The Yale expositor., 1909-01-15
B eginning IS Of
Christian Church
Sunday School Lesson for Jan. IL, 1909
Specially Arranged for This Paper

PLACE in HlSIOtt1 the birth OF
the Christian church
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
With this sermon we must com.
pare st. Peters other sermons-to the
Jewish people (Acts 3:12-26) and to
the Gentiles (Acts 1O:34-43."-
Rackam.
Peters object was to prove that
Jesus of Nazareth was their prom
Used Messiah, whom they were expect.
ing. The reasoning of Peter was con-
elusive and unanswerable. Stated in
brief modern form it was as fol-
lows:
/. What has taken place in your
presence is exactly what your proph-
cts foretold would characterize the
Messianic times for which you are
hoping. Turn to the prophet Joel,
and you will see that both what
has been done to the disciples and
the things you are suffering under the
Roman yoke are the fulfillment of
Joels picture Of the times.
2. Jesus OF Nazareth fulfilled the
prophecies concerning the expected
Messiah deliverer, as many of you
have seen and experienced. God in
dorsed and approved him by mira
cles and wonders and signs"
3. Moreover, God reversed your
wicked work by raising him from the
dead, according to your Scriptures He
is not dead, but living.
4. We are witnesses of the fact of
his resurrection.
5. Another proof that he is living
is the gift of the Holy Spirit. He
hath shed forth this which We now
see and hear"
Peters hearers were convicted of
sin and its danger. " 81 They were
pricked in their hearts" The Greek
for pricked means ''pricked with a
sharp point intensely, deeply" For
the word of God is living, and active,
and sharper than any two-edged
sword, and piercing even to the divid-
ing of soul and spirit and quick
to discern the thoughts and intents of
the heart" for "all things are naked
and laid open before the eyes of him
with whom we have to do."-Heb.
4:12-13.
THE sense of sin is the plowshare
that opens the soil of the heart for
the reception of every true grace of
character"
The Second Duty.-Believing in
Jesus as Master, Messiah, King, Saw.
Jour, and Guide-a faith which trusts
the whole life to his guidance and
control. This is implied in the re-
quirement to be baptized.
The third duty was to confess Christ
publicly openly, by baptism; that they
henceforth are his disciples for life
and death. 1t was like taking an oath
of allegiance when one becomes a cit
iZen of country.
This picture Of the early church is
so attractive, so beautiful, so ideal,
that some commentators have felt
that it was idealized by late writer's,
and was not literally true. But as a
matter of fact, it has been repeated
over and over again for short spaces
Of time. Our own eyes have seen 1t.
V. A. "All that believed l.. had all
things common" They were men,
bers of one family and held things in
common, just as members of family
do. Everything was for the good of
all. No one. said that anything was
his own" but all was for the use of
friends and of whatever Christian had
need.
Oriental Light.-R Talbot Kelly,
speaking of the Bedouin of the desert,
says: Conducting me to my tent, he
added: This house is yours, and all
1t contains do what you will with 1t.
and with us. your servants Cen
fury. February, 1897, p. $50. All true
Christian hospitality is filled with the
same spirit.
This was necessary because SO
many were strangers and visitors. 1t
was an emergency.
1t was not an instance of what is
now. called communion. 1t was not a
new business enterprise, nor a new
sociological organization.
Individuals did not give up all their
property to the church.
1t was one expression Of an eternal
principle, That all possessing goods
and industries are to be consecrated
to God in the service of humanity is
a fundamental Christian principle
Matt. 25:14-30; Luke 1859, but
neither experience nor Scripture in
dicates that selling all and dividing to
the poor is the best method calculated
to serve humanity, or even the poor"
"The sacrament of holy communion
has always been recognized az the
central means and test of fellowship
with the church.
Prayer makes a person a magazine
Of power"
There is nothing magical In the
communion service, but 1t is a real