The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-01-13
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
JANUARY IT.
Lesson Text: "a Multitude Convert
ed," Acts H., 32-47-Golden
Text: Acts H., 39-Com-
mentary.

32 "This Jesus hath God raised up,
whereof we all are witnesses" The man who
had with oaths and curses so cowardly de-
ried Him Is the one who Is chosen by the
Spirit to be His mouthpiece to this multitude.
Being filled with the Spirit takes away all
thought OF self and all fear Of man. He first
quotes from Joel H., 1882. and says here Is
fulfllment OF the words Of that prophet. He
then speaks OF Jesus OF Nazareth and the
wonders wrought by God through Him, and
openly charges them with His death. He
then quotes from the words of David in Ps.
xvi. concerning HIS resurrection and con-
tinues in the words of this first verse of our
lesson.
SO. Before BE died He said that He was
going back to the Father who had sent Him.
and that He would send down from heaven
the Holy Spirit, whom they now saw and
heard in these disciples (John xvi, 5-8).
Here, then, was the evidence that Jesus OF
Nazareth was really the one he professed to
be, and not an impostor or blasphemer.
Here was the evidence that He whom they
cruciaed was now alive from the dead and
actually in heaven.
81, IS. David did not rise from the dead.
He did not speak OF his own resurrection IN
Ps. xvi, but OF Him OF whom he said In Ps.
cx., l, 1.-THE Lord snid unto my Lord. Sit
thou on My right land until make thy foes
thy footstool.", David, as to his spirit, is
certainly in glory, but his body still sleeps
In the dust OF the earth.
SO. Peter, therefore, by the Spirit, insists
that the very same Jesus whom :hey cruci-
fled God has raised from the dead and taken
to his own right hand, thus making him
Lord and Christ and declaring Him to be the
long promised Son OF David to sit on David's
throne, aud the Son of Abraham in whom oil
the promises to the fathers are to be fulT
filled. 49,
81. The Spirit, by His words through
Peter, took hold OF their hearts, convinced
them OF their sin and led them to cry out,
"Men and brethren, what shall we dof'
There was no urging on the part OF Peter
that they should come forward to the peni-
tent bench, or raise their hands for prayer,
or sign a card declaring their intention to
lead now life. however helpful these meth
DDS may sometimes be.
49, When Jesus was on one occasion asked
"What shall we do2" His answer was, "Be.
lieve on Him whom God hath sent" (John
vi, 2S, 2s). Peter says, by the same Spirit.
"Repent and be baptized" which is another
way of saying, "Belieye.' To believe that
Jesus was their Messiah would be a complete
change Of mind or repentance on their part,
and to be baptized In His name would be the
outward confession that ehey had received
Him. To receive Him would secure the for.
giveness of all their sins (John l., IL; John
H., 12).
So. The promise Is to oil who will come
that they shall In no wise be cast out (John
vi, Sd. There were some illustrations OF
households being saved, as In Gen. vi1., j;
xviii, 10; xix, IL; Joshua H., 1s. He calls
all who hear and bids them come without
money and without price. The God who
sought out and restored Adam and Eve. who
NJ nd do
pleaded 80 earnestly with backsi1ding Israel
1Jcr. ill. 13. 14), is our God and the same
Interchangeable jehovah.
40. Perhaps some OF the "many other
words" He used might be found in Isa. l., 18;
xiii, 25; w., 8. 4: Eek. xxxvi., 26, for those
are the Spirits own words to sinners. Peter
did not think to save the generation or race
OF Jews, but he did expect. like Paul, to save
some OF them Il Cor. ix., 22).
IL. Receiving His word, they received Him
and thus became children OF God (John j.,
12; vi, G3; xviii, 8; jas: l., 2l). Being bap-
tized, they confessed Him and had the assur-
ance thar He would confess them before the
Father (NIath. Y, S2). But think OF 5000
doing sol Would not some evangelists be
tempted to make a demonstration over that?
Whoever heard OF such result from one SER
mon? This was the Lords doing and must
have been marvellous in their eyes.
~. "They continued steadfastly, that
is, they believed firmly, for there is no other
way to be established. Compare IL Chron.
Xxx, 20, with lsa VIII, 8. This verse seems
talked with each other of tsese things, es-
pecially of Him.. They commemorated His
death. They were much In prayer. How
sorry they would be thnt they had not re-
ceived Him sooner! How they would long
for His return, and with what zeal they
would testify OF him!
43. The wonders and signs wrought by the
apostles would doubtless be on the line OF
Mark xvi, 1920, and being such as He Him
self wrought when He was on earth would
add to their testimony that He was still alive,
though invisible. and had all power In
heaven and on earth. 1t WIS the Lord work
ing with them and confirming the word with
signs following (Mark xvi, 2U).
"A. One great family bound together by
His love to them, and their love to Him and
to each other, having great desire to
please Him and that others might receive
Him too. They doubtless believed that all
He had was theirs and thus were drawn A. TO
share all they had with each other. The
Spirit controlled all, and 1t was q foretaste
OF heaven upon the earth.
As. Earthly possessions lost their attrac-
ton: they were no use except as they could
use them for Him by spending them upon
His who were in need. The Spirit Of Him
who though He was rich. yet for our sakes
became poor, had taken hold Of them, and
they counted nothing so precious as His love,
and the privilege Of showing some love to
Him. The first gave their own selves to
the Lord II Cor. viii. s., and then to each
other by the will of God. The same spirit
to-day would fill the treasures of the mis-
sion boards and put many workers in the
field.
46. With one accord, with gladness and
singeness of heart. This described their
daily life OF service unto Him whom they
had received as Saviour and coming King.
1t Is the third time we have met the phrase
"With one accord" See l., IA; H., 1.
At. Praising God Is q good way to draw
people unto Him, and thus they will be added
to the church. In chapters ", IA; H., "a, we
read OF people being added to the Lord. and
that is the only real addition that will stand.
Thus they are truly added to the church
which is the body of Christ. People may be
added to the membership Of church with
out being added to the Lord, but II they be-
come part of Christ by faith In Him they
are then part Of the church, and it matters
little what denomination they belong to.
The Lord Ill US with His Spirit 10 serve Him
with gladness and singleness of heart.-Les-
son Helper.