Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 24 (1909)

Ms 121, 1909

Sermon/Thoughts on Acts 2

Portland, Maine

July 5, 1909

Previously unpublished.

Acts 2:1-5. Now bear this in mind. This was an occasion when the Lord was manifesting to His people His power, and the outside people were to have a knowledge of the power of Jesus Christ. 24LtMs, Ms 121, 1909, par. 1

Verse 4. They were all filled with the Holy Ghost. They had been praying then some days. They had been seeking the Lord, and here their petitions were answered. 24LtMs, Ms 121, 1909, par. 2

Verses 4, 5. This was no private matter. Here was an occasion when heaven was to manifest the power that would be visited upon the people of God in their emergency. 24LtMs, Ms 121, 1909, par. 3

Verse 5. So you see this was not a thing that was done in private. 24LtMs, Ms 121, 1909, par. 4

Verses 6-20. We must expect that there will be revelations from heaven that will be given to His people. They shall be given in warnings, and in reproofs, and in explanation of the Word, that all may understand that they have come to the very period that is here prophesied, that will be manifested among the people of God. And we would have every soul on the watchtower. 24LtMs, Ms 121, 1909, par. 5

Well, what had they been doing? The disciples had been praying ten days that the Holy Spirit might come upon them, and it was in answer to their prayers that they received of the Holy Spirit in large measure. And there was wonderment among the people. Here were men that were traveled in all parts of the world, men that would not understand in regard to these matters about Christ and the crucifixion of Christ, but Christ told them not to leave Jerusalem until they were endued with power from on high. They were not to hurry out of Jerusalem, but they were to stand there to give the Word. 24LtMs, Ms 121, 1909, par. 6

Christ thought when He was crucified, that there was to be a testimony that would bear with tremendous weight, just such as came on this occasion, and the Lord would give evidence to those that wanted evidence that He was the Creator of the universe; He was the power and glory of His people. And they were to wait there, trusting in Him without fear. They were to lean their whole weight upon the Word of God, and the manifestation of the Spirit which they knew was the manifestation of the Spirit of God. 24LtMs, Ms 121, 1909, par. 7

Peter was telling them about it. He was telling them just what had come to pass. 24LtMs, Ms 121, 1909, par. 8

Verses 16-20, 21. “Whosoever.” Can you take that in? Verse 21. That is an opportunity when they thought they had gained a great victory. Here was the representation of how it will be to those who assembled together. And we read it in other parts of the Word, that when you are in trouble, when you are in perplexity, then gather together and pray. Offer up your petitions to God, and lay right hold of the arm of Omnipotence, and there shall be the glory of God. Well, Satan won’t be dead. No, he is alive. He will work to divert the minds to something else. There will always be differences enough of the minds to take them, if possible, from the light of the evidence of the truth. 24LtMs, Ms 121, 1909, par. 9

But here was the sermon given verses 22, 23. Now, they thought that they had gained a wonderful victory, but here it is held out before them what they had done. 24LtMs, Ms 121, 1909, par. 10

Verse 24. There was Christ. When they thought they had a victory, that great stone was rolled before the door of the sepulcher and sealed, and a guard put around it so that He would not be stolen away, and here He had risen. But you see there were those in heaven that were in co-operation with Jesus Christ. The mighty power of God was to be revealed to all these nations that had come together from all parts of the earth. There was to be a tremendous demonstration, so that all that would believe any evidence would believe that. 24LtMs, Ms 121, 1909, par. 11

But there was an angel. There was the Roman guard watching the sepulcher, but suddenly the whole place is lighted by the streams of the glory of God that enshrouded the mighty angel who came down to the sepulcher and rolled back that mighty stone. There it was that that voice bid Christ to rise and to triumph in His life. And there He triumphed over that broken sepulcher. The Roman guards saw them. The Roman guards had no power, they fell prostrated to the ground, but they saw it all, they understood it all, and there over the rent sepulcher of Joseph He proclaimed, I am the resurrection and the life. So we know, whatever temptation comes to us, as long as there is a devil in our world, we must be armed with a might and power to resist him. 24LtMs, Ms 121, 1909, par. 12

How can we do this? Do just as the disciples did. They met together and they prayed together for ten days, and the light of the glory of God came into their midst, and such wonderful things were done under the influence of the heavenly intelligences. Earthly intelligences can do but very little, but when the heavenly intelligences come, and when the power of God is revealed, then the earthly powers have to give back whether they want to or not. There is a Power that rules in the heaven of heavens, and He wants every one of us to know it. He wants us to all understand it, and He wants us to be in a position that we can pray, and He wants us to be in a position that we can humble our hearts before God and walk in all humility of mind. He wants every one of us to be in communion with a Higher Power, because there are two agencies in our world. There is the devil that was cast out of heaven, because there was war in heaven, and he and his angels were emptied out of heaven. Now, we will have these to contend with just as long as God shall consider it essential for us. 24LtMs, Ms 121, 1909, par. 13

