Arizona republican., 1916-02-19
International Sunday School Lesson for
 February 20
THE CHRISTIAN BROTHERHOOD AT JERUSALEM (TEMPER-
 ANCE IESSONl


 init vs. a. B.
 (32)S And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that aught of the things which he possessed was his own: but they had all things common. (39) And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resur- rection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all (34) Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, (35) And laid them down at the apostles feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he lad need. (30) And loses. who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation. d Levite and of the country of Cyprus, (3O Having land sold ii. and brought the money. and laid it at the apostles feet. tBut q certain man named Ananias, with Sap phira his wife, sold a possession, @ And kept back part of the price his V ifo also being privy to it. and brought 9 certain part, and laid it at the apos- ties feet (3) But Peter said. Ananias, why hath satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? CD While it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? Why hast thou | conceived this thing in thine heart? Thou has not lied unto men, but unto | God (5) And Ananias hearing these | wor Is fell down, and gave up the ghost; and great fear came on all them | that heard these things.
 Tme.-A D. a or later. Place. Jerusalem.
 Expostion.-i. A Spirit filled Church | I: 32-37 Some time has passed since Pentocost a year or more, but still the unity and love of the early church | abide. It was deep-seated and per manent It's source is found in vs. 3l, They were all filled with the Holy 1 Ghost" Unity and love are seen in | genuine Christianity in every age, but | the forms of their expression may diff 1! fer, even as they did in the early church. for we find no community of | goods outside Jerusalem. but no true Christian regards ought of the things which he possesses as his own (v g cf John 3: IA, 11, 1S). The power oi the Holy Ghost was manifested not merely in the love and unity which He produced in the brotherhood but il their testimony for the Lord Jesus with great power gave the apostle. | witness to the resurrection of the Lor( Jesus" There is much witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus in oul day. but it is not always with grea power" There is evidently nothinl more needed by the individual believer and the church today than a new fill ing with the Holy Ghost that ther, may again be manifestation of love unity and power like that of which W' read here. The Greek word translated gave" in V. B is a peculiar word, 1 occurs A times in the New Ttestamen and always has in it the thought of giv ing something their witness o | h. resurrection of the Lord Jesus was something the apostles owned { he world, and it is something ever was something the apostles owed t | he world t0 give their witness to Hin tRom. 1: il. 15). When one is file with the Holy Spirit il is of Jesu Christ and especially of His rcsurrec ior that He will bear witness. An other result of their being filled wit the Holy Spirit was that great Srac vas upon all" Grace means favor. I've are not told whether it was Cod favor or mans favor that was upO | them: it seems therefore to imply bot | Ccf Lu ?: J2). The reason why grca | gr tee was upon them all was becaus love and self-sacrifice abounded \ | man looked upon his own interest ''but every man on the things of Otl CTS" (cf. cor 9. :, &; Phil. 4 15, 19 The principle upon which they mao distribution was a Christian principl unto each according as any one ha reed," not according to distinguiShC abilities or notable service. but accort
 ing to need" Every true Christia
 vii! consider his property, not as h own. but as belonging to the who
 churCl, and to be used for them
 Tin 6: 17-19: Jno. ,: 17-19). TT
 pre- eminent illustration of Christi,
 love in the brotherhood in Jerusale
 was Earnabas, Having a field, he sp
 it and brought the money and laid
 at he apostles feet If we had mo | Barnahases today. We would have le
 labor troubles and less missionary de
 icits.
 IT, A vil-filIed Hypocrite ch.
 1-5. We have been looking upon
 exceedingly fair picture, butt the see
 changes: the serpant again ente
 Eden. Up to this point, the churcl
 chief danger had been from witho
 but now it faces the greater peril
 foes within No wonder Gcd who lOV
 His church dealt with this matter W
 a stern hand. The atmosphere of lo
 and entire cOnsecration in which
 deed of Ananias was done made it
 more unpardonable The same Woi
 Ire used in describing his action
 those used in describing the action
 Barnabas up to certain point,
 what a differencei In the one case
 hare deed of self forgetting love;
 the other a deed of closely calculati
 hypocrisy. The early church was
 nerfcct, as some seem to imagine u
 it was There was in it an Anan
 and a Sapphira as well as a Barnab
 The lie of Ananias was more than
 ordinary lie He had seen the who
 hearted love of Barnabas (cf. ch. 4
 97) how he had literally brought
 ihat he had and ;aid it at the apost