Democratic messenger., 1902-02-08
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Fcbrua
Subject: The Sin Of Lying. acts iy.. 31. y. II
--GoIdea Text, Eph iv.. 25 Memory
Verses. 3.5 Commentary OF
the Days les on.

tioneu IN verse =, ana ploDaoiy uan! otH-
| ers, who had been converted by the minis
| try of the other apostles since that time.
! "Of one heart" Though OF different ages,
| dispositions and conditions before they be-
| lieved, and perfect strangers to one an
other, yet when they met in Christ they
were intimately acquainted. Neither said
| any of them" There was not dissenting
member. No such thing as discord existed
among them. ''All things common" There
existed such confidence in each other.
80. with great power With no diff
/ culties among themselves to absorb any OF
| their time, the apostles We're encouraged
| by a spiritual, praying church, to preach
with great vigor spirit and courage. Wit
ness The apostles We're witnesses to what
| they had seen and heard. This is a most
| effective way of preaching. 'Of the resur-
rection." All knew of the death and bur
ial OF Jesus. But the enemies of Jesus,
the Jews, would not believe in the resur-
rection OF Jesus.
a. That lacked This was one rea-
son for their favor among men. Tor all
could see the self-sacriticing spirit that
actuatel them. Sold them" 1t seems
clear that all the owners OF real estate
! who belonged 10 the church sold property.
| Things that were sold" The language
here expressly avoids saving that, these
! men sold all they had. They sold some
things. and the sum realized from what
was sold was offered TO the common store.
| 81. AT the apostles feet To be dis
posed OF as they should direct. They would
| be better able to determine where there
was need Having a relief fund the apos-
, ties could draw upon 1t without making
every case public.
SO. "Joses' Or Joseph lie is the we'll
known Barnabas. who is afterward fire.
| quently mentioned an associate ri the
| apostle Paul. That he was Levitc is
! remarkable circumstance; we are soon al
al sl,.t tafs.
lieved. Chan. 6: Z. The surname OF Bar
nabas, which the apostles gave him. al
| luded. without doubt, to an extraordinary
| gift of the Spirit which was manifested III
! his addresses and eXhortations. "Of Cy-
prus." An island in the Mediterranean
| Sea. not very far distant from the Jewish
coast: The Jews were very numerous III
81. Having land. sold it" He com.
| forted by his gifts as we'll "a his words"
| He certainly proved his sincerity.
l. But" The little word but" is the
hinge. on which great issues turn; Ana
| MAS" The meaning OF the word IS ''Fa-
vored of the lord or Jehovah is cra-
cious'' "Sapphira'' Beautiful" Their
| characters were in sharp contrast with
| their names. Here is contrast between
| the honest liberalitv of Barnabas and the
| hypocrisy OF Ananias and his wife. Pro-
| fessors OF the gospel. but certainly not true
believers. for all that truly. believed We're
OF one heart and of one soul.
.. Kept back part OF the price. While
| they pretended to make an offering of all.
This was hypocrisy. and was called lie.
His wife" This sin premeditated by
| both parties They had not set their affections
on the land but the money exercised such
an influence on them that they could not
resolve to resign the whole. and hence
| they retained part. They were unwilling
TO acknowledge this circumstance pub
licly.
3. "Filled thine heart" Satan. the
! father of lies. a liar from the beginning
! Peter traces the sin back to its source
the heart into which Satan had been adj
| mitted: his question recognizes Ananass
power to resist these evil influences. Satan
knocked; Ananias opened his heart. TO
lie to the Holy Ghost" The apostles dis
Christ who works the miracles; the God
| of Abraham who gives the power OF heal
ing. and the Holy Spirit who Is grieved
by sins like that OF Ananias.
4. Chine own" He might have kent
il without incurrinC the dispeasure of the
| apostles or the Lord. In thine own pow
er." These questions show that the be-
stowment OF goods was perfectly yoluu-
| tary and not a law. and that the crime was
free and deliberate act Ananias was
not censured because he had not surretl-
dered his entire property hut for false
nood IN processing 10 nave uonc so Nheh
| he had not. Unto God The oftcnSe
was chiefly against God. David takes this
same view OF his sin in Psa. 81: 6. But this
| is an important text to prove the person
| ality of the Holy Ghost. Peter uses the
terms God and the Holy Ghost ". - IN
terchangeably, which shows that the Holy
Ghost is not merely an emanation from
| God, but He Is God Himself.
! :. Gave up the ghost" The immediate
| fall and death of Ananias. when Peter had
| addressed him. must he viewed as direct
act of God. "Great fear came" This Ell
! feet on the Christian community is thought
TO be the chief design of so startling 4
| judgment.
g. Young men The earliest church
was not without young men and young
women Acts -: l3. Carried him out."
Just beyond the walls of the city. That
/ the body was not taken to his home is in
dicated by his wife's ignorance OF what
had occurred. Buried" In hot eli
mate, like that of Palestine. burial had to
take place at once. and the graves leaves
with niches) were always open.
| Z. After three hours Probably at the
| next hour of prayer. Under the shock OF
| the death of Ananias they had not dis.
persed.
! phira's place for repentance: the Holy
Spirit strove with her in Peters words.
but she resisted his strivings. so much >
Perhaps Peter pointed TO the money still
living where Ananias had placed it. V. >.
yea" 1t had been in her power to save
her husband by 4 word of warning pro-
test; it was now in her power to clear her
own conscience by confession.
.. agreed" Sapphira's answer proved
to Peter that their sin had feen premcdi
tated, and not one of haste or ignorance
She was equal in the sin with her husband
Peters question gave the first knowledge
TO Sapphira that their guilt was discov-
cred. but her answer was given. To
tempt" To test. or try the Spirit of the
Lord by attempting to deceive Him, but
God is not mocked' or deluded
10. "Fell-yielded 1t was not through
Peters words. nor his prayers. nor through
shame. nor through remorse that this gull
ty pair died, but an immediate judgment
OF God.
IL. "Great fear This judgment an
swered the end for which it was inflicted;
n deeply religious fear occupied every
mind. and hypocrisy and deception were
banished from this holy assembly.