But why are we not getting ready? Why are we not humble before God? Why are we not walking in humility and meekness? Why are we not believing every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God? God will help us and that right early. Here is the Word that is spoken. 24LtMs, Ms 121, 1909, par. 14

Verses 23-28. Now that is a wonderful promise. 24LtMs, Ms 121, 1909, par. 15

Verse 29. Amen and amen. We will give God the glory, that even if we should fall and lose our lives, as the disciples did, yet we should come from the dead, and Christ will bring us forth in the resurrection and place crowns of glory upon our heads. 24LtMs, Ms 121, 1909, par. 16

What we are to be concerned about it? Am I an humble man? Am I a meek man? Because unless I am, I shall be a trouble in the church. All these things are to be considered. 24LtMs, Ms 121, 1909, par. 17

Verse 40. “untoward.” They did not take to Christ. Why? “For God so loved the world ... should not perish.” [John 3:16.] Although they might lose their lives, yet their names are registered in the Lamb’s book of life, and they will come forth. Christ will bring them forth from the dead, and then He takes them, after that first resurrection, to the gate of the city, and He swings back the gate upon the glittering hinges, and the nations that have kept the truth shall enter in. And there He places the fathers and the mothers who have considered that the greatest work they could do in this world was to bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Why? Because every soul that is really educated will educate their companions—every soul that will take hold of the righteousness of Christ—for humanity has the privilege of grasping divinity in Jesus Christ that they may overcome the temptations that are in the world through lust. This is what every one of us have to understand, and then to come in right relation to God. 24LtMs, Ms 121, 1909, par. 18

For the promise is unto you and your children. You are to work tenderly with them, not to bring your children up any way haphazard, and feel not responsibility. Ye are laborers together, together with God. We are to take the Word of the living God, and do our duty to our children. You are to work tenderly with them, no scolding, no pounding their flesh in anger. They may need punishment, but let it be brought to them with tears in your eyes. Do not make them feel that you wish to humiliate them, and that you want to place them in the worst position possible, but just talk with them and pray with them. 24LtMs, Ms 121, 1909, par. 19

I find with the many children that I have taken to bring up, where I saw that they were not educated right, I could talk with them, I could pray with them, and there was no need of pounding their flesh. Now, God wants us to be sensible men and women. He wants us to do right. He wants us to be patient. He does not want us to eat everything that comes in our way. There is a work carried on continually in your system, because of the things you put in your stomach, which never should be there. 24LtMs, Ms 121, 1909, par. 20

He wants the father and the mother to be temperate in all things, and speak kindly, never scold nor fret to the husband, or the husband to the wife. That is not Christian. There is no Christianity in that. What we want is to be Christians in every sense of the word. What we want is to seek the Lord with all our hearts, and be converted. Unless you do, your family may go to perdition. Fathers, mothers, what about the souls of your children? 24LtMs, Ms 121, 1909, par. 21

If you have acted your part righteously, the gates of the city of God will be thrown back upon their glittering hinges, and there your children will be that you tried to educate line upon line, and precept upon precept, here a little and there a little. You are guarding them against the influences that are against Christ. He wants you to have the Christ spirit. Christ gave His life. The Father gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish but have everlasting life. That is what we want them to have. And when they come to the gates of the city, and there are the crowns that are to be placed upon their heads, He throws back the gates and welcomes them in, parents and children. O with what gladness He said, when He was on the earth, Suffer little children to come unto Me. 24LtMs, Ms 121, 1909, par. 22

There were mothers leaving their homes, and it does not say whether they had a father or not, but they went to see Jesus. They were so troubled and worried to know what to do, and if they could get a blessing from Jesus, O, they thought, how it would help them. So the mothers gathered children as they went along, mothers and children, and they came. Here Christ was, teaching a large crowd of people, and the disciples forbade them. Why, said they, the Master is teaching, He cannot be interrupted in His work. Christ caught the words, and He turned, and He rose upon His feet, and He said, “Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” [Matthew 19:14.] 24LtMs, Ms 121, 1909, par. 23

And there will be a large company if fathers and mothers will do their duty to their children, if they will educate them from the Bible, if they will train them there, they can bring their children up with joy. As Christ sees the children, He embraces them in His arms, the little ones, and takes them into the city of God, and then there is music in heaven among the angels, and the harps are placed in the hands of the parents. Parents and children are together saved, eternally saved to have a life that measures with the life of God. 24LtMs, Ms 121, 1909, par. 24

Isn’t it worth something to have our schools and to have our children educated and trained, to have our sanitariums where we can take in the sick and the suffering? O how many times I have stood before them as they have wheeled their sick into the parlor, and there seen their countenances light up with hope as I presented Jesus, the hope of the world, and the joy of all, the blessed Jesus, the precious Saviour. And now I present Him to you all here today. 24LtMs, Ms 121, 1909, par. 25

