The Pulpit Commentary — Acts — Volume 1 — Section 423

IV. Tn11: BElfl88ION OJ' ems. Through this riB_en One the bleRsed boon ie proclaimed. fhe Jlfe, the dea.th, the resurrection, would be !llmply a grand Divine drama, an object ,f contemplation, a. piece of magnificent poetry, were there no practical resnlt like this flowing from i~. But It means victory a.ad releaa_e from sin. Surrender to the Di~ine idelll, nffiance m the Anointed of God, means dehve~ance and peace, not to be obt,uned by htb'Jrious obedience to the moral or ceremomal Law. Faith is whole-hearted surrender to the Divine Object. It is not a mer? !let of intelligence, nor yielding of the affections, nor decision of the will; but the g:tvrng up one's self to Christ. It i.~ this which brings the full blessing of Divine peace upon the heart, and nothing short of this ce.n do eo, V. FINAL WARNING. How shall men escape if they reject so great salvation? Refuse love, and wrath only can be expected. Similarly does Stephen's speech end with e. sharp note of warning. Our heart is stirred by contrasted motives. We move between two poles of emotion. To be drawn by l~ve is ~ be _repelled b_y fear. The one motive or the other may have the greater weight with different mmrls, or with the same mind in different moods. Let us thankfully recognize that, whether the gospel touches the chord of love or of fear, it aims at our salvation. "Save, Lord, by love or fear I "-J. Vers. 42-52.-Jewish jealousy. The result of the preaching of Paul at Antioch was the conversion of many Jews and Gentile proselytes to the Christian faith. To these the exhortation, appropriate to all new converts, was given: "Abide in the grace of God." I. THE GATHERING OI' THE MULTITUDB. There is always some rea.~on for the gathering of the crowd. Its fancy is easily excited. It is attracted by the wonderful and the novel. Here it was no mere sensationalism; it was the desire to hear the Word of God which drew them together. At its heart the multitude loves truth. Well it may; for it craves salvation from misery, and knows that this is to be found in truth alone. Often is the multitude deceived in thought, and mistakes sound for sense ; but not for long. II. THE BIBB OF JEWIBB ENVY. The causes of which a.re not difficult to explain. The new-comer has laid hold upon the people and gained their ear. It is at last the multitude to whom the teacher and the ruler must appeal, and from whom he must derive his influence. Popularity invites jealousy and attracts hate from the unsuccessful Rare indeed is the magnanimity shown by John the Baptist: "He must increase, but I must decrease," To be willing that monopoly of privileges should pass away and that all should equally share the light and the love of God, is the spirit of the gospel. which opposes Jewish exclusiveness and jealousy. III. THE DESTINATION OF THE GOSPEL. 1. Fird to the Jews. Not for their own merits' sake, but because of the promises of God, who cannot deny himself, and, de!ipite our unfaithfulness, remains faithful. But the blessings of the gospel are freely offered to free men. They may, therefore, be rejected. In the freedom of choice lies bound- less possibility of good and boundless responsibility for evil 2. Those who reject it are self cast away. "Ye cast away yourselves, and do not think yourselves worthy of eternal life." It is never. that God thinks us unworthy of the best, but that we do not rise to seek it. Self-neglecting, as the great poet teaches, is a viler sin than self- love. We prefer our prejudices to the truth, our passions and pleasures to God's will, the mai,,,, ial to the spiritual and ideal good; and thus turn against ourselves in acts that are suicide.I. Men shut themselves out of heaven while they shut themselves in with narrowness and contempt of truth. 3. Opportunity passes to those who are ready for it. The Gentiles, in their sorrow and depression, needed comfort, and greeted the good news of the love of God. The kingdom of God and the mission of the Messiah were for all who needed its blessin!?S. The gospel is a light and a saving power in mankind. Those who a.re satisfied 'l'rith their own state, outward or inward, will turn away from it; they cannot relish a message which implies the inward misery of those to whom it is addressed. But the sad and the sick hail it with joy, and find in it the power of God unto salvation. And the Word of God spreads over the whole land. 4. The infl~ of women in the d,iffusio-n of Christianity. Women can powerfully help or hinder the course of any movement in the world, especially ~  420 TilU ACTS OF TIIE APOSTLES, [on, xm. 1-52.