the acts of the apostles-第6部分

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Thus　will　be　fulfilled　Christ's　promise　to　His　disciples；　〃I　will　come
again；　and　receive　you　unto　Myself。〃　John　14：3。　Those　who　have　loved　Him　and
waited　for　Him；　He　will　crown　with　glory　and　honor　and　immortality。　The
righteous　dead　will　come　forth　from　their　graves；　and　those　who　are　alive
will　be　caught　up　with　them　to　meet　the　Lord　in　the　air。　They　will　hear　the
voice　of　Jesus；　sweeter　than　any　music　that　ever　fell　on　mortal　ear；　saying
to　them；　Your　warfare　is　accomplished。　〃Come；　ye　blessed　of　My　Father；
inherit　the　kingdom　prepared　for　you　from　the　foundation　of　the　world。〃
Matthew　25；34。

Well　might　the　disciples　rejoice　in　the　hope　of　their　Lord's　return。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（35）

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　4

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Pentecost


As　the　disciples　returned　from　Olivet　to　Jerusalem；　the　people　looked　on
them；　expecting　to　see　on　their　faces　expressions　of　sorrow；　confusion；　and
defeat；　but　they　saw　there　gladness　and　triumph。　The　disciples　did　not　now
mourn　over　disappointed　hopes。　They　had　seen　the　risen　Saviour；　and　the
words　of　His　parting　promise　echoed　constantly　in　their　ears。

In　obedience　to　Christ's　command；　they　waited　in　Jerusalem　for　the　promise
of　the　Fatherthe　outpouring　of　the　Spirit。　They　did　not　wait　in　idleness。
The　record　says　that　they　were　〃continually　in　the　temple；　praising　and
blessing　God。〃　Luke　24：53。　They　also　met　together　to　present　their　requests
to　the　Father　in　the　name　of　Jesus。　They　knew　that　they　had　a　Representative
in　heaven；　an　Advocate　at　the　throne　of　God。　In　solemn　awe　they　bowed　in
prayer；　repeating　the　assurance；　〃Whatsoever　ye　shall

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ask　the　Father　in　My　name；　He　will　give　it　you。　Hitherto　have　ye　asked
nothing　in　My　name：　ask；　and　ye　shall　receive；　that　your　joy　may　be　full。〃
John　16：23；　24。　Higher　and　still　higher　they　extended　the　hand　of　faith；
with　the　mighty　argument；　〃It　is　Christ　that　died；　yea　rather；　that　is　risen
again；　who　is　even　at　the　right　hand　of　God；　who　also　maketh　intercession
for　us。〃　Romans　8：34。

As　the　disciples　waited　for　the　fulfillment　of　the　promise；　they　humbled
their　hearts　in　true　repentance　and　confessed　their　unbelief。　As　they　called
to　remembrance　the　words　that　Christ　had　spoken　to　them　before　His　death
they　understood　more　fully　their　meaning。　Truths　which　had　passed　from　their
memory　were　again　brought　to　their　minds；　and　these　they　repeated　to　one
another。　They　reproached　themselves　for　their　misapprehension　of　the
Saviour。　Like　a　procession；　scene　after　scene　of　His　wonderful　life　passed
before　them。　As　they　meditated　upon　His　pure；　holy　life　they　felt　that　no
toil　would　be　too　hard；　no　sacrifice　too　great；　if　only　they　could　bear
witness　in　their　lives　to　the　loveliness　of　Christ's　character。　Oh；　if　they
could　but　have　the　past　three　years　to　live　over；　they　thought；　how
differently　they　would　act！　If　they　could　only　see　the　Master　again；　how
earnestly　they　would　strive　to　show　Him　how　deeply　they　loved　Him；　and　how
sincerely　they　sorrowed　for　having　ever　grieved　Him　by　a　word　or　an　act　of
unbelief！　But　they　were　comforted　by　the　thought　that　they　were　forgiven。
And　they　determined　that；　so　far　as　possible；　they　would　atone　for　their
unbelief　by　bravely　confessing　Him　before　the　world。

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The　disciples　prayed　with　intense　earnestness　for　a　fitness　to　meet　men　and
in　their　daily　intercourse　to　speak　words　that　would　lead　sinners　to　Christ。
Putting　away　all　differences；　all　desire　for　the　supremacy；　they　came　close
together　in　Christian　fellowship。　They　drew　nearer　and　nearer　to　God；　and　as
they　did　this　they　realized　what　a　privilege　had　been　theirs　in　being
permitted　to　associate　so　closely　with　Christ。　Sadness　filled　their　hearts
as　they　thought　of　how　many　times　they　had　grieved　Him　by　their　slowness　of
comprehension；　their　failure　to　understand　the　lessons　that；　for　their　good；
He　was　trying　to　teach　them。

These　days　of　preparation　were　days　of　deep　heart　searching。　The　disciples
felt　their　spiritual　need　and　cried　to　the　Lord　for　the　holy　unction　that
was　to　fit　them　for　the　work　of　soul　saving。　They　did　not　ask　for　a　blessing
for　themselves　merely。　They　were　weighted　with　the　burden　of　the　salvation
of　souls。　They　realized　that　the　gospel　was　to　be　carried　to　the　world；　and
they　claimed　the　power　that　Christ　had　promised。

During　the　patriarchal　age　the　influence　of　the　Holy　Spirit　had　often　been
revealed　in　a　marked　manner；　but　never　in　its　fullness。　Now；　in　obedience　to
the　word　of　the　Saviour；　the　disciples　offered　their　supplications　for　this
gift；　and　in　heaven　Christ　added　His　intercession。　He　claimed　the　gift　of
the　Spirit；　that　He　might　pour　it　upon　His　people。

