The Mississippi enterprise. (Jackson, Miss.) 1938-current, 1959-11-07
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
By Rev. George A. Harper
511 Avenue G.,
Greenwood, Miss.
SUPREME ALLEGIANCE TO
GOD
Temperance)

5:l7-42. Print - Acts 5:27-42.
MEMORY SELECTION -
We ought to obey God rather
than men. - (Acts 5:29). But
earlier Peter and John had
stated aggressively, Whether
it be right in the sight of God
to hearken unto you more than
unto God, judge We. For we
cannot but speak the things
which we have been and
heard" They were convinced.
that their stand had Gods ap-
proval and that was all that
mattered with them; what men
thought or felt to the con-
trary was of little concern.
THE APOSTLES BROUGHT
BEFORE THE COUNCIL:
Sand when they had brought
them, they set them before
the council: and the high
priest asked them" This
third arrest was made after
the apostles had been releas-
ed from prison by an angel
the night before. News reach
ed the council eventually that
the apostles were standing in
the temple and teaching the
people as heretofore. Saying,
Did not we straitly command
you that We should not teach
in this name? and, behold, We
have filled Jerusalem with
your doctrine, and intend to
bring this mans blood upon
us" The leaders were
continually faced with charge
"this Jesus whom We slew
hath God raised up" Finally
the apostles repudiated the
charge of the Sanhedrin that
they should desist from teach
ing in the name of Jesus, for
they continued to preach as
they had always done.
THE APOSTLES DE
TENSE BEFORE THE COUN-
GIL:
"Then Peter and the other
apostles answered and said,
We ought to obey God rather
than men" There is no
question about the pre-emin-
ence of Gods authority over
that of men, neither is there
any logical reply against this
position. The only point
where any argument can arise
is whether the orders or com
mands have come from God.
If a person is sure that what
he is determined to do is di
rected from or by God, there
is no question whether he
should do that rather than
something human beings have
ordered him to do. ''The God
of our fathers raised up Je-
sus, whom We slew and hanged
on a tree" The God Of
the fathers of the apostles is
the God of Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob, and also the God
of the members of the Sanhe-
drin and of the whole Jewish
family. The apostles were not
content to affirm that God
had raised up Jesus from the
dead, but continued to repeat
the fact that the hierarchy
had slain Jesus maliciously.
Him hath God exalted with
his right hand to be a prince
and Saviour, for to give re-
pentance to Israel, and for
giveness of sin" Now the
disciples of Jesus are busily
engaged in convincing people
of the spiritual meaning OF
Christ's mission; nothing is
said about the earthly king
dom of David. God raised up
Jesus and gave him power and
authority to be Prince and
Saviour for mans salvation,
but no emphasis is made for
the reSLOTdtlOn O1 the edIIIlly
kingdom of Israel.
"And we are his witnesses
of these things; and so is also
the Holy Ghost, whom God
hath given to them that obey
him" The position of
being witnesses of Christ
placed upon the aspotles the
responsibility of being testi-
mony to the things which they
knew to be true, and to work
the works of God as opportu
nifty was given unto them to
do so. when they heard
that, they were cut to the
heart, and took council to STAY
them" Consequently,