here they were abiding; both
Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip, ..."--_Acts_ i. 13.

"When the day of Pentecost was now come, they were all together in
one place."--_Acts_ ii. 1.

"An angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought
them out."--_Acts_ v. 19.

"Now when the Apostles which were in Jerusalem heard that Samaria
had received the word of the Lord, they sent unto them Peter and
John."--_Acts_ viii. 14.

"He (Herod) killed James the brother of John with the
sword."--_Acts_ xii. 2.

The next place where we may think of John with his Lord was on a
mountain in Galilee. At least once before His death, and twice after His
resurrection, He directed His Disciples to meet Him there. For what
purpose? Evidently to receive His final commission.

"Jesus came to them and spake unto them, saying, All authority hath been
given unto Me in Heaven and on earth. Go ye therefore, and make
disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father
and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all
things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you alway, even
unto the end of the world."

But the disciples were not yet prepared to fulfil this commission. So He
appointed another meeting, to be held in Jerusalem, where He met them,
"speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God." Here the
command on the mountain was limited by another--not to depart from
Jerusalem immediately. "Wait" said He, "for the promise of the Father
which you heard from Me." That promise we find in John's record:--"I
will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He
may abide with you forever." "The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost,
shall teach you all things." "He shall testify of Me." In the
fulfilment of that promise, the disciples were to find the preparation
to "go" and "preach." For that preparation they were to "wait."

Jesus then reminds them of the assurance given by John the Baptist
concerning Himself:--"He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost." Once
more John is carried back to the Jordan, and reminded of the time when
he and Jesus had been baptized. All those former scenes must have been
recalled when Jesus at the final meeting in Jerusalem declared, "John
truly baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost
not many days hence."

These words revived in the disciples the hop