The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1920-02-21

|
ia; James 5:l6-lS.
| PRIMARY TOPIC - How an Angel
| Helped Peter
JUNIOR TOPIC-Peter Delivered From
Prison
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
How Prayer Helps.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
Things Wrought by Prayer.
!. Peters Imprisonment wv. 1-4.
l. by whom ". y. Herod, the
| grandson of the wicked HerOd who
Slew the innocent children at Bethle-
| hem.
:. The reason ". -. 1t was to gain
the favor of the Jews. Herod was not
a jew, and therefore knew that his
success was dependent upon having
the good will of the Jews. He did not
particularly hate the Church. but loved
popularity. HerOd, for the sake of
popularity, assumed deep sympathy
Tor degenerate Judaism. Since the
Church had developed into a success
ful rival of Judaism-indeed was al
ready displacing it-he saw an oppor-
tunity to curry favor with the Jews by
putting his hand forth against it.
3. The method ". ~. Peter was ar
rested, put into prison and guarded by
four quaterniOns of soldiers. A qua
ternion is guard of four soldiers on
1uty at the same time. Four Quater-
Mons meant that a special group was
on duty each watch of the night 1t
was the custom for two soldiers to be
in the prison, one on each side of the
prisoner, bound to his arms with
chains ". 60. The third one to watch
outside the door and the fourth to be
near the outside gate. Humanity
speaking it was impossible to escape.
However, they made one fatal mis-
take; they left out God.
u. The Church Of God in Prayer
". 81.
The Church was in a crisis; her sit
uation was most grave. James. one of
the pillars of the Church, was dead,
and Peter, the most prominent of all,
was in prison. In this desperate strait
they did the wise thing; they betOok
themselves to prayer. There is moth
ing too hard for God. Theirs was
noteworthy prayer:
l. 1t was unto God. not unto men to
be heard of men. This is a very COM
mon fault today. All true prayer is
unto God.
2. 1t was united prayer. 1t was
made by the Church. God hears the
prayers of individuals, but there is
peculiar power in the united prayer
of Gods people.
3. 1t was an intensely earnest
prayer. 1t was more than unceasing
prayer; it was the yearning desire of
the soul as it stretched itself out to-
ward God.
4. II was definite prayer. They spe-
officially interceded for Peter. Their
prayer was concentrated definite and
specific.
III. Peter Delivered by an Angel
wv. GID.
This occurred the night before Her
DDS plan to make public display of
him.
l. Peter sleeping ". g.. The angel
found Peter asleep. The Lord keeps
In perfect peace those whose minds
are stayed on him lisa. % ~. Again.
he gives his beloved sleep psalm
127:2).
,. Peter leaving the prison wv. 7-10).
The heavenly light shone in the prison.
The angel smote Peter on the side.
the chains fell off, Peter nut on his
clothes, passed by one guard after an
other through the iron gate out into
the city.
3. The effect upon Peter w. ~. Al
though the event was so wonderful to
Peter. and at first he thought it a
vision, when he Game to himself he
was assured beyond peradventure of a
doubt thar God had miraculously de-
livered him from Herod's wicked
haGds
~. Unconscious Unbelief wv. 12-19).
/. The behavior of Peter and the
Church wv. 12-1O. Peter went to
the house of Mary and knocked. The
was so overjoyed on hearing Peters
voice that she forgot to open the gate
and ran in and told them that Peter
was at the gate. The disciples were
not prepared for such good news and
even accused her of madness. I'm
daunted she insisted. They offered as
an explanation that perhaps it might
be Peters guardian angel in his like
ness. Peter rehearsed unto them the
Lords dealing with him and instruct
ed them to make these things known
unto James and the brethren.
2. The behavior of the soldiers wv.
Is. 1917. There was great agitation
among them over Peters disappear
ance. This was serious matter,
since they were responsible for him.
~ being able to account for Peters
escape. Herod commanded that they
q put To death