Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1893-07-22
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON ", THIRD QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, JULY %.

Text of the Lesson. Acts xviii. I-1I-5Ier1-
DRY Verses, 9-il--Golden Text, 1 Cor.
!. fs-comnientary by the Rev. ID. III.
stearns.
l. After these things Paul departed
from Athens and came to Corinth." His
testimony was not in vain at Athens. foI
some clave unto him ard believed. See pre-
yius:s verse. He did not expect that all
the seed would fall on good soil; neither
are we so taught. But he did know that
Gods word would accomplish His pleasure
and not return void, and that his labor was
not ii vain in the Lori lisa ~, II; Cor
XIV, 5S). His aim was "by all means to SAVE
some Il Cor tx. ~, and this he accom-
plished The church Of Christ is made W
OF I'm elect number out OF all nations, giver
unto Him out of this world (iiey. v, Q: Eph
|, 4. John xvii. O.. and to this end we, like
Paul, should seek to get the gospel every
where.
= And found certain Jew NAMED
AQuila. born ia Pontus. lately come from
Italy with lis wife Priscilla because that
Claudius had commanded all Jews to de
part from Romeo, and came unto them.'
We cannot help remarking that after i,sG
years the Jews are still commanded to de
part from cities and countries on the fac,
OF the earth 1t is the same sad old story
as in the days of Paul 1t is the fulfillmeni
Of words spoken through Moses over 500
years ago See Deut. xviii. 6S-G6 But i
the curse has come 50 literally and so FULLY
the blessing shall also come. and "tho day.
Of their mourning shall be ended, " for He
that scattered Israel will gather him." ant
the time is even now ut hand Qsl tx, 20, 81
Jer. xxi, 10; Eek. XXxvii, 81, 22.
B And because he was OF the same craft
he abode with them and wrought, for by
their occupation they were tentmakers.'
While Paul believed and taught that they
who preach the gospel should live Of thu
gospel Il Cor tx, 10, he also took pleasure
in working ut his trade that he might min
lister to his own necessities and give the gos
pei freely tActs Xxx, 81; Cor iv. Il, ";
rhess. ii, 0; II Thess iii, 81 1t is great
advantage under some circumstances to be
able TO do this now and thus stop the
mouths of those who say Of the preacher
at is his business; &c makes good thins
out Of it," ! ,,a glad that had three
years experience Of miuistering to my ne
cessities by working seven hours aday, that
might Il ely give all the rest Of my time
to distinctly ely religious work.
4. And he reasoned in the synagogue
every sabbath and persuaded the Jews and
the Greeks" He doubtless did as at Thes
salonica and reasoned ont of the Scriptures,
opening and alleging that Christ must
needs have suffered and risen again from
the dead, and that this Jesus is the Christ
| (chapter xvii, >, D. From his conversion
his one story was that Jesus is the Christ
the Son OF God lchap;er iX. 20-a4l.
). And when Siias aud Timotheus wert
come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in
] the spirit and testified to the Jews that
! Jesus Is the Christ" The Il, Y. says that
he WIS constrained by the word" This
reminds us Of jeremiah, who. when the
word of the Lord WAS made u repruaeh unto
him and derision daily, said he would not
speak any more IN His name, but the word
Of God was sueh fire in his heart that he
was constrained to speak der. Xxx, so.
| G. And when they opposed themselves
and blasphcmed lac shook his raiment
and said ua;o them, Your blood be upor
1 your own heads, am clean: from hence
forth | will 30 unto the Geutilea." Ii was
! his custom everywhere 10 preach the Cos
/ pei TO the jew first from. l. 100 and then tc
| the Gentle Compare their conduct at
I Antioch Ia Pisidia (Acts xiii, q, go
| When any eae is du,y warned Of danger
( and rcfuyes TO take Iced, his blood ia on
1 himself tEzck. XXNiii, I, 81. These who
I obey not the gospel shall be punished with
| everlasting destruction al Thess /, s, o,
/ As to shaking ones raiment STE Neh v, u
/ Z And he departed thence and entered
/ into II certain mans house named Igstus
4 one that w0lshiped God, whose house joined
| hard TO the guaSoggo" When one door Ia
shut, another is sure to open, anl some
times, rs in this case, ueNt door 70 the one
closed ngaiust us When the Lord opens a
/ door for us, no power cin shut Il, and when
| a house or city is closed against US or out
message we have only % move on Ia His
name (!,ev. Iii, s; Math. X, 10. itisnot us
that they III treat, but Him whose message
we bear u.ukc X, 10.
S. And Crispus. the chief ruler Of the
synagogue, believed on the Lord with all
his house, aud maay q the Corinthians
hearing believed and were baptized" The
chief ruler cannot always control the othe-
rulers, whether lie be president Of MS
ton mayor Of a city or only ruler Of a
! synagogue. but the tlale VIII come when
there will be Caief Ruler TO whom all
others shall yield "a perfect obedience. lie
will be this same .Icsas whom Paul
| preached, but lie win then b. King Of KIM.
and Lord Of Lords All kings shall fall
down before Him; all nations shall serve
Him tRey. xix. 10 Ps. lxxii. ~ II WIS u
/ splendid victory for the l.oul and His sary.
ant to have the chief ruler and bis house.
hold receive the despised Nazareno rs Is.
rlels Messiah. MHny must have been
helped BY his example 20 do likewise IIcrt
again, as at Athens. Paul is privileged to
save some and help complete the church
o. Then spake the Lord 20 Paul Ia tt0
night by u vision. &c not afraid. bat sstai<
and hold not thy peace" lie WIS probably
being tempted like jeremiah, 30 whom w
haze already referred lie says % Cor. a.,
3, that he was with them IN mcesncss, and
Ia fear, and in much trembling Ills Milst.r
had observed this, aud hence this vision and
great comfort. Compare josh {, o, Jer. l.,
Il. What exceeding great comfort there Is
in these "fcar nots" OF our Lord from Gen
XIV, | TO Rev /, IL, but we get no tlenolt un.
less we appropriate them to ourselves. II
we are the Lords aud ia His service, we
may take His promises right TO our hearts
10 For | am with thee, and no man
shall set on thee TO hart thee. for | have
much people in this city" One Of the lar
gest promises IN the Bible II not the very
largest. IL the Il am with you" 81 Jehovah.
See how he gave it 20 Moses. Joshua, Gid
oon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, liaeeui and tho
apostles ok. III. II, Josh {. 81 Judg Vt.
l6, lisa XII, 20. Jcr {, r. %, llag. {, Is; ii. 4
Math. xviii, 20l
/ Il. And be continued there year and
six months teaching the word Of God
among them.r lIe did not teach science
nor philosophy, nor did he lecture upon the
great men Of the day lie did not Try 20
prove that the books d Moses and the
Psalms had many authors. aud that there
must have been tSo lsaiahs, but believing
/ all things written 10 the 1w and IN the
prophets (Aois xiv. 40 he taught tho
Scriptures He preached the kingdom Of
God and taaght the things which concern
| the Lord Jesus Christ tActs xviii. 81. say.