1004
THE KING’S BUSINESS
apostles o f their having the divine sanction and authority. Listen to these wonderful w ords: “And we are his witnesses of these things ; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him” (5:32). And, mark you, they went directly to the temple and there taught with authority. (d ) The Church organizing, 6:1-7. In one sense these verses reveal to us how the Church was able to cope with its own internal problems. It had just over come great outward hindrances, could it now solve internal difficulties? The multiplying o f disciples, recruited as they were for the most part from the ranks o f the poor, the outcast, and the slave (cf. 1 Corinthians 1 :26; James 2:1-6) ; the fact that in the persecutions which followed their acceptance o f the faith, in which their goods were confiscated, poverty necessarily ensued; and the probable disaster which came from the gttempt at community of goods in chapter 4—all these things caused a great deal o f poverty among the mem bers o f the Church. Efforts were being made to meet this condition. The distrib utors, however, were being accused o f par tiality, and a serious internal quarrel was either existent or imminent. How wonderfully the Church "was able to cope with this difficulty and thus bring satisfaction to all concerned is set forth in these verses (6:1-7). This is another indication that the Church o f .God is divine and has the guidance o f the Holy Spirit, for had it not been so, the wranglings o f men would have destroyed it long ago. The temporal work (as contrasted with the exclusively spiritual work) o f the Church is provided for by the election o f a number o f men to 4)6 deacons—men “o f honest report, full o f the Holy Ghost, and wis dom.’’ Through them the difficulty is over come,, the trouble allayed, the course approved, and the disciples multiply (6 :7 ). (e) The Church sealing its testimony in blood, 6 :8-7:60. The result o f being “ full o f the Holy Ghost” is sometimes a martyr’s death. This
may lead us to be careful in praying for this great blessing. Stephen was the first Christian martyr. W e shall see later that the blood o f the martyr is the seed o f the Church, and that , the Church o f God thrives on persecution. The Church has always been quickest, holi est, most vital, and most influential when in the midst o f the greatest persecution. She becomes lukewarm and dead in times o f ease, affluence, and popularity (cf. Rev elation 3:14-22). Stephen’ s speech gives prominence to the following lines o f thought: First. That God’s dealings with His peo ple have been characterized by constant progress and development. This is evident from a consideration o f the divine dealings with Abraham, Joseph, and others. Second. That the holiness o f God is man ifest outside as well as inside the sanctu ary—that the temple is not exclusively holy. God appeared to Abraham, to Joseph in Egypt, to Moses at the Red Sea. Where God is there is the sanctuary. I f God is with the Church at Jerusalem, then that Church is holy. I f God is with the Gentiles then the Gentiles can be holy. Such teaching was not pleasing to the Jews with their, exclusive ideas o f monop olizing God’s presence, hence they cast out Stephen and stoned him to death. 2 . The Church extending its borders into Judea and Samaria, 8 : 1 - 1 1 : 18 . The Church is still Jewish-Christian, but is now in a transition state. Five years have passed since Pentecost and since the Master had commanded the disciples to evangelize not only Jerusalem, but also Judea, Samaria, yea, and even the utter most parts o f the earth. They were to begin at Jerusalem, but by no means end there. The Church, however, after these five years, is still confined to Jerusalem. Some drastic measures are necessary to compel the Church to extend her borders. The general persecution which arose in con nection with the stoning o f Stephen is the cause o f Church extension to Judea and Samaria.
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker