Evening star., 1923-07-14
Sunday School Lesson

came between the two different Jew
ish divisions that filled the first
church with discord and disputes over
the teachings of Jesus and its social
application within the ranks of the
church. He recognized the twofold
task of the new organization that
Jesus had established. He called for
IL. to purify itself within and to carry
the light of the world to those with
out. He stood for the publication of
the church. when he called Ananias
and Sapphira to account for their
falsehoods. His actions received the
confirmation of the higher courts of
heaven in their speedy condemnation
for lying to the Holy Ghost. Peter
was the first to open the doors of the
church to the Gentiles, although he
later had conflicts with Paul about
the subject of Gentle Christianity.
Against this rock the fury of the
first persecution spent itself. Peter
was ready to endure all forms of
sunerings and i'll treatment for the
Lord, who had recalled him to His
service and restored Peter to the
apostleship when He applied his three
fold love test question to the one who
had denied him three times. He did
not finch. His influence gave added
power to all to stand up for Christ
and His Church. When men were
willing like Peter was to endure all
forms of persecution and imprison-
ment, 1t meant that Christianity could
not be crushed.
Herod laid hold of Peter, but
prayer was made earnestly of the
church unto God for him" The swift
response of the Lord in sending
angels to liberate the imprisoned
Peter indicated to all the high regard
with which the apostle was held in
glory. He faced prison and perse-
cutions frequently. He refused to al
low them to interfere with his duty.
1t declined to heed the many requests
ana suggestions that he quit preach
ing the Gospel" He refused to be
disloyal to Christ and His cause. He
Kept on preaching with increased sue
cess and power.
The constructing engineer" who
had been left in charge of the work
of building the Church of the Living
God. was developed personally by the
storms, struggles and sufferings
| through which he was forced to pass.
He met every emergency and crisis
IN a manner that proved his great
ness lie co-operated with others
He looked over his differences with
Paul until they recognized him as the
apostle of hope" His sufferings
were a source of joy to him. In them
he round the folly of some of his sug-
gesttons that he had made to the
Lord. who had nodded him into a bold
ana courageous apostle. He met
every issue Win fearless courage.
The timidity of his early Christian
experience all disappeared. until his
life and letters were marked by a
spirit of courage
He speaks in his epistles of this
Transformation incidentally by saw
ing, Blessed be God. who has be-
gotten US into a lively hope"-a hope
that pervaded his life and labors so
that he toiled not by fits and starts
but constantly and courageousIy. The
one who objected to Jesus dying
speaks of being Redeemed by the
blood Of Christ. as the Lamb without
biemish and without spot" When
Peter expresses the hope that THE
God of all grace after ye have suf-
fered awhile make you perfect, es-
taolish. strengthen, settle YOU" he
reveals the source of his own trans
FORMATION in character and increased
personal power He realized that the
surerings through which he had
passed had filled him with joy so that
when he faced the martyrs death he
looked forward with a hope born of
many trials to meeting the Master
face to face. whose influence. instruc-
tion and insporation had. under the
leadership of the Holy Spirit. changed
him from being the changeable
Simon into the consistent and coura-
geous Peter, who stood like a rock
Tor Christ and His Church during the
days or his apostleship.