The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1902-02-07
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON VI, FIRST QUARTER, INTER
NATIONAL SERIES, FEB. 9.
Text of the Lesson, Acts Nv, 81 tn ",
II Memory Verses, 3D. = Golden
Text, Eph- Nv, 25-Commentary Pre-
pared by Rev. ID. NJ. ste.rns.

| copyright, 1901, by American Press Association
| 80, 33. with great power gave the
apostles witness of the resurrection or
the Lord Jesus, and great grace was up
on them ALL" In these days we can
scarcely imagine several thousands or
believers OF one heart and one soul TO
serve the Lord, no one clinging to his
own things, but each loving the other az
himself and all having all things in COM
mon. IL it was the power OF His resur-
ERECTION that did this, they must have
known something that few know today.
34-37. Possessors OF lands and houses
sold their property and put the proceeds
in the common fund that the need OF
each might be supplied and that no one
might have any lack. There was no self
ishness and no self seeking. This seems
all the more remarkable when we con-
slider the strife for pre-eminence that
was seen more than once among the
twelve before Jesus died; yes, even at the
passover on the night before His resur-
rection. but now they were all filled with
the Spirit, and hence this great differ
ence \ Spirit filled people will manifest
the life of Christ and not the life Of self.
Joses. sunamed Barnabas, son Of con-
ISOLATION, Il Levite, and evidently true
one is mentioned as one Of those who
having land sold il and laid the money at
the apostles feet. Levi signifies Join
ed" and he illustrated the truth, He
| that is Joined to the Lord is one Spirit"
Il Cor. vi, 10. Our Lord Jesus not only
gave mp all His riches and became poor
to make us rich, but He actually gave
Himself for us, taking the place of the
guilty that we might be joined to Him
I'll Cor. viii, 9; Gal ii. 20)
v, /, .. But Ananias and Sapphira.
The tares and the wheat will grow to-
gether until the harvest. Until Jesus
comes again many a bird will lodge in
the branches, but no bird ever becomes
branch The commands. walk before
Me and be thou sincere" and Thou shalt
be sincere with the Lord thy God" tGen.
xvii, /, margin; Deut. xviii, 49,, are al
ways binding, and Cursed be he that
doeth the work of the Lord deceitfully"
der. Xviii, 10), seems to be always
necessary warning. When Abram and
Sara agreed to act a lie and Isaac and
Rebekah did the same tGen. xii, lib;
XXX, 2; XVI, y, which of us can say that
the eyes as a flame of fire may not see
some deceit in our inmost hearts? We
are not our own, but bought with His
precious blood.
3, 4. "Why hath Satan filled thine
heart to lie to the Holy Ghost? Thou
hast lied unto Cod" See the oneness OF
the Father and the Spirit, for in lying 10
the Spirit they lied unto God. See also
the oneness of the Spirit and the belev-
er, for in lying to Peter and the others
they lied unto the Spirit. Notice also
that il was the work of the devil, the IA
Their OF lies, in Ananias, the same adver-
u-hn in ha pIp nf pH a
Eve and has ever since been practicing
his ungodly wiles. Contrast Peter filed
with the Spirit and Ananas filled with
Satan and the high priest and others fill
ed with indignation or envy chapters Nv,
8, 81: V, 3, II. If filled with the Spirit,
evil can find no place in us. The Spirit
of Truth and the father of lies each de-
sires u.s. but neither can fill us unless we
welcome them
3, 6. Dead and buried in a few hours:
gone from the earth and from his pos.
sessions, but gone where? To the true
child Of God death is gain and far better
than sojOurning here. But what Of Ana.
Mas? His name means, Jehovah is
gracious" But did he know the saving
grace OF Jehovah? We know that there
is such thing as being saved as by fire,
that Satan may destroy the flesh and yet
the spirit be saved, that some OF the
members of the church were sickly and
some dying because of sin and that we
are told to judge nothing before the
time until the Lord come II Cor. iii, 10;
v, 3; xi. 30; iv. o. yet Rev. xxi, 8, gives
us little hope for Ananias.
Z, :. 1T was about the space Of three
hours after when his wife, not knowing
what was done. came in" Three hours
a widow. but not aware OF it. How long
they had journeyed together in these
mortal bodies we do not know, but his
journey has ended, and hers is about to,
though she is all unconscious Of il. Per-
haps she had come seeking him, wonder
ing why he delayed to return home. 1t
is sad story and should teach us to be
sincere with God, who desires truth in
the inward parts FPS. Ii, O.. If we did
not know that Peter was filled with the
Spirit. we might feel like questioning his
way with her and might wish that he
had sought to lead her to repentance, but
perhaps her heart was fully set in her to
do evil (Eccl. viii, ID.
y, 10. How is ii that We have agreed
together to tempt the Spirit OF the Lord ?"
So one with God are His people that
when we touch them we touch Him, and
as we deal with them we deal with Him
Czech. ii, s; Acts tx, ~. There is I'M
speakable comfort and yet solemn
warning in this great truth. How awful
Is this scene before us! She is for the
first time told of her husbands death and
at the same time told that she must die,
and In a moment she is gone. In the
morning they are in health but united in
a lie to God that they may appear before
men to be very religious, but before night
they are found out Mum. xxi 23), and
are dead and buried. Two liars in one
grave. But their souls If not saved
as by fire, then Luke xvi, 49, first clause,
tells their fate. Ii was the hand of God,
and the Judge OF all the earth doeth
right Gen. xviii. 25; Rev. XIV, 81. See
also Acts XIII %; Jer. xviii, 10 IL and
yet believe firmly that "God is Love" and
mot willing that any should perish" Il
John iy, g. III Pet. iii, 81.
IL. And great fear came upon all the
church and upon as many as heard these
things" Ii was needed lesson for the
times, and, although He does not always
thus swiftly punish sinners. He always
hates sin and tells us that he that telleth