Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1914-12-16
SUNDAY SCHOOL
LESSON FOR DEC. 20
BANNER FOR ITS MANY
READERS
ACCORDING TO THE
INTERNATIONAL SERIES
Commentary Prepared In An Inter-
esting Way by Rev. ID. NJ.
Stearns

We have the option this time OF the
regular lesson on the ascension. or
what IL called Christmas lesson on
the reign OF peace, from lisa. xi, Ito,
but as the ascension lesson includes
His return to set up His kingdom we
will take it and look at both. The time
when lisa. XII shall be literally fulfilled
cannot come during this age Of re-
jected Messiah and consequently
scattered Israel. but rs truly as He at
His first coming literally fulfilled all
that is written in lisa. Iii and else
where concerning His sufferings. so
shall He when He shall come again as
literally fulfll all that is written ev-
erywhere concerning His kingdom and
glory. Animals that now devour each
other shall live in peace togetl er. ma
tons shall learn war no more. for He
shall have smitten them and broken
them in pieces. and the earth shall he
full of the knowledge OF the Lord as
the waters cover the sea. for the rod
out of the stem of Jesse. who is also
the root OF Jesse; the son of David,
who is also David's Lord. shall sit on
David's throne and reign over the
house of Jacob. who will then be a ma
ton all righteous. according to Gabriel
and all the prophets. the neglect of
whom made the two with whom He
walked TO Emmaus TO be foolish men
duke xiv. %; /. 81. 80; Jer. iii. II:
lisa. tx. 9. Z; TX. 2D.
He who rose from the dead was In
deed the Son Of David. the long prom
Used king TO rule over Israel. which He
shall surely do at His return. and not
only Israel. but all nations (Mic. iv. g.
V, 2; Ps. Xxi. IL; Matt. /. /; Rev. xii
16; III Tim. ii. s: Rev. is; Ps. lxxxvi
o.. How wonderful the king and the
kingdom! Thy kingdom come. Christ
mas is almost without significance un
less it points us on to the coming again
of Him who was born in Bethlehem.
not i'm the winter season. but probably
in the springtine.
Turning TO the lesson in the Acts.
the former treatise referred to was the
gospel by Luke. wherein he as well
as Matthew and Mark i'm their gospels
set forth the things that Jesus began
to do and teach and which the Holy
Spirit through redeemed people has
ever since been doing and teaching and
will till the church is completed.
Notice that doing always goes before
teaching, for we cannot teach others
until we have lone the things our
selves. He continued To do and teach
al 4 IL 4
up. May we by the same Spirit he
faithful witnesses until taken out of
the body or taken up in the body TO be
ever with Him q TheSS ~. 1918; Phil
/, p. 81. We must not confuse these
two. but either will he glorious.
Notice how lie did all by the Holy
Spirit. And remember that from His
conception to His resurrection all was
by the Holy Spirit the same one con
corning whom He said. Eye shall re-
ceive the power of the Holy Ghost
coming upon you. and We shall be wit
nesses unto me" Verse 8. marginl. As
He showed Himself alive i'm His res
direction body He expects uS. in tn,
power o. His resurrection by the Holy
bodies that others may see Him and
not US.
He will manifest Himself i'm us If
we are fully yielded. Since He is more
willing to give the fullness of the Spirit
than parents are TO give good gifts
unto their children. what can hinder
us from being filed but our own I'M
willingness? Their question, Lord, wilt
thou at this time restore again the king
dom to Israeli" was in no sense a fool
ish question, for the prophets are full
OF such restoration. and the heaven
has received Him only until the times
of restitution of all things which God
hath spoken by the mouth of all His
holy prophets since the world began
(Acts iii. 21l. Our Lord did not re-
prove them for asking the question.
nor did He say that they were carnal
in looking for such a kindom or that
they misunderstood the nature OF the
kingdom. He simply said to them, and
He says to us, that we are not to know
the time, and elsewhere He said that
1t will be in such an hour as we think
not. But His great desire for us is
that we shall be. I'm the power of His
Spirit, His faithful witnesses to His
death and resurrection and present
ministry and coming again.
He led them out as far as to Beth
any. and while He blessed them with
uplifted hands He was parted from
them. carried up into heaven and sat
on the right hand Of God Verse o:
Luke xiv. 80. 81; Mark xvi. 49, As
they looked steadfastly toward heaven
two men in white apparel said. This
same Jesus shall SO come in like
manner as We have seen Him 90 into
heaven" Then they returned TO Jeru-
salem with great joy and were con
tinually praising and blessing God
Verse II Luke xiv. 81 Let us nod
fast the very words about this same
Jesus" and II we believe them as they
did Wa will no affected nc thaV wpra IN