The Dolores star., 1918-08-23
LESSON FOR AUGUST Is.
coMFHssiNo CHRIST.

4
(l1ay b ussd with nissseaary sppsica-
LESSON TExrs-Lsks is:s-is: Acts IA
GOLDEN rExr-Whosovsr shari con-
man also confess before he an0sSs %
0od.-Luke ia
DEVOTIONAL READIN0-Jamss 81
ADDITIONAL MArERIAI-P,.lms 10,
IA; Marx s:iD-1e: John l:Se-Ss: Acss A:lD-
%: Peter 3:lS
Z. impertanes ss csnsssslos chsssa
Luke II :s-12).
To confess Christ In not easy: ik has
never been easy. To do % means ex-
posure to ridicule. contempt and per
secution. Regardless Of its issue. tbs
true disciple will confess his Lord.
I. Christ will confess before the an
gels Of God those who confess him
before men ". 81. The true disciple
will not be ashamed to let all men
know that he knows. loves, and serves
Christ.
2. Christ will deny before the an
gels Of God those who deny him BE-
fore men ". o.. To deny Christ before
men may get one little Of human ap-
plause. but will surely bring one to
loss Of heaven and to the sufferings OF
hell forever.
8. A pernicious testimony Il unpar-
donable ". 1O). This testimony 10
the expression Of . heart utterly per-
verse. attributlnE the mighty works OF
the Holy Spirit as wrought BY Christ
to the devil Matt. 1882: Marx 3 I'D.
Tho unpardonable sin win only be com
mitted BY one whose heart II incufably
bad. one whose moral nature II % Vile
that he fails to discern between God
and the devil-a reprobate.
4. Divine aid given In testimony
wv. IL. 12). In the most trying hoar
the Holy Spirit will teach the disciples
what to say. and how to say II.
li-ovaIIheatIons fer cenfessin0
Christ (Acts l :1-11).
Christ remained with the Disciples
forty days after his resurrection to
prepare them for the important busi-
ness Of witnessing for him. He had Q
five-fold object: ..
I. To convince the disciples Of the
absolute certainty Of his resurrection
(vv. 2, 81. Before the disciples could
undertake the great work for which
they had been preparing. the question
Of Christ's resurrection must be set-
| tied beyond doubt. No one can preach
the gospel who does not have certainty
Of conviction touching the resurrec-
tion.
2. To instruct the disciples In
things pertaining to the kingdom OF
God wv. 3, 6, y. Their unwillingness
to hear Christ's instruction (John 10:
~. 13) before his passion shut out
much valuable information. 30 the Lord
tarries to supply this need. They had
! Q wrong idea a. to the kingdom being
restored. not ~ to fact. but a. to time.
Christ had again and again predicted
coming kingdom In harmony with
| the united testimony Of the prophets
Of Israel. They understood him Alright
AZ to the fact Of the kingdom, but tho
time Of its manifestation they failed to
grasp. The disciples should be de-
Tended against the reproach for having
a materinlistic conception. The king
dom Is still to come; the time Of its
coming Is known only to God.
3. To show the disciples that their
business was to witness for Christ to
| the uttermost parts II the earth (vv.
4. 8. 81 This witnessing was to be done
in the power Of the spirit, the result Of
which would be the formation Of q
new body. the church, called out from
the world In the time of the postpone
ment Of the kingdom.
4. To show the disciples the scope
of their missionary activity ". 81. This
| IL shown to be as wide us the world IT.
self. They were to begin at home and
carry the good news concerning Christ
Mission work begins Mt. home and ends
with the bounds Of the earth.
8. To show the disciples that Christ
will henceforth operate from heaven.
They were to work on the earth. but
the source OF their power was in heav-
en-. Though he is separated from tho
disciples II will not be forever, for he
will come again. He will come agnin
as the Goldman, our mediator. The
words Of the men in white apparel
have double Significance,
~ To show that Jesus viii come
again. y,
(2) To show that in the meantime
they should set to work In the dis
charge Of their commission, and not be
gazing up into heaven. The Lords In
struction 10 the disciples was. OCCUPY
till come" (Luke 10 :13).. Those who
have an intelligent hope touching the
coming of Christ are not sky-gazcrs.
but are deadly 10 earnest Witnessing
| for Christ.