The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-07-13
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOl,
JULY II.
Lesson Text: "The First Christ ian
Church." Acts H., 35-47-
Golden Text: Acts H.,
47-Commentary.

81. "Now when they heard this they wre
pricked in their heart. and said unto Peter
and the rest of the apostles, men and bretr.
ren, what shall we do?" When the people
accused the Spirit-flled apostles with being
drunken, Peter arose, and from Joel ii :, 2S-
80: Ps. xvi. S-1l; II. Sam. vii, IL, Is, and
other Scriptures, preached unto them Jesus
and the resurrection in such power that the
results were as described in this lesson.
Jesus had said that the Spirit would reprove
or convince of sin, Righteousness and iudg-
ment John xvi. SID and already on the
first day of His coming behold how nightly
He works (Gal. H., g.. But observe that He
wrought conviction by the word spoken by
the prophets, and as Jesus cruci6ed and
risen was therein presented to the people.
38. ''Then Peter said unto them; Repent
and be baptized every one of you in the
name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of
sin, and ye shall receive the gift OF the
Holy Ghost" They had thought Jesus to
be deceiver and impostor; teter proved
that by the miracles and wonders which
God did by Him and by raising HIN from
the dead God had testified that He was in
deed Israeps Lord and Christ of whom all
the prophets had spoken. The one thing,
therefore, for the people now to do was 10
change their minds about Jesus of Naza-
reGb, accept Him as their Messiah, confess
the same by baptism and thus be forgiven
and receive the Spirit that they too might
become witnesses unto Him.
90. "For the promise is unto you. AMI to
your children and to all that are afar off,
even as many as the Lord our God shall
call" Peter again referred to the promise
in Joel H., 2S, which he had alreaoy quoted
(verse ~, and probably to such promises as
lisa. Xiv, 3, II will pour my spirit UPON
thy seed and my blessing upon thine Off
spring." See also lisa. !, 81. That it is the
pleasure OF God to bless and save whole
households is evident from the stories OF
Noah, Aoram, Lot and Rahab (i1en. viii, l;
xviii, 10: xix, 12; Joshua H., 1S), and also
from such instances as that In Acts xvi, "a.
40. And with many other words did He
testify and e1hort, saying, Save yourselves
from this untoward generation" Not in
His own WORDS, but in the words Of the Holy
Spirit He must have continued to speak unto
them, for being filled with the Spirit tho
Spirit would speak through Him according
to Math. K, 2U. We can easily imagine Him
using such, encouragements as lisa. j., IS;
xiii, 25; w., 3, 4; Eek. 111vi., 70, and
many others.
Al. 'Then they that gladly received His
word were baptized, and the same day there
were addSd unto them about three Thousand
souls." II is not enough to hear or know
about Jesus; we must hear and then believe
or receive His word Il. e., Himself, John ",
"a; VII 63). Believing means receiving
John J., 12). and il we 40 not receive Him
we cannot pe said to believe Him. 1t is
having or not having Him that decides
whether we have life or not Il. Jonn ", 12l.
There is nothing saving either in baptism or
a. h,,fh oavad bu
ing Him them we confess our death, burial
and resurrection with Him by the rite of
baptism, and rejoics in the communion to
show forth bis death It'll He come"
AZ. "And they continued steaufastly in
the apostles doctrine and fellowship, and in
breaking OF bread and in prayers" These
were the outward evidences OF the sincerity
of their faith in Christ. Through the apos-
ties they were further instructed and thus
built ND and established, and continuing in
prayer, and commemorating from time to
time His death, they rejoiced in Jesus as
their Saviour and King, and daily expected
His return TO restore to Israel the Kingdom
Qii., 2l). .
4S. "And fear came upon every soul, and
many wonders and signs were oons Dy tho
apostles" As it is written in Mark XVI,
~, They went forth and preached every.
WQGre, Iuo "Ol "lV4 UhCLk ehAo
confirming the word with signs following"
The signs are mentioned IN Marx xvi, 15-lo,
and do not know why such signs should
not be seen to this day, for it is nowhere
said that thes5 signs should continue until a
certain time and then cease. We want more
whole hearted loyalty to Christ anu utter
abandonment to Him, that SO he by his
same Spirit may still WORK IN Us to His
glory.
A. "And oil that believed were together
anu had all things common" They were
now children OF one Father. brothers and
sisters in one great household OF talth; they
had q whole heart for Him who had given
Himself for them, so having received the
Holy Spirit thsy counted nothing their o"n
any more, but rejolced in ministering to all
OF their substance as each mad need. oee
chapter iv. 32 "a.
As. And sold their possessions and goods
and parted them to all men, as every mai
had need" Thus they set their affections on
things above and laiu up treasure In heaVen,
walking in the footsteps OF Him who thou5l
He was rich became poor Tor us tnat W.
through His poverty might become rict
(Col. ill.,, 2; Math. W., 2U: IL. Cor. vnl., ".
At. "And they continuing daily with ont
accord in the temple, and breaking oreal
from house to house, did eat their meat VIII
gladness and singleness OF heart. liner
was no self seeking and no boastlng IN man
They knew no name but Jesus. and ,rsr msr
COMPLETELY carried captive by him lucy
+1s S re- s s him b Sss Sssn did d.
among tne% ministsr ,n sae to Him now in the
sons of their fellow believers.
Prsisns God tSs and ord hsy. sddsd dsd0t to "" th
church daily such as could be saved" Sucl
lives lives al and testimony in the power Of the Hol; l
soirit oiS t would be the most powerful preach
ing even in our day. but where IS j. it otSsr, seen
is it not largely each ones own inter esS IT, an IN
welfare that seems to be uppermosts Iher IN
was no strife in those days as to which lSars
calieu c .hsra Snua was hut hut one church. Of whicl
fGs Jesus nsEs chpss S1s was the one head It s 50 still
before e God, but it seems impossible tor SOM SOM
to see it. The Lord opnn our eye. s.-AeSs'l
Helper.
Tho fine Lauy's shorter Catechism,