The Winslow mail., 1923-11-30
LESSON FOR DECEMBER 2
THE POWER OF THE EARLY
CHURCH

LESSON TEXT-Acts 2:1-4; 37-42.
GOLDEN TEXT-"Whosoever shall
call upon the name of the Lord shall
| be saved."-Acts 2:21.
PRIMARY TOPIC - Peter Telling
| About Jesus.
JUNIOR TOPIC-Three Thousand
| Converted in One Day.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOP
| IC-A Brave Preacher and a Great
Revival.
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 watchword 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" (Zechs 4:6.) The mightiest
forces in the world are spiritual.
|. The Coming of the Spirit (Acts
2:1-4.
1. Time OF ". u. It was on the
day of Pentecost. DAY of Pentecost"
means the feast which was held fifty
days after the wave sheaf was Of
fered Oev. % 1870. 1t was OBJ
served by presenting two loaves made
of the new wheat Nev. % 10. These
loaves were baked, with leaven, while
leaven was excluded from the Pass
over feast Lev. 23:6). The reason
was that the Passover feast typified
Christ's sacrifice, while Pentecost rep
resented the church, composed of Jews
and Gentiles-the two loaves. Christ
had no sin in Him while the men and
women composing the church have sin
in them.
The feast of Pentecost in a fgura-
tive sense still continues, for the body
of Christ is not yet complete. Pente-
cost was a most fitting time for the
coming of the Spirit.
2. Upon Whom the Spirit Came ".
1; CT. 1879.
The twelve end others to the num-
Der of 12O. The coming of the Spirit
was not merely for the twelve but for
all believers-members of the body of
Christ. They were in lone place, with
one accord" waiting for the fulfill
ment of Fathers promise" (Luke
"a :49). With a group of believers thus
with eyes fixed upon Christ in expecta-
tion of the fulfillment of Ills 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
/. External.
ID The Sound of a 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
120 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.
90 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 a Jewish maid, now
with lion boldness stood before the
thousands of Jerusalem and a little
later before the chief rulers Of the
city and declared that they had MUIR
dered their King
III. The Converting Power of the
Holy Spirit (Acts 2 :37-42).
Many people were convicted of their
sins-about three thousand repented
and were baptized. This revival was
real because:
1. 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.
2. They continued in fellowship with
the apostles. The surest way to grow
is to keep in fellowship with Chris
tians. Death is sure to follow the
neglect of the fellowship Of the
brethren in Christ.
3. In using the means Gf grace, "In
the breaking of bread" God has in
stituted ordinances in His house and
those who are genuinely converted
will avail themselves of their use.
4. In prayer the apostolic church
was a praying church. The Christian
life cannot be lived without prayer.
Good Deeds.