The Red Cloud chief. [volume] (Red Cloud, Webster Co., Neb.) 1873-1923, 1916-02-17
LESSON FOR FEBRUARY 20
CHRISTIAN BROTHERHOOD.

Inc Sanhedrin hau tried threaten
Ing upon the disciples and this Is gen.
orally pretty weak business. But
their threat meant danger and the dis
ciples were not unduly pulled up over
their deliverance. With all their be-
lieving friends they prayed and In re-
Spouse the Holy Spirit came upon
them in still further measure
| H:23.3D.
L The Spirit.FiIIcd believers, 1882.
81. Tho two sections of this lesson
are really one and are designed to
bring out sharply the contrast be-
tween the Holy Spiritilled church
and un evil spiritiiled man. The
communism OF the early church was
| ta) Christian communion (see 2:iD:
and II was (b) tor special occasion,
| (c) II was benevocnt--cacS had nc.
cording to his needs" H:3i, $50; I'D
il was voluntary 90. and (e) IL rec.
ognized the right to private property
| (sec 5:4. %. lie, the Holy Spirit, does
bring that unity. that altruism, those
active social relations and services of
which pcnteCostal communism il the
type. Unity ana love are seen in gen.
uine Christianity in all ages. but the
forms of their expression may differ.
The power of the Holy Spirit was
manifested, not merely in love and
unity which it produced in the broth.
erhood thus evidenced, but also In the
| testimony given for the Lord Jesus
Christ. with great power gave tho
| annutlna xpitnnua IN fhn inn
of the Lord Jesus There is much
witness to tho resurrection OF the
Lord Jesus Christ In our day, but not
always with great power" When we
are filed with the Holy Spirit 1t Is Of
Jesus. and especially Of his resur.
rection, that we will bear witness.
Another result OF being filled with the
Holy Spirit was that grace was upon
all. Grace" means favor. We are
not told whether IL was Gods favor
or mans favor that was upon them.
II seems to imply both (see Luke
2:52). No man looked upon his own
interests. but every man on the
things Of othevs." Distribution was
made according as each had need, not
according to his ability. not according
to his notable service. The pre.emi
nent illustration Of Christian love In
/, the brotherhood at Jerusalem was
Barnabas. II we had more of such
today we would have less of union
labor troubles and missionary deficits.
We do well to consider carefully the
, six distinguishing features of this
early church: "a A praying church
4:24-3O), (2) Spirit-tilled church
(3D, go united church 1927, ca a
witnessing church (33), 60 a minis
tering church GA. $50. (6) a multiply
Ing church (36. 80.
u. The DevILPossessed UnbelIever,
5, Lie. Barnabas had received great
,, praise for what he had done at the i'm
pulse OF the Holy Spirit in his life. It
Z Is an exceedingly fair picture, but the
scene OF the early church had been
; from foes without. now II faces the
,, this great question. regarding the de.
6 lty and personality of the Holy Spirit.
: Is first brought to light, God. through
: his church. dealt with It in a stern
manner. The devil Is always present.
6 Ing his limitations of everything good
and holy. Ananias and Sapphire were
9 not willing to make a like sacrifice.
Z They. too, sold possession" but
o they secreted a part OF the price and
g brought the rest with the intent to de-
3 ceive the church. The Holy Spirit
/ quickly informed the church Of this
4 hypocrisy and, Spirit.guided, they
. were not deceived For Ananias &c
= lie in the atmosphere OF love and con
6 secration engendered by the Holy
o Spirit made his crime the more unpar
j donable. The same words are used II
: describing his actions as those uset
2 in describing the actions OF Barnabai
= up to a certain point. But what diff
6 ference we see subsequently. In thu
IN case OF Barnabas his act was a deet
OF selfforgetting love: In the case o
Ananias it was one of calculating ny
pocrisy. We thus see that the earl,
IS church was not as perfect as som
h would have US imagine 1t to be.
le The second section OF this pare
n graph wv. 1870 Is a record OF wha
70 the results OF this vindication OF tn
~ Holy Spirit were. First the Spiri
le came upon the apostles and LITERAL
D. overlooked upon all those about then
'r In the second place those who wer
e. thinking OF joining the church for me-
IL cenary motives were held back froI
III SO doing ". 13).
II the Holy Spirit were present |
such power today there would be fewe
hypocrites who would dare to joi
"a themselves to 1t.
- The deception OF Ananias was dell
20 crate ". A.; he had talked it owe
10 with his wife wv. 2, 81, and he wa
y grave danger to this early churcl
=, It threatened to choke the yer
- fountain of love and unity which ha
.. sprung up in the midst of the selfis
- world.