The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1892-08-10
The Sunday School Lessons.
JESUS AND THE APOSTLES.
BY THE REV. JAMES p. SMITH, d. d.
August 21st, 1892.
Acts V: 25-41.
THE APOSTLES PROSECUTED.


their preaching was rapidly increas-
ing. The gift of the Holy Spirit,
the miracle at the Beautiful gate,
the fate of Ananias and Sapphire,
the mutual love and sacrifice of
Christian believers, and the bold
stand of the apostles produced a
profound and widespread interest.
In the temple court was a marvel
lous scene of miraculous healing.
iv: 10. Multitudes of men and wo-
men were becoming believers. The
High Priest and his party were filled
with indignation. Their command
not to preach had not been obeyed.
The movement of the people to faith
in the crucified Nazarene was be-
coming an uncomfortable stream
The apostles were arrested and
thrown into the common prison. A
miracle was wrought for their de-
liverance. An angel, a personal
messenger of God, opened the prison
doors, and babe them, go, stand
and speak in the temple to the peo-
pie all the words of this life" In
defiance of their Sadducean unbelief
in angels, an angel defeated them.
The word of God was not bound.
Early in the morning the apostles
were In their place, teaching the
people publicly. The Jewish Coun-
Gil, or Sanhedrim, was called to-
gether, and the accused prisoners
were sent for. A great surprise
awaited them. Our lesson tells of
this meeting of the Sanhedrlm.
1. Brought to Trial, Us. 25-28.-No
sooner were the rulers assembled
than the officers reported that while
the prison doors were secure and the
guards in place, the prisoners were
not there. Then came some one and
reported that these escaped apostles
were again standing in the temple
and teaching the people," They
were not in hiding, or fleeing from
the city, but actually III the most
public place doing that for which
they had been arrested. Once again
the captain of the guard went and
brought them to the court. But
without violence" carefully avoid
ing any display of power or rude
ness, because they were afraid of
the peeple. The apostles Welding
consent, and without fear, came
without resistance. The High Priest
charged them with disobedience to
the Council. "We strictly charged
you not to teach in His name. ="
Behold" instead of obedience, we
have filed Jerusalem with your doc
trine" 1t was an unwilling witness
to their fidelity and their success.
The last words of the charge show
just where their consciences were
wounded; "and intend to bring this
mans blood upon US" 1t was just
what the apostles were charging in
all their preaching. The priests
and rulers were guilty of the blood
of that holy and innocent one. IF
Jesus was the Messiah, they felt that
they were guilty indeed. They were
traitors to their nation. They had
committed an awful crime against
Gods anointed. 1t pricked them to
the heart.
II. The APOSTLES An8Oer, Us. 1913.
God stood with them and gave them
words. No more bold and complete
defence was ever made. They af-
frmed q great principle, a self-evi-
dent truth, and unanswerable-"W
ought to obey God rather than men. -
On that they took their stand as
upon an everlasting rock. Then
they declared the great facts of the
Gospel. Without apology or reserve,
keeping nothing back, positively,
entirely, fearlessly they declared
before the High Priest and all the
Council "The God of our fathers"
of Israel in all its history, of patri-
archs and prophets, your God, whom
you profess to serve, "raised up Je-
sus," sent him into the world. COM
missioned and appointed him,
"whom ye slew and hanged on a
tree" God sent him whom ye re-
jeCted and crucifed. And Him
God exalted with his right band,7'
by his power and his favor, "to be q
Prince and a Saviour" They de-
spised and rejected him, counted
him to be poor and powerless, but
God exalted him "to be Prince and
a Saviour" and, not after the fash
ion of earthly Kingdoms, but in this,
GO to give repentance to Israel (even
to these wicked rulers of IsraeD and
remission of sins" Of this the
apostle d clares that he and his com
panions, weak and helpless men