Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-03-31
international gessolts.
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON u, SECOND QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, APRIL II.

LESSON u, SECOND QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, APRIL II.
Text of the Lesson, Acts Z, 3O-44-Mem-
ory Verses, 36-3s-GoIden Text, Acts Z,
43-Commentary by the Rev. D. NJ.
stearns.
30. Peter and six men from Joppa (chap-
ter xi, 12) have arrived at the house of Cor
nelius, the Roman centurion In CRsarea.
Cornelius was just and God fearing man,
much given to prayer and good deeds and
beloved by all the Jews Of the city oversees
/, 2, 22), yet not a saved man (chapter H,
14). But God saw his earnest desire, and
In the way here recorded brought Simon
Peter to him as He had before brought
Philip to the eunuch. Cornelius, with his
kinsmen and friends, welcomed Simon
Peter and the brethren, and Peter, having
explained why he, a Jew, had come to un-
circumcised gentiles, asks for what intent
they had sert for him, and Cornelius here
begins his story.
81. "a man in bright clothing is his
description Of the angel who came to see
him. The appearance Of the angel at the
sepulcher was like lightning, and his raj
ment white as snow (Math. xviii, 81.
Some day we, too, shall shine as the sun
(Math. xiii, 4S). The angels message was,
"Thy prayer Is heard and thine aims are
had in remembrance in the sight of God. "
SO. Heaven is interested in Simon Peter
also and knows just where to find him
and how to make him willing to take this
journey and do this work. Consider the
"all things working together" In this rec
ord-the hungry man, the delayed dinner,
the trance, the vision, the visitors, and
everything just ut the right time. Be not
afraid to believe that heaven Is interested
in you, and have faith in God
83. Immediately the centurion sent to
Joppa. Peter did we'll to come, and now
they are ready to hear the message from
the God Of heaven. They were assembled
before God to hear the message from God
through Peter. They wanted none Of Pc
ters thoughts or wisdom or eloquence,
but only what God had commanded him
to speak. The Lord Jesus Himself only
spoke what the Father commanded Him
John xii, 49), and every messenger Of the
Elk. iv, IL; Jer l, 70, etc.
81. "Of a truth perceive that God is
no respecter Of persons. Thus Peter be-
gan his message. God took great pains to
teach him this oversees 11-16), and he never
forgot it, but long afterward referred to 1t
In Pet. !, II. See also Paul's reference
to the same in Rom. ii, II. If necessary,
God will give q vision or send an angel to
instruct us, but blessed are the simple and
teachable who, like Mary, sit at Jesus feet
and hear His word (Luke <, 39).
85. "But in every nation he that feareth
Him and worketh righteousness is accepted
with Him." This does not conflict with
chapter iv, 12, and the great truth that
there is none other Saviour besides Jesus
Christ, but wherever any one, Jew or gen.
tile, earnestly seeks after God, He will re-
gard them and so reveal Himself to them
that they may be saved. To conclude from
this verse that If we do the beet we know
how we are safe would be perversion of
Scripture, for by the deeds of the law (and
the law is holy) no flesh can be justified
(Rom. iii, 20-24).
86. preaching peace by Jesus Christ. "
Made nigh by the blood of Christ, for He
is our peace, having made peace through
the blood of His cross. The work Of right
eousness shall be peace, and the effect of
righteousness, quietness and assurance for
ever Therefore, being justified by faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord
Jesus Christ (Eph. ii, IS, IA; Col. !, 20;
lisa. xxxii, II; Rom. V, y. That which
every soul needs is peace, peace with God,
and it cannot be found apart from Jesus
Christ
81. "That word, say, ye know which
was published throughout I'LL Judea. "
They had heard Of Jesus. they knew some
thing of the way, but they needed clearer
light. They evidently knew something Of
the deeds Of the law, Of prayer, of almsgiv-
ing, of the ono living and true God and the
Righteousness which Herequired, but they
knew not the way to set 1t. They were
ignorant of Gods righteousness (Rom. <,
81.
S8. Jesus of Nazareth was righteous and
did righteousness. He was God manifest
in the flesh and set forth before men per-
fectly the righteousness which God required
Of man. He never pleased Himself nor
lived unto Himself; but, being filled with
word and deed the love and goodness Of
God. He revealed God to men; He glori-
fled God
80. Peter was with Him during all His
public life and saw His acts and heard His
words and as an eyewitness could testify
that He was what He professed to be, the
Son of God, the Messiah of Israel, the
Saviour Of sinners. He saw Him cleanse
the leper, heal the SICK raise the dead and
send the penitent sinner away with the as
surance of all sins forgiven. He also saw
Him crucifed on Calvary.
40. Him God raised up the third day
and showed Him openly" All Scripture
concerning His life and death and resur-
rection had been fulfilled, and that to the
very letter, and, Us He in His lifetime had
repeatedly foretold, He rose from the dead
on the third day, taking out of the tomb
the very same body that was put in the
tomb having the unmistakable evidences
Of the nails through His hands and feet
and the spear thrust into His side.
Al. "Not to all the people, but unto
witnesses chosen before Of God" Unbe-
levers have not seen Jesus since He was
crucifed, but US many as 500 of the disci-
pies saw Him at once after His resurrec.
tion Il Cor. Nv, g., and He appeared not
less than ten different times, and He actu-
ally ate with them, as Peter here says
(Luke xiv, 41).
42. "It Is He which was ordained Of
God to be the Judge Of quick and dead. !"
He will Judge His redeemed at His own
Judgment seat (Rom. xiv, 10; II Cor. v,
1O). He and His redeemed will Judge the
nations when He shall come in glory,
bringing His saints with Him (Math. XIV,
81, SO; I Cor vi, 2; Col. iii, ~, and then
at the end of the thousand years, at the
great white throne, He will judge the un-
godly who took no part in the first resur-
rection.
4S. ITO Him give all the prophets wit