The Elbert County tribune., 1919-04-25

u : IT
GOLDEN TENTH ye then. being evil.
know how to give good gifts unto your
children. how much more shall your
heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to
them that ask him?-Luke 11:i6
DEVOTIONAL READING-Romans So
IT. Is. %.
PRIMARY ToPIc-A Helper at all
Times.
JUNIOR ToPIc-our Unseen Teacher
and Helper
INTERMEDIARY ToPIc-rhe Fruits of
the Spirit.-Gal. 5:z2-26
SENIOR AND ADULT TOPIC-whAt
the Holy Spirit Does for U.s.
I. The Holy Spirit Promised (John
16:7-15).
1. Who he Is He Is a divine per-
sonality, one in nature with the Fa-
ther and the Son.
2. What Is his mission? wv. 7-15).
"a The Christians comforter. ".
y. The Holy Spirit Is Christ's rep
resentative who stands by the side
of the believer to strengthen, en-
courage, defend from the enemy and
plead his cause before God the Father.
Jesus knew and told the disciples Of
the bitter prosecutions which awaited
them as soon as he had taken his de-
parture. What blessed privilege to
have the Holy Spirit in and upon us
to give wisdom to discern Gods will,
and power to overcome temptationl
(2) The worlds judge wv. S-11).
Victory is to be achieved by the Spirit
working in and through the disciples.
(a) He will convict the world of sin
". 81. The root of all sin is unbelief
In Christ ". 9). This unbelief is not
primarily intellectual, but moral. 1t
is an unwillingness to surrender to
the divine Will (John 3:1S 19). The
way the Holy Spirit convicts the world
is through the testimony of those who
are filled with him. (b) He will con-
Wet the world of righteousness ". 81.
This is done through the resurrection
and ascension of Christ ". 10). His
coming forth from the grave and as
cension into heaven was an indisputa-
'nle proof that he was what he claimed
y be. He is thus shown to be the
righteous one whose merit may be ap-
proprlated by faith in him. This is
ever the way of salvation-conviction
of sin and appropriation of the right
eousness of Christ. (c) He will con-
vict the world of judgment TO come ".
81. Christ told of judgment to come.
The guarantee of this judgment is
that Satan, the prince of the world.
was Judged at the cross. ". IL; CT.
John u :3D.
(3) The Christians guide into all
truth wv. -, 13). The Bible is spir-
itual book. therefore if one would
know its meaning he must have the
Holy Spirit Il Cor. 2:14).
az He glorifies Christ wv. IA. 15).
He does not speak of himself, but in
all things reveals Christ The only
way to know the glory OF the Son of
God is to have the Holy Spirit make 1t
known. He reveals all the divine
riches and grace that are In Christ.
He makes real unto them the person
and work of Christ
II. The Holy Spirit Given (Acts
2:1-1s).
1. Time-Pentecost (v. ~. This
was fifty days after the Passover Sab
bath Gev. % :15).
2. The marks of the Spirit wv. 2-4).
These are external and internal:
(I External. (a) Sound of
mighty wind: no wind. but merely the
SOUND of wind. For this sound to be
heard in the early morn attracted at
tention and caused the people to gath
er. The reference to wind suggests
the all-pervasive life-giving influence
of the Spirit. (b) Tongues of flame.
Each of the disciples was crowned
with such tongue. The tongues In
dicate the practical possession of the
Spirits gifts, and the fire the purify
ing energy which removes the dross,
thus making effective the testimony.
(c) Speaking in foreign tongues. For
these humble Galileans thus to speak
caused great amazement
(2) Internal. This is seen in the
transformation wrought In the dis
ciples. Instead of covering before a
Jewish maid, Peter now boldly stood
before the chief rulers of the city and
declared them to be guilty of murder
ing the Son of God.
3. The effect wv. 5-13). "a The
multitude assembled in amazement
and confusion. They heard the gospel
in their native tongues and inquired
Its meaning. (2) Some Knocked and
foolishly attempted to account for this
remarkable occurrence by accusing the
disciples of being drunk.
A. Fu.fllment of prophecy wv. IA
1S). Wonderful things had occurred,
but Peter knew where to get an ex-
planatlon. He went to Gods Word
(Joel 2:2S. 29). God had predicted
just such marvellous occurrences to
T take place In the last days.