The Coolidge examiner., 1936-07-17

INlhAh1 IOI IL I1OW
Friends Shared.
JUNIOR TOPIC-When Christians
See Others in Need.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR
TOPIC - Christians Sharing With
Others
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT
TOPIC-Christmas and Social Serv-
ice.
Social service in the early Church
was by-product of the gospel and
not the gospel itself. Those who
are saved by the gospel will show
their concern for their fellows. es-
pecially those who are fellow mem
bers of the body of Christ.
l. Characteristics of the Print
tive Church (Acts 4 :31-35).
l. 1t was a praying church ".
81. The early Christians for every
want and need betook themselves
to God in prayer. Their faith caused
them to go to the living God, be-
lieving that their needs would be
supplied.
. The Spirit-filled church ". 81.
When they prayed, the place was
shaken wherein they were gathered
together and they were all filled
with the Holy Spirit. A Spirit
filled church is always a praying
church.
3. 1t was a church which had
hn1 in
Word of God (v. 81. The ministers
of the Spirit-filled church will not
offer an apology for the Bible, but
will fearlessly preach it.
4. 1t was a united church ". 32).
They were all of one heart and one
soul.
5. 1t was a generous church ".
32). They held nothing back from
those who had need. The needs were
supplied from a common fund. This
was not Communism any more than
when the church today helps from
a common fund those who have
need.
6. The ministers had a powerful
testimony (v. 33).
z. 1t was a church whose men,
bers possessed unblemished char
acter (v. 33). Great grace was upon
them all.
II. Generous Acts of Barnabas
(Acts 4 49, 80. ....
He sold a piece of land and turned
over all the proceeds to be used
for those in need. 1t is not said that
Barnabas sold all the land he had.
His act, therefore, cannot in any
real sense be used as a precedent
for a community of goods in the
church.
III. Shephen the Deacon (Acts 6:
1-S).
AS soon as the church had re-
lief from external troubles. difficult
ties arose within. Up to this time
it would seem that the problems of
the church were in the hands of the
apostles. A congregational meeting
was called, the case placed before
the church, and the church instruct
ed to select seven men of good rep
utation and Spirit-tilled, to admin
lister the temporalities, giving the
apostles time for prayer and the
ministry Of Gods Word. Among the
seven deacOns thus chosen, Stephen
had first place While engaged in
his duties as deacon, he sprang
into the light as an eloquent and
powerful preacher.
w. The Good Deeds of Dorcas
(Acts 9:6-43).
DorcaS was a practical Christian
woman. She was full of good works
what she talked of doing. Her death
was a real loss. If all processing
Christian women would use their
needles as Dorcas did, there would
be more real testimony for Christ
v. Christian Stewardship QI Cor.
S:1-9).
1. Examples of true Christian be-
nevolence wv. 1-5). The liberality
of these Macedonian churches ex-
hibits practically every principle
and motive entering into Christian
giving.
a. The source of true giving ".
u is said to be the grace of God.
b. They gave from the depths of
their poverty ". y.
C. Their willingness surpassed
their ability (v. 81.
d. They were insistent upon be-
ing allowed the privilege of giving
". ~.
e. They first gave themselves to
the Lord ". 81
2. Emulation of Macedonia beney-
Olence urged wv. 6-15).
a. Not as command (v. 81, Ac-
ceptable giving must be spontane-
Gus.
b. AS proof of the sincerity of
love ". 81. Sincere love is benevo.
lent action toward the object loved.
C. AS the completion and harmony
of Christian character (v. y.
d. The self-sacrifcing example of
Christ ". 81. The supreme example
of love is Christs sacrifice.
e. The true principle upon which
gifts are acceptable to God wv. 10
12). The motive of the giyer deter.