The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1916-02-17
INTERNATIONAL
SUNNSO1OOL
LESSON
By " o. SELLERS. Acting Director Of
Sunday School Course. Moody Bible
InstltuteD
tCopvrisht 1915. Western Newspaper Union,
LESSON FOR FEBRUARY 20
CHRISTIAN sRoTHeRHooo.

The Sanhedrin had tried threaten
ing upon the disciples and this is gen
orally pretty weak business. Bu
their threat meant danger and the dis
ciples were not unduly pulled up ovel
their deliverance. With all their be
lieving friends they prayed and In re
Spouse the Holy Spirit came upor
them in still further measure
N:23-3D.
.. The spIrit.f iIied seIievers, 4:32
81. The two sections OF this lesson
are really one and are designed "a
bring out sharply the contrast be
tween the Holy Spirit-filled church
and an evil spirit.iilled man. The
communism OF the early church was
ta) Christian communion (see 2:44);
and II was tb) tor a special occasion +;
tc) II was benevolent-each had &C.
cording TO his needs asa. 25); (d)
II was voluntary $50, and (e) It rec.
ognized the right to private property
tsee 90. - He. the Holy Spirit, does
bring that unity. that altruism, those
active social relations and services of
which Pentecostal communism 10 the
type. Unity and love are seen in gen.
uine Christianity In all ages, but the
forms OF their expression may differ.
The power Of the Holy Spirit was
manifested. not merely In love and
unity which u produced. In the broth.
erhood thus evidenced, but also In the
testimony given for the Lord Jesus
Christ. with great power gave the
apostles witness to the resurrection
OF the Lord Jesus" There IL much
witness to the resurrection OF the
Lord Jesus Christ In our day, but not
always with great power" When we
are filled with the Holy Spirit II IL Of
Jesus. and especially OF his resur.
rection. that we will bear witness.
Another result Of being filled with the
Holy Spirit was that grace was upon
all. Grace" means favor. We are
not told whether II was Gods favor
or mans favor that was upon them
II seems to imply both (see Luke
2:52). No man looh ed upon his own
interests. but every man on the
things OF others" Distribution was
made according as each had need. not
according to his ability. not according
to his notable service. The pre-emi.
nent illustration OF Christian love In
the brotherhood at Jerusalem was
Barnabas II we had more OF such
today we would have less OF union
labor troubles and missionary deficits.
We do well to consider carefully the
six distinguishing features OF this
early church: D A praying church
N:2+-30). (2 a Spirit-nlled church
(3D. 90 q united church (32). a. Q
witnessing church (33). 90 a minis
tering church ga. $50. (6) q multiply
ing church (36. 3O.
u. The oeviIpossessed unbeIiever,
9. lis. Barnabas had received great
praise for what he had done at the i'm.
pulse OF the Holy Spirit In his life. II
Is an exceedingly fair picture. but the
scene OF the early church had been
from foes without. now II faces the
greater peril of foes within. And when
this great question. regarding the de.
ity and personality OF the Holy Spirit.
is first brought to light. God. through
his church. dealt with Il In q stern
The devil is always present
ing his limitations OF everything good
and holy Ananias and Sapphire were
not willing to make a like sacrifice.
They. too. sold a possession" but
they secreted part Of the price and
brought the rest with the intent TO de-
ceive the church. The Holy Spirit
quickly Informed the church OF this
hypocrisy and. Spirit.guided. they
were not deceived For Ananias to
lie In the atmosphere OF love and con-
secration engendered by the Holy
Spirit made his crime the more unpar-
The same words are used In
his actions as those used
In describing the actions OF Barnabas
up to a certain point. But what diff
ference we see subsequently. In the
case OF Barnabas his act was a deed
Of selfforgetting love; in the case OF
II was one Of calculating hy-
pocrisy. We thus see that the early
church was not as perfect as some
would have us imagine II to be.
The second section Of this para.
graph (vv. 1870 is record OF what
The results OF this vindication OF the
Holy Spirit were. First the Spirit
came upon the apostles and literally
upon all those about them.
In the second place those who were
OF joining the church for mer-
cenary motives were held back from
30 doing ". 49,.
II the Holy Spirit were present In
such power today there would be fewer
hypocrites who would dare to join
themselves to II.
The deception OF Ananias was DELHI
srate ". a.; he had talked II over
with his wife (vv. Q, 81. and he was
grave danger TO this early church.
Il threatened to choke the very
Of love and unity which had
sprung up In the midst OF the selfish
world.
The stern judgment that came upon |
Ansnias and ssppAira was richly msr-
ted and indeed was gracious. Tor tt |
lifted and saved abe church.