Acts 5:19-20 But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said,… There is a strong tendency to place the religion of Christ by the side of other kindred systems, and the Word of God on the same level with the Koran, Shasters, and writings of ancient philosophers and poets. This arises from a forgetfulness of — I. THIS DIVINE DEFINITION OF CHRISTIANITY. "This life." As a life Christianity is distinguished from all other systems. It is the one only life — God given and God sustained. This life is confined to no sect. It is co-extensive with faith in Christ. It is a life which breathes, feels, loves, and hates. It has its own sphere, literature, food, world. II. THIS DIVINE DESIGNATION OF THE GOSPEL. As "all the words of this life," the gospel stands alone. When the Bible speaks all other books are silent. Men who try to discover the truth by the aid of ancient philosophers and religions are as those who light a candle in the middle of a cloudless day in order to discover the sun. The gospel is "all the words of this life," because it is the Word by which this life is — 1. Discovered. Here the gospel stands alone. What amongst the vanities of the heathen ever discovered to a soul "this life " spoken of in the text? These leave men still in darkness and uncertainty, while "life and immortality are brought to light by the gospel." 2. Imparted. Here again the gospel stands alone. Men try to draw unfavourable comparisons between the writings of Scripture and those of uninspired men, but assuming that such comparisons are just, they give no advantage. The man who wants to reap a harvest does not scatter glittering pearls in his field because they look much better than his "bare grain," but knowing that his corn possesses an inherent vitality, which will reproduce itself manifold, he commits it to the soil. The gospel was never intended to satisfy the cravings of critics, but to impart "this life." 3. Sustained. This life has wants and cares, emotions and hopes, peculiar to itself. In the gospel we have that which exactly meets its necessities. You have soul needs, which all the words of Plato, Socrates, Aristotle, and Shakespeare together would not satisfy, but which are more than satisfied by the gospel. In "the words of this life," you have that which strengthens and consolidates life's trust; inspires and sustains life's hope, and rekindles and inflames life's love. Christ is in them! That is the secret. He in the Word sustains the soul. 4. Governed. Here again the gospel is without a rival. The daily prayer of a true heart is, "Order my steps in Thy Word," and its daily testimony is, "Thy Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." III. This divine delegation of the church. "Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people," etc. There is no ambiguity here. The Divine commission was clear and simple. In this we see the Church's work to-day. 1. "The words of this life" are to be preached. Not by ministers only. "Let him that heareth say, come." 2. They only are to be preached. "Speak," etc. The apostles were not to go and draw comparisons between these words and others, they were to preach the gospel. They knew nothing amongst men but "Jesus Christ and Him crucified." 3. They are to be preached earnestly. "Stand and speak." Let conventional forms and usages be forgotten. The theme demanded zeal. The old masters might sit and teach their philosophies, but as "Jesus stood and cried, If any man thirst let him come unto Me and drink." so we must consecrate our whole manhood to this surpassing work. 4. They are to be preached exhaustively. "All the words." The pleasant with the painful; the doctrine with the promise; the 'warning with the invite. It was Paul's boast that he had not "shunned to declare the whole counsel of God." 5. They are to be preached universally "to the people." They were to classify men. Every creature is God's limit, and who 'is he that shall dare to circumscribe? To the converted and to the unconverted; to the "elect" and to the "reprobate"; "to the people," indiscriminately and universally, we are to "stand and speak all the words of this life." (W. H. Burton.) Parallel Verses KJV: But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said,WEB: But an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors by night, and brought them out, and said, |
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