Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-02-10
for the Aun1e Circle.
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON VII, FIRST QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, FEB. 81.

i NATIONAL SERIES, FEB. Il.
Text of the Lesson, Acts vi, 8-15; vii, 64-6o.
Memory Verses, $3.50 - Golden Text,
Rev. II, 10-Commentary by the Rev. D.
M. stearns.
8. "And Stephen, full of faith and pow
or, did great wonders and miracles among
the people," AS days passed on and the
disciples increased, satan increased his zeal
in disturbing the peace. There Is MUIR
muring because some thought they were
neglected in the daily ministration. This
leads to the appointment Of committee
of seven Spirit filled men to see specially
to the distribution Of aims, leaving the
others free to give themselves to the word
and prayer. The seven were set apart by
prayer and the laying on Of hands. Dis
ciples multiplied greatly, and many priests
believed. Stephen, full Of faith and OF
the Holy Spirit, content to do the humble
work of the committee, was led by the
Spirit into greater things, for the humble
shall be exalted
9, 10. "And they were not able to resist
the wisdom and the Spirit by which he
spake." This was in accordance with the
promise Of the Lord. ~ will give you a
mouth and wisdom which all your adyer-
saries shall not be able to gainsay nor re-
sist'' Guke xxi, 15). There is power In
the word of God when spoken by the Spirit
of God, even through a very weak earthen
vessel, which can be accounted for only by
the fact that God Is in His word, and 1t Is
the same word by which He made the
heavens and all their host (Ps. xxxiii, g..
His word is like fire and q hammer to
break rocks in pieces. He that hath it, let
him speak it faithfully (Jer. xxxiii, %,
29).
II, 10. "We have heard him speak BIAS
phemous words against Moses and against
God" The things that are farthest from
our thoughts and that we would be most
unlikely to be guilty Of are just those
which the devil through his agents is apt
to accuse us of. Think Of his calling
Christ glutton, and Of his accusing Him
Of being in league"with himself, and OF
His being crucifed as an evildoer. Imagine
Stephen, filled with the Spirit Of God, be-
ing guilty Of blasphem'ng God. Yet
Christ was accused Of the same. When
such treatment comes our way, let us be
thankful for fellowship with Christ Il.
Pet ii, 2O).
18, IA. "We have heard him say that
this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this
place" Such was some Of the testimony
which the false witnesses bore against
Stephen. The false witnesses said of
Christ that Hs said He was able to destroy
the temple of God and build 1t in three
days (Math. XVI, 6D.
| is. "And all that sat In the council,
looking steadfastly on him, saw his face
as it had been the face of an angel" His
Lord was with him and in him, and made
something of His glory to be seen in him.
Perhaps it was somewhat as when the face
of Moses 50 shone that the people could
not look upon him G Ex. xxxiv, 30, 35).
Chapter vii, 81 "When they heard these
things, they were. cut to the heart, and
they Qnashed on him with their teeth. /"
When the false witnesses made their false
accusation, the high priest said to Stephen,
care these things sos" (vii, y. In reply
to this he began at the appearance Of God
to Abraham and traced the goodness OF
God to Israel down to David and Solomon;
then made the nation guilty of the perse.
cution of the prophets, and Of the murder
Of Christ, and Of not keeping the law OF
God This cut them and led to their
gnashing their teeth at Stephen.
55. "But he, being full of the Holy
Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven
and saw the glory of God and Jesus stand.
ing on the right hand Of God" Thus ne
was unmoved by their anger and Needed
not their gnashins teeth. The way OF
peace is to see Jesus only and always.
Look steadfastly upward and never within
nor around. Sec Isa xii, 10, r. V. mar
gin. Jesus at Gods right hand for us,
and the glory which awaits US are enough
to lift us above all the things we see.
Sc. "And said, Behold see the heavens
opened and the Son of Man standing on
the right hand of God" Heaven opened
always shows us Christ or His church
either In glory or tribulation. The phrase
is found only seven times in Scripture, the
other six places being In the following
chapters: Eek. /, Math. iii, John 1, Acts
Z, Rev. iv and xix. We are saved by be-
holding Jesus Christ as the Lamb Of God
taking away our sins. We run with pa
thence and grow in grace only as we look
4 constantly to Him, and when we see Him
as He Is we shall then be forever like Him
John /, 30; Heb. xii, /, Q; II Cor. Ill, 1S;
I John ill, %.
i 81, SO. "And the witnesses laid down
their clothes at young mans feet, whose
name was Saul" This Is our first intro
duction to one who figures so largely In
the rest Of this book and in most Of the
epistles to tue churches. How little he
dreamed that day Us he minded the clothes
of those who stoned Stephen that he would
ever be most devoted follower Of Him
whom Stephen said he saw at Gods right
hand! In af+er days he must often have
thought Of ,is day and its events. God
had plan for him to be revealed in due
| time See lisa. XVII, 8, 10; Gal. 1, 15, 10.
4 In His own way and in His own time God
humbled Saul and brought him to Him
self. Doubtless Stephens testimony had
something to do with it.
80. "And they stoned Stephen, calling
upon God and saying, Lord Jesus, receive
nv spirit" In Ps. xxi, s, 1t is written,
Into thine hand 1 commit my spirit. "
These very words said Jesus to His Father
when He died on Calvary, and similar
words says Stephen as he dies. 1t Is asked,
Where Is the spirit after death? Jesus
Spirit-that Is, Jesus Himself out Of the
body-was with the Father. Stephen g
spirit-that is, Stephen himself out of his
body-was with the Lord Jesus in glory.
Jesus taught in Luke xvi, 1928, the con-
scious existence Of those who pass out OF
the body by death. The same is clearly
taught In Rev. vi, Oil, and In Phil. l, 81,
%; II Cor. v, 8. The body sleeps, but not
the soul The nonexistence Of a person
between death and resurrection or the all
nihilation of the wicked Is not taught in
] tha Snrintnres and cannot be taught from