〃And　when　the　Day　of　Pentecost　was　fully　come；　they　were　all　with　one　accord
in　one　place。　And　suddenly　there　came　a　sound　from　heaven　as　of　a　rushing
mighty　wind；　and　it　filled　all　the　house　where　they　were　sitting。〃

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The　Spirit　came　upon　the　waiting；　praying　disciples　with　a　fullness　that
reached　every　heart。　The　Infinite　One　revealed　Himself　in　power　to　His
church。　It　was　as　if　for　ages　this　influence　had　been　held　in　restraint；　and
now　Heaven　rejoiced　in　being　able　to　pour　out　upon　the　church　the　riches　of
the　Spirit's　grace。　And　under　the　influence　of　the　Spirit；　words　of
penitence　and　confession　mingled　with　songs　of　praise　for　sins　forgiven。
Words　of　thanksgiving　and　of　prophecy　were　heard。　All　heaven　bent　low　to
behold　and　to　adore　the　wisdom　of　matchless；　incomprehensible　love。　Lost　in
wonder；　the　apostles　exclaimed；　〃Herein　is　love。〃　They　grasped　the　imparted
gift。　And　what　followed？　The　sword　of　the　Spirit；　newly　edged　with　power　and
bathed　in　the　lightnings　of　heaven；　cut　its　way　through　unbelief。　Thousands
were　converted　in　a　day。

〃It　is　expedient　for　you　that　I　go　away；〃　Christ　had　said　to　His　disciples；
〃for　If　I　go　not　away；　the　Comforter　will　not　come　unto　you；　but　if　I
depart；　I　will　send　Him　unto　you。〃　〃When　He；　the　Spirit　of　truth；　is　come；
He　will　guide　you　into　all　truth：　for　He　shall　not　speak　of　Himself；　but
whatsoever　He　shall　hear；　that　shall　He　speak：　and　He　will　show　you　things
to　come。〃　John　16：7；　13。

Christ's　ascension　to　heaven　was　the　signal　that　His　followers　were　to
receive　the　promised　blessing。　For　this　they　were　to　wait　before　they
entered　upon　their　work。　When　Christ　passed　within　the　heavenly　gates；　He
was　enthroned　amidst　the　adoration　of　the　angels。　As　soon　as　this　ceremony
was　completed；　the　Holy　Spirit　descended　upon　the　disciples　in　rich
currents；　and　Christ　was　indeed　glorified；　even

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with　the　glory　which　He　had　with　the　Father　from　all　eternity。　The
Pentecostal　outpouring　was　Heaven's　communication　that　the　Redeemer's
inauguration　was　accomplished。　According　to　His　promise　He　had　sent　the　Holy
Spirit　from　heaven　to　His　followers　as　a　token　that　He　had；　as　priest　and
king；　received　all　authority　in　heaven　and　on　earth；　and　was　the　Anointed
One　over　His　people。

〃And　there　appeared　unto　them　cloven　tongues　like　as　of　fire；　and　it　sat
upon　each　of　them。　And　they　were　all　filled　with　the　Holy　Ghost；　and　began
to　speak　with　other　tongues；　as　the　Spirit　gave　them　utterance。〃　The　Holy
Spirit；　assuming　the　form　of　tongues　of　fire；　rested　upon　those　assembled。
This　was　an　emblem　of　the　gift　then　bestowed　on　the　disciples；　which　enabled
them　to　speak　with　fluency　languages　with　which　they　had　heretofore　been
unacquainted。　The　appearance　of　fire　signified　the　fervent　zeal　with　which
the　apostles　would　labor　and　the　power　that　would　attend　their　work。

〃There　were　dwelling　at　Jerusalem　Jews；　devout　men；　out　of　every　nation
under　heaven。〃　During　the　dispersion　the　Jews　had　been　scattered　to　almost
every　part　of　the　inhabited　world；　and　in　their　exile　they　had　learned　to
speak　various　languages。　Many　of　these　Jews　were　on　this　occasion　in
Jerusalem；　attending　the　religious　festivals　then　in　progress。　Every　known
tongue　was　represented　by　those　assembled。　This　diversity　of　languages　would
have　been　a　great　hindrance　to　the　proclamation　of　the　gospel；　God　therefore
in　a　miraculous　manner　supplied　the　deficiency　of　the　apostles。　The　Holy
Spirit　did　for　them　that　which

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they　could　not　have　accomplished　for　themselves　in　a　lifetime。　They　could
now　proclaim　the　truths　of　the　gospel　abroad；　speaking　with　accuracy　the
languages　of　those　for　whom　they　were　laboring。　This　miraculous　gift　was　a
strong　evidence　to　the　world　that　their　commission　bore　the　signet　of
Heaven。　From　this　time　forth　the　language　of　the　disciples　was　pure；　simple；
and　accurate；　whether　they　spoke　in　their　native　tongue　or　in　a　foreign
language。

〃Now　when　this　was　noised　abroad；　the　multitude　came　together；　and　were
confounded；　because　that　every　man　heard　them　speak　in　his　own　language。　And
they　were　all　amazed　and　marveled；　saying　one　to　another；　Behold；　are　not
all　these　which　speak　Galileans？　and　how　hear　we　every　man　in　our　own
tongue；　wherein　we　were　born？〃

The　prie