Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1909-01-28
(HE SUNDAY SCHOOL,
Lesson v.-First Quarter, For
Ian. 81, 1909.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.

Rev. q. N. stearns.
copyright. 1905, by American Press Association.l
AS the gospel is preached and wher-
ever It Is preached during the whole
of this age we can only expect the ex-
perionce 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 it all
Is that His word VIII always accom-
Dlish His pleasure and that He Is never
discouraged lisa. ". IL; Kill, a. The
resurrection of Jesus was accompanied
by the resurrection of many Of the
saints Matt. xvii %. 53). and both
Ills and theirs were resurrections
from the dead So also shall be the
resurrection of all the righteous.
We now find Annas and Caiaphas and
their kindred, with the rulers and cid
ers and scribes, gathered nj 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
and 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
hxion of Jesus by these very men, as
serts His resurrection from the dead
and assures them that the healing or
this man was by that same Jesus. He
quotes rs. cxviii, %. and has In mind
lisa. xviii. 16. which passages he also
quotes In his epistle q Pet. II, 49,. 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. 26) 1t is grand to hear Peter tell
these proud Pharisees that there Is no
other way for even them TO be saved
4 but by Film 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 20 remind them Of Jesus
/ Verse 49,. 1t should be our ambition
so to be Spirit filed that those who
know us would be compelled to see
something Of Him in us QI Cor. ", III.
While they could not deny the miracle
nor the strange power In these I'M
| learned men. they determined TO do
what was in their power, as they
thought. 10 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 stitch in
the heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall
have them in derision." AS they were
men protesting 10 fear God, these
priests and rulers, Peter replied that
they must judge for themselves wheth-
err II was right to obey God or man,
but boldly, yet respectfully, added, eve
cannot but speak the things which we
have seen and heard Verse 20.
What a contrast between these men
and the majority of believers today,
who seem to have seen IN Jesus moth
Ing worth mentioning 70 any one. for
both in public and private they can so
rapidly keep quiet about Him. Con-
slider Ellhu and jeremiah. who were
much like Peter and John Dob xxi
1920; Jer. Xxx. %.
With further threatenings they were
let go and at once went to their own
company, who had doubtless been in
prayer for them. They reported all
that had been said and done. and with
one accord these believers looked up
to God as the Creator and quoted the
words OF the second psalm and. rest
ing TN the eternal counsel OF God.
prayed. not for deliverance from fur
ther persecution, but only that they
might speak the word of God with
boldness and that God would accom-
pany the word with signs and won
ders in the name of Jesus. They evil
IDENTITY feared no man, nor even death.
but by faith saw the risen Christ at
Gods right hand for them and de-
sired only to glorify Him. They were
certainly in touch with the throne for
see the immediate response from
thence-the place was shaken and all
were filed with the Holy Spirit. There
never was greater need than now for
believers to be filed with the word
Of God and the Spirit Of God and to
speak that word boldly. It can only
be done by seeing the risen Christ al
Gods right hand on our behalf and by
so seeing Him that we shall not see
the face of man. III we are ever afraid
OF man. we are evidently forgetting
God. and If we live TO please men we
are not the servants Of Christ Qsa. II.
-. IS; Gal. 1, 10).
There is a grand word for the serv-
ant OF Christ in Thess. II, 4. Allowed
Of God to be put In trust with the Cos
pei. even so we speak; not as pleasing
men, but God. who trieth our hearts.
There Is only one with whom we have
TO do. and TO Him alone must every
one Of us give account. Let our motto
be. THE Lord alone shall be exalted
and let Us "Cease from man" nsa. II.
IL, II. ~.
elective il is thought the inspector,
might bo led 70 give mora affapf;on