The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1897-02-25
THE SlDDLIH-SCHON LESSOR
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
FEBRUARY %.
Lesson Text; "The Disciples Dis
persed," Acts viif.. 1-17-Goldcn
Iext: Acts WILL, 4-Com-
mentary.

!. Satan was very angry INT stirred IN the
Christ was a b~lasphemer and an imposter
and therefore justly put to death, TO do an
tney could to stamp out this sect OF apostles
rom Judaism, but this was oyerruied NV
Tod to scatter the truth Of His great redemp.
lion. The command had been given. "Go
ye into all the world" and the assurance
Also maj thcy should be His witnesses unto
Sne enc OF the earth MARK xvi, Is, Acts l.,
81; but, being slow to obey, they had TO bs
scattered by persecution. We would think
that the apostles would be the first TO 20 forth.
out the record is that all were scattered OK.
cept the apostles.
=. With great sorrow they laid away ths
poor broken body OF Stephen till tho rcsur.
rection. While they knew that he was Ger.
amy win the Lord In glory, they would
greatly miss him. and for the BODY. and for
me bereaNel friends and relatives. the worI,
Oh the great emery. death, is always sorrow.
tul work. EveR Jesus wcpt at the rrave
Of Lazarus, though He knew that He would
In a few moments give him back to his sisters.
.. Saul seems to have been tho leader in
the persecution OF the Christians. His own
testimony in after years was "Deyond
measure prosecuted the church OF God and
wasted it, "A blasphemer and n prosecutor
and injurious" (Gal. l., IS; | Tim. l., l3l.
see also his more full testimony in Acts
XVI, oil.
4. Those who were scattered abroad went
everywhere preaching the word. Men,
women and children could tell OF Him who
was cruciied, who rose from the dead, who
appeared to hundreds Of His followers and
afterward visibly assembled to heaven. and
who was surely coming back IRON heaven in
due time to restore all things OF which the
prophets had spoken (Ac,s l., 3, IL; ill.,. 20.
I'D. and that all who would receive Him
now by faith would have in Him the forgive.
ness OF all their sins duke xiv, Al; Acts
Sii.' ", 39), aud come with Him in gloryQ
Thess. w., 14).
8. This is Philip of the committee OF seven
OF chapter vi, 8, not Philip of John XIV, s.
Oh the apostles. Stephen. the leader OF tho
seven, being promoted, Philip, the next
gained in order, seems called to special ser.
vice by the Holy Spirit. He preached Christ
In HIS humiliation and exaltation, in His
life and death and resurrection, His ascen.
son, ihtercession and return, AMI that
through Him all who accept Him have re.
aemption IN Him, even tho forgiveness Of
sins.
u. The word which Philip spake was fol.
lowed by miracles which God did by him.
dod thus working with him by the Holy
spirit CMark xvi. 2O). Philip sought only
honor and glory of God through Christ, and
the power of the Lord was manifested in tho
| ESOpio StNinb hCCu WIKI ono uccOrl TO What
was spoken.
7,S. There was great Joy in that city "a
they saw the lame ana tho palsied healed
ana evil spirits cast out. and receiving Christ
as lsraeIs Messiah, and their own personal
saviour had the assurance OF eternal life IA
q present possession. Ii is the will OF God
that His people be full OF joy (John xv., IL
XVII, "a; xvii, 13l. But there Is no way TO
49,.
.. One who had beforetime deceived the
people by wonderful works which he wrought
In tho power Of the evil one-for the devil
has In the past wrought miracles and will
again before the Lord comes IN His Glory
lex. VII, II, IL; Rev. kill, l1-l5)-is now In.
troduced to US as being among the believers.
~ hsd exslsed himself bslQra the qeapley as
the work OF o greater than he had ever
heard OF.
10, ii. Before Philip came all gave heed to
simon, looking upon him as the great power
OF God. He was q sample. like many others
who have been and are now, and especially
OF one who is to come Grew. xiii, 3, Al, Of
satan filled man clarifying himself and DO.
Ing his will that no himself may prosper.
See Dan. xi., 80. How shall We know
whether We are to give heed to or beware OF
one who doeth wondrous works?
IL. The words and works OF God through
Philip, tho name OF Jesus Christ and tho
things concerning the kingdom OF God took
such hold OF the people in the power OF tho
Spirit that many believed in tho Lord, both
men and women. and publicly confessed
their faith by baptism. Philip did not seek,
like Simon, to draw people to himself; bur,
hiding himself, he exalted Christ that people
might be drawn TO Him. II Christ Is mag.
niiied, He will to this day draw people unit,
Him.
Is. 1t must have been a wonder TO all peo.
Pile when the great sorcerer himself believed
and was baptized. He continued with Philip.
wondering at tho signs aud great miracles
(margin) which he saw. Whatever of slelght
OF hand or OF the real power OF tho devil
there had been In tho sorceries with which
he had bewitched the people and doubtless
there Is much OF each In the spiritisms OF |
to-day-here were works such IA Simon had
never seen. much less done. Here was in.
deed the power OF God.
IA. The apostles continued at Jerusalem.
They heard that the word was being preached
and received in Samaria and sent Peter and
John to see. These men who had been az.
pointed to serve tables were being nightly
used Of God. One had been honoret TO be
the first martyr in the early church, and one
Yves being honored to win many souls in
Samaria, while from Jerusalem nothing
special is heard about this time, though
GOuDtleSS many were still being added to the |
Lord (chapter ", ~. Let us be willing to
serve the Lord In any capacity. and He will
lead us into all He has for US Oh Sam, xv.,
15).
Is, 16. When any one truly receives
Christ, such IA one is truly saved (John l.. 70;
ILL.,, 16, SO; ", "a; viii, 81, AZ, etc.. Baptism
is the public confession that Christ has been
accepted, although neither baptism nor the
Lords supper nor joining the church adds u
whit to our safety, but are acts of Obedience,
bringing in creased fellowship with God to
the obedient believer. Every truly peni.
tent and believing soul receives tho Holy
Spirit upon believing.
II. "Then had they their hands on them,
and they received the Holy Ghost" They
were saved before, but are now specially
qualified for service. Simon, not UNDER
standing, offers money that he may receive
the power which he saw In Peter and John.
Peter severely rebukes him, but in verse "a
Simon seems sorry for his misunderstanding
and asks TO be prayed for. Peter and John
bear witness to Christ and return to Jerusa.
lem, preaching as they go. II we are fully
yielded and ready for any service, We shall
DO filled Lessor Helper,