The Pulpit Commentary — Acts — Volume 1 — Section 268

Il. Tm: co~"TRAST between the grave of the good man fallen ap\eep in Josue and laid to re~t by the hands oi' l&menting brethren, and the grave of. 1. The worldlln~ 2. The infidel. 3. The doubter. 4. 'l.'be backslider. 6. 'l'he isolated and unbrothorly Christian, who bas not lived in the hearts of devout men. Try to live so that you will be l&ruentoo when you die. III. THE EFFECT on the world of a great Christian life. "He being dead yet i;peaket.h." President Garfield. Great lamentation is often great proolamatioD. of truth. The cross. The Book of Martyrs.-&. Ver. 4.-TI~ first JU.ght of the Word. "Therefore they that were. eca.ttered abroad," etc. It pleased God by the foolishnrss of preaching to sa.ve the world. Providence and grace work band-in-hand. The Church needed to be taught by discipline. Jeru- salem a natural centre of religious life. But a centre of radiativn, not concentration, 1. PREACHING THE WORD the greatest function of the Christian Church. 1. The '\Yord preached was the Word _qiven. Apostles gave it. It was pre-eminently Christ'• \Vord. It was given by the Holy Ghost with special gifts and wisdom-" confirmed n unto us. 2. The Word preached wa.s the Word fried. Conversion proved it. Church life illustrated it. The attitude of the corrupt Jewish Church showed tha.t it was a 11ew Word that was required for the world. 3. Preaching preceded writing. Indi- vidual testimony. The baptism of persecution followed the baptism of inspiration. The world wants not speculative truth, but practical-the Word. of life. "Taste and see," etc. 11. Ur-.'IVERSAL RESPONSIBILITY for the spread of truth. 1. The true conception of the Church-a body of believers. They believe and therefore speak. Possession oi iLe ·word is responsibility. 2. The state of the world demands activity in every believer. 3. The pastoral office quite consistent with the fulfilment of this universal duty. The primi inter pares should stimulate all to work. Ill. THE LEADINGS OF PB.OVIDENCE are the true guidance of spiritual activity. "Scattered abroad" against their will Doors opened. Opportunity enlarged. Trouble sanctified. L It is dangerous to anticipate Divine preparation. 2. W atcb in the night, for the darkest hour precedes the dawn. 3. Keep a true and firm centre from which to go and to which to return. Jerusalem still remains the seat of apo5tolic wisdom and authority. God is not the author of confusion. The greatest activity need not break up orderly religious life. Revivals and evangelistic aggression should !!.lwayo maintain a rallying-point. Seek out not" quiet resting-places," but spheres of labour. Let God appoint the peace.-R. Vere. 5-8.-Bamaria evangelized. L The STEPPING-STONE to work among the Ge,,tiles. Half heathen. ll. THE PREPARATION FOB CHRIST. The Pentateuch. The false teaching of Simon and others. Mental and moral degradation. ill .A specimen of SPIRITUAL WANT AND PRIVATION. Unclean spirits. Palsied. Lame. The multitudes under the dominion of physical and spiritua.l disease. Adapta- tion of the new message to universal humanity. IV. THE ll:EANS EMPLOYED. Preaching the Christ. Signs and wonders. The two great facts-a personal Redeemer the object of faith; a Divine power at hand able to lift up the fallen, to subdue the evil, to heal the sick, to change the world.-R. Ver. 8.-Missions to the masses. "And there was great joy in that city." City life, its two sides of good and evil. The victims of ignorance. Vice. False teaching. Old enmities. Sorcery. Bodily disease. "The multitudes" pressing on one another. The world's joys ruinous, deceptive, consuming, filthy, degrading, hiding the light of truth. No remedy in civilization, science, social echemee, mere intellectual growth. L The aospeJ a proclamation of GREAT JOY to our cities. 1. To the individnal heart. 2. To ho~es and families. 3. To co=unities. Religion the only safe basis of social progress. The Christ preached as Redeemer of humanity. Illustrate from the actual results, both in our own ciLies and in heathendom. In.direct influence of Chri~tianity on tb.e ohvsical condition. Healing ministry of Christ still continued. The life of OU, VUI. 1-4.0.] THE AOTB OF THE APOSTLES. 266