The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-01-18
SUNDAY-SCH00L
LESSON FOR JAN. 19
EARLY CHRISTIAN CHURCH.
Acts. II, 37-47.
by REV. j. L. GILBERT, D. d.

Secretary of American Society OF Religious
Education
CoNTEXT-Betwecn last lesson and this there
are but sixteen verses These contain the re-
Inantlcr of Peters sermon. delivered on the day
Of Pcntccost, in which he explained the wonder
full phenomena attendant upon the onfpoufnS
OF the Holy Spirit. After his quotation from the
prophet Joel. which we studied last week, he ad.
dressed the Jews in direct but unimpassonrd
manner. His effort was to show that Jesus, whom
they had crucifcd. was the Christ whom the ia.
tion in all its history had expected, that the
resurrection of Jesus from the dead was in tul'
fllment of predictions made by David. and that
Jesus had asccndcd to the right hand OF the IA
ther, the place Of supreme power and authority.
This was IL bold declaration for the iishcrmln
apostle TO make in the very city where, a few
weeks before. his Master had been put TO death
by the dignitarcs of the church under tic sane
tion of the Roman government and amidst the
clamor of the mob
CONSCIOUSNESS 37)--rlc logic of that
address was irresistible. Jesus was the Mes
siah, long expected lie had been crucled Ivy
the people to whom he had been promised, 10
whom He had come. lie had been raised from
the dead, exalted to the highest station and
clothed with power. He had shed forth the Holy
Spirit upon His church. In all this lie had full
filed the ancient prophets. The effect OF the
sermon upon those who heard il, was immediate
and powerful. They felt themselves to he guilty
of great crime against their country and OF
greater sin against their God, recrcant to the
true promptings of patriotism and piety More
over, as Jesus Was now exalted, they saw plainly
that for their crime and sin they might JULY
be punished by Him whom they had despised.
These reflections awakened their fears and filled
them with unrest. They cried aloud under
sense of their i'll desert saying, "Nhat shall We
dog They thus sought help from those whom
Jesus had commissioned to complete his work.
(Matthew, xviii, l0.20)
INSTRUCTON.-(Ncrscs 2S20)-Still mair-
tanning his place as the spokesman of the apoS-
tolic band Peter instructed the cnQurers in three
particulars: Fust, they must repent. This is
the initial state act in the religious life OF
sinner duke, xiv, ~, without which no fur
tlcr experience is possible. Whoever would find
favor with God must turn away from sin and
cast it of as something loathesome to himself.
Second, they must be baptized in the name of
Christ. That was an expression OF their faith
CActs, xvi. 81, and was quite the same as to
say they must believe. This sccnnd step, COM
mitmcnt or surrender To- Divine mercy. completes
conversion The one act turned from sin, the
other to Jesus. (Acs, M, 2l.) Third, they wilo
repent and believe shall receive the Holy Ghost
promised by Jesus to tile disciples. (Joln, Niv,
2B.) THIS dld not mean tllnt the gifts OF tongues
should be bestowed special enducment but
every believer, and promised TO all in all lands.
EXIIORTATION.--(Veis 40)-'rhs instruction
having been given Peter followed with earnest,
burning words to lead his hearers 20 instant
decision and action Luke, oni historian, has not
recorded these wolds. 1t was best that lie should
not There il 4 time when language is hurdrnCd
with meaning and power whici, the mc.e words
do not express. They must be heard in order
to be understood on felt. They come ont of tic
heart and arc suited to the pccua, time and
circumstance They go to the heart bearing much
OF tlc personality that delivered them, so thas
heart sncal,s To heart rather than lips to cIia
Peters cxhortatiop, while the language and
form are not preserved. was ill dominated by orc
great thought he would gather on; of the multi
tule before him as many as possible and rave
them from that destruction which lie forasaw
hanging over the wicked nation Matthew,
xiii. 37.3s) lie was borne on in mis- speech by
intense desire for the welfare of his countrvmen
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