The Dolores star., 1923-11-30
IMPROVED UNIFORM INTERNATIONAL
SuqndaySchoeel q
' Lesson '
Qsy REV. p. b. FITZWATEf. u. ".
Teacher of English Bible In the MoooS
Bible Institute of Chicago)
10 rs., Western S~vrpsp-r tfnior'
LESSON FOR DECEMBER 2
THE POWER OF THE EARLY
CHURCH

LESSON TEXT-Acts 2:1-i: 37-i2.
GOLDEN TEXT-'Nhosoever shall
call upon the name of the Lord shall
be ed."-Acts 2;Zl.
PRIMARY TOPIC - Peter Telling
About Jesus.
JUNIOR TOPIC-Three Thousahd
Converted in one Day.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOP
IC-A Brave Preacher and a Great
Revival. -, .,,s.,,,,,
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
The Source of Missionary Power.
The power of the early church was
the Holy Spirit. This same Spirit has
been the power of the church In all
ages, The wntchwOrd OF Gods might
lest men throughout the centuries has
been, Not by might nor by power
but by my spirit saith the Lord OF
Hosts" Czech. 4:G) The mighuest
forces in tie world are spiritual.
|. The Coming Of the Spirit (Acts
2:1-4.
l. Time or ". u. 1t was on the
day of PenteCOst. DAY of Pentecost'
means the feast which was held nifty
days after the wave sheaf was Of
fered OLev. % 1910. 1t was OBJ
served by presenting two loaves made
of the new wheat ULev. y 10. These
loaves were baked with leaven, while
Ieayen was excluded from the Pass
over feast (Lcv. - 80. The reason
was that the Passover feast typified
Christ's sacrince, while Pentecost rep
resented the church, composed of Jews
and Gentiles-the two lOayes. Christ
had no sin in Him while the men and
women composing the church have sin
in them.
The feast of Pentecost in a iigura-
tive sense still continues, for the body
of Christ is not yet complete. Pente-
cost was IL most fitting time for the
coming OF the Spirit.
.. Upon Whom the Spirit Came ".
|; cf. :l3-l5).
The twelve md others to the num-
ber of 120. The coming Of the Spirit
was not merely for the twelve but for
all belIevers-members of the body of
Christ. They were In ''one place, with
one accord" waiting for the fulfill
ment of Fathers promise" 0uke
- :49). With a group of believers thus
with eyes fixed upon Christ in eXpecta-
ton of the fulfillment of his promises.
wonderful blessings are sure to come.
If the church would be with one ac-
cord in one place wonderful blessings
would come still.
II. The Marks Of the Spirit wv. 2-4.)
These marks were external and in
ternal.
l. External.
% The Sound of Mighty Wind.
There was no wind-only the sound
thereof. This suggests the all-pervasive
life-giving influence of the Holy Spirit.
(2) Tongues of Flame. Each of the
12O was crowned with such tongue.
The tongues show the practical pur-
pose of the Spirits gifts. and the fire
indicates His purifying energy. purg-
ing the dross and making fit witnesses
for Him
(3) Speaking in Foreign Tongues.
For these humble Galileans to thus
speak caused great amazement.
2. Internal
This is seen in the transformation
wrought in the disciples. They have
great courage and self-possession.
Peter, who a little while before was
covering before Jewish maid, now
with lion bOldnesS stood before the
thousands of Jerusalem and q little
later before the chief rulers OF the
city and declared that they had mur-
dered their King.
III. The Converting Power of tho
Holy Spirit tActs 2:37-42). =
Many people were convicted of their
slns-about three thousand repented
and were baptized. This revival was
real because:
l. They continued steadfast in the
apostles teaching. They did not grow
cold or run after every fad that came
along. This is the real test of con-
version.
:. They continued in fellowship with
the apostles. The surest way to grow
Is to Keep in fellowship with Chris
tlhns. Death is sure to follow the
neglect of the fellowship of the
brethren in Christ.
.. In using the means of grace, "In
the breaking of bread" God has In
stltuted ordinances in His house and
those who are genuinely converted
VIII avail themselves of their use.
=. In prayer the apostolic church
was a praying church. The Christian
ihe cannot be lived without prayer.