Passaic City record., 1892-12-03
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
DECEMBER A.
Lesson Text: "Worked Among the
Gentiles," Acts xiv, S-2x-Golden
Text: Matt. xiii, 21-Com-
mentary.

8. s.And there sat certain man at Ilystra
impotent in his feet, who never had walked.
In chapter ill.,, 2, see a similar case. anC
condition is a picture of the spiritual condi
tion of every one who has not been borI
from above. There is not as some assert
without Scriptural authority, spark OF
good even in the worst of men, which only
needs charging and cultivating, but all are
by nature children of wrath, and in us--that
is in our hesh-there dweileth no good thing
(Eph. IL, 8 Rom. vii, 1S).
8. "The same heard Paul speak" And it
is evident from this verse that as he heard
he received. for faith cometh by hearing.
and hearing by the Word of God from. x,
~. The entrance of Gods Word giveth
light Us. cxix., 130). We may imagine Paul
telling how Jesus when on earth had healed
instantly, with word or touch, the lame,
the blind. the deaf, the dumb, and how He
had even raised the dead and that the same
signs and wonders had been wrought in His
name by His servants since He had assembled,
proving Him to be still the very same Jesus.
10. s'Stand upright on thy feet" Thus
spoke Paul to the impotent man, as looking
upon him he perceived that he had faith to
be healed, and Immediately he leaped and
walked. For the first time in nis life he
stood ON his feet and walked; it was an en-
tirely new experience b. the power of God
channel of blessing. the helpless man was
the glad recipient He giveth power to the
faint and to them that have no might. He
increases the strength. Where is our faith!
IL. "fhe gods come down to US in the like
ness of men, Such was the testimony OF
the blind heathen who knew nothing of the
true God, but worshiped many fancifui gods
which had no existence God had come
down to earth in the likeness of man, and it
was His power which had made this man
whole, but they knew Him not q Tim. ill.,,
16).
IL. s.And they called Barnabas Jupiter"
etc. They gave to the servants OF God these
heathen names, as when Daniel and his com.
panions in Babylon were also given heathen
names. We must not be offended If people
give us names that do not belong to us, for
they called Jesus Beelzebub, glutton, wine
bibber. Neither may we feel flattered il
high sounding titles are bestowed upon us.
Love is not puffed up.
13. "Then the priest of Jupiter would have
done sacrifice with the people" They were
about to worship Paul and Barnabas, be-
heving them to be more than men. 1t sug-
gests the question as to whether in the lives
of most Christians there is sanything to cause
people to say, ''That is not natural there is
something supernatural about that person;
that meekness or patience or wisdom or
power is OF God"
ID. "Bnrnabas and Paul rent their clothes"
Are We as Mortified if we hear given to us
the praise which ought to be given only to
God, or are we apt TO covet this very thing
and love to have it given out that ourselves
are some great people tchapter viii, 81. Un-
less we dellght to give all glory to God. and
Spirit of Christ-for He sought neither His
own will nor His own glory John vi, 3S;
viii, 5,H.
15 s'rurn from these vanities unto the
living God, which made heaven and earth
and the sea and all things that are therein
With great earnestness did the apostles
seek to turn the peoples thoughts from
themselves to God, as when the angel said to
John, See thou do it not, worship Godn
Rey. XIII, 81. The tendency to-day is to
think more of man than of God, and the great
trouble is that many men do not feel trou.
bled about it but love to have it SO. forget
ting Cor. j., 26-31.
16. who in times past suffered all Ne.
tions to walk in their own ways" Since
God has placed man on earth He has been
trying him in every possible way-in Eden
and out of Eden, without law and under
law, under grace and under the Holy Spirit
-and he shall have one trial more under
the personal reign of the Lord Jesus. In dus
time 1T shall be fully proven that man apart
from God is only failure.
IL. Nevertheless He left not Himself
without witnesses" In Rom. l., 20, 81, it is
made plain that in all ages all are without
excuse. for God may be known by His
works, and even in the darkest corners of
earth there is a light which, if lived in, will
be recognized by God in some way Com.
pare Acts xvii, 80.
IS. "And with these savings scarce re-
strained they the people," Sight is a great
thing to the natural man, and what one seeA
is apt to fully persuade. The spiritual man
makes more Of that which he cannot see
These people have seen the ilnpotent man
healed through Paul and Barnabas, and it
was hard to. convince them that the work
was done by one unseen and not by these
two men. See III Cor. iy., 18; ", q; Heb.
XII, 81, and say which is most real to you.
the seen or the unseen.
10. ..Having stoned Paul, drew him out
OF the city supposing he had been dead
worshiped Paul are persuaded to stone him.
How busy and persevering is the devil and
what willing servants he has among men:
These unbelieving Jews came quickly and
ecrnestly from Antioch and lconium to seek
the death OF Paul. How few go forth
earnestly to bring life to the dying. Answer
Isa. vi, 6, as he did.
20. "He rose up and came into the CITY,
While the disciples helpless to protect him.
stood around his apparently dead body,
God gave him back to them to their great
surprise and joy, for his work was not yet
accomplished. IL may % buat Wnll0 Iney
were bruising and SO i'll treating his poor
body he was enjoying that of which he
tells in IL Cor. xii, IA, and having seen
the glory was strengthened for future
service.
81. The day after the stoning he and
Barabas set forth to Derbe, where they
preached the Gospel and made many
disciples, and then instead of proceeding
home to Tarsus they turn about, retrace
their steps and visit again the very places
where they have been so prosecuted What
self denial and courage, and love for souls,
and devotion to Jesus! Lord give us more
of such spirit.
%. Here are great words for us. By his
Word and Spirit we must be established
and continue luke viii. Is; John viii., 81
IL Chron. XIX, 20, ]. CO. and learn to en-.
dure patiently for His sake tJas. t., 70; Rev.
H., 10; John xvi, 23). Seeing only Jesus.
coveting only His approval fMath. xviii, 3;
II Tim, 15), we, too, shall be able to do
clare what God has done with us tverse 21,
for ut is God who worketh" phil. il, 1S).
Lesson Helper.
1WIDsRE you an adver