The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-02-18

Il LESSON TExT-Acts 4:32.6:1s.
QLpENTExT-LoVe one another from
4heS heart feryentiy.-z-I Pet. liz nv.
The sanhedrin had tried threaten
Hing upon the disciples and this IL gen,
lsfa1Iy pretty weak business. But
theirFthreat meant danger and the dis
sciplegSWere not unduly pulled up over
theIr deIiyerance. With all their be-
ilisying friends they prayed and in re.
Spouse the Holy Spirit came upon
them In still further measure
tl4:2s;31).
The eplrIt.FIIled believers, 4:s2
37. The two sections Of this lesson
Eare really one and are designed to
bring out sharply the contrast be
tween the Holy spirit-flled church
and an evil splrlt-flled man. The
communiSm of the early church was
(a)g Christian communion (see 2:44l;
and It was OBJ for q special occasion;
E(c) 1t was beneyolent-each had &C
cording to his needs" (4:34, $50: tdl
lit was voluntary (5:4). and te) It rec.
Iognized the right to private property
ltsee 6:4. 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.
luihe Christianity in all ages, but the
forms OF their expression may differ.
1.-THE power OF the Holy Spirit was
I manifested, not merely in love and
unity which it.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
lot the Lord Jesus" There is much
witness to the resurrection of the
Lord Jesus Christ in our day, but not
always with great power" When we
4 Eare filled with the Holy Spirit It Is Of
Jesus, and especially Of his resur'
trection. that We will bear witness.
Another result OF being filed with the
Holy Spirit was that grace was upon
X Eail; Grace" means favor. We are
mot told whether 1t was Gods favor
OR mans favor that was upon them,
IIt seems to imply both (see Luke
7E2:52). No man looked upon his own
Interests, but every man on the
things OF others" Distribution was
made according as each had need, not
y according to his ability, mot according
Y to his notable service. The pre-emk
nent illustration Of Christian love In
the brotherhood at Jerusalem was
sfBarnabas. II we had more of such
today we would have less Of union
1aav. kS1,,EI ~. - ., mi @ m Ssxs a of3nffu
We do well to consider carefully the
Six distinguishing features of this
early church: ~ A praying church
4 (4:24-30), (2) q spirit-flled church
q 1915 (S) a united church 1921, az a
WITNESSING church (33), t5) a minis
tering church ga, $50, (6) multiply
ing church (36, 80.
"a. The DevfI.Possessed unbelIeveri
5,5t-f6. Barnabas had received great
praise for what he had done at the i'm
pulse Of the Holy Spirit in his life! II
sisgan 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-
dty5 and personality Of the Holy Spirit
10 first brought to light, God. through
his church, dealt with It In stern
manner. The deyilis always present
ing his limitations Of everything good
and holy. Ananias and Sapphire were
not willing to make like sacrifice,
They, too, sold possession" but
they secreted part OF the price and
brought the rest with the intent to de
Geiye the church. The Holy Spirit
quickly informed the church Of this
hypocrisy and, spirit.guided, they
were not deceived. For Ananias to
alieIin the atmosphere Of love and con
gecration engendered by the Holy
Spirit made his crime the more unpar
8donable. The same words are used in
Describing his actions as those used
in describing the actions Of Barnabas
4 pitoi certain point. But what a diff
ference we see subsequently. In the
ease OF Barnabas his act was deed
Of self. forgetting love; in the case Of
Anantas 1t was one Of calculating by
poertsy. We thus see that the early
church was not as perfect as some
would have us imagine 1t to be.
The second section Of this para
graph tvv. 1916 is record OF what
tlafresults OF this Vindication OF the
Holy Spirit were. First the Spirit
came upon the apostles and literally
pyerdowed upon all those about them.
Infthe second place those who were
thinking Of Joining the church for mer.
cenary motives were held back from
BosdoingE ". 49,.
re the Holy Spirit were present in
such power today there would be fewer
hypoerites who would dare to join
themselves to Il. Ia.
The deception of Ananias was DELHI.
crate ". AZ he had talked 1t over
with his wife wv. 2. 81, and he was
i gTaye danger to this early church.
It threatened to choke the very
fountaih of love and unity which had
sprung up In the midst OF the selfish
world.
The stern Judgment that came upon
Annptas and Sapphire was richly mer.
tied and indeed was gracious, for It
59iffed and saved the church.