Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1916-02-18
LESSoN.FoR FEBRUARY 20
CHRISTIAN BROTHERHOOD.

LESSON TExT-Acts 4:s2-5:16
GOLDEN TEXT-Love one another from I
the heart fervently.-I Pet. 1:2 r. v.
The Sanhedrin had 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 puffed UP over
their dellverance. With all their be-
lievirg friends they prayed and in re-
Spouse the Holy Spirit came upon
them in still further measure
(4:2S-31).
/. The Spirit-FiIled Believers, 4:32-
81. The two sections of this lesson
are really one and are designed to
bring out sharply the contrast be-
tween the Holy Spirit-filled church
and an evil spirit-hlled man. The
communism of the early church was
(a) Christian communion (see 2:4D;
and it was (b) for a special occasion;
(c) 1t was benevolent-each had ac-
cording to his needs (4:34, 35); (d)
it was voluntary (5:4), and (e) it rec
ognized the right to private property
(see 5:4. 81. He, the Holy Spirit. does
bring that unity, that altruism, those
active social relations and services of
which Pentecostal communism is the
type. Unity and love are seen in gen.
uine Christianity in all ages. but the
forms of their expression may differ. Z
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 the
apostles witness to the resurrection
of the Lord Jesus There is much
witness to the resurrection of the
Lord Jesus Christ in our day, but not
always with great power" When we
are filed with the Holy Spirit it is of
Jesus. and especially of his reser-
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 It 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 others" 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 we'll to consider carefully the
six distinguishing features of this
early church: ~ A praying church
/ (4:24-S0). t2) a Spirit-filled church
(31), (3) united church (32). az a
witnessing church (33), (5) a minis
tering church GA, 35). (6) a multiply
ing church (36. 81.
~. The Devil-Possessed unbeliever,
! s, 1-16. Barnabas had received great
praise for what he had done at the i'm
pulse of the Holy Spirit in his life. It
is an exceedingly fair picture, but the
scene of the early church had been
from foes without, now 1t faces the
greater peril of foes within. And when
this great question. regarding the de-
ity and personality of the Holy Spirit.
is first brought to light, God, through
his church. dealt with 1t in a stern
manner. The devil is always present
ing his limitations of everything good
and holy. Ananias and Sapphira were
not willing to make a like sacrifice
They, too, sold a possession" but
they secreted part of the price and
brought the rest with the intent to de-
ceive the church. The Holy Spirit
quickly informed the church of this
hypocrisy and. Spirit-guided, they
were not deceived. For Ananias to
lie in the atmosphere of love and con
secration .engendered by the Holy
Spirit made his crime the more unpar
donable. The same words are used In
describing his actions as those used
In describing the actions of Barnabas
up to a certain point. But what a diff
terence we see subsequently. In the
case of Barnabas his act was a deco
Of self-forgetting love; in the case o.
Ananias it was one of calculating by
pocrisy. We thus see that the early
church was not as perfect as some
would have us imagine it to be- Tt
pretend to a full conservation which
he did not possess is thus revealed
and for us to pretend to a consecra
ton we do not possess is to lie to tn,
Holy Ghost. In the case of Anania
and Sapphira 1t brought swift and aw
full judgment Peters question seem
to imply that the plan had originates
with Satan, but Ananias was none tn
less responsible, for he had givel
place to Satan and permitted him t
FILL his heart" The fact is his sil
originated with Satan, but that did no
lessen-but rather aggravated-hi
guilt, for he had entered into partner
ship with the devil, and this is wha
every liar is doing John 9:44, job
2:22). The heart that is open to tn
Holy Spirit he will fill; the heart tha
is open to Satan he will fill. The on
: who pretends to an entire consecr;
l tion, which does not exist. is temp
ing the spirit of the Lord" ". 81, an
| It is a dangerous thing to do 1t ma
| not bring physical death, for God give
us other examples of his dealing
| towards sin, but there will be the ult
| mate judgment that comes upon a
| liars and deceivers.
| The second section of this par
| graph (vv. 12-16) is a record of VIII:
Il Il, % t.