The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-01-29
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL,
Lesson v.-First Quarter, For
Jan. 81, 1909.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.

Text Of the Lesson, Act iv, 1-31--Mem-
ory Verses II, 12-ooIden Text, Acts
", 31-commentary Prepared by
Rev. D. M. stearns.
copyright, 1908, by American Press Association
As the gospel is preached and wher-
of this age we can only expect the ex-
perience of Paul In chapter xviii, "a,
"Some believed and some believed
not" Some are wholly Indifferent and
care for none of these things, while
others violently oppose the truth. The
comfort of the believer through 1t all
Is that His word will always accom-
discouraged Qsa. w, IL; Kill, ~. The
resurrection of Jesus was accompanied
by the resurrection Of many of the
saints (Matt. xvii, so, 53), and both
His and theirs were resurrections
from the dead. So also shall be the
resurrection of all the righteous.
We now find Annas and Calaphas and
tUtll hluuItu, Will lhC anu
ers and scribes, gathered at Jerusa-
lem to inquire more fully concerning
the healing Of the man who had been
lame from his birth, for all the city
was stirred because Of the notable
miracle that had been wrought, which
no one could deny (verse 16). Peter
aud John being brought from prison,
this august assembly asked them, "By
what power or by what name have ye
done this" This gives Peter another
opportunity, and he who at one time
asked the Lord Jesus not to think Of
suffering and on that dreadful night
three times denied that he knew Him
boldly rehearses the facts of the cruel
fixion of Jesus by these very men, as
serts His resurrection from the dead
and assures them that the healing Of
this man was by that same Jesus. He
quotes Ps. cxviii, %, and has in mind
lisa. xviii, 16, which passages he also
quotes In his epistle u Pet. II, 4-S). He
is bold because filed with the Spirit,
and the Spirit brings these words to
his mind and utters them through him,
according to the promises Of the Lord
Jesus while He was yet with them In
His humiliation Matt. x, 10, 20; John
xiv, 2G). 1t is grand to hear Peter tell
these proud Pharisees that there Is no
other way for even them to be saved
but by Him whom they had crucified,
whom God raised from the dead. They
must have remembered the meek fear
lessness Of Jesus when He stood be-
fore them, for they see something In
these men to remind them Of Jesus
(verse 13). 1t should be our ambition
so to be Spirit filled that those who
know us would be compelled to see
something Of Him in us III Cor. iv, 1D.
While they could not deny the miracle
nor the strange power in these un-
learned men, they determined to do
what was in their power, as they
thought, to prevent the spread of this
doctrine, and so after consulting
among themselves, the apostles having
been sent out, they recall them and
command them not to speak at all nor
teach in the name of Jesus (verse 49,
One cannot but think of the words in
the second psalm, "He that sitteth III
the heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall
have them in derision." AS they were
men processing to fear God, these
priests and rulers, Peter replied that
they must Judge for themselves wheth
er 1t was right to obey God or man
but boldly, yet respectfully, added, "Wc
cannot but speak the things which We
have seen and heard" (verse 20).
What contrast between these mer
and the majority of believers today
who seem to have seen in Jesus moth
ing worth mentioning to any one, fol
both in public and private they can SC
rapidly keep quiet about Him. Con
slider Elihu and jeremiah, who were
much like Peter and John Dob xxxii
1920; Jer. Xxx, 81.
With further threatenings they were
let go and at once went to their owl
company, who had doubtless been ir
prayer for them. They reported al
that had been said and done, and will
one accord these believers looked VI
to God as the Creator and quoted the
words of the second psalm and, rest
ing In the eternal counsel of God
prayed, not for deliverance from fur
ther persecution, but only that they
might speak the word of God will
boldness and that God would accom-
pany the word with signs and won
ders in the name of Jesus. They evi
IDENTITY feared no man, nor even death
but by faith saw the risen Christ q
Gods right hand for them and de
sired only to glorify Him. They were
certainly in touch with the throne, fo
see the immediate response from
thence-the place was shaken and al
were filled with the Holy Spirit. Ther'
never was greater need than now fo
believers to be filled with the wort
of God and the Spirit Of God and Il
speak that word boldly. 1t can onl!
be done by seeing the risen Christ a
Gods right hand on our behalf and b.
80 seeing Him that we shall not SCI
I the face Of man. If we are ever afraiC
Of man, we are evidently forgetting
, God and n wa live to nleaRe men WI