Middletown transcript., 1916-02-19
INTERNATIONAL
SUNlGYSQIOOL
LESSON
CBy E. o. SELLERS. Acting Director OF
Sunday School Course. Moody Bible
Institute.)
Copyright. 1916. Western Newspaper Union.)
LESSON FOR FEBRUARY 20
CHRISTIAN BROTHERHOOD.
.EsSON TEXT-Acts 4:32-5:16,

Cnelr threat meant danger and the dis
ciples were not unduly pulled up over
their deliverance. With all their be-
Iieving friends they prayed and in re.
sponse the Holy Spirit came upon
them in still further measure
(4:23-3D.
!. The Spirit-FiIIed Believers, 4:32-
81. The two sections of this lesson
are really one and are designed to
bring out sharply the contrast be.
tween the Holy Spirit-flled church
and an evil spirit-flled man. The
communism of the early church was
(aJ Christian communion (see 2:44);
and it was (b) for special occasion;
(c) it was benevolent-each had ac-
cording to his needs (4:34, S5); (d)
it was voluntary (5:4), and lei it rec
ognized the right to private property
(see 5:4, 81. He, the Holy Spirit. does
bring that unity, that altruism, those
active social relations and services of
which Pentecostal communism is 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 1t 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
I of the Lord Jesus" There Is much
witness to the resurrection of the
Lord JesusNChrist in our day, but not
always with great power" When we
are filed with the Holy Spirit it Is of
Jesus. and especially of his resur
rection, that we will bear witness.
Another result of being filed with the
Holy Spirit was that grace was upon
all. Grace" means favor. We are
not told whether it was Gods favor
or mans favor that was upon them.
1t seems to imply both (see Luke
2.52). No man looked upon his own
interests. but every man OF 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. If 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: ~ A praying church
(4:24-30). (2) a Spirit-flled church
(31), (3) a united church 1922. az
witnessing church 1887, 81 a minis.
tering church (S4, 35), (6) a multiply.
ing church tS6. 30.
II. The DeViI-Possessed UnbeIieVer.
5, 1-16. Barnabas had received great
praise for what he had done at the i'm
pulse of the Holy Spirit in his life. 1t
is an exceedingly fair picture. but the
scene of the early church had been
from foes without, now 1t 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 it in a stern
manner. The devil is always present
ing his limitations OF everything good
and holy. Ananias and Sapphira 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-
donable. The same words are used in
describing 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 self-forgetting love; in the case Of
Ananias it was one of calculating by.
pocrisy. We thus see that the earlv
church was not as perfect as some
IL
pretend to a full conservation which
he did not possess is thus revealed.
and for us to pretend to a consecra
ton we do not possess is to lie to the
Holy Ghost. In the case of Ananias
and Sapphira it brought swift and aw
full judgment. Peters question seems
to imply that the plan had originated
with Satan but Ananias was none the
less responsible, for he had given
place to Satan and permitted him to
FILL his heart" The fact is his sin
originated with Satan, but that did not
lessen-but rather aggravated-his
guilt, for he had entered into partner
ship with the devil, and this is what
every liar is doing John 9:44. | John
1927. The heart that is open to the
Holy Spirit he will fill; the heart that
Is open to Satan he will fill. The one
who pretends to an entire consecra-
tion, which does not exist. is tempt
ing the spirit of the Lord" ". 81. and
1t is a dangerous thing to do 1t may
not bring physical death. for God gives
us other examples of his dealings
towards sin. but there will be the ulti-
mate judgment that comes upon all
liars and deceivers.
The second section Of this para.
graph (vv. I2-16l is a record of what
the results of this viGo.s Ation of the
Holy Spirit were. First the Spirit
came upon the apost'eC and literally
overflowed upon all those about them
In the second place those who were
thinking of joining the church for mer
cenary motives were held back from
so doing ". 13).
If the Holy Spirit were present In