The Morris County chronicle., 1909-04-06
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5tu7oosl- Sclool
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COM
MENTS FOR APRIL IL.

Subject: Peter Delivered From Pri-
son, Acts 12:1-11-Golden Text,
Psalm 34:7--Exposition of the
Lesson and Lesson Comments.
TINIE.--A. D. "A. PLACE.--Je-
rusalem.
EXPOSITION. Peter in Prison
and the Church Praying Unto God
For Him, 1-5. The lull in tx perse-
cution was but temporary. 1t began
again with great ferceness. James
was killed and Peter arrested, put in
prison and about to be killed. Peter
seemed to be in very perilous posi-
ton - securely locked in a Roman
prison, bound with two chains be-
tween two soldiers, guarded by six
teen soldiers, keepers before the door
guarding the prison. Peters enemies
seemed to have taken every precau-
tion, but they made one fatal mis-
take, they left God out of their calcu-
lations, There is nothing too hard
for the Lord nor for the church
that links itself on to God by prayer
God often withholds His deliverance
and answers prayer at the last mo-
ment. What should the church do2
There is but one thing to do-pray.
They appealed the case from "Herod
the king" to God, the King of kings.
Peter seemed to have faith that he
would be delivered, for he was calm
ly and very soundly sleeping. just
as soon as he was thoroughly awake
he said: Nov l know of a truth that
the Lord did send forth His angel
i1rc+ OH If1,o +S,Ai
and delivered me- Verse 5 teaches
us just how to pray. Cd unto
God Much so-called prayer is not
unto God. There is no real coming
into the presence of God and actually
presenting our petition to Him. There
are volumes in these two short words,
unto God (2) without ceas-
ing" The r. v. gives the thought,
but not the full thought. The Greek
word means, literally, tstretched-out-
ed-ly." 1t is a vivid pictorial word
that represents the soul on stretch
with intensity of desire (cf. Jer. 29:l
49, 1t is the word used Of Christ's
prayer in the garden, when in the in
tensity of His prayer His sweat was
as it were great drops of blood fall
ing down to the ground (Luke 22:l
"A; CT. Rom 1880; Col. 4:12, IS,
r. W. (3) "Of the church" There
Is power in the prayer of the individ-
ual, but there is added power, yes,
multiplied power, in united prayer
Matt. 1919, 20; Acts 1:14; 4:24,
S1). (4) For him They did not
wander all over the world in their
prayers that night; they concentrated
their prayer on Peter and on getting
him out of prison.
III. Prayer Answered and Peter
Free, ell. Gods angels are most
likely to appear in times of greatest
need. A heavenly light shined in the
gloomy cell. A prison cell is dark
and dismal place, but no place is
more luminous sthan prison cell
when the angel of the Lord stands
there. Gods angels are very uncere-
monious. He smote Peter on the
side and awoke him. = Sharp blows
are often more loving than gentle
lullabys. 1t is frequently necessary
to rudely awaken man before he
can be delivered from his peril Gods
orders demand prompt obedience (F.
~. Peter could not take his chains
off from himself, but he could gid
himself and bind on his sandals
when the chains were off (v. 81.
Wnae ieter couio 40 lot nlmselI ne
must niMseil 10. e.eI nau solten
% lnucn lnlo she napit u opeyins
uou that ne uio II even IN MS sleep:
OF at ieass wnen ne was only nalI
awake ana tnougnI ne was asleep.
II Feser nau peen IKE many OF us ne
would nave stopped long pelore tney
got 10 the IRON gate ana DEBATED with
tne anger now lhey We're TO ger
tnrouen u. But ne hau more sense
ana uld Just as ne was toId ana leIt
the now Win COO, Wnen ne got
10 tne gaze II opened OF lts own ac-
coro' put not until tney got TO II.
IL we just oDey Goo dlmculties VIII
disappear wnen we get 10 them
IL. benevlhg hnoda ana the I'm
peleving Churcn, Ix-I7. Inc COM
pany had come logether 10 pray TOT
Peters dellverance. Goa, as might
be expected, neard their prayer and
sent the answer around TO the meet
ing tcf. is. 65:24). But they were
completely bewlldered by the answer
when II came. Tney We're sure thar
II coulu not De Feter. hnoua must De
must be his ghost and not Peter