The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-01-20
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INTERNATIONAL LESSON COM
MENTS FOR JANUARY "a.

Subject: The Lame Man Healed, Acts
3:1-26-Golden Text, Acts 3:16
Commit Verses 9, 1O-Expo-
sition Of the Lesson.
TIME.-A. D. 80. PLACE-Jeru-
salem. The Temple, Door Beautiful.
EXPOSITION.-I. The Lame Beg
gar, 1-S. Peter and John were men
of prayer, and at the regular Jewish
hour of prayer we see them vending
their way to the temple (cf. Ps. O.:
s, IT; Dan. $40; 9:21). The ninth
hour was the hour of prayer because
it was the hour Of sacrifice (Ex. %:
80; / K. 1880, and all approach to
God In prayer must be on the ground
of shed blood. 1t was the very hour
at which Jesus died and opened up
for us a way into the hottest of all
(cf. Luke 1894, As; Heb. 1919
29). The man had been there often
before and was expecting nothing un.
usual that day. But something very
unusual was to occur simply because
two men who really knew God weral
to pass that way. All he expected
from Peter and John was some small
coin, but he wal to get vastly more
than he expected. 5r
II. The Man Of God, Ala. Peter
first took a good look at the man and
then demanded his attention. Here
are two good points for any one who
would bring Christ's power into the
life of another. Peter didSnot give
the man what he asked for, he did
not have it to; give. His pockets were
empty, but he was full Of power
Peter had had an excellent opportu.5
nifty to get silver and gold (ch. 2:45;s
4:37). AS a rule 1t has been the men
without silver or gold who have done
the most for the worlds highest good
Il Cor. AID. 1t Is an utterance full
of meaning that fell from Peter's
lips, What / have, that give IT,
Every Christian ought to be able to
say that q Pet! 4:10, III, Peter
babe the man do the very thing he
couldn't do. But that which Is nat
urally impossible is possible SIN the
name OF Jesus Christ ThespoweT
that there was in that mighty. name
came into that mans fmpotent feet
the moment he believed and sought
to obey ". u; ct. Y .163.
III. The Man Made Whole, 7a-1O
Luke's training as a physician con1ea
out in his details about feet and an.
kle bones. It was the gladdest mo-
ment Of the mans life;i he leaped up,
stood a moment in wonder, began to
walk and then began to leap and
praise God. No wonder. He walked
to a good place with his new strength
Gods own house. He couldn't do
much but praise God. There was mo-
guesswork about this miracle, The
man was we'll known. to all the oh.
servers, and the reality Of the cure
was evident and sunmistakable. IT.
was utterly different from the cases
of many to-day who proclaim that
they have been healed, when to all
appearances they are as sick as ever.
The people who witnessed the change
were filed with wonder and amaze
ment, and many were converted
w. Jesus, the Holy and Righteous
One, the Prince OF Life, 11-18. The
healed man held fast on to Peter and
John. He was afraid they might get
away from him. He had not yet
learned to lean directly on Jesus and
not on the instrument He uses. The
miracle drew a great crowd (cf. CHI
$3.50. Peter Immediately turned at.
tention away from himself to his
Lord. How unlike many modern
claimants to healing power. Peter
was not at all pulled up blythe won.
der that had been wrought through
his instrumenta1ity, nor did. he fancy
for moment that It was due to any
peculiar power or goodness OF his
own Get. CHI, ~14:11-15;f Gen. 40:S; q
Cor. 3:5; contrast Mum. 20:10J.y He
wished them to get their eyes on the
Lord, not upon him. With an almost
distressed earnestness he cries, Why
look ye SO earnestly on us" In the
original there is strong emphasis on
."us." He used that name of God
which would show the Jews that II
was not some new God that he
preached, but the God OF their faith
ers. The one doctrine that he em-
.phasized was that OF the resurrection
of Jesus (cf. 1:22; 2:24. 80; 3:15.
26; ABB; 1910, Al; 1890, "a; IT..
81. The sin he especially pointed
out was tie sin of rejecting and de-
nying the One whom God had. so ex-
allied (cf. 2:22, 20, SO; 4:10;. $3.50;
7:5'). There are four counts in Pet
er's ,rrible Indictment of his hear
ers: ~ Ye delivered up Gods serv-
ant Jesus. (2) Ye denied the Holy
One and the Just. (3) Ye desired a
murderer instead OF Him. az Ye
killed the Prince Of Life. He used
four very significant titles for Jesus:
Gods Servant (R. W, the Holy One,
the Righteous One, the Prince Of Life.
And this was the one they had deliv-
cred -, denied and killed. And this
Is tn lie men reject, deny and~tram~
pie under foot to-day. But while the
Jews had thus misused Jesus, God
had gloriied Him. He had raised
Him from the dead and exalted Him
to His own right hand (cf. Jno. 1875;
Matt. ISIS; Jno. 1873; Eph. 1920
20; Phil 2~:9-11). How awful mans
treatment of Christ appears against
Gods! Perhaps it was the recollec-
ton of his own denial Of his Master
that led Peter to dwell so sadly upon
their denial of Him. The same mon
strous choice that the Jews made In
desiring a murderer instead of the
of Life is repeated by many to-
day, indeed by all who reject Jesus
and accept Satan. The condition
which the name of Jesus exer-
cises it's power is faith in His name
No, Quick Divorces.
Judge A. W. Frater, in the Super
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