He took these little children, when the mothers brought them, and encircled them in His arms, “Suffer the little children to come unto me for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” [Verse 14.] Fathers and mothers, don’t speak a cross word to your children. Do not speak words that will discourage them. They are little children; they are not grown up. They need to be educated and trained at every step, and they want an example set before them of the father and mother in every respect. And if they are corrected, let it be in kindness and tenderness, that it is to save their souls. The little children were clinging to the knees of Christ, and their ways were around His neck. Just think how the Saviour felt, and you try to feel just as He felt. Bring them to the Saviour. He died for them. 24LtMs, Ms 121, 1909, par. 26

He gave His life for humanity. And from the humanity in you, fathers, and the humanity in you, mothers, let us just grasp the divinity that is in Jesus Christ, so that you can express Him in your family in words, in tender words, in affectionate words. Thus you can have a power so that you can educate and train your children for the future life. How long? One that measures with the life of God. That life of heaven you can possess. I beg of you, for Christ’s sake, to consider not so much how you shall decorate your children with finery, or how much property you shall gain so as to exceed your neighbor, but what can you do that the humanity in your children, and in your own life, can grasp divinity in the life of Christ, and be overcomers day by day, and bind the children to Jesus. 24LtMs, Ms 121, 1909, par. 27

What a world we should have if we would do this! There is a tremendous responsibility resting upon the fathers and mothers, and the older brothers and older sisters. Altogether you can be a household of faith, and praise God and glorify God, and you can be happy, and you can win your neighbors to Christ. Your influence will tell for the glory of God. Parents, will you begin in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth—will you begin to have praying seasons in your house, and then with your neighbors’ children, and feel just as much interest that they shall be saved? They have souls. The humanity that is in you sanctified can grasp divinity, and there you can have power that your words will be applied to the hearts of the very ones that you ought to save. God help us. 24LtMs, Ms 121, 1909, par. 28

God is our helper. We are not left to ourselves to worry our way through nobody knows how. No, we are to have that life that measures with the life of God. Make efforts, self-denying efforts, and you may develop the missionary spirit wherever you are. Try to save the souls that are ready to perish, and build up the cause of God in our world. The Lord wants us to stand before Him. Fully answering the purpose of God in your relation to each other, and in your relation to God, you will save some powers to be given to the work of helping you hand to hand in saving other souls. 24LtMs, Ms 121, 1909, par. 29

There is a world to save. In Portland, when fifteen years old, I have pleaded with families until every one of them gave their hearts to God. I lived there. I was born in Gorham, and in Portland I could not get out of my mind the mighty message that came here in 1842, 1843, and 1844, right into this city. I was one that in my youth used to bear my message. I told my son who is here with me, said I, I cannot lay down the armor until I have borne a message to the people of Portland. 24LtMs, Ms 121, 1909, par. 30

We want to arouse, every soul that wants to revive the spirit of the work, and bring in the third angel’s message with all its sanctifying power, that we shall be ready when the last movement is made. You are laborers together with God, and we must begin the work at home now. We must take right hold of it every day. There is much more I might say, but I am going to reserve it, because I do not wish to weary myself or weary you out, but I have more to say. I want to say a few words. 24LtMs, Ms 121, 1909, par. 31

The disciples met together to pray, and they sacrificed everything possible that they might reach the people where they were. And they did reach them, hundreds and thousands were converted. Why? Because they message came to them in its simplicity, in its truthfulness. In its very life it came to them, and this is the very work that we want to do and see done in Portland. I felt that I could not lay off my armor. I shall be, next November, 82 years old, and I have been laboring since I was fifteen years old in public labor. But we want souls. We want souls converted, and we want every soul to place themselves in right relation to God in simplicity, that He can move upon the human heart, and that you will be aroused so that your humanity shall see its privilege to lay hold of the very reason Christ was given to our world. Lay hold of what? Divinity. Divinity in Christ by a living faith. You can present that divinity to the Father; you can plead for your children and the unconverted and your own souls, and you can overcome the corruption that is in the world through lust, because your humanity has laid hold with divinity. Therefore the divinity of Christ is for the conqueror. 24LtMs, Ms 121, 1909, par. 32

But we leave this with you now, and we will have other words to speak in regard to this matter. But O, I want to see the children, I want to see them converted, and I want to see the fathers and mothers and the aged that now feel that no great responsibility rests upon them. Yes there is. I will tell you what it is—to keep ever before you the divinity of Christ. “God so loved the world ... everlasting life.” [John 3:16.] 24LtMs, Ms 121, 1909, par. 33

You think of it. Don’t let it pass from your mind, but work it out in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, and if you do, then when the crown is laid upon your head, and the heads of your children, you will take these crowns and lay them at the feet of Jesus. The reward is already for us, and shall you make no great importance of that divinity that humanity can grasp? It is your only hope, and Christ preserved that divinity unsullied. Had He not, we should all perish, and you are to be co-laborers with Jesus Christ in this work of salvation. 24LtMs, Ms 121, 1909, par. 34

God help us that we may understand what it means with divinity and humanity combined. We must have the divinity of Christ by a living faith and act it out in living power. 24LtMs, Ms 121, 1909, par. 35