62
February, 1935
T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
us o f Cornelius’ sin. Peter told him it was through faith in Christ that he was to get rid of his sin. This red represents Christ’s blood. Notice what happens to the black. It comes to the red and is seen no more. The white comes from beneath the red. This is the way Cornelius’ life looked in the sight of God after he had trusted Christ to cleanse him. (A large round pencil, six inches long, is used. Half of it is covered tightly with white paper and half with black. A shell of red paper, three inches long, loose enough to slip easily over the others, is then made. Glue on the back of this shell a projection which will fit between the fingers, keeping it from sliding with the pencil. Fasten a rubber to the black end o f the pencil, which is pointed down. Put the other end o f the rubber around the index finger. As long as the thumb keeps pressure on the red shell (which has been slipped over the white portion), the pen cil will be kept from moving, but as soon as the pressure is released, the rubber band will pull upward, causing the black to go beneath the red sheath, allowing the white to show. The audience will be curi ous to know what causes the pencil to travel upward without any movement of the hand.) might be kept in quietness and peace in the midst o f danger. Perhaps they remember ed his deflection when he denied the Lord because of fear, and were asking that his faith might not fail now. His release seemed impossible to them. Herod had already slain James—and God had not intervened, and there probably was no thought that He would intervene in the case of Peter. The people were so aston ished when the deliverance actually oc curred that they concluded that Peter had been slain already, and that it was his spirit that appeared to them at the house (vs. 12-17). Finally, prayer was persist ent —the believers continued before the throne of grace until the answer came. O f such prayer, the church today knows very little; but the need and opportunity are ever at hand, and the power is still available. We must be careful, however, that we do not attempt to force God to use any one mold in the fashioning o f His purpose. We must remember that He al lowed James to be slain, and that He de livered Peter. And we must allow His wisdom to dictate the course in any par ticular case. The fact that He deals with us in one way today is no assurance that He will deal in exactly the same way tomor row. In whatever way He acts, it will be for the very best for those who love Him (cf. Rom. 8:28). II. I n th e H ands of th e A ngel (7 -1 1 ). During the night, Peter was “ sleeping between two soldiers.” It was Herod’s in tention that, on the day following, Peter should be brought forth to his death. A beautiful picture is presented to us here. Satan is gleefully waiting to see Peter d ie; the saints are earnestly praying for Peter’s peace; Peter himself is sleeping in quiet ness; and God is working through the angel. Prayer has been heard, and God is about to give more than was asked. He not only will give Peter the peace request ed, but He will give also deliverance from the prison. When the angel awakened
shows that men are saved by simple faith, before baptism, without any works at all. Peter understood this perfectly (cf. Acts 11:17, R. V .). But he nevertheless com mands them to be baptized (Acts 10:47, 48). Baptism is for the saved, not for the unsaved. It is important, but it does not save. Golden Text Illustration When the Prince of Wales visited India (relates Dr. Douglas Brown), there were a number of high caste people who were waiting to shake hands with him, and there was a big barrier separating them from the masses of the people. The prince arrived, shook hands with those that were presented to him, and then, looking over their heads to the crowds beyond, said, “Take those barriers down.” They were taken down, and any one who liked had free access and a welcome from the son of the Emperor o f India. Thè next time the prince came that way, ten thousand outcastes were gathered under the banner inscribed : “The Prince of the Outcastes.” W e have a greater Prince, who said, “ Take the barriers down.” God’s love and favor are for every one .who b e l i e ve s in the Lord Jesus.—j-77ie Christian Herald. Peter Learns That God Loves Everybody A cts 10:1 to 11:18; 15:6-ll Memory Verse : “God is no respecter of persons” (Acts fl0:34). Approach : When the disciples first be gan to preach, they went only among the people of their own nation, the Jews. They _ _ animals—was let down from heaven, and a voice said : “Rise, Peter ; kill, and eat.” Now Peter, because he was a Jew, was not allowed by the Jewish laws to eat cer tain animals, so he refused to eat. Three times the sheet was let down and the voice told him to eat. Three times he re fused. Then the voice said to Peter: “What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.” : While Peter wondered about the mean ing of this vision, there was a knock at the door below. Servants had come to ask Peter to go with them to the home of their master, Cornelius. Cornelius was not a Jew, but he worshiped God and gave to the poor and prayed. He had sent for Peter that he might learn of Jesus. And now Peter understood the meaning o f the vision, and he went and preached to Cor nelius and to his friends. Ever after that day, Peter insisted to the other disciples that all who want to hear the gospel story may listen. Sometimes we think we are a little bet ter than people o f other countries. The Bible says: “God is no respecter of per sons.” Object Lesson T he S oldier W ho B ecame a S a in t Object : A prepared pencil. Lesson : Cornelius was a commander of one hundred men in the Roman army. God had taken notice o f his prayers and gifts. An angel told Cornelius to send to thought that Jesus had come just to save the Jews. God used Peter to show the disciples t h a t this was not so. L e s s o n S t o r y : O n e d a y , w h e n Peter was on the housetop p ra y in g, he had a vision. A sheet — in w h i c h were all sorts of
Joppa for Peter, who would tell him what he ought to do. Evidently, the angel could not tell him how to be saved, but that message must be given by some one who had been lost and had then received Christ as Saviour. Cornelius immediately sent for Peter. When Peter arrived, he began by telling Cornelius and his family and friends that God was no respecter of per sons. He told about Jesus who had been crucified and raised from the dead, and that they could have peace through Him, receiving the remission o f sins. Even though Cornelius was a religious man, he realized that he was a sinner, and he long ed to be free from sin. I want you to notice carefully this lit tle stick. The bottom is black, reminding Lesson T ex t : Acts 12:5-17. Golden Text-. “ Prayer was made with out ceasing o f the church unto God for him” (Acts 12:5). Outline and Exposition I. I n th e P ower of S a ta n (5, 6 ). H erod , the king, had slain James the brother of John (v. 2) ; and, be cause he saw that this action had pleased the Jews, he had caused Peter to be arrested, doubtless meaning to put him to death also. Behind Herod stood Satan —attempting to crush out the life of the infant church. Peter’s position was an ex tremely dangerous one. It appeared that there was no hope of his escape from death. Guarded by sixteen soldiers (v. 4), continually chained to two of them, with iron gates between himself and liberty, Peter seemed to be utterly helpless, and Satan appeared triumphant. But, while there was no way out, there was a way up, and “prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him” (v. 5). To pray was the only course, and the best course, to which the believers could resort. The teaching here concerning prayer should not be overlooked. First, prayer was earnestly made—“without ceasing”— literally, “stretched-out-ly.” We speak of the rest o f faith, which concerns our position in Christ. But there is also the fight o f faith, which relates to our prac tice for Christ. The latter aspect of the Christian life is illustrated in this lesson (cf. Lk. 22:44; Eph. 6:18). Second, pray er was unitedly offered, the whole church being engaged in the intercession. Third, prayer was made unto God, not unto an audience o f human beings. W e must be on guard lest we direct our prayers to our audience, rather than to the God who alone can give the answers. Fourth, pray er was definite —made “ for him,” that is, for Peter. Perhaps the believers were not praying for Peter’s release, but that he
MARCH 17, 1935 PETER DELIVERED FROM PRISON A cts 12:1-19
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker