The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1897-01-21
THE SlDBL1H-SCHOl LESSOR.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
JANUARY -.
Lesson Text: "The Lame Man
Healed" Acts ILL.,, 1-16-GoIden
Text; Acts ILL.,, IG-Com-
m%entary.

i. Although this book IL called the Acts n,
the Apostles, it might be called the acts of
feter and Paul. for these are the through
Whom the Spirit IL seen working. John IL
seen here associated with Peter. but Pete,
seems TO be the principal actor. II is mos,
interesting to follow these two, who. with
James. formed tho inner circle OF the
saviours friends. The ninth hour would be-
ABOUT 8 p. m. OLuke xiii, Az, the hour
when Jesus died, and we might safely i'm
aSlne Theses two talking Of il as they walked
to the temple together.
:. Here is u u~itifully helpless case. n man
over lorty years otage Chapter w., 22), who
had never walked a step, and who was daily
carried by friends and laid at the beautiful
gate at the temple that he might receive aims
from the pasSersby. He makes us think of
the man thirty-eight years sick ut the pool
OF Bethesda (John ", 81 so discouraged and
hopeless. but these are Just the cases which
show forth the power of God, as In the blind
man and Lazarus ~(Johnix.. 8 xl., ~. Every
SINNER Is u hopeless case in himself, but
Christ Jesus came into the world to save sin
ners, to seek and save tho lost.
j, 4, 8. As he asks aims OF Peter and John
they both looked ut him, and when Peter
said, Look on us" he thought surely he
would receive something from them, but
cannot possibly have had n thought OF what
he was going 10 receive. II ono had told
him that day rs he was being carried to tho
temple. RMS Is our last trip with you, for
you won't need TO como again. hS might
have asked IL they thought he would die OF
II another great healer had come, for IL can
hardly be- but that he had both heard OF and
seen the Lord Jesus. But IL 80 why hal not
Jesus healed him2 Can it be- that Jesus
passed him by in order that Peter and John
might nave the honor and Joy OF doing so?
Poss bly,.
G. "Silver and gold have | none" That
was enough 10 make him drop his hand
for 1t was money he wanted. "But such rs
have give | thee" What could ho have
worth giving IL he had no money? ain the
name OF Jesus Christ Of Nazareth rise IN and
walk COULD he believe his oars2 Did he
say, Rise and walkin And did he use that
name, Jesus Of Nazareth" Yes, oven So.
And there is something supernatural, in their
looks and words. for it is Jesus Himself who
By His Spirit is looking through their eyes
and speaking with their lips.
7. Peter took him by tho hand. lifted him
up and instantly strength came to hi5 feet
and ankle bones. 1t is n truc story. 1t
actually happened, and such things are being
done In our own time by the very same
Jesus, Tor He Is tho same yesterday, to-day
and forever. Tho Christian Alliance AMI
other papers record many such.
:. Standing, walking, lcaping, praistnc
God, he entered into tho temple with Peter
md John. Another Illustration OF lisa.
xxxv.. &, and proof of tho fact that tho Lori
Jesus lives aud has all power. But let US
not be understood rs teaching or bclievin .
that every sick person could hn healed II
they had faith cl,ugh, and that the Lord
has no use for physicians. Tho ilct+ are
that believers both then and now wore
sometimes hoaled and sometimes allowed to
remain sick and die. The Lord sees 1T to
bless the skill and medicine otthc physician,
and sometimes TO restore to health even from
tho vergt of tho grave without either. II iS
our place to have tuil confidence in and
trust Him TO do what seemcth Him good,
magnifying Him und n al circumstances
Phil. l., 800.
9, 10. The people saw him perfectly
whole. They knew him ~ tho lame man ut
the beautiful gate, but they saw him after
his fashion. Day attcr day and year after
year had he continued helpless. but at last
his deliveranoe came suddenly and unex-
pectedly. II is the waiting and the patient
continuing that tries ones soul-tho going
on IN tho same routine and under tho same
trials with no prospect OF dclivernuce. Bat
deliyerance will! como in His time AMI way.
Here il the patience and faith OF the saints
(Rev. Kill, 10Y.
II, IL. Tho lame man, now hoaled, holds
on to Peter and john IA il he thought his
healing might depart II he let thom ~, and
the crowd has gathered nui looks in aston.
Ishment upon Peter and John rs II they had
doneit. How prone we are TO see the hui
man instrumeatality and honor II, and how
prone our hulra nature is to feel that itself
Is some great one! We say and sing, mot
]. but Christ" but perhaps the Searcher Of
Hearts sees deep within us something that
slys, "See what Christ did through Me!
You cant come mp to that"
10. At once Peter points them to Jesus Of
Nazareth, tho g~loriled Son Of the God OF
Abraham. Isaac aud Jacob, Gnd ACCUSES
them of being guilty of His death and re-
sponsiblo for II. We AFRO not apt to want u
Saviour unless wo know that VT AFRO sinners.
Tho first thing necessary. therefore, TO our
salvation Is a conviction OF sin.
IA. How often have We by deed or wori
denied Hin and preferred tho murderer?
Whenever we ARE ashamed to own that we
are His and that We do not care to do his
or that, or go here or there because we know
He would not like 1t, or when we prefer tn"
company Of the world TO His company. IL it
not n denial OF Him and n preference for
the prince of this worldf II We prefer the
worldly one to tho holy one, or unrighteous-
ness to Righteousness. what better are wo
than those VINO cruclned Christ? Let us IN
IMAGINATION stand by the cross OF Chris, and
honestly confess wnnt we think Of Him.
Is. The central truth throughout his
book and IN all the preaching OF the apes
ties is that Jesus Ia alive from the dead, and
believers aro witnesses to hat fact; also that
God had ~foreseen aud foretold both tho slf-
ferings OF Christ md the glory that should
follow, and that He will como again to full
MI all that tho prophets have spoken oversees
l7-21). How, then, can We know anything
OF tho things that are to come unless we arc
familiar with tho prophets, for 'suroly the
Lord God will do nothing, but lie revealeth
His secret unto His ser wants, the prophets"
(Atnos ill.,. y.
1G. Not Peter nor John, but the risen aud
glorifled Christ had made this nun perfectly
whole, and the same Lord Jesus Christ foro.
told by Moses shall yet fulfill every promise
to Abraham and bring blessing to all the
klndreds OF the earth Oversees 22-2G). Hi
name. through faith in His name, will d,
wonders to-day, and thosa who, like Pete
and John. have neither silver nor gold ant
nre counted unlearned and ignorant lneI
(chapter w., l3) may be used by Him II they
IRE only willing to be filed with His Splri
and give Him all he glory. Any dhs Sc
npart for Himself pa. w., % that He ma,
DO glori1ed may SEQ His power. -l.essoi
Helper.
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