Middletown transcript., 1916-02-26
LESSON FOR FEBRUARY 27
THE SEVEN HELPERS.

times during the year. Such reading
will give vision. inspiration and a
more comprehensive idea of the con
tinuation of what Jesus began" and
which record is not yet fully written.
The time of this lesson is about A. D.
80, though Ramsey places it at 30, 33 {:
and the place. the city of Jerusalem.
!. The Occasion, w. 1-2. For time
the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus
continued in Jerusalem, but soon the
pressure of circumstances thrust Ii
forth as prophesied U:S). There
were two groups of men in the early
church: those who had been born in
Judea who spoke Hebrew (Aramaicl,
and those born in foreign cities and
who spoke the Greek language. Trou-
BILE arose over the distribution of funds
among certain of the dependent wild
ows-the text suggests secret dis
pleasure" There was imperfection
seltishness. suspicion and jealousy in
that early church. We do not know
what grounds there may have been
for complaint. but no sooner did the
occasion arise thai the apostles set
about o remedy the difficulty.
II. The Method, w. 8, 4. 1t does not
appear that God gave the church
cut and dried program according to
which it must act Certainly the
church had no precedent to follow,
and step by step God was developing
it. This lesson gives us a suggestion
of those steps: ID AS the occasion
demanded. ~ The Apostles refused
to diminish their praying and preach
ing, literally it was not pleasing" to
God for the Apostles to serve tables"
Such work must be done, certainly.
but it was not to be done by these
God-appointed and selected leaders.
their duty was clearly stated The
minister's business is praying and
ministering the word These things
should fully engage his attention. and
in them he is TO continue steadfast-
ly." The minister cannot manifestly
know more about books than the
schoolteacher; more about politics
than the politician; more about med.
icine than the doctor; more about
than the college profes-
sor." No. that is out of the question,
though he should be intelligent in
these lines. But he should be pre-
eminent in prayer and in the minis.
try of the word, and furthermore he
should preach that word pre-eminent-
ly. (3) The church, not the apos-
ties, must needs select these new Of
ticials. (4) The qualifications OF
these men, who were thus to care
for these temporal affairs, were tai
men of good repol t." not those bear
ing doubtful regulations, nor chosen
because they were rich or shrewd in
business. (b) full of the spirit" 1t
demands the Spirit-tilled man to look
after financial affairs as certainly as
It does to teach or preach the word.
(c) full of wisdom" Men of COM
non sense. quality often sadly lack. |
ng among spiritually-minded men.
Men meeting such qualifications will |
be men of the spirit of power, of |
owe. and of a sound mind" Literally
ound sense). III Tim. 1:0.
III. The Method of Choosing, w. 5, s.
~ The people did the choosing. The
Early church seems to have been re-
democratic. ~ The choice
vas made after. and not before, pray.
,r had been offered. This is a sug.
sestion and warning for present-day
practice of choosing church officials.
81 1t was legal selection, not the
election of minority. and it was
by the laying on of the
Iands of the apostles. This last was to
ignify the amounting of the Holy Spir.
and the separation unto their par
icular task of these men. 1t is sig
iticant that every man chosen bore
Greek name, and suggests that Jew.
sh church desired to avoid any charge
f favoritism. The spirit of fairness.
f love and of concession. and the
haracter of the men chosen, caused
he word of God to increase exceed.
1gly."
W. The Result, w. 7, 8. First of all
pom the people. (D The word lin.
The number of disciples
greatly" and 81 Some of
ne priests of the Jews were "obedi-
Mt to the faith" Secondly. the re-
ult in the lives of the thus chosen
nd Spirit-anointed men gave evidence
the GOOD hand CT God. They were
full of grace (Eph. AZ, Acts 1870:
ley we're full of power" u:S). The
rst two of them soon became great
nd mighty preachers as we'll In
eed as far as we can read they even
1tstripped the apostles themselves
real achievement for God Ste
hen. of course. stands out pre-emi-
emily. His charac cter Is suggested in
erse eight. He was TAI full of faith {
y full OF the Holy Spirit" tc) full
grace" tR. W, (dJ full of power" I
ow sad 1t is that so frequently our
lurches fail to make a wise and {
'irit-ed choice of its leaders. and are '
'ntent with few. or perhaps none. be 6
g added to its membership. One G
eat denomination reports thousand f
lurches having no additions by Ell
eir confession or letter for the pc !
I'd of a whole year. All the way
rough the book Of the Acts we real {
is same history OF an ever grow
G church. a church that surmOunted
| sorts of obstacles. conquered ev
y foe and went forward from Je Q
salem even to Rome. /
No man is fit to be an officer in the S
,uroh Of Christ u7InSq hn 10 6IIau | I