The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1892-11-16
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL,
THOUGHTS WORTHY OF CALM
REFLECTION.
A PEASANT, Interesting, and Instructive
Lesson and Where 1T May 10 found-A
Learned and Concise Review OF the
Same.
Paul,s First Misslonary sermon.

The lesson for Sunday, Nov. 20, may
be found In Acts 10: 26-43.
INTRODUCTORY
Here is a sermon worth reading, worth
studying, aye, worth preaching again.
In fact, it Is the one clear instance in
the Bible OF repeated sermon, and it
teaches US incidentally that 1t is wise to
occasionally redeliver a gospel message
which has been found fruitful under
God. In the 42d verse Of the lesson it
is said that when the Jews were gone
out OF the synagogue perhaps they had
packed 1t full and crowded out their no
less needy neighbors) the Gentiles be-
sought that these words might BIO
preached to them the next Sabbath.
Very good. Let us have them preached
again before ourselves and our friends
to-day.
WHAT THE LESSON sATs.
Men and brethren. Greek, mon,
brethren, l. e., brother men. A frater-
nal address. - Children. Literally,
sons.-And whatsoever, or, and who.
The relative cause parallels the adj .ec-
tive phrase, sons OF Abraham. They
were at The same time sons OF Abraham
and fearers OF Col. CT. V. Is, closely
rendered: Men OF Israel and fearing
God.-Among you. Probably with
allusion to the Gentiles rcsent.-To
you. Emphatic. Above all men, Israel
ought to accept the great salvation.
Because they knew, him not. Partici-
pial construction: not knowing. From
the Greek word used here comes our
term, Agnostic oices OF the proph-
cts. Hearing the sound but not recog-
nizing the voice. -Condemning him.
Condemning him they had unwittingly
condemned themselves.
And though they found no cause, etc.
A marked case OF interpretative trans
lation. Greek: And having found no
cause OF death, they besought Plate
that he should be slain.
Fulfilled all. The wicked working
the righteous will Of heaven.-They
took him down and laid him.
Mans part.
But God raised him. Gods part.
After man had done all he could against
God, but, after all, for God.
Many days. Greek: Upon many days,
l. e., at various timeg-Which came
up with him. His disciples, Galileans.
Who are his witnesses. Kept with
him for this especial purpose; see John
10: n ("Ye also shall bear witness, be-
cause We have been with me from the
beginning").
We declare unto you glad tidings.
Thus witnessing: The word for glad
tidings" is our word evangel or gospel.
How that the promise. A form OF
the same word as glad tidings above.
With which it is cOnstructively in ap-
position, /. g., what was promise to
them is glad tidings 10 us.
Raised up Jesus. The resurrection
was the center of apostolic Witnessing.
1t may be well TO note that the Re-
vision following Tischendorf's reading
here translates our children, |. g., 10
the generations Of to-day-Second
Psalm. Tischendor, First Psalm.
SO original y, the First Psalm being re-
garded as Introductory.
AS concerning that he raised him up.
The literal is more luminous and ex-
pressive: In that he raised him up from
the dead, never again to return to cor
ruption, by so much he was saying,
will give you the sure mercies of David.
Or since the prophecy is here being full
filled he was saying in that transcend
ent act OF the resurrection, am giving
you. l here give gou the true mercies
OF David promised in David; fulfilled
in Christi.
The holy one. Same word rendered
sure mercies in the verse before Then
it meant pledged things, here it means
pledged person.
WHAT THE LESSON TEACHES.
To you is the worl OF this salvation
sent. 1t was spec al message, a close,
direct personal appeal. Who are the
objects o. il? The stock OF Abraham,
those who feared God. similar APP
peal is made above at V 16. Men OF
Israel and fearers of Cod" The call is
especially TO those who believe in God"
In other words it is particular appeal
to the church. If you believe in God
says Paul, have new message from
Col for you-a message of love. The
church hears the same reiterative appeal
to-day. God is ever coming to his peo-
pie with new stores of grace. Just be-
cause they are his own, he awakes them
to apprehension Of good
Though they found no cause of death
in him. Rather, because they found
no cause, therefore entreated they Pr
late that he should be slain. What
they could not get by right1 they begged
as favor. Having no case, they put IL
On the score Of grace. SO also at Acts
iii. Ii, where Peter says to the jews:
"Ye denied the Holy One and the Just,
and desired a murderer 10 be granted
tgraced) un o YOU" Fearful reprobacy.
Praying for the death of God Son as q
favor, their account OF grace the privl-
lege OF Staying Their Savior. Mans
willful righteousness can go no further.
He prays and Stays. And now, heart OF
man. know thee, at thy best and at thy
worst.
Continue in the grace of God. We are
oil children of ace, almoners of Gods
goodness Every breath we breathe,
every crumb of bread we eat Is by the
mercy of Col. Now what is it to ac-
cept of Jesus Christ? 1t is to do very
reasonable thing. it is simply to go on
in the grace OF God. Continue therein.
Let the goodness OF past days, the mer-
cies of the lower spheres OF existence,
prompt us to reach forward e. the en-
ioyment o. God higher blessings, for
which indeed these other things are but
the preparation. Be wise; be sensible.
Why Illustrate the grace of God? Kiss
the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish
from the way, when his wrath is kindled
but little. Blessed are all they that
put their trust in him. F"