The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-10-19
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERN LESSON FOR
OCTOBER 90.
Lesson Text: Peter at Cesarea,"
Acts Y, 30-4S-Golden Text:
Acts X, 4S-Commentary.

80. 1t seems to be Scriptural principle
that if We would obtain definite blessing
from God in any form we must seek it with
the whole hear1. ''Ye shall seek Me and
find Me when ye shall search for Me with
all your heart tJer. xxx, 49,. Jesus also
taught that certain diseases could be over
come by prayer and fasting (Math. xvii,
2D. Cornelius being thus in earnest re-
ceives visit from an angel.
81. The angel brings tidings from heaven
that both Corneliuss prayers and aims have
been heard and regarded by God. Compare
Daniels fasting and praying and the mes
sage sent to him by an angel DAN. <. IL,
19). See also Zacharias and the angel Ga
brlel luke j., 13j. The angels are minis
tering spirits who wait upon the heirs Of
salvation Heb. j., 4l.
32. Behold the intimate acquaintance Of
angels with our name, the house we live in,
the town in which we sojourn, our occupa-
ton, etc. Observe how plain and full the
directions given to the servants. Both the
law of God and the visions Of God are writ
ten plainly (Deut. xvii, 8: Hab. H., q that
the one who reads may ooey. See also rs.
xvii, II.
80. Cornelius having briefly replied to
Peters question, For what intent have ye
sent for me?' tverse 29 and having CRATE
luDy uluQ 1Ol LILO PioAAAPohSooJ
then adds, 'Now therefore are we all here
present before God to hear all things that
are commanded thee of God" 1t is God and
not Peter whom Cornelius expects to hear
from; it is the presence OF God. not Of Peter,
that awes them.
81. "Of truth Iperceive that God is no
respecter Of persons" Thus Peter began his
address. BE might have learned this from
the law Deut. Z. II; II Chron. xix, {: job
1xxiv j but he needed vision to convince
him. Some people now would needa vision
to convince them that Gcd actually can and
does love and work through those who don't
belong to their church.
IS. "In every nation he that feareth Him
and worketh Righteousness is accepted with
Him." For Peter to put GENTLE on level
with Jew as to acceptance with God was
surely the Spirit speaking in Peter, for
little while before he thought very differ
emily. See verse %.
&C.. Although the peace preached by Jesus
Christ was first for Israel, yet Isaiah had
hinted at It's being for Gentiles also when he
wrote, "Peace, peace to him that is far of
and to him that is near" lisa. lvii.. 19l.
And Paul so preached it in Eph. H., IL. IA;
Col. j., 90 insisting that ''The same Lord
over all is rich unto all that call upon Him.
rom. K, 12.
81. Gelep luSISCeu Luat uneJ huoW tnio
word which began to be preached in Galilee
and afterward in all Judea, but he could
not have added that it was because OF the
Saviour's command to preach the Gospel to
every creature and the apostles faithfulness
in obeying it.
3S. Here is most concise and yet COM
prehensive statement of the commission,
bower and work of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Here is clearly the fact Of the Trinity
Father, Son and Holy Spirit unitedly work
ing on behalf of opposed humanity and
against the devil.
80. The Bible is the great and wholly iu-
spired yes even verbally inspired record
of God and His Son; but 80 few, eveL OF
those who possess the Bible, care much or
know much auout its testimony. Therefore
who shall be living. walking, speaking
Bibles, known and read Of all men, filed
with the Spirit, honoring the Lord Jesus
III Cor. iv., 1N.
40. Our verbal testimony Is to the great
fact that Jesus died and rose again-de-
livered for our ofenses, raised again for our
justification from. iv., 25. The testimony
OF our lives Is, or should be, to the fact that
we died with Him, by faith in Him, and arc
now alive unto God walking in newness OF
life, our affections set upon things above
(Rom. VII. u; Gal. IL, 20; Col iii. l, p.
Al. Jesus, after His resurrection. appeared
some ten or eleven times, but only unto the
disciples, and perhaps not to all OF them.
Many know that Jesus died for them who
know little or nothing of the power Of His
resurrection, and to whom He is as one out
side the door pleading for entrance to His
own house (Rev. iii, 20).
40. The same Jesus who died and rose
again is to be our Judge. He offers Himself
to all now as their Saviour, promising to
cast out none who come to Him John vi,
30. but as surely as BE is Saviour now,
He will soon be Judge, first of His redeemed,
then of the living nations and lastly OF all
the rest of the dead. It will be dav Of a
thousand years beginning and ending with
Judgment (Acts xvii, 81; Rom. xiv, 10;
NAH XIV. 81, 80; Rev. *, II, 19..
As. 1t is. the privilege OF all who receive
Jesus Christ as their Saviour to know that
they have even now the forgiveness OF SINS
and shall never como into Judgment for
their sins II John H., 10; lisa. xx1viii., II;
xiii, IS; Acts xiii, 49, 80 I John l., I, 81.
A. 1t is evident that as Peter spoke tho
words they were received by those who
heard them, and right on the spot in the
midst of the service, while Peter was speak
ing, the Holy Spirit came upon them, God
thus sealing the preaching of Peter and
manifesting his approval MARK xvi, 2N.
As. It seems that the brethren from Joppa
who accompanied Peter Verss 23) were
Jews or circumcision, as we might have e@-
pected. no Gentiles or uncircumclslon nav
ing vet been received. And now they are
indeed astonished to see uncircumcised Cen
tiles receive the same gift from God as the
circumcised Jews had received at Pentecost
and afterward chapters H., 4; iv., ~.
46. The power to speak various languages
and thereby magnify God was instantly
granted to them. We know that even now
Goo does wonderfully help in the study of a
language, but fancy what boon to outso-
ing missionaries this gift would be to-day.
Will some one tell why we have it not?
d. Having received Jesus, and having re-
ceived wondrous manifestation OF the
Holy Spirit, the next step is the public con-
fessiou Of the same in baptism. slgnltylng
thus that henceforth they are dead to the
world and alive unto God, and wholly de-
voted to Jesus Christ as their leader.
IS. Having been baptized, they then desire
further instruction and press Peter to tarry,
which he evidently did. We can fancy how
he would teach them to suffer with Christ,
while they reioiced in being royal priest.
hood unto Him, how he would tell them OF
a possible abundant entrance into the king
dom, and OF the glorious appearing.
Helper.
ENGLAND, spain and Italy arc said
IL