The Sunday School

32. "And tho multitudO of them tliat believecl wereof oneheartandof onosoul." It was a wholo hearted surrendcr toChrisfc of all they were and all they had; a full recocrnition that they were not their own, but bought with a prico to bc a special people unto tho Lord (I Cor. vi. 19, 20; Titus ii, 14). This was as truly the work of the Holy Spirit as was the boldnessof Peter and John beforotho council, or their boldneaa in verse SI. Imagine the flnanuial oonditionof thechurches and missionary Booieties if all Christians would say, " Whatever tho Lord wants of me or mine He is welcome to, for all I aiu and have is Buroly His. " 33. "And with great power gave the apostles witness of the rosurreo.tion of tho Lord Jesus and great grace was upon them all. " The grace was the grace of God, and the power was the Spirit of God. "Not by might, nor by power, but by Sly Spirit, saith tho Lord of Hosts" (Zfich. iv, 6). 34. 35. '"Neither was there any among them that lacked. Distribution wns made to every mau according as he hadneod. " It is the Lord's plan that those who are His and serve Him should lack no good thlng (Ps. lxxxiv, il; Math. vi, 33; Phil. Iv, 19; Luko sii, 35). Mako thou His service tby delight; He'll make thy wants His care. In this caso tho supply eamo from the willing contributions of thosewho, having i property, sold it and brought the proceeds to the apostles. When the tabernacle was built, the superabnndunt supply cama from the willing otïerings of the people (Ex. xxxvi, 5-7); but whether in these ways, or by rnvens, or by increase of oil or meal, God will supply His poople's need. 36, 37. "And Joses, having land, sold it and brought the money and laid it at the upostlcs' feet. " Hero is one example of the many who did thus. His other Dame, Barnabas (son of consolation), was certainly truc of him when he stood by i Saul at the timo the otlier dlaoiples were ai'raid of him (Acts ix, 20, 27). Chapter -, I, 2. "But a certain man ', named Ananias, with Sapphira, )iis wife, ( sold a possession and kept back part of the price. " These were professedly followers of Christ and perhaps really so; but, liko bo many today, they wero not whole hearted in service. They aaw othcrs selling property and giving the proceeds to tho apostles for the general good, and they scemed to do like tho others, not thinking that God saw their hearts and their dishonesty. They did not act upon tho precept, " Whatsoever ye do, do it heartUy as to the Lord, and noC unto men." Xor did they think of the eyes of the Lord heholding the evil and the good (Col. iii, 23; Prov. xv, 3). 3. "liut Peter said, Ananias, why hath satan filletl thine heart to lie to tho Holy ; Ghost?" Wlicn any onp roceives Christ, [ tho Holy Spirit is given to instruct, guido 1 and control in all things tlmt life, and When there is complete submission to tho Spirit there will be a life greatly to the ! glory of God, but when the old life - tho üesh, the carnal mimi - whichstillremains in tho believer is allowed to have lts evil way - for it is only evil - then the Spirit is grieved (Eph. iv, 89-82). 4. ' ■ Thüu hast not lied unto men, but unto God. :' Hero is a proof of the onencsa of tho Father and the Spirit; to lie to tho one is to lie to the other. The property was Ananias' and the proceeds of the property when sold were his also, and he wa3 at liberty to give to God all or part or none without committing sin, but to profess to glve all and vet givo only a part was a lie. We are saved freely through Christ with: out money or price. Wo are thon to re( member that we are bfuifflit with a price, theprecious bloodof Christ, andyield tully to Him for His' service (Kom. xii, 1), but it raust be honestly and cheerfully done to bo accented. 6, 6. "And Ananias, hearing theso words, feil down and gayo up tho ghost. " Insfcuut death for a lie. This seems vcry scvere, but it was evldently, in tho sight of God, a necossary disciplino for the believers. I oannot conclude that this man and his wife were out and out hypocrites and lost souls without ooncludlng that all who toilay keep back part of tho prica are also lost souls, and if that be so wliat a host of professors aro lost! If all such should be cue olï as tiioso two were, there would not be undertakers enough to see to the burying. 7. "And it was about tho space of three hours after, when his wifc, not knowing what was done, cuno in." She did not know tbat she w'aa a widow, she did not know that her guilt bad been fonsd ont; ghe probsbly came looking for her huabaml. iho carne knouing in her beait tliai she was acting a lie as to the price of the property, bat not knowing God's displeasure with such conduot. What a contrast there is in "not knowing" tothe "not fenowing" oí Abraham in Heb. xi, 8. 8. "And Peter anawered unto her, Teil me whether ye sohl the land for so much? And slu' siiid. Yea, tot so much." Another lie, the Spirit grieved, loss inonrred. The dèvil iè the father of lies, and thus early in the hiatoryof the churoh he got iu soino of his di'vilish work. He did süiuü of the same kind - 1 mean lying - through Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebokah, Jacob and Rnche), and if he never acconiplished any through ynu, my friend, you have great reason to pralse God for His grace whlch lias kepl you. 9. "Then Peter said unto her, How Í3 it tliat ye have agreed together to tempt tlie típirit of the Lordf" What consternati'in mast haye seized lier aa she heard tho exposition cf lier gullt. and in Petor'a nexC words tho tldings that hor husband was dead and buried, and that sho must dio too! What au awful lllustration of the words in Xum. xxxii. 2o - "Be sure your sin will flnd you out." May we keep iu inind that God deslrea fcruth in the inward parta, and let our hearts be saying, ''O Lord, thou bast searohed mo and knowa me" (Ps. 11, c, 1). 10. "Thcn feil sIk' down straisrhtway at his feet and yielded np the ghost. " Another example of Grod's hatred of deceifc and lying. Those who make i practico of lying have reason to fear lest they finally ílml themselves in Rev. xxi, 8. These two may have been given to tlii.s sin ere they beoame munbered with the followera cf Chriat, and this may have bccu tlie first outbreak since conversión. 11. " And great fear oame upou all tho churoh, and upoti as many as heard dioso things. " We are u servo tlio Lord wicU fea nd rejoico with ti-emblinir, and also to work out our own salvation with fear uid fereuibling (PhU. ü, 18), not a toar oí being lost, but fear of grieving the Holy Spirit.