Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1916-04-12
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
LESSON FOR APRIL IS
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READERS
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Text of the Lesson, Acts X ,1-l6-H
Memory Verses, 13-15-GOlden
Text, Rom. X, documentary
Prepared by Rev. ID. Nj. Stearns.


Leaving Peter In the house of Simon
the tanner at Joppa ,chapter TX. 49,.
we turn for little while to the home
OF Cornelius. the centurion, at Caesa-
rea. where We find man who, with all
his house. feared God, prayed to God
Away and gave much aims to the peo>
pie verses /. p. Ii Righteousness and
sincerity were all that is necessary we
would think that this man was truly
q saved man, but when we read that
the angel said TO Cornelius that Peter
would tell him words whereby he and
all his house would be saved chapter
ri, 13. Ia we know that they were not
saved until after Peter came and
preached the gospel to them. Like the
treasurer OF the queen Of Ethiopia, he
was an earnest seeker living up to the
light he had, and to such God always
sends more light. but there Is no saliva
ton revealed In Scripture as result
Of our good works (Rom. iv. 8: Eph
II. 8. o; Tit. Iii, 4. 81. 1t Is the blood
that maketh an atonement for the soul.
and without shedding OF blood Is no re-
mission LEV. xvii, IL; Heb. TX, 22).
Here. as In the case Of the Ethiopian,
the principal agencies used by God are
an angel, the Holy Spirit, and man
oversees 3. 49,. The eyes OF the Lord
are looking over the whole earth for
whole hearts toward Himself. and 1t Is
also written "Ye shall seek Me and find
Me when We search for Me with all
your heart" Oh Chron. xvi, 8: Jer. XXX.
13). Cornelius was whole hearted. ac-
cording 10 the light he had, and was
certainly sincere seeker after God.
The same Lord I'm heaven who saw the
desire for light In the heart OF the man
In the chariot. saw il also in Cornelius.
for he searches all hearts. So He
sent an angel from heaven to the home
OF Cornelius, while be was In prayer
Verse 30) TO assure him that God had
heard his prayers and recognized his
aims verses ), ~. The ministry Of
the angels is always most fascinat-
ing study. There are millions upon
millions OF them: they excel In strength.
hear His voice. do His pleasure. go and
| come like lightning. minister To the
saints REV. V. IL: rs. elf. 20 2l Eek.
1, IA; Hab. 1. ~. They seem easily 10
| find any house and any person and
need no doors opened for them. We
! shall be like them in many respects 10y
and by, but higher than they In the
glory. for we shall he like Him.
The rest OF the angels message was
that Cornelius was to send to Joppa
| for Simon Peter and learn from him
Philip he was on his way to Caesarea,
where he evidently lived facts Will 40;
xxi. s. 81. but perhaps had not reach.
ed home at this time. How easy TO
| read that when the angel had delivered
his message he departed verse -. but
do we stop to consider that IL meant
returned 10 heaven. from whence he
| came few moments before?
Cornelius was not slow to call two
| OF his household servants and a devout
soldier who waited on him continually.
tell them all that had happened and
start them of to Joppa.
Now we return to Peter, whom God
had to prepare to go with these men
TO the home OF Cornelius, n GENTLE
As the three men were approaching
Joppa, Peter went on the housetop TO
pray. He was hungry and would have
eaten, but while something was being
prepared for him he fell into a trance.
He saw heaven opened and something
like great sheet let down to the
earth, full OF all manner OF creatures,
and he was told TO Rise. kill and eat"
When he objected on the ground that
he had never eaten anything unclean,
the voice said, What God hath cleans
| ed that call not thou common" This
was repeated three times, and while
Peter was wondering what It could
mean the three men stood before the
gate inquiring for him. The Spirit tod
him To go with them. for He had sent
them. So. when the men had made
known to him the cause wherefore
they had come, he called them I'm and
lodged them, and on the morrow went
away with them, taking also some OF
the brethren from Joppa. The next
day they reached the home OF Corne-
Illus and found that he had gathered
many to hear the message.
In reply 10 Peters inquiry as to why
he had been sent for Cornelius rehears-
ed the story and then said, There
fore are we all here present before God
to hear all things that are commanded
thee OF Cod (verse 33). This Is the
only correct attitude for any company
OF people gathered I'm the name OF the
Lord. Peter proclaimed unto them
Jesus OF Nazareth, in His life and
death and resurrection AZ the ona fora.