Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-02-08
Snternatiunal gessal1.
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON VII, FIRST QUARTER. INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, FEB. is.

MaIy. W ~
by Rev. ID. n. Stearns.
[Copyright, 1901. by American Press Association
Is. behold. the men whom ye put in
prison are standing in the temple and
teaching the people" This was the mes
sage which was brought to the high
priest, council and senate OF the children
of Israel as they waited to receive the
prisoners whom they had arrested the
evening before. Multitudes Of men and
women were believing. and multitudes of
sick and demon possessed people not only
In Jerusalem, but ulso from the cities
roundabout, were healed. The work was
going so grandly that the high priest and
Sadducees simply could not stand il and
so put the apostles in prison. God. whose
they were and whom they served. sent
an angel by night and released them from
prison and sent them To the temple TO
continue their ministry. and there they
are found teaching. instead Of in the prls-
on under the power Of the authorities.
They belonged To Gnd.
1928. Behold. ye have filled Jerusalem
with your doctrine and intend to bring
this mans blood upon u.s." The high
priest reminds them that they had been
forbidden to teach in the name of Jesus
and then adds this word. unintentionally
giving good testimony to their zeal. but
evidently forgetting that the people had
cried. His blood bp on US and on our
children" Matt. xvii. 25).
1892. I'VE ought to obey God rather
than men," Thus replied Peter and
again accused them to their faces Of be-
ing the murderers of Jesus. whom God
raised from the dead and exalted with
His right hand to bp u Prince anu Sa'
viour to give repentance and forgiveness
of sins even to such Us they were. That
it Is not possible to please Cod and to
please the world lying in the wicked one
is seen in Gal. |. lO: Luke xvi. IL: Jas.
iv, 4. These apostles were in conscious
partnership with the Holy Spirit. who
was in them. and He, the Spirit. was the
speaker through their lips. even as Jesus
had said. ut is not ye that speak. but
the Spirit Of your Father which speaketh
in you" Matt. x. 2O).
33. when they heard that, they were
cut to the heart and took counsel to slay
them" Not only was the blood Of Jesus
upon them. but they were ready to bring
upon themselves the blood Of the apostles
also. Before they killed Jesus they de-
sired to kill Lazarus. whom Jesus raised
from the dead tJohn xii. lO,. The truth
Of God when not mcekly received makes
manifest that 1.-The carnal mind is pnlnity
against God" from. viii. u.
81, 3;5. "Ye men Of lSrnel. take heed to
yourselves what ye intend to do Us touch
ing these men" The apostles. being sent
out of the council for little while. CANA
liel. q learned and honorable member. at
whose feet Saul of Tarsus had been edu-
Gated tchupter xxi. b. thus begins to ad.
dress his brethren lie seems to have
had something Of the spirit of Joseph ard
Nicodemus. who also were at one time
members uf the council MARX w. l3:
John vii, 50). We do not know that hr
ever received Jesus aS the Christ. hut
from the wisdom and spirit "f this ad-
dress and on the Suppositinn that Saul
would seek the welfare nf his teacher we
may hope that he did.
SO. 81. Before these days rose up
Theudas. boasting himself to be some
body" he quotes two cases Of decrivers
who for q time had quite following. but
in each case the leaders persisted. and
their followers were Dispersed. The
mark of a dpceiver is that "he boasts
himself to be somebody" while u true fol-
lower Of the Lord seeks to glorify God
only. The antichrist shall do according
to his own will and shall exalt himself
and magnify himself iDan. xi. 36I. but
the Lord Jesus Christ sought neither His
own will nor His own glory iJohn vi.
3S: viii. 50). and Paul. the great apostle,
determined to know nothing but "Jesus
Christ and Him cruciird." his notices
being Not l. but Christ" Not !. hut
the grace Of God" Il Cor. ii. =: xv. lO:
Gal. ii, 2O).
3S. IF this counsel or this work be of
men. it will come to naught." He may
have remembered these words. "The Lord
bringeth the counsel Of the heather to
naught: He maketh the devices Of the
people Of none effect" FPS. xxxiii. 10;
see also lisa. viii. 9. 10. for very strong
words in this connection, 1t is a great
comfort to the true believer t.. know that
they that war against him shall he as
nothing and as a thing Of naught and
that no weapon formed against him can
prosper lisa. XII. II; liv. IN.
80. IF it be of God. ye cannot over
throw it. lest haply ye be found even to
fight against God" 1t is written that
"every purpose Of the Lord shall bc per-
formed" and THE Lord Of Hosts hath
sworn. saying. Surely as ! have thought,
80 shall it come to pass. and as ] have
purposed. so shall it stand" and. again,
''The counsel of the Lord standeth for.
ever. the thoughts Of His heart to all
generations" lJer. Ii. ~: lisa. xiv. "a;
Ps. xxxiii, III.
40. "They commanded that they should
not speak in the name Of Jesus" With
the repetition of this ungodly and rebel
lious command they are beaten and let
60. How the devil hates that name at
which every knee shall yet bow ahd con-
corning which every tongue shall yet con-
fess that Jesus Christ is Lord. to the
glory Of God the Father! tPhi ii. 10. H.
Jesus had told His disciples that they
would be delivered up to councils and be
scourged and brought before governors
and kings for His sake Matt. K. II. 18).
Al. Rejoicing that they were counted
worthy to suffer shame for Hit hame."
What glorious reality is the Lord Jesus
to those who can take such treatment. not
only without resentment. but even joyful
ly! Backs scourged and bleeding. full Of
pain physically. but full Of joy inwardly-
how great is the grace Of God! They
were already tasting that which Paul
was afterward told concerning the great
things he must suffer for Christ's sake
(chapter IL. 16).
AZ. And daily in the temple and in