Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1909-02-11
The Apostles
Imprisoned
Sunday School Lesson fsr Feb. II. 1909
Specially Arranged for This Paper

LESSON TExr.-Aets ssN-ss Msmorv
verses 49, 20.
GOLDEN TExT.-Blessed are 49,
which are prosecuted for riEhteousnsss
sake: for theirs is the Kingdom OF heaven
Matt. $40.
TIME.-Immediately after the last les
SON The exact date IN unknown, but be-
tween A. ID. % and So.
PLACE.-Jerusslsm; the preaching wes
In one OF the porticos of the outer courS
OF the temple The trial was In the hal
OF the sanhedrim. on the tsmpss hin ~
tween the portieo and the temple.
Comment and Suggestive Thought
After the experience of the apostles
with Ananias (our last lesson, there
was such an increase In the numbers
and influence of the church, so many
good deeds were wrought, SO many 81
the sick were healed, so widely pre-
vailed the new teaching. that the
whole community was stirred, and
even the rulers felt the power and ths
danger to their position and influence
Their reasons for opposing the 0ss'
pei were all reasons why they should
have favored IL. /. The lessening OF
their influence and the loss OF prestige
was what ought to take place whes
the rulers ruled for themselves and
not for the people.
2. The teaching they opposed was
the very salvation Of the nation.
3. The apostles filled Jerusalem
with their teaching" Their success
brought Joy, salvation. peace. fresh
life to great numbers.
A. The apostles and the church wsss
bringing healing to the people. lessen
ing suffering, giving TO the poor, TO
ducing crime and vice, giving reality
to the angels song Of Peace, Good
every good ruler seeks to have done
for his people.
w. 10. But the (R. ". AM, angel
of the Lord" One of the "minister1ns
spirits sent forth to minister for
them who shall be heirs Of salvation"
Heb. 1:14. In this Book of the Acta
the word angel occurs 20 times"
The ministry of angels" II believe
that angels wait on us as truly as ever
they waited on Abraham, or Jacob, OF
Moses, or Elijah. or Mary, OF Jesus
himself. The medieval painters were
fond of filing the background of the
infancy with countless angels; the rep
resentation, though literally false, was
morally true. ! believe that angels are
encamping around them that fear the
Lord. George Dana Boardman. ID. ID.
Opened the prison doors" Silently,
without the knowledge Of the guards
". 23), who were asleep or had re-
Taxed their vigilance, being confident
of the strength of their prison
Reasons for this intervention. 1. The
apostles and the church were still in
training for greater battles and harder
work. Hence by this deliverance they
were taught faith in God. and courage,
and assurance that their bold, defiant
course was approved by God.
2. II was a great advantage to the
cause. as they went on preaching the
gospel, impressing the people that II
was Gods cause, and the apostles were
his messengers. speaking his truth.
g. II was a direct refutation of the
Sadducees doctrine. blow at their
position.
a. II tended TO impress the minds
of the enemies Of the apostles with
respect for them as under Gods spe-
cial protection. and probably suggest
ed to Gamaliel ". 34-39). his fear that
by opposing the apostles the rulers
might be opposing God himself
s. Hence, it influenced the result
Of the trial. and made the escape from
prison type of their greater deliver
ance from the power and wicked de-
sires of the rulers.
" 81. The apostles obeyed, and en-
tered the temple early in the morn
ing" r. V, about daybreak," as soon
as the gates were opened Called the
council" the sanhedrim,' together,
and" better even "all the senate. -
Peters argument Critics have no.
ticed the structure of Peters brief de-
Tense as one OF the finest specimens
OF pleading on record. clear. direct,
true, personal, an argument without
flaw. OF course only the barest out
lines are given in this report. See
Peters previous address.
The charges against the apostles. %
Disobedience to and defiance of the
national and lawful authorities. CD
Hence disloyalty. almost treason. 10
their country. CD Charges to them
seemingly slanderous. against their
rulers, that they themselves were dis.
obeying their God in whose name they
ruled. These charges were not mere.
ly serious, but, 60 a Palestinian Jew,
overwhelming.
The boldness and courage OF the
apostles was very great.
Threefold Victory of the Apostles.
First. The arraignment OF the apostles
gave them an opportunity to preach
the Gospel faithfully to the rulers. who
could not easily be reached i'm any 9th.
er way.
Second They We're released from
their bonds. and were free TO continue
their work with all the more power
because OF the outcome OF the efforts
TO put a stop to II.
Third They themselves received
new inspiration of power They re-
ioiced in their sufferings for Jesus
sake. and in public and in private. I'm
the temple courts. and from house to
house, they preached that Jesus was
the expected Messiah
The attractiveness and persuasive
power OF the apostles and the early
church is very marked and was one
Of the most influential means of lead
H., ,4r,orc 10 t,co,.o ~, -i-tfo~- III