The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1943-05-07
PETER AND JOHN LEADERS
IN THE EARLY CHURCH

PETER AND JOHN LEADERS
IN THE EARLY CHURCH
LESSON TExT-Acts 2:s7.41: 3:l-s; AIS:
GOLDEN rExT-Now when they saw the
holiness of Peter and John. and perceived
that they were unlearned and ignorant men.
they narveled; and they took knowledge OF
them, that they had been with Jesus
Acts 4:13.
Does the Church have a message
for our day? Sometimes one WON
ders bit, but little thought indi-
Gates that if it does not, it is not
because Christianity has failed, but
because Christian people have failed
to declare the eternal and powerful
truth of God. The primary respon-
sibility for any such failure must
rest upon the leaders of the Church.
It is instructive to see the qualities
which made the leaders of the early
Church effective for the Lord. In
our lesson we find Peter and John
doing three things.
I. Declaring Gods Word (Acts 2:
37-41).
Peter had just finished the first
sermon preached in the Church,
which was delivered at Pentecost.
The declaration of Gods truth in the
power of the Holy Spirit brought
conviction of sin. It always does,
although the outward indication OF
its working may not be as marked
as it was on that day. Three thou
sand souls were under conviction
and asking what to do to be saved.
What an opportunity for the
preacher and his fellow worker,
John. How did they meet it? BY
faithfully declaring the need Of re-
pentance and faith, and then OF fel-
lowship with others in the Church.
One mark of a real leader for God
will always be that he breaches and
teaches the message of God without
adulteration, without modification,
and with plainness and simplicity.
The kind of leadership which is
often magnified in the Church today
and which is largely made up OF
personal magnetism, pep and fast
talk, is not real leadership at all.
Test your leaders by their faithful
and intelligent declaration OF Gods
Word.
ii. Conveying Gods Power (Acts
3:1-8).
channels only'-that is the func-
leader in His Church. AS Mary
Maxwell well put it:
Channels only, blessed Master.
But with all Thy wondrous power
Flowing through US, Thou canst use VI
Every day and every hour.
Silver and gold was a scarce COM
modify with Peter and John, as it
has been with many, yes most, OF
Gods servants through the centu-
ries. But they did have the blessed
privilege of being channels through
which the healing, cleansing, re-
deerning power of God could flow
and that was infinitely better.
The lame man had long since
given up hope of anything better
than the few coins he could beg at
the temple gate. He was like many
in our hard and practical age who
see only the values that money can
give, and thus miss the real blessing
of God.
4, God has for men today, as He had
for this beggar, that which is far
better than gold--deliverance from
sin and. liberation from the limita-
lions of spirit which make them con-
tent with the paltry aims of men.
(. Peter and John were ready to be
used of God because they were men
who were not too busy to pray
". ~. Knowing the compassion of
| God they sought out the one in need,
! and by faith put the unlimited power
Of God to work on his behalf.
God healed this mans body. but
what is more important; He healed
his spirit ". 81. We need that kind
of healing for the weakened, lame
ankled, spirit-darkened individuals
in our communities and our
churches. We will have it only as
our leaders are men and women
who are cleansed-ready to be chan
nels for the conveying Of Gods pow
err 10 a needy world.
III. Doing Gods Will (Acts Alb,
1920.
The way of life Of Gods leaders
is not an easy one, but it is simple
one. They do Gods will-nothing
less, nothing more, and nothing else.
What could be more delightful
Peter and John had spoken the
truth and declared salvation to be
only in the name Of Jesus ". 12).
Certain easy takers within the
Church who tell us that we must not
be narrow but broad enough to see
salvation in all religions, had bet
ter read that verse again.
Because they had preached Christ,
and for no other reason, they were
imprisoned, then released on condi-
ton that they would not mention