The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1916-02-15
LESSON FOR FEBRUARY 20
CHRISTIAN BROTHERHOOD.

orally pretty weak business But
their threat meant danger and the dis
clples 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
(4:233D.
|. The Spirit-Fiiled Believers, 1872
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-illed man. The
communism OF the early church was
(a) Christian communion (see 2:44);
and it was (b) for special OCCASION;
(c) 1t was benevOlent-each had &C
cording to his needs (4:34, $50; Cd
1t was voluntary (5:4, and (e) it rec
ognlzed the right to private property
(see ga, 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.
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 filled with the Holy Spirit it 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 it was Gods favor
or mans favor that was upon them.
1t seems to imply both (see Luke
2:52). No man looked upon his own
interests, but every man Oh 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. If 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: CD A praying church
(4:24-30), ca 2 Spirit-filled church
CD, 60 a united church (32), az a
witnessing church (33), 60 minis
tering church GA, $50, co multiply
ing church (36, 37).
II. The DeviI-Possessed Unbelever,
5, 1-16. Barnabas had received great
praise for what he had done at the i'm
pulse Of the Holy Spirit in his life. 1t
is an exceedingly fair picture, but the
scene of the early church had been
from foes without, now it 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 it in a stern
manner. The devil is always present
ing his limitations of everything good
and holy Ananias and Sapphire were
not willing to make a like sacrifice.
They, too, sold a possession" but
they secreted a 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 certain point. But what diff
ference we see subsequently. In the
case of Barnabas his act was a deed
of self-forgetting love; in the case Of
Ananias it was one of calculating n.y.
pocrisy. We thus see that the early
church was not as perfect as some
would have US imagine it to be. To
pretend to full conservation which
he did not possess is thus revealed,
and for us to pretend to a consecra-
tiOn we do not possess is to lie to the
Holy Ghost. In the case of Ananias
and Sapphire it brought swift and aw-
full judgment. Peters question seems
to imply that the plan had originated
with Satan, but Ananias was none the
less responsible, for he had given
place to Satan and permitted him to
"fill his heart" The fact is his sin
originated with Satan, but that did not
lessen-but rather aggravated-his
guilt, for he had entered into partner
ship with the devil, and this is what
every liar is doing John 944, l John
2:22). The heart that is open to the
Holy Spirit he will fill; the heart that
is open to Satan he will fill The one
who pretends to an entire consecra-
ton, which does not exist, is tempt
ing the spirit of the Lord" ". 81, and
it is dangerous thing to do. 1t may
not bring physical death, for God gives
US other examples of his dealings
towards sin but there will be the ulti-
mate Judgment that comes upon all
liars and deceivers.
The second section of this para
graph wv. 12-16) is a record of what
the results of this vindication OF, the
Holy Spirit were. First the Spirit
came upon the apostles and literally
oyerfloWed upon all those about them |