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THE KING’ S BUSINESS
Jerusalem. It was well he did. He made the most o f it, speaking boldly and mightily in the name o f the Lord,. But Jerusalem was not the field that God had chosen for Saul, and so He permitted him to be driven out. There was another plot to kill him, but this also came to naught, and only served to carry out God’s larger purposes o f grace concerning Saul. A time o f quiet and growth in the church follows. There was a two-fold growth, growth in the building up o f individual believers in char acter ( “ being edified” ) and growth in num bers ( “was multiplied” ). The growth in character o f believers is put before the growth in numbers, and that is God’s order. It is when those who are already Christians are built up that the church grows numeri cally. The secret o f their numerical in crease is found in the deeply significant words, “walking in the fear o f the Lord and in the comfort o f the Holy Spirit.” The English word “comfort” hardly does justice to the Greek word that is so translated. The word means not only “comfort,” but “ exhortation” and “help” as well. Our Lord’s promise that He would give them “another Comforter” (rather “ Paraclete,” i.e., ever present friend and helper—John 14:16—the word used in the passage in John is the same, except the ending, as the word used here) was being fulfilled to them. The Holy Spirit was in the church to guide, encourage and strengthen, and His presence was recognized and t'rusted, and so the church “was multiplied.” Monday, December n . Acts 9 : 32 - 35 . Step by step the Lord was leading Peter on toward the opening o f the door o f the Gospel to the Gentiles, Lydda, Joppa, Caesarea. O f all the inhabitants o f Lydda only one citizen is mentioned by name in the Bible, and that is Aeneas. The only great thing about Aeneas apparently was his great need, but there is nothing more likely to attract God’s notice than need (Luke 1:53). Apparently Aeneas was not a disciple when Peter met him, He is spoken of. not as a certain disciple but “a
certain man” (cf. v. 26; ch. 3 :2 ; 1 0 : 1 ; 14:8; 9:10). The case o f Aeneas seemed hopeless. For eight years he had not been off his bed and was held by a disease that no human physician could cure. But there was no hopeless cases with God. That day had opened to Aeneas as all others had for eight years, but it closed differently from all other days, because on that day he met a man who really knew Jesus Christ and who brought the mighty power o f Jesus Christ into his life. How many a day has brought a complete change into the lives o f men because they met someone who really knew Jesus Christ and who brought the mighty power o f Jesus Christ into their lives. No doubt Peter had met with many afflicted ones in his journeys from place to place, but God had not spoken the word to him to bid the afflicted ones be healed; but .now God did speak it to Peter’s ever listen ing ear and with unhesitating faith “ Peter said unto him, Aeneas,'Jesus Christ maketh thee whole.” Wonderful words, words that might be spoken to many a palsied man today, palsied not merely in body but far sadder still palsied in soul. Jesus Christ can make the palsied whole, if men only will put their trust in him. Peter’s pity for this unfortunate man was not merely-of the sentimental kind but o f the real, active kind. He saw the man’s dire need, he knew one who could help him and he brought the two together. Indeed Peter recalled a day when he was with the Lord Jesus himself when he was here upon earth, and Who, when He saw a man who had had an infirmity 38 years had bidden him arise, take up his bed and walk (John 6:5 -8 ). And Peter, being an apt scholar, at once did as he had seen and heard the Lord do (See also v. 40, compare with Luke 8:54). W e do well to note how Peter keeps him self completely in the background. He fixed the attention o f Aeneas on Jesus Christ, not on himself. It is also worthy o f note how perfect was Peter’s confidence in the mighty power o f Jesus Christ, he did not have a moment’s question/that Jesus Christ could and would make Aeneas
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