Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1909-01-21
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INTERNATIONAL LESSON COM.
MENTS FOR JANUARY "a.

Subject: The Lame Man Healed, Acts
S:1.28-Golden Text, Acts 3:16
Commit Verses o, 1O-Expo.
sitiOn of the Lesson.
TINIE.-A. D. 80. PIlACE.-Jeru.
salem. The Temple, Door Beautiful.
EXPOSITION.-I. The Lame Beg
gar, Is. 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. s.:
5, IT; Dan. 6:10; 9:2D. The ninth
hour was the hour of prayer because
1t was the hour of sacrifice lex. 30:
80; X. 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 way into the hottest of all
(cf. Luke 23:44, as; Heb. 1919,
29). The man had been there often
before and was expecting nothing I'M
usual that day. But something very
unusual was to occur simply because
two men who really knew God were
to pass that way All he expected
from Peter and John was some small
coin, but he was to get vastly more
than he expected.
III. The Man of God, 4.7a. Peter
first took 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 did not give
the man what he asked for, he did
not have 1t to give. His pockets were
empty, but he was full Of power.
Peter had had an excellent opportu-
nifty to get silver and gold (ch. PAS;
4:3O. AS rule 1t has been the men
the most for the worlds highest good
q Cor. AID. 1t is an utterance full
of meaning that fell from Peters
lips. What I have, that give l."
Every Christian ought to be able to
say that Il Pet. 4:10. ~. Peter
babe the man do the very thing he
couldn't do. But that which is nat
urally impossible is possible "in the
name of Jesus Christ" The power
that there was in that mighty name
came into that mans impotent feet
the moment he believed and sought
to obey ". 7; CT. v. 49,
III. The Man Made Whole, 7a.1O.
Luke's training as physician comes
out in his details about feet and an
kle bones. 1t was the gladdest mo-
ment of the mans life; he leaped up,
stood a moment in wonder, began to
walk and then began to leap and
praise God. No wonder. He walked
to good place with his new strength
Gods own house. He couldn't do
much but praise God. There was no
guesswork about this miracle. The
man was we'll known to all the OBJ
servers, and the reality of the cure
was evident and unmistakable. 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 filled with wonder and amaze
ment, and many were converted.
w. Jesus, the Holy and Righteous
One, the Prince of Life, 11.1G. 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. oh.
2:6). Peter Immediately turned at
tention away from himself to his
Lord. How unlike many modern
claimants to healing power. Peter
was not at all puffed up by the won.
der that had been wrought through
his instrumentalty, nor did he fancy
for a moment that it was due to any
peculiar power or goodness of his
own (cf. oh. 14:11-15; Gen. 40:S; 2
Cor 3:5; contrast Mum. 20:1O. He
wished them to get their eyes on the
Lord, not upon him. With an almost
distressed earnestness he cries, why
look We so earnestly on u.s." In the
original there is strong emphasis on
us" He used that name of God
which would show the Jews that 1t
was not some new God that he
preached, but the God of their faith
ers. che one doctrine that he en-
phasized was that of the resurrection
of Jesus (cf. 1922; 2:24, 80; 3:15,
20: ABB; 10:40. Al; 1880, "a; II:
81. The sin he especially pointe?
nying the One whom God had so eX.
dlteu lCl. 90 OOb w.
7.52. There are four counts in Pet.
er's terrible indictment of his hear.
ers: (1) Ye delivered up Gods serv-
ant Jesus. CD Ye denied the Holy
One and the Just. CD Ye desired
murderer instead of Him. (4 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 up, denied and killed. And this
is the one men reject, deny and tram
pie under foot to-day. But while the
Jews had thus misused Jesus, God
had glorihed Him. He had raised
Him from the dead and exalted Him
to His own right hand (cf. Jno. 1875;
Matt. 2S:18; Jno. 1873; Eph. LEO
20; Phil 2:9-1D. How awful mans
treatment of Christ appears against
Gods! Perhaps 1t 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
Prince of Life is repeated by many to-
day, indeed by all who reject Jesus
and accept Satan. The condition
upon which the name of Jesus exer-
cises its power Is faith In His name"