Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-10-07
Paul Mt Rome

11108 wen spent,
Paul ut Rome
The lesson for Sunday, Sept. 10, may
be found in Acts % :2O-31.
INTRODUCTORY.
1t is an ambassador in bonds that is
speaking here. In bonds, but an am
bassador still. Paul never allowed his
deshly ills to rise above his divine COM
mission. In trials, in tribulations, in
good report and i'll, he was ever the
purposeful minister OF the gospel Of
the Lord Jesus Christ. Here he is
bound with a chain; we can almost
hear 1t clank as he stands forth to
speak to his brethren. But the next
moment 1t is out of sight, out Of sound,
out Of mind; and Paul, the apostle OF
Jesus Christ, stands before US, ever
zenlous for the gospel, preaching the
truth 90 loyalty, Justify that everything
else Is forgotten in its burning advo-
cacy. Let us give the same priority to
the message to-day. We have our
bonds and imprisonments, physical, So
cial, otherwise; but the word is not
bound. Thank God for that.
POINTS IN THE LESSON.
"Decently and in order" was one Of
Pauls notices. Here he exemplifies it.
He sends and calls "the chief of the
Jews" together, and presents his case.
He does It at once.
There is no confusion through con-
cealments or abatement Of the truth.
Paul tells the whole story, briefly but
frankly. He is where he is through
the malice OF his own people. Yet he
calls them men and brethren One
knows not which to marvel at the
more, Paul's boldness or Pauls meek
ness.
For this case, therefore" says Paul,
have called YOU" He reports against
himself. It takes an innocent man,
conscious of the business of his cause,
to do that. Here l am" he says. II
am ready to stand and plead for my
Did Luther, at Worms, get his inspira-
ton here?
Fettered with hope, prisoner of
hope" indeed. "For the hope of Israel
am bound with his chain. We glance
back at Haggai's prophecy: "The de-
sire Of all nations shall come" That
which is the "desire of all nations" was
first Of all the "hope OF Israel" It
was what fettered Abraham, Joseph,
Moses-Christ. Captives of a hope are
we all, held in something of bonds
here, for the hope that we have. Be
true to that expectation, Christ's
"henceforth. expecting" for Israel's
sake, for the nations sake.
"The Jews departed" There was
the great departure. There Paul and
the Jew parted company. They have
been apart ever since. Not Of Paul
but of the Jew is this separation. They
are still reasoning among themselves.
When will they finish the foolish dis
putation? When will they return to
their hope? God grant that the end
may soon come, the end of Hebrew
doubt, the beginning of Hebrew faith;
for then comes blessing for us oil. The
Jews went away to query and cavil.
Where went Paul? He went straight
to the Gentiles. 1t is the program of
the evangel. Bring in the 'fullness of
the Gentiles. No man forbids. The
Gentiles are ready to listen to the
things concerning tho Lord Jesus
Christ. Fill the world with tho knowl-
edge of him. Then what: Israeli
Israel! And God with us!
HINTS AND ILLUSTRATIONS,
We have reached the last recorded
chapter in tho life of tho apostle Paul.
The account ends abruptly Have you
ever thought why? There wac no in
spired penman after Paul, as there was
after Moses, to register his dcath,-an
incidental proof of inspiration. But
abruptly ended or not, we have alto
gether full narrative of q wonderful
life. What do you think of Paul'
Start free inquiry. What portion or
event of his life imprcsses you most?
What seems to you his greatest deed?
his greatest word? Signalize this clos
ing lesson on the life of Paul by some
stimulating "reminiscences.
Ardens sed virens, burning but flour
ishing. Fit symbol for Paul's home
career.
We were having the after-mecting,
and had come to the Question Drawer.
Here came the query, MANY are called,
but few are chosen; what does it
mean?" What could the preacher say,
off-hand and briefly, than so much as
this: This whole community was in
vited here to church tonight; some
came, more did not. All the congre-
CATION was invited to the inquiry meet
The bell i'll the steeplc calls all who
hear. It chooses and calls effectually
only those who heed. Why? How? I
do not know. It is after all an every
day mystery"
An ambassador in bonds, every
preacher of the gospel, every witness
to the faith feels himself at times to
be when he considers the weakness Of
the flesh and its oft-times clamorous
weakness. Spurgeon speaks of the
minister's fainting fits" which como
just before and just after public effort.
And yet it is said that Canning was &c
customed to speaking his best when
rising in. trepidation. Some enc adj
dressing jury once, half-overcome by
the trembling of the flesh, said: Con
tlemen, declare to heaven, that if
had an enemy upon whose head would
invoke the most cruel torture, could
wish him no other fate than to stand
where I stand now" You have oxpe-
rienced it. How overcome it? AS Paul
did his disabilities with the chain. He
sprang at once to his theme and forgot
his chain. Have you not experienced
this, too?
Next Iesson-"Personal RESPONSE
biiity. Rom. IA: 1923.