The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-12-31

those intervening days Of waiting for
the endowment with power they alone
knew the gospel and men were perish.
ing, which gives point to the necessity
of receiving the spirit before under.
taking the work Of witnessing.
u. Tho Promise Of tho Father, Wv.
90. Read carefully Joel 2:2s, Isa.
44:3, and compare with Luke 24:49,
and also the words Of the Baptizer,i
Luke 1915. ny To receive the Holy,
Spirit is an obligation upon all, they.
were Charged not to depart from Je.
rusalem" ". ~ tsee also Eph. 8: 1s).
(b) The reception is to be preceded
by repentance for sin, though the con.
fession Of sin and the acknowledgment
Of Christ as Savior Is only possible
through the spirit Il Cor. 1879. (c),
With the spirit comes power, author.
ity (v.D. This power is OF God, It is
spiritual, 1t is not temporal" nor Of
the church. The kingdom is q, spirit.
ual idea tLuke, 17:219 and the yice:re.
gent Of that kingdom Is the Holy
Spirit. e, The program Of Jesus 10
,"splrit-fllled men as witnesses" and
beginning at jerusalem" This prom.
Use of Jesus ". 81 suggested to the
disciples the restoration Of Israel to
its place among the nations and in his
reply he intimates that such is pos.
sibility (see 1sa. 1857, Eek. 1928.
%, Hosea. t3:4, s, Joel 1851, Amos
s:11-15), but In most emphatic man.
ner he tells them that Of that hour
God has reserved to himself the
knowledge Matt. 24:ss, Mark 1922.
When they were to receive the king.
dom he does not tell, but when they
should receive power he tells them
plainly, viz: when the spirit should
come upon them. The spirit Is not
for mere happiness or qualification,
but comes upon us for usefulness (see
Asp, 81, 3s, 5:32, 9:17, 2s) and that
beginning at home, In Jerusalem,
then to the ends of the earth. A spir.
TITLED Christian or church is q good
home missionary and foreign evangel.
list as we'll. Finishing his message, he
lifted his hands and in benediction he.
assembled on high. and this act has
ever since been continued. His ascen.
sion Is blessed historical fact, fully
,attested and deeply significant. He as.
cended to lead captivity captive, to
appear In Gods presence for us in our
behalf and to prepare a place for US
that where he Is we may be also
tHeb. 1924, John 14:2). His presence
now on high guarantees our presence
there hereafter (John 1925, 1919,
Rev. .3:21).
III. The Present Place Of jesus. w.
ali. While he talked with his. disci.
pies ( he assembled even as Enoch
walked "and was mott (Gen. 5:24. Heb.
s:2S, lR.V.). The query must natural.
ly have arisen in their minds. when
shall we have another interview with
him?" As that question arose behold
two were near to answer ". 10) and
their answer was a practical one:
why stand looking into. heaven?"
There are times to gaze and times to
90. New is the time to be fulfilling
his command wv. 4. 12) and not to
be lost In wonder and speculation. But
to cheer their hearts these men IN
white gave them, and US, a wonderful
promise, viz, Jesus is coming back,
visibly, personally tthe words of the
original text are very plain and posi-.
tive) and, as he was received in the
clouds, he will come IN a cloud.
This promise is and has always been
the great hope Of the church tTitua
2:18). .st
Nv. Tho Place Of Prayer, w. t2.1A
The disciples were hidden to tarTy, TO
tarry at a specified place. Jerusalem,
and to tarry at a specified place for a
particular purpose, viz, "pow err" They
obeyed. The empowering blessing. can
only be received through obedience
tActs 5:32). The time Of waiting was
not IDLY nor listlessly passed, for II
was spent in prayer.
Jesus Is yet. and shall ever more, be
doing and teaching for and through
those who, love him, who look for his
glorious appearing.
Next Sundays lesson Is the record
Of the answer to their prayer.
i 4 49, d A. 4 = . q. a. o. .