THE K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S is Lord of all.” He belongs not to the Jews only but to the whole world. SATURDAY, Feb. 21. Ephesians 2 :1 1 . 22 . Adm ission o f the Gentiles. The church is a representative com pany. The world must therefore be evangelized in order that every part may be represented. The word church literally means a called out company. Acts 15:14. If God is no respecter of persons, why should Americans pre ponderate over Africans and Asiatics? Here is a missionary motive to world evangelization. It is grace that admits both Jew and Gentile. Grace is the characteristic feature of Christianity. There is no grace in any heathen re ligion. Grace is favor shown to the undeserving. It shows God’s attitude and action to lost sinners. It has been defined as God’s mercy pitying, God’s wisdom planning, God’s power prepar ing and God’s love providing. Christ Himself is called the grace of God. Titus 2:11, The infant church had achieved two notable victories. It had triumphed over religious persecution. It had burst the bonds of Jewish legalism and taken in the Gentiles. Now the state un sheaths its sword against them. Peter’s experience shows that the church has nothing to fear from the power of the state. Herod had pleased' the Jews by beheading the Apostle James. He pro posed to please them more by destroy ing Peter. He doubtless planne,d to kill all the leaders one after another. What would become of the church with the Apostles gone? It Providentially hap pened that Peter was arrested at the beginning of the Paschal feast. This lasted for eight days and during that time no execution could take place. At SUNDAY, Feb. 22. Acts 12:1-19. Peter in Prison.
222 THURSDAY, F eb. 19. Acts 10 :1-8. A Candidate fo r Salvation. Cornelius was a man of Roman blood and of earnest spirit. He revered God and led his household to do the same. He was kind toward the Jews, giving them alms and observing their hours of prayer. If by birth he was a heathen, in heart and life he was equal to the best Jew. Peter made special note of his character when he came to offer him the Gospel. i0:35. Peter is not laying down a law but describing a case. The fear of God and the works of righteousness have not taken the place of Christ but the place of Moses. Cornelius was not saved but was eligi ble to the kingdom. 11:14. Jewish prejudice could not object to such a man. While the Gospel was for the worst as well as the best of the heathen, God led His people on gently as they were able to bear it. FRIDAY , Feb. 20. Acts 10:34-43. Peter’s Pentecostal Sermon. Peter’s sermon is simple and straight forward. He has no cavilers before him. The audience is in perfect sym pathy. 10:33. After his introduction Peter presents the life of Christ up to the cross, summed up in the phrase, “He went about doing good.” The Apostles were witnesses of this. Sec ond, he declares that Jesus was raised from the dead of which fact also the Apostles were witnesses. Third, he sets forth the offices of Jesus with a Scripture quotation, , “ whosoever be- lieveth in Him shall receive the remis sion of sins.” This states the means of salvation. “ Through His name,” the universality of salvation, “ whosoever,” the condition of salvation, “ believeth in Him,” and the nature of salvation, “ re mission of sins.” Peter puts the all- embracing character of the salvation in the beginning of his discourse in his statement concerning the Messiah, “ He
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