The times-news., 1938-04-16

ter Sunday, April II.
Scripture: Acts 2: 22-36.
Golden Text: This Jesus hath
God raised up, whereof we all are
witnesscs.-Acts 2:32. .
Ten days after the ascension OF
Jesus the Holy Spirit descended
on the day of Pentccost which
was a week of weeks after Pass.
over and celebrated the giving OF
the Law at Sinai. He came upon
the disciples who for ten days
had been holding prayer meetings,
probably in the sacred Upper
Room, and were patiently waiting
for the promised Spirit to come.
! His sudden coming was with the
sound off a hurricane without the
sweep of the gale, for 1t was the
sound, not the wind, that filled
the house. After the noise Of the
tempest came the flash Of fire
like a sheet which, separating in
to tonguc-like flames, rested UNI
consuming upon each of the dis
ciples. The Spirit took such COM
plete possession Of them that they
thought and talked and wrought
under his holy impulse.
The Holy Spirits power" en-
ablcd the disciples. though unlet-
tered, to deliver the gospel mes
sage that day in the leading v"r-
naculars of the world. The so
iourncrs then in Jerusalem out Of
many nations and apparently
awaiting the Messiah, formed a
ripe field for the gospel sickle.
The miscellaneous multitude that
soon congrcgated was utterly
amazed and cOnfounded when IN
their divers languages (PcrSian,
Chaldaic, Aramaic, Coptic, Ara
bic, Latin, and Greek, with nu-
merous dialccts) they heard the
burning words Of that group Of
Galilcan peasants. But while the
multitude marvclcd. there were
certain cynicS who curled the llp
of scorn and mockingly attribut-
cd the marvel not to inspiration,
but to intoxication.
The chosen speaker that day
was Peter, the recognized leader
of the Apostles. He was a devout
disciple of Jesus, though far from
perfect; man of prayer; a
Searcher of Scripture, us his ser
mon showed; and full of the Spir-
it. He appeared at the right mo-
ment when interest was running
high over the miracle Of the
tongues. He stood up 50 that all
could hear. In his opening words
he addressed his hearers courtc-
ouSly and directly; promised them
the information they needed ;
challenged and chained their at
tentiOn.
CHRIST REDEEMlNG
(Acts' 2: 22-23)
JESUS DIED ON THE CROSS
AT CALVARY. In brief, the ser
mon of Peter embraced the whole
gospel message, for it centcrcd
directly upon Jesus of Nazareth
as the rcdecming, risen, and
reigning Messiah. Note how Peter
touched SuccesSively upon his hu-
manity, "a man." his Messiah
ship, "approvcd Of Cod; his mir
acles: his manifestation, "in the
midst of you; his submission to
his enemies according to divine
! forcknowledgc; his unlawful cru
cifixion by the lawless; his rcsur-
rcction, as David prophcsied; his
appearance to credible witnesses;
his cxaltation on High; his be-
StOwal of the Holy Spirit; his me-
diatorial reign as Lord and Christ.
Let all Israel know it. Observe
| G) The work Of Jesus was pub
licly performed and we'll known,
clearly showing him approved of
God; CIV the death Of Jesus was
forcknown and predetermined OF
God, but accomplished by the
wicked hands Of some in the al-
diencc.
CHRIST RISEN
(Acts 2: 21-321
JESUS ROSE FROM THE.
TOMB IN THE GARDEN. Three
things are told us here about the
resurrection of Jesus: CD 1t was
) by the power Of God, for God
alone is master of life and death.
(2) 1t was proven even as it was
prOphesied by the works and eX-
ample of David. t3) 1t was at
: tested by apostolic witnesses: On
resurrection day by five appear
ances, one of them to ten Apos-
ties; a week later by an appear
ance to eleven Apostles; "a fort
,, night or so later to seven Apos-
ties; soon afterwaid to eleven
Apostles on the mountain in Gal
lice, and probably at the same
time to five hundred other brcth-
rem; and finally to the eleven
Apostles in Jerusalem and on the
Mount of Olives whence he as
cended. To no fact has stronger
human testimony been given.
CHRIST REIGNING
(Acts 2: 33-36)
JESUS REIGNS AT T H E
! n