The Red Cloud chief. [volume] (Red Cloud, Webster Co., Neb.) 1873-1923, 1916-02-03
LESSON FOR FEBRUARY 6
solpNess OF PETER AND JOHN

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Cor. 1913.
The first seven chapters OF the book
VI 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 tho temple. Follow
ing this experience they were I'M
prisoned. the first imprisonment men
toned tor any OF chose VINO accepted
the Gospel. AS the disciples were
dealing with the multitude the rulers
Of the temple came upon them and
were much put out ". y that the dis.
ciples should preach the resurrection
OF Jesus from the dead. The signifi'
canoe OF this 1, 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 we're fulfilling literally the
prediction OF Jesus Matt. 10:1O. The
attempt on the part of the rulers to
prevent tho preaching OF the Gospel
by this method really augmented Its
being heard throughout the nation
Peter had seen this body Of men on
the night when our Lord was con
demned.
u. The Trial, w. 5-22. N) Peters
words Wv. sig. Jewish wonder-work'
ers were accustomed to perform mar.
vels by the use OF some name, so the
council very naturally asked Peter
and John IN what name" they had
healed this man. The real object OF
their question was their attempt to en-
trap the disciples and find basis OF
accusation and condemnation. But Mt
that moment the Holy Spirit came
again upon Peter and filled him Matt.
1919, 90; also Luke 1911, IL; Acts
1873, %. The coming OF the Holy
Spirit is for every emergency OF the
Christian. Peter had been filed with
that Spirit at Pcntccost and was again
filled a little later on (chapter 2:3D.
Thus we see that the coming Of the
Spirit is 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. II was Je-
sus who had died. he was also risen,
and the risen Christ had effected this
: miracle. (c) Turning upon his &C
accusers Peter charged them with the
death of Jesus. lie ". ID 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, franz
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 CLOSING
over their guilt.
~ The Result Upon the Disciples
Z w. 1922. The book OF Acts Is plain
! ly the record OF the def utterances o
spiritual men. Peter had closed hi
appeal ". 12) with the statemen
that the only way we could be save'
must be through this means. Thu
council were in dilemma; the.
wanted to punish Peter and John, bu
could not, for the people were glor
tying God for what had been done
Peter and John declared thus feal
( lessly that the teachings OF tn
schools was not In accordance wit
that for had not Jesus risen, and ha
" not this miracle been performed? tn
Holy Ghosts boldness In these unit
tored men has always been a perple,
~ ity to the scholastics of the worlt
Their boldness was due to a sense {
- Gods nearness and carried with 1t
., like sense OF their responsibility
= him (see w. ~, 20).
- The only solution. on the part OF tn
=, people and OF the priests. was the
- took knowledge that these men hay
been with Jesus" This Is the sol
" ton OF many mysteries OF today.
-, Companionship with Jesus make
= ordinary men extraordinary.
=, The Sanhedrin asked, What sha
a. we do with these men?"
y, A better question would have bee
~ What shall we Go to be saved?"
n. w. The Early Church, w. 1927. s.
n, points about that church: Cd 1t W;
a praying church tvv. 2i.S0); CD
:. was a Spirit.iilled church ". 81; {;
n 1t was a united church ". 32); G