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T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
February, 1935
INTERNATIONAL LESSON Comm en^ary Outline and Exposition Blackboard Lesson Children’s Division Golden Text Illustration Object Lesson B y B. B. S u tc l if f e B y B e ssie B. B u r c h B y H e le n G a il e y B y A l a n S. P e ar ce B y E l m e r L . W ilder Points and Problems B y A l v a J . M c C l a in , Ashland Theological Seminary, Ashland, Ohio
MARCH 3, 1935 PETER UNMASKS FALSEHOOD A c ts 5:1-42; 8:4-25
apostles’ hands, he immediately conceived the idea that here would be an unending source o f wealth for him if he had the same power. But Peter at once perceived his evil in tent and condemned it, declaring that Si mon had neither part nor lot in the mat ter, and charged that his heart was not right before God (vs. 20, 21). Peter had the enlightenment o f the Spirit o f God who searcheth the hearts of all, and he saw what was in the heart o f Simon. Whether Simon was actually a saved man or not is a question we may not definitely settle, although there is much to be said for the conception that he was saved (vs. 12, 13). But it is certain that the saved man is capable of all sorts o f sins. This lesson should be a warning to us and an entreaty to stay close to the Lord Jesus, allowing Him to have full control o f our lives. Otherwise, we too may be found hypocrites, appearing to be what we act ually are not. Peter revealed the way o f recovery for Simon, as for all who fall (vs. 22-24). The passage reminds us o f 1 John 1 :9. Recognition o f the heinousness of sin, re nunciation of that sin, confession o f the guilt o f it, and acceptance of the forgive ness promised, are steps along the path way to renewed fellowship with the Lord. That Simon may have been a saved man is suggested in that, when his sin was un covered, he immediately asked for prayer on his own behalf (v. 24), expressing the hope that he might be saved from con demnation. Points and Problems L The division o f the narrative in Acts at chapter 5 is rather unfortunate. The material from Acts 4:32 to 5:11 is very closely connected, and should be studied together. In Acts 4 :32-35 we have a description o f the beautiful “commu nism” o f the early church. In 4 :36, 37 we have a right illustration o f its practice. In Acts 5:1-10 we have a wrong illustration. 2. The communism of the early church was as different from modern political communism as light is from darkness. That of the church was voluntary (cf. Acts 5 :4) ; that of Russia is enforced. The members of the early church shared their possessions only in the case of an immediate “need” on the part o f those who were destitute (Acts 4:35). Modern political communism is motivated by the desire to level all men, thus destroying both the motive o f personal sympathy and that of legitimate ambition. But the great difference is this: The communism o f the early church operated under the direct guidance o f the Holy Spirit, while mod ern communism operates for the direct purpose of destroying all faith, even in the existence o f God. 3. A modern communist, with whom I once talked, tried to justify the horrible severities o f Bolshevism by suggesting that, even in the early church, Ananias and his wife were put to death for not be-
Lesson T ex t : Acts 5:1-6; 8:18-24. Golden Text'. “Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another” (Eph. 4:25). Outline and Exposition I. E x p o s in g F a ls e h o o d (Acts 5:1-6). h e r e was a t h r e e f o l d evil in the action of Ananias (vs. 1, 2). First, there was lying. Ananias did not speak a word, as far as we know from the record. But it is possible to lie without uttering a word, and we are responsible for the construction that we know will be placed upon our actions as well as upon our speech. Ananias lied by acting a part, and, while he thought his deed was hid den from the eye of man, it was naked and open before the eye o f God. Nothing can be hidden from that all-seeing eye. “ Be sure your sin will find you out” (Num. 32:23; cf. Gal. 6 :7 ; Josh. 7:11). Second, there was covetousness, which accounted for the lying. It was the covet ousness which gave Satan the opportuni ty to inject the evil thought which led to thé lying. Ananias was afraid; hence he brought only a part o f his possessions, and reserved the remainder for himself. This was perfectly legitimate for him to do, but he attempted to secure credit for the whole amount. He not only coveted the money, but he loved the praise o f men as well. Having seen the act o f Joses, sur- named Barnabas (Acts 4:36, 37), Ananias would imitate him, doubtless desiring to receive praise from his fellows. W e are always beset with the danger o f trying to serve the Lord for the sake of the ap plause o f men; against this snare we must ever be on our guard. It is as bad, and possibly worse, to covet the praise o f men, as it is to covet matérial wealth. But covetousness is such a part of the old nature _ (cf. Rom. 7:7) that we do not recognize it. The law was given in order to let us know its heinousness. In Scripture, covetousness is always associated with gross sins (1 Cor. 5:10, 11; 6:10; Mk. 7:22, 23; etc.). Next to unbelief, it is the most universal o f sins. Third, there was idolatry underneath all, and this accounted for the covetous ness. The idolatry was in the spirit o f Ananias, the covetousness in his soul, and both these elements showed themselves in the actions o f his body; thus the whole man was involved, as is the case in every sin. Moreover, this lesson strongly con demns the practice o f bringing to God a part o f one’s possessions and calling it all. When we sing, “I surrender all,” or when we say, “My all is on the altar,” let us be careful that we do not lie as Ananias did. Let us mean what we say. I f we yield a part o f our holdings to God, let us call
it a partial surrender, and receive the re ward for such action, whatever the re ward may be. Let us not call such an offer ing our all —thereby losing both the gift and the reward as well. The falsehood of Ananias is traced to its source—Satan (vs. 3, 4). When force, as seen in the action o f the council (Acts 4), failed to stop the testimony, Satan tried other plans. The infant church was be ginning to bear fruit. Satan did all he could to hinder the growth and testimony by bringing disrepute upon one of the members of the church, and, through that member, upon the whole company. The church is an organism, a “body” ; and if one member suffers, all the other members suffer with it, including Christ, the Head o f the body. No Christian sins without bringing suffering to Christ, the Head of the body. In the sin o f Ananias, the Holy Spirit also was grieved. From verse 9, we learn that this sin involved tempting, or testing, the Holy Spirit ¿ that is, test ing whether or not the Spirit was really in the church. Ananias was not forced to give his possession, or any portion o f it, for the benefit o f the poor saints (v. 4 ). Before it was sold, it was his own ; and after selling it, the whole price was still his to do with as he would. But Satan stirred up his spirit to covet honor among his brethren, and then moved him to make a pretense; and this pretense is called lying to the Holy Ghost. The sentence which fell upon Ananias (vs. 5, 6) was severe. The judgment was like a surgical operation, which is per formed in order to remove a malignant growth from the body. As in Israel, so in the church—the sin o f one is the sin of all (cf. Josh. 7 :11, 12). His life cut short, Ananias did not lose the eternal salvation o f his soul; but he did forfeit the eternal reward that he might otherwise have gain ed in recognition o f his service upon earth (cf. 1 Cor. 3:13-15). II. E x p o s in g H y p o c r is y (Acts 8:18-24) In the incident before us, the purpose of the hypocrisy was to commercialize the gift o f God (vs. 18, 19). Simon had been an adept in sorcery, and when he saw that the myserious gift of the Holy Spirit was given through the laying on o f the BLACKBOARD LESSON
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