PART II THE BEGINNINGS OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH STUDY III.-The Christian Church: The Descent of the Holy Spirit STUDY IV.-The Christian Church: First Miracles and First Trials STUDY V.-The Christian Church: The First Martyr STUDY III.-The Christian Church: The Descent of FIRST DAY: THE PROMISE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT As was stated in the last lesson, Paul probably left Jerusalem in 26 A.D., and went back to Tarsus, where he remained for about ten years. He does not again appear in Jerusalem until shortly before the death of the martyr Stephen, in 35 A.D. While Paul was at Tarsus an event of the profoundest importance took place in Palestine. Jesus Christ went about the land preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. His short but eventful public ministry occupied the years 27 to 30 A.D. Just before His ascension, in 30 A.D., Christ called together His disciples, and promised them that they should receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, and should preach the Gospel to the whole world. The story of the spread of the Gospel and the growth of the Christian Church is told by Luke in the book of Acts. This narrative will now be the subject of study, inasmuch as when Paul next appears in sacred history he comes forward to engage in the persecution of the Christian Church-the church he was destined later to extend over the whole world. 1. Read Acts 1:1-5. 2. What "former treatise" did the author of Acts write? 3. How large was the Christian Church at the time of Christ's ascension? For evidence on this point read 1 Corinthians 15:3-7. 4. Do you suppose that the disciples understood what was meant by the "baptism of the Holy Spirit" (or Holy Ghost)? 5. Do you understand what the baptism of the Holy Spirit is? PRAYER: "O God, forasmuch as our strength is in Thee, mercifully grant that Thy Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts, through Jesus Christ our Lord." Amen. STUDY III.-The Christian Church: The Descent of the Holy Spirit SECOND DAY: THE PROMISE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (CON TINUED) On the day of His ascension Christ again promised His disciples the gift of the Holy Spirit, telling them that they should receive power, and should be His witnesses "unto the uttermost part of the earth.' After the ascension of Christ the disciples gathered together at Jerusalem and prayed for the promised gift. 1. Read Acts 1:6-14. 2. Judging from verse 6, what thought seems uppermost in the minds of the disciples? 3. What two important statements are contained in verse 8? 4. Notice the successive steps by which the apostles are to extend the Gospel throughout the world (verse 8, latter part). First they are to preach in Jerusalem, then in the surrounding district of Judea, next in the partly Jewish region of Samaria, and last of all in the Gentile world. This last stage, the extension of the Gospel among the Gentiles, was destined to be St. Paul's work. 5. For what do you think the apostles and women were praying (verse 14)? "Come, Holy Spirit, heavenly Dove, With all Thy quickening powers; In these cold hearts of ours. "See how we grovel here below, "Come, Holy Spirit, heavenly Dove, -Isaac Watts. STUDY III.-The Christian Church: The Descent of THIRD DAY: THE ELECTION OF AN APOSTLE TO FILL THE PLACE OF JUDAS While waiting for the coming of the Holy Spirit the eleven apostles chose a successor to Judas Iscariot. 1. Read Acts 1:15-26. 2. In the Authorized Version, verse 18 is rendered, "Now this man purchased a field," etc., while the Revised Version renders it, "Now this man obtained a field," etc. Neither translation is correct. The Greek original means "this man caused a field to be bought." Judas, as narrated in Matt. 27:3-8, was stung with remorse, and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders. They in turn got rid of the money Judas was indirectly the cause of by buying the potter's field. 3. "Aceldama" (verse 19) is an Aramaic word. Luke is writing for Gentile readers, and therefore translates the word into Greek. 4. Verify the two quotations from the Old Testament in verse 20. They are taken from Psalm 69:25 and Psalm 109:8, respectively. 5. To be an apostle, what qualifications were necessary? See verses 21 and 22. 6. St. Paul did not see or hear Jesus during His ministry on earth. Therefore the enemies of Paul maintained that he was not a true apostle, inasmuch as he had not "companied" with the disciples while Jesus was with them. PRAYER: "O Heavenly Father, the Author and Fountain of all truth, the bottomless Sea of all understanding, send, we beseech Thee, Thy Holy Spirit into our hearts and lighten our understandings with the beams of Thy heavenly grace. We ask this, O merciful Father, for Thy dear Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ's sake." Amen. |