Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1916-02-02
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson vI.-Frst Quarter, Fol
Feb. s, 1916.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES,

Text o. the Lesson, Acts ~, o-[t
Memory Verses, IL, 13-Golden Text,
Cor. xvi, 13-commenta-y Prepared
by Rev. D. M. Stearns.
The high priest and his kindred, with
the rulers and elders and scribes, he
ing gathered together at Jerusalem,
Peter and John, being brought from
prison, were placed before them and
name have We done this?" verses 5-I.l
Here was provided great opportunity
to testify again to the risen Christ.
and the witnesses were all ready.
Whether they had much or little sleep
in the prison that night we may not
know, but we may be quite sure that
they had communion with Him for
whom they were still on earth. And
now Peter. being specially filed with
the Spirit. is again the messenger OF
the risen Christ.
The Lord Jesus had told them while
He was still with them that when they
should be brought before rulers for His
sake 1t would be given them by the
Spirit what to say CMath. K, 16-20.
and this was one of many fulf1llments
of that assurance. See with what
holiness Peter tells this gathering of
earth's great ones that Jesus Christ OF
Nazareth. whom they crucified, God
had raised from the dead and that He,
the risen living Christ had made the
lame man whole verse 10D. This was
the same doctrine they had been put
In prison for the previous evening, but
for this they stood fearlessly and could
not say otherwise. The reference to
the rejected stone takes US back to Ps.
cxviii. %: lisa. xviii 16. and to our
Lords reference to 1t In Matt xxi, AZ.
to Gen. Xix. "a. and onward to the king
dom dan. IT, "a. So. 45). We cannot
but think of Pet. ii. As. where he
makes such full reference to the stone
and the stones With what utter dis
regard of their earthly greatness he
err be saved except by that stone which
you despise" Verses II, ~ How
could they help marveling at their
holiness? But was it not a little
strange that they should attribute it
to Jesus, who had been crucified?
verse 49,. Beholding the healed man
and knowing that Peter and John had
no power to do this. they must have
been in measure convinced that
there was some truth in their testi-
mony concerning the risen Christ.
But It must not be spread farther, and
the name OF Jesus must not be men
toned oversees l4-1S) Filled with the
Spirit. they had no fear Of what man
might do to them Cps. xvii, u, their
only standard was what was right In
the sight Of God, and what they had
seen and beard they could not help
telling even II they died for 1t oversees
10, 2O). The messenger of God must
never consider the fnces of people nor
whether his message is acceptable to
them or not. But his motto must be.
mot pleasing men, but God. who
trieth our hearts," remembering that
III we live TO please men we are not
servants of Christ Uer. 4 8 II; Eek.
Il. 6; iii, 8; I Thess. IL 4; Gal. 4. 1O).
With threatenings from these men
Of power and Importance from a hu.
man standpoint. they were set free
and went to the company OF believers,
who had no doubt beeM praying 10:
them. and reported all that the chief
priests and elders had said. With one
accord the believers turned to God and
told Him all, but did not ask to be de
livered from further persecution. rath
err that they might speak the truth
boldly regardless of consequences. and
that healings and signs and wonders
might be wrought In the name of lie
sus Christ. There are men In promi
nent pulpits today who seem not &c
know what the Scriptures teach con.
corning this present age and the com.
Ing and kingdom Of our Lord. There
are others who. II they know these