The Saint Paul globe., 1902-04-27
Sunday Study
THE sPREAD OF THE WORD.

THE SPREAD OF THE WORD.
The international Sunday school lesson
for April 27 IS found in Acts XII, Lib. 1ne
golden text is Acts x, 43. The memory
verses are the seventh, eighth and nlhLA
of the lesson. In the first verse we learn
that the RentiIes were receiving the Word
of God. Peter was spreading it among
all classes. At one time some Of the
apostles felt like burning a town because
the people would not receive CHRIST, ana
now they seem to feel somewhat ike
burning Peter because through him some
uncircumcised people had received CHRIST.
'rWhen Peter was come up to Jeru-
salem, they that were of the CIRCUMCISION
contended with him. Though they had
been for years with Jesus and had been
filed with the Spirit, they had not learn
ed the significance Of ''whosoever'' nor
that ''in Christ Jesus neither circumcision
availeth anything nor uncircumcision, but
a new creature" The feeling still exists
in some quarters that it would be wrong
to oficiate or take the communion out
side Of ones own denomination.
In the fourth to tenth verses Peter re-
hearsed the matter with his brethren. Re-
firing to the house top to pray he fell
into a trance and saw the vision told in
Acts x, 9-1O. At that very time the mes
sengers from Cornelius were near to Jop-
pa, and it was necessary that Peter
should be ready to receive them and go
with them, which he certainly would not
have done but for this special vision.
While Peter was considering the signif-
icance of the vision the messengers from
Cornelius were at the gate inqulr1ng Tor
him, and instructed by the Spirit he call
ed the men in and lodged them, and the
next day he and six others started with
the messengers for Caesarea and the
home Of Cornelius.
'fWho shall tell thee words whereby
thou and all thy house shall be saved.
AS Cornelius told Peter why he had sent
for him, this is what he said that the
angel said Peter would do; therefore at
the time of that vision neither Cornelius
nor his house, however devout, was saw
ed, and Peter had to come from Joppa-
to tell them the good news concerning
Jesus Christ that they might be saved.
'And as began to speak the Holy
Ghost fell on them as on us at the be-
ginning" In Acts X, Al, we are told that
while Peter yet spake these words the
Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard
the word So it was while Peter was still
speaking and just at the beginning of his
discourse that God wrought SO wonder
fully"
'"Fhen remembered I the word of the
Lord, how that He said, John indeed bap-
hAASNA
tized with the Holy Ghost" Jesus had
told them that the Spirit would bring to
their remembrance what He had said
unto them, and He is now doing this with
Peter.
"Forasmuch then as God gave them
the like gift as He did unto US, who be-
lieved on the Lord Jesus Christ what
was I that I could Withstand God?" Be
fore Peter and the other six Jewish breth-
rem God did for the uncircurncised gentiles
just what He had done at Pentecost for
circumcised Jews.
when they heard these things, they
held their peace and glorified God, saying,
Then hath God also to the gentiles grant
ed repentance unto life" The promise to
Abram was that all families Of the earth
should be blessed in him, and 1t was
written by the Spirit through Isaiah that
Israel should blossom and bud and fill
the face of the earth with fruit One
would think that in the blessing to this
gentle household through Peter the Jew,
the brethren might have seen some full
fillment Of these things and not have
been surprised at them. Yet 1t is true that
many prophecies still awaiting fulfllment
when fulfilled shall greatly surprise a
host of believers.