SUNDAY SCHOOL continued what He said to Martha. He is not a vis ible Guest in your home, but He is an ever-present member if your home is a Christian home. Have you neglected to sit at His feet and worship Him and become better acquainted with Him? Have you spent time just loving Him? Are your words and actions just as clean and pure as they would be if you could really see the Saviour in your home? Nov. 8 , 1953 Stronger Churches— Better Communities Acts 2:41-47; Phil. 1:27-30; The church as presented in the early chapters of the book of Acts may be called the model church. It comes nearest to be ing the ideal church that this earth has ever seen. It bore a remarkable testimony in Jerusalem and the surrounding country. It acted as salt purifying and seasoning the area it touched. Any church which ap proximates the character of the New Tes tament church will bring blessing to the community in which it is located. Is your church like it? The Church Characterized Acts 2:41-47 See how the Pentecostal church con ducted itself. It was an obedient church (v. 41). Having received the Word and the salvation of the Word, it was obedient I Pet. 2:4, 5, 9, 10 Pointers on the Lesson
in the matter of baptism (Matt. 28:19). Note carefully that baptism comes after the reception of the Word. It is an act of obedience-on the part of the saved soul. It has nothing to do with a person’s being saved. It is the sign of one who has al ready been saved. See Acts 8:36, 37. More over, it was a persistent church (v. 42). It continued in holy things. It did not cease in its spiritual exercises. It was a powerful church (v. 43). It cast fear into the hearts of the unbelieving. It was an unselfish church (w . 44,45). For the welfare of the group in difficult times, it practiced a sort of Christian communism. Its continuation is not commanded in the Word of God and certainly it is radically different from godless Russian Communism. It was a church whose membership possessed harm ony, gladness, and undivided loyalty (v. 46). It was also a church that was grate ful, consistent, and growing (v. 47). How many of these characteristics does your church have? How many of them do you have? For, after all, the church is no bet ter than the individuals that make up its membership. What kind of a church would my church be, If every member were just like me? The Church Exhorted Phil. 1:27-30 The word conversation in verse 27 means literally manner of life. It has a far wider thought than simply one’s speech. The whole tenor of the Christian’s life should be of such character as to make
him a marked man, branded with the marks of the Lord Jesus (Gal. 6:17). He should, with an eye'single to God’s glory, be zealously working in harmony with all other believers for the advancement of the gospel. Believers should not be fright ened by their opponents, realizing that “ greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4). These opponents, in contending hopelessly against true believers, make it evident that they are rushing on to perdition. On the other hand, believers’ victory over their foes at test their full salvation (v. 28). The thoughts expressed in these passages beggar description. To what a high posi tion the people of God are lifted! Living stones, partaking of the life of the Rock of Ages, built upon Him, who is the only foundation for salvation, to become a spir itual temple where God can be worshiped in all His beauty and holiness. They are “ an holy priesthood’ with immediate access to the divine presence (w . 4 ,5 ). Verses 9 and 10 need no comment. They need more fully to be appreciated. The expression a peculiar people, of the old version, is bet ter rendered a people for a possession — that is, for His possession! Helps for the Children Learning and Doing in My Church Acts 2:41-47 Memory Verse: "Serve the Lord with glad- The Church Exalted I Pet. 2:4, 5; 9, 10
• E V E R Y D O O R I S O P E N Men, women and children in Korea's cities and vil lages, in schools, factories, army camps and hospitals receive Pocket Testament League Gos pel Teams with an eagerness and enthusiasm that exceeds anything we have witnessed even in Japan. ~ Scorched and seared by the three blackest years in their history and with nothing but poverty and peril ahead, the people of Korea long for the peace and comfort that only our loving heavenly Father can give.
HELP.WANTED
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Blood-drenched, war-scarred Korea presents a more urgent need —and a greater opportunity —for evan gelization than any other nation in the world today.
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• SOULS ARE WAITING If we can flood Korea with the Word of God now — thousands, perhaps millions, of souls can be won for eternity. The godless forces of Communism are not dead. Unless we act today these forces may close the door of Korea to the gospel. Now is the day of salvation in Korea. • THIS IS A JOB FOR AMERICAN CHRISTIANS The Pocket Testament League is asking every American Christian to help get millions of Gospels of John into the hands of the Koreans. Your help is needed. Join this great crusade of evangelization. Let us know that we may count on your support. Write to: ALFRED A . KUNZ, Executive Director
THE POCKET TESTAMENT LEAGUE, INC. • 156 FIFTH AVE. • NEW YORK 10, N. Y. 44 THE KING'S BUSINESS
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