all have that
filling Of the Spirit which alone will |
able us to render effective servi
This is an additional experiences, [
one open to all who will honestly :
intelligently seek 1t (see Act 4
and other references). This
ence is (a) commanded, char. ~
to depart till, etc." (b) to be precA
by repentance" and (c) to carry v
1t authority, v. Z R. V. II does !
mean, either, temporal power nor 4
the prerogative Of a visible chu
and confined to an elect few. n
kingdom is a spiritual one. The n
gram of Jesus is Spirit-f1lled men to |
his witnesses, and to begin at
A true reception Of (
Holy Spirit means worldwide missi(
airy endeavor.
Presumptlve Ignorance.
~. The Present Place Of Jss
Wv. gil. Even yet the disciples fall
to grasp the idea of a spiritual HI
dom as evidenced by verse six
q most emphatic way he tells III
that 1t is not for them to know
times and seasons which the Fstl
hath set within his own power
thority, v. Z, r. W. Their power
not to be earthly, but spiritual ",
It is the height of presumptive Ign
ance for any one to set the date
our Lords return (Deut 2s:2
Jesus has given US explicit infor1
ion on this question Matt, A:s
and his parallels all warn
watch" While Jesus talk
his disciples concerning thu
ion of this new power and t<XI
where they were to begE to e,k<I
I. his feet were parted from the "a
md a cloud received him from u
sight as he ascended into heave
Luke 24:51; l Pet. 1922; see
Zen. 5:24 and Heb. 9:2S r. W.
parting benediction was an ad1urst
o a life of service not in their We
less. but in the blessed enduemY
" power. Yonder into heaven ne
zone to prepare a place for US lJo
.4:2, Heb. 9:24.) There he ever
,th to intercede for US (HeD. E1
His presence there makes us eI
tally secure (Rom. S:34, Heb. E1
His presence in the heavenlies ID
that we, too, shall one
,e with him" John 1925, Rev. z:s
iazing thus into the heavens, lo9
ng unto Jesus" two men In wn
aiment stood by and asked them
eason for their upward IoohI
there is a time for gazing upward
time to be going about the eAe
ion Of the Masters commands
h. 1850. Did they expect another
erview? II so the answer 10 tn
question is suggested in the wolds
he heavenly messengers. this 'es
which was received up from you ~
Ieaven, shall so come in like mann
O. ya hebold him going into heavey