Arizona republican., 1916-01-01

seems To have suggested to the dis
 cipleS the restoration of Israel so they asl- Jesus if He is about to restore the kingdom to Israel. His answer implies that the kingdom is some time to be restored to Israel (cf. Isa. I: 25-27; g.:
 :: Jer. g: }. 6; 33: 15-26: Elk 36 ::
 23-2S; @7: 24-2S: Hos. 3: i. ,: Joel 3:
 16-21; Amos 9: 11-I5l, but in the most r emphatic way He tells them that God
 has reserved the knowledge of times and seasons to Himself (cf Mat. A: 36; Mk. I3: 22). When they should re- ceive the kingdom. He does not dis close; when they should receive power.
 He does disclose Cv 3D. this power would be theirs when the Holy Ghost had come upon them. They would not have power until then. How foolish then for us to try to work for Christ until we have sought and obtained the baptism with the Holy Spirit The power Of the Holy Spirit was not merely for the purpose of making them happy, but primarily for the purpose of making them useful. witnesses" (cf. 9: I: 1. SIP. 2I. 33; ;: 32: 2: 17. 2O). They were to Eegin their witnessing right where they were when the Holy Ghost was received. 'in Jeru- salem. and they were then to go on and on. unto the uttermost part of the earth" A true reception of the Holy Spirit by the Church means worldwide missions As this was His parting message to us how we ought to ponder it. He had lifted His hands to bless them as He finished the mes sage Gu. 24: %. 5D. and He went up with His hands stretched out in bene- diction and He has been blessing us ever since. His ascension was not merely theological theory. but a historic fact which they themselves saw clearly. They saw Him until the cloud, the Shekinah glory. took Him out of their sight Ccf Ex. 19: 9. 34: ,: Isa. 19: 1; Ps. 104: 9. He asCended in order Ito appear in the presence of God in our behalf and to prepare place for us.' CHcb. 9: 24: Jno. fl: ?. His presence there makes us eternally se- cure (Rom. s: B: Heb. :: 25). and His presence there now guarantees our presence there hereafter (Jno. F: 26: 14: 3; Rev. 9: 2D.
 III. The Returning Christ. To- II. They strained their eyes to get another glimpse of Him, and then stood there g2zing. Two men in white" Ccf Mk 1G: ,; Lu- A: I, g; Jno. 20: F; Ac 10: }, 30) stood by them. These angels were practical, Why stand ye looking into heaven?' they ask. There are times when il is right to look up stead fastly into heaven (ch. [: 55) but there are times when duty calls to the earth ward look. The right thing for the disciples to do just now was to do just what Ln bidHa1, ( The two in white gave a glorious promise to cheer the disciples and make it easy for them to live without fear, viz. Jesus was coming back again Not anotFer Jesus but This Jesus" which was taken up from them. Re was to come back just as He went up from them, He was to come back just as He went. personally and visibIy Cthe Greek IS very emphatic and cannot be honestly reasoned away). and as He was received up in a cloud. He is com ing in the clouds. This coming again of our Lord is the great hope of the Church during Eis absence CTft ?: IS)
 " The Obedient Disciples 12-14 The disciples had been bidden to tarrv at Jerusalem. not to depart" but to wait for the promise of the Father. They obeyed. This baptism was to be such a distinct operation of the Holy Spirit that they would know when they had received it and when therefore the time had come to depart. They spent their days of waiting not in listless- ness but in prayer ~. 14). Their prayer was earnest persistent, united. and as we shall see in the next lesson. answered.