Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1920-01-22
LESSON FOR JANUARY rs
PETER sTAaDs UP Foa TRUTH
80 hoNxeTy.

Is1neoN Tu-Assa s:a-A
ooL4DHE 78xr-x.gias No. are ass~s-
natSs. - - Lsr1: hsa they tsat 6sa
ADDITIONAL hAfHAIAL--Ra. 1-ns
1Sss. hi: A1Ak. =: -: osA 81. :: H1Ap
r1I1ARx goSsc-rsn.s ~ Tran.
JUNIOR. TOPIC - I've pisapiss go
NAAa DssA0s 81 Them
SlNTER0DDxAf0 AND SENIOR 1oR-
lc-Ths Esiay &nl 1infulnsa Of Luing.
. In, this lesson Ne 80 the new COM
nunity now called ''the church ".
III vindicated. In the boldness Of
Peter and John We see that the break
with Judaism has come-the authority
Of the Sanhedrin is repudiated with
the determination on the part OF the
disciples to be led by the Holy Spirit.
1t is for this reason that the body now
gets the name church" Since the
break has come 1t must be shown to be
a holy body; 1t must have recognition
as being sacred. The sanctity of the
tabernacle is transferred to the new
body which Is Gods dwelling place
(Eph. 2:19-22). The church itself. as
well as the people about, did not know
this until Gods Judgment burst forth.
I. characteristics of the Primitive
Church "a :31-35).
l. 1t was praying church ~. 31
For every want annd every need they
betook themselves to God in prayer.
2. 1t was a Spirit-filled church ".
81. A praying church is Spirit-illed
church. The Spirit is given in an
swer to prayer duke IL :13).
8. 1t was a church which had great
holiness in preaching the Word of
God ". 81. The minister in Spirit
filed church will not offer an apology
for the Bible. but will fearlessly
preach it.
4. 1t was united church ". 32).
They were "of one heart and one
soul"
5. 1t was a charitable and generous
I church " 32). AS needs arose sup
plies were given from common fund.
G. It's ministers had a powerful ties
timony g. 33).
I. It was church whose member
ship exhibited unblemished characters
W. 33) For great grace was upon
them ALL"
II. The Sin of Ananias and Sapphire
wv. LID.
1. Its occasion (vvs 1. p. This was
their hypocrtieal imitation of the gen
erous act Of Barnabas a :36, By. Be.
cause Of the peculiar distress of the
early church when the open rupture
was made with Judaism, the members
for a time had community of
goods" This was not universal MOI
permanent; some continued to own
their own homes, as for example John
Marks mother. who used her home in
/ which to entertain Christians. Ananias
kept back a part of the money re
ceived for his land while pretending to
have brought it all His wife was a
partner In it. They wanted the honor
of generosity without paying the price.
O. The judgment wv. 3-10). Ananias
! allowed satan TO fiji his heart and lied
! to the Holy Ghost in keeping back a
part Of the price of the land. 1t was
most likely an acted lie. They were
| not under obligation to sell their land
| or having sold it. to bring any of the
money and place it in the common
| fund Peter declared that they were
| absolutely free to do as they pleased
| with it. Love of praise Is causing
/ many today to make the same dread
| ful mistake. People are walking In
the way of Ananias and Sapphire
! when they make a profession of re-
ligion for temporal gain and pleasure
or even preaching sermons not their
own. Frequently men preach the ser
mons of Moody and Spurgeon without
/ giving credit Physical death was Wis
tied upon Ananias and Sapphire for
| their sins.
~. The Effect wv. 11-16).
/. Great fear came upon the church
! and upon all who heard of these
! things ". ~. Irreverence is an out
standing sin of this age. The church
/ should be recognized as holy-the very
! dwelling place of the Most High God.
.. iIultitudes OF men and women
1 we're added to the Lord ". 14). This
caused the fame Of Peter to be spread
far and wide. so that the people were
anxious TO come under his sfaaow.
Were the holiness Of the body Of
Christ recognized there would be
many coming for pardon and saliva
ton.
3. The hypoerites did not dare Is
Join ~ 1877 Il Is interesting r note
That this vindication of the holiness
III tic chnrnh d'a naf detey apv hit
hvnocrRes from inining I'LL Nothing
unhalhaWed nor aDY ltDrp@es, rate Der-