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14 THE PRESBYTERIA
Sunday School
THE APOSTLES IMPRISONED.
Act 5: 17-32.
February 14, 1909.
GOLDEN TEXT.?"Blessed are they which are persecuted
for righteousness' sake; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
?Matt. 5: 10.
SHORTER CATECHISM.
Q 42. What is the sum of the Ten Commandments?
A. The sum of the Ten Commandments is, to love the Lord
our God, with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our
strength, and with all our mind; and our neighbor as ourselves.
DAILY HOME READINGS.
M?Acts 5: 17-28. S.?1 Peter 4: 12-19.
W.?Jer. 26: 8-16. T?Acts 6: 29-42.
F.?1 Peter 3: 8-18. T.?Matt. 10: 16-22.
S.?Matt. 5: 1-16.
TOPICAL OUTLINE.
The Second Persecution?
The apostles imprisoned, but miraculously delivered, vs. 17-25.
? Again arrested and tried before the council, vs. 26-32.
Released by Gamaliel's advice, but cruelly beaten,
v. 32-42.
LESSON COMMENTS.
When Jesus of Nazareth was in the neighborhood of Mount
Hermon he said to h's disciples, "If any man will come after me
let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me."
To be a followers of Jesus one must bear the cross. To be
a Christian is to be in fellowship with Jesus and this fellowship
implies a share in his crown and glory by and by and
also a share with him in service and suffering here on earth.
In this lesson we find the Apostles standing in their lot as
partners with Jesus in suffering.
After the death of Ananias the Apostles became more prominent
than ever, and daily they assembled in Solomon's porch,
To one and all they declared the story of a risen Jesus and
God bore them witness with signs and wonders and divers
miracles. Many uecame believers in Jesus Christ. The Holy
fltirl fmm i h"c nnint Ihov flllo/1 Toruoolom wfV*
Ghost was present with great power and from the nooks and
corners of the city and from neighboring towns and villages
they brought the sick and aiflicted on beds and couches and
the shadow of Peter falling on them as he passed would rei.eve
them of their maladies.
It was the natural thing for the Sadducees to rise in open
conflict with the Apostles. Hitherto they had been the
teachers of the people. To them the young men of the
nation had bowed with reverence. But rapidly their influence
was waning. They would soon cease to be the leaders. Something
must be done, 'then the high priest rose up and
a.* that were with him, filled with indignation (jealousy) and
laid hands on the Apostles. Jealousy is cruel as the grave.
It is the pain one feels when what belongs to him passes
over to a rival. The honor and glory and prestige of social
rank and position which these men claimed and received were
passing to others, and their souls were In bitterness. Jesus
Christ had foretold to his servants that bonds and Imprisonments
awaited them. He had himself partaken of bitter
waters and the servants were now walking in the footsteps of
the Master.
Old Mr. Hold-the-World was willing enough to follow the
king when he walked in sunshiny weather and appeared to
hlB people in silver slippers. But the true Christian must follow
Jesus in all sorts of weather. When and where he leads
Peter must follow. The way to the mountain top may lead
,N OF THE SOUTH. February 3, 1909.
over sharp stones. That road I must travel even though on
bleeding feet.
Following Jesus the disciples were shut up in the common
prison, but bars and bolts did not rob them of peace
of conscience and joy in the Holy Ghost; and they could each
one s'ng David's song, "I will not be afraid of ten thousands
of people that have set themselves against me round about.
Arise, O Lord, save me, O my God!" and lo, in a little while
the darkness gives way and the light appears. The angel ot
the Lord came nigh. The doors were opened and through the
armed guards these men of <jrOd, prisoners of hope, came forth.
At the break of day they are found in the temple telling men
the words of this life.
Somewhere in the city the rulers were taking counsel
against the Lord end against h's anointed saying in the spirit
of heathen men, "Let us Ireak the'r bands asunder and cast
away their cords from us." But he that s'tteth in the heavens
shall laugh and the Lcrd shall have them In derision. The
truth cf God cannot be arrested by puny men and when Annas
and ine leaders called for the'r pris:ners the messenger comes
with the startling news cf the empty prison and another one
brings tidings of the preachers in the temple.
There are many pictures of God's people standing before
kings. Eiijah stands before Ahab, David and his friends before
the kings of Babylon, Paul before Nero and later on
Luther before the German princes. None, however, make a
deeper impression than this one of Peter and his brethren
Deiore the angry Jews. Before the bar of justice the real
criminal feels abashed. His conscience disturbs him and he
is ill at ease. His thoughts trouble him and his face is pallid.
But when the apostles stood before the Jews that day
the courage of God was in their hearts. They knew the
strength of their cause. Men might kill them but they could
never crush them. Clad in the armor of Jesus Christ and full
of the Holy ohost they cry aloud, "The God of our fathers
raised up Jesus whom ye slow and hanged on a tree. Him hath
God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour
for to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins."
This verse (31) is one of. the bulwarks of Westminster Calvinism.
It teaches that repentance is the gift of God. The
change of a man's mind from enmity to love is the work of
God. Many think that this grace can be spun out of the human
will, but the remission of sins and repentance from sin
are both alike from God. ihis doctrine is exasperating to the
carnal mind and we see these Sadducees cut to the heart
and angry enough to kill.
Through God's providence the words of Gamaliel divert
them from their purpose. "If this work be of men it will fail.
If it be from God you cannot arrest it, so let these men alone."
In the view of the ages the doctrine of Gamaliel will be
worked out in history and found true. Baalism, Buddhism,
Mohammedanism, Mormonism and many other systems are
all of human origin. They are certain to come to naught. We
need not disturb ourselves about them. They are born of
Satan and are bound to fail. Our duty is to bear testimony
O era inal foloo 1 - *? 1 * * "
?0 ia,n? uubiiiuu unu pi'uciitiiii ine irum and wnen we
have done that our duty is ended. "Falsehood in doctrine will
surely come to naught.
The gospel which prevailed that day over these proud
rulers marches in triumph through the ages. As the rain cometh
down and the snow from heaven and watereth the earth
and maketh it bring forth and bud, so shall be the word of
uua. 11 Bnaii not return void.
The preaching of Gamaliel 1s another Instance of a proud
moralist being used for God s glory. The rulers of the Jews
adopted his counsel. It Is hard to see how- they could reject It.
Whether they believed It or not, it gave them a good chance
to close the trial.