The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1909-01-14

LESSON TENT.-Acts 4.-z-4I Memory
GOLDEN TEXT.-'They continued
steadfas,iy IN the apostles doctrine and
fellowship, ana in breaking of bread and
i'm PRAYERS Acts -
TIME.-Probubly on Sunday, May %
a. d. 81. The same day as our last les
son, and the days following.
PLACE-Jerusalem- Peter preached in
the vicinity Of the upper room, or in the
temple court. Then in the temple court,
and in the homes Of the people.
PLACE IN HISTORY.-The birth OF
the Christian church.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
With this sermon we must com,
pare St Peters other sermons-to the
Jewish people CActs 3:12-26) and to
the Gentiles (Acts 10:34-43)."-
Rackam.
Peters object was to prove that
Jesus Of Nazareth was their prom.
ised Messiah, whom they were expect
ing. The reasoning of Peter was con
elusive and unanswerable Stated in
brief modern form it was as fol
lows:
1. What has taken place in your
presence is exactly what your proph
cts foretold would characterize the
Messianic times for which you are
hoping. Turn to the prophet Joel
and you will see that both what
has been done to the disciples and
the things you are suffering under the
Roman yoke are the fulfllment OF
Joels picture Of the times.
2. Jesus of Nazareth fulfilled the
prophecies concerning the expected
Messiah deliverer, as many of you
have seen and experienced. God in
dorsed and approved him by mira,
cles and wonders and signs
3. Moreover God reversed your
wicked work by raising him from the
dead, according to your Scriptures. He
is not dead, but living.
4. We are Witnesses of the fact OF
his resurrection
.. Another proof that he is living
is the gift of the Holy Spirit He
hath shed forth this which We now
see and hear
Peters hearers were convicted OF
sin and its danger " 81. They were
pricked in their hearts" The Greek
for pricked means 'pricked with
sharp point intensely, deeply" For
the word of God is living, and active
and sharper than any two-edged
sword, and piercing even to the divid.
ing of soul and spirit and quick
to discern the thoughts and intents OF
the heart, for all things are naked
and laid open before the eyes of him
with whom we have to do."-Heb
Abb
The sense of sin is the plowshare
that opens the soil of the heart fo1
the reception of every true grace OF
character
The Second Duty-Belfeving
Jesus as Master, Messiah, King. S. -
Jour, and Guide-a faith which trusts
the whole life to his guidance and
control. This is implied in the re.
quirement to be baptized
The third duty was to confess Christ
publicly, openly by baptism; that they
henceforth are his disciples for life
and death. 1t was like taking an oath
of allegiance when one becomes a cit.-
iZen of a country
This picture of the early churc- is
so attractive, so beautiful, so ideal
that some commentators have felt
that it was idealized by late writer's.
and was not literally true. But as a
matter of fact, it has been repeated
over and over again for short spaces
of time. Our own eyes have seen it.
V. A. "All that believed . had all
things common" They were mem.
bers of one family and held things in
common, just as members of a family
do, Everything was for the good of
all. No one, said that anything was
his own" but all was for the use of
friends and of whatever Christian had
need
Oriental Light-R Talbot Kelly,
speaking of the Bedouin of the desert,
says: Conducting me to my tent, he
added: This house is yours, and all
it contains; do what you will with it.
and with us, your servants. Cen.
fury, February, 1897, p. $50 All true
Christian hospitality is filled with the
same spirit
This was necessary because Sc
many were strangers and visitors. 1t
was an emergency.
1t was not an instance of what is
now called communion 1t was not a
new business enterprise, nor a new
sociological organization.
Individuals did not give up all their
property to the church
1t was one expression of an eternal
principle, that all possessing goods
and industries are to be consecrated
to God in the service of humanity is
a fundamental Christian principle
(Mqtt. -5:it-30; Luke 1869 but
neither experience nor Scripture in.
1icates nat selling all and dividing to
tho poor is the best method calculated
TO serve humanity, or even the poor"
The sacrament of holy communion
has always been recognized as the
central means and test of fellowship
with the church. "-Rackam.
Prayer makes a person a magazi~e
of power"
There is nothing magical in we