Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1916-02-03
LESSON FOR FEBRUARY s
soLDNEss or PETER AND JOHN.


The tirst seven chapters OF the book
OF Acts have been designated as the
Jerusalem period. Chapter deals
with the ascension of our Lord. chap
ter 2, the baptism OF the Holy Spirit;
chapters 81. the early conflicts in
Jerusalem. In our lesson OF last Sun
day we had the story OF Peter and
John dealing with the lame man while
on their way to the temple. Follow.
ing this experience they were I'M
prisoned. the first imprisonment men,
toned for any OF those who accepted
the Gospel. As the disciples were
dealing with the multitude the rulers
OF the temple came upon them and
were much put out ". % that the dis
ciples should preach the resurrection
Of Jesus from the dead. The signiti-
canoe OF this - better understood
when We remember that the Jewish
Sanhedrin was the great court OF Jew
ish law composed OF seventy-one lead
Ing men OF the nation. Caiaphas, the
noble high priest by Roman appoint
ment and Annas. the real high priest
according to Jewish law, were both
there. This body was largely made
up OF the Sadducees. the sect which
did not believe in the resurrection
from the dead.
!. The Imprisonment, w. "A. Pc
ter and John being brought before this
tribunal were fulfilling literally the
prediction OF Jesus Matt. 10:17). The
attempt on the part OF the rulers to
prevent the preaching OF the Gospel
by this method really augmented its
being heard throughout the nation.
Peter mad seen this body OF men eon
the night when our Lord was CON
demned
II. Tho Trial, W.. 5-22. Cd Peters
words Wv. 5-12. Jewish wonder-work-
ers were accustomed to perform mar
veis by the use of some name, 50 the
council very naturally asked Peter
and John I'm what name they had
healed this man. The real object of
their question was their attempt to en-
trap the disciples and find q basis of
accusation and condemnation. But at
that moment the Holy Spirit came
again upon Peter and filled him Matt.
1919, 90; also Luke 1911, IL; Acts
1873, 81. The coming OF the Holy
Spirit is for every emergency of the
Christian. Peter had. been filed with
that Spirit at Pentecost and was again
filled little later on (chapter 2:3D.
Thus we see that the coming Of the
Spirit Ia not once for all, though Pen
tecost was once for all, but that the
filling is repeated as each new emer-
gency may arise. (a) Peter acknowl-
edged the authority of those who were
dealing with him ". 81, but (b) he
gave Jesus credit ". 100. It was Je-
sus who had died. he was also risen,
and the risen Christ had effected this
miracle. (c.) Turning upon his ac-
accusers Peter charged them with the
death of Jesus. He ". III is the
foundation Of their miracle and their
faith. Peter claimed that in Jesus
alone ". 12) could salvation be found,
and implied (see last clause OF this
verse; that his accusers were lost
men. Peters department in all of
this Is wonderfully skillful, gentle and
courteous, yet bold, fearless, frank
and outspoken. We need to remem-
Der this when we recall how blunder-
ingly Peter had conducted his CONVEX
sation before his enduement by the
Holy Spirit There was no compro-
missing of the truth and no Guessing
over their guilt.
III The Result Upon tho Disciples,
w. 1922. The book of Acts is plain
ly the record of the deft utterances OF
spiritual men. Peter had closed mis-
appeal ". 12) with the statement
that the only way we could be saved
must be through this means. The
council were in dilemma; they
wanted to punish Peter and John. but
could not for the people were glori-
flying God for what had been done.
Peter and John declared thus fear
Iessly that the teachings of the
schools was not in accordance with
that. for had not Jesus risen, and had
not this miracle been performed? The
Holy Ghosts holiness in these untu-
tored men has always been perplex
ity to the scholastics OF the world
Their holiness was due to a sense of
Gods nearness and carried with it a
like sense OF their responsibility to
him (see Wv. ~, 20).
The only solution. on the part of the
people and OF the priests. was they |
took knowledge that these men have
been with Jesus" This is the solu-
ton OF many mysteries Of today.
Ccmpanionship with Jesus makes
ordinary men extraordinary.
The Sanhedrin asked, What shall !
We do with these men,
A better question would have been.
what shall we do to be sayed?"
w. The Early Church, w. 1927. Six /
points about that church: (D It was |
> praying church wv. 24-30): (2) It |
was Spirit-filled church ". 81; 90 |
It was united church ". 32); a. |