Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1920-01-19
IMPROVED UMfoRh INTERNATIONAL
SUNMS0OOL
FCCNN
LOOUlI
CBy REV. +. B. FITZWATER, D. D.,
Teacher OF English Bible In ths Moody
Bible Institute of Chicago)
Copyright. 1920. Western Newspaper Union)
LESSON FOR JANUARY rs
PETER STANDS UP FOR TRUTH
AND HONESTY.
TExT-Acts 5:l-1s.

LESSON TEXT-Acts 5:l-1s.
GOLDEN TEXT-Lying lips are abomi.
nation to the Lord: but they that deal
truly are his delight.-Prov. 12:22.
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL-Ex. 2O:16i
Prov. Ill; Matt s: "a; Gal 81, s; Eph
AIS Z 80
PRIMARY TOPIC-Telling the Truth.
JUNIOR TOPIC 49, Two Disciples and
What Became Of Them
INTERMEDIARY AND SENIOR TOP
IC-The Folly and Sinfulness of Lying.
In this lesson we see the new com
munity now called 1.-THE church" ".
ID indicated. In the holiness 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
q 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
we'll as the people about, did not know
this until Gods judgment burst forth.
|. characteristics of the Primitive
Church (4;31-35).
1. 1t was a praying church ". 81.
For every want annd every need they
fhavncnlvog IN I'D In
2. 1t was q Spirit-flled church ~.
BY. A praying church is Spirit-flled
church. The Spirit is given in an
swer to prayer duke II :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 1t.
4. 1t was a united church ". 32).
They we're "of one heart and one
soul"
5. 1t was a charitable and generous
church ". 32). AS needs arose sup
plies were given from a common fund.
8. It's ministers had a powerful tes-
timony w. 33).
I. 1t was a church whose member
ship exhibited unblemished characters
". 33). For great grace was upon
them all"
II. The Sin Of AnanIas and Sapphire
wv. lid.
1. Its occasion (vv. 1, .. This was
their hypocritical imitation of the gen
erous act of Barnabas "a :36, 81. Be
cause of the peculiar distress OF the
early church when the open rupture
was made with Judaism, the members
for a time had a community of
goods" This was not universal NOT
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 ii all His wife was a
partner in 1t. They wanted the honor
Of generosity without paying the price
3 The judgment wv. 3-10). Ananias
allowed satan to fill his heart and lied
to the Holy Ghost in keeping back a
part of the price of the land II was
most likely an acted lie. They were
not under obligation to sell their land.
or having sold 1t, to bring any OF the
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
full 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 Spnrgeon without
giving credit. Physical death was Wis
tied upon Ananias and Sapphire for
their sins.
III. The Effect wv 1I-16).
l. 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.
2. Multitudes Of men and women
were 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 shadow.
Were the holiness of the body of
Christ recognized there would be
many coming for pardon and saliva
tion.
3. The hypocriteS did not dare to
Join ". t3). 1t is interesting to note
that This vindlcatiOn of the holiness
of the church did not deter any but
hypocrites from Joining II. Nothing
unhallOwed nor any unregenerate per
son has place in the church. This
applies to our offerings as well as TO