The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1893-07-20
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON FOR SUNDAY. JULY so.
rPaui. at Ephesus.' Acts xix, LA
Golden Text: John xvi, 13'
Commentary.

was nj Corinth Paul, having passed through
the upper coasts. came to Ephesus." From
CDrinth where we left Paul In the last les
son, he returned to Antioch In Syria, taking
with him Priscilla and Aquila rs far as Ephe
sus. where he left them. promising to return,
the Lord willing (is-2D. After some time
at Antioch he started on HIS third tour and
passing through Galatia and Phrygia
STRENGTHENING the disciples, came In due
time TO Ephesus. THIS Apollos OF AleNan.
dra. eloquent and mighty In Scripture, had
meantime passed through Ephesus and had
been greatly helped and enlightened by
Aquila and Priscilla. How wonderfully the
Lord provides teachers Tor those who are
seeking 20 know Him Consider the cases
OF Cornelius and the man OF Ethiopia.
2. "And finding certain disciples he said
unto them, Have ye received the Holy
Ghost since We believed2 And they said
unto Him. We have not 40 much as heard
whether there be any Holy Ghost" There
are many like these to-day who have heard
OF the love OF God and OF Jesus "a a Savior
from the wrath to come, and they have re-
ceiv,si Him and are children OF God (John T.,
i2). and therefore have the Holy Ghost In
them IA believers II Cor. VI, 10 : xii, ~. but
vet know little or nothing about the Holy
Spirit and never have received Him as their
power for life and service. Compare John
xiv, II. with Luke xiv, 80.
3. And He said unto them. Unto what,
then. were yc baptizedl And they said.
Unto Johns baptism" THIS was ~ far ~
Apollos had taught them tls-25) and would
include repentance, remission OF sins and
fruits meet for repentance and should have
included an expectation of baptism OF the
Holy Ghost duke ill.,. 3. =. l6l. IL certainly
meant salvation. but not necessarily special
power for service.
I. Then. said Paul. John verify baptized
with the baptism Of repentance. saying unto
the people that they should believe ON Hin
which should come after Him--that is. on
Christ Jesus" II was Johns delight to cry.
"Behold the Lamb Of God ~ and to point all
TO Him whose way he came to prepare (John
t.. Is. q. 90. 81. III. 2s.30 Math. it,, H.
People are apt to follow the human leader,
~ did the Corinthians Il Cor. ill.,. 4 } and too
often the human leader loves to have II So.
But such l. not the spirit Of Christ. for even
He did not His own will nor sought His own
glory. but ever sought the glory Of the Father
(John VI, % viii, 30, 80 xvii, ~
=. when they heard this. they were bap.
tized in the name of the Lord jesus" They
bad received the truth which they had heard
and were living up To- the light which they
had received. and therefore were ready for
more light. Now. when additional truth t.
brought To them they readily receive II and
turn heartily TO Hin OF whom John was the
forerunner
q. "And when Paul had laid his hand, up.
on them the Holy Ghost came on them, and
they spake with tongues and pruphesiod."
Being baptized In the name Of the Lord
Jesus did not necessarily bring the gift OF
the Holy Spirit Acts viii. 49,. That seems
To have been given in answer 10 special prayer
and laying on Of hands Acts Will, 10, 10
though In the case OF Cornelius and his CON.
pany the gift of the Spirit was bestowed
while Peter was speaking acts y, ~ lG).
and II was after that they were baptized. There
seems to be no set way of receiving Christ or
OF being filled with the Spirit. The great
thing IL to receive Him the best way you
know how. then trust Him to MI you with
His Spirit rs He pleases. Only ''be filled"
(Eph ", 49,.
l. and all the men were about twelye"-
as many Us those whom Jesus chose and
called unto Himself MARK ILL.,. 1870 as
many as the sons of Jacob, the tribes OF
Israel as many as the gates of the New
Jerusalem and the foundations OF the same
(Rev. XXI. ~. a. II is the heavenly and
earthly perfect numbers and multiplied.
The full significance we will see some day.
s. And He went into the synagogue and
spake boldly for the space OF three months,
disputing aud persuading the things con.
cerning the kingdom OF God He made no
apologies for the truth. but believing all
things written by Moses he spake boldly In
the power of the Spirit (Acts xiv, II iv.,
29). Disputing means reasoning ont OF the
Scriptures. as in chapter xvii, . white per.
shading indicates tender aud loving entreaty
Thus he patiently and prayerfully opened to
them the word OF God concerning Jesus as
the Christ
0. "But when divers were hardened and
believed not bat spake evil o! that way be.
fore tho multitude. ne departed IRON them
and separated the disciples. disputing daily
In the school of one Tyrannus. When truth
Is rejected, the heart becomes hardened. and
when once the heart Is turned away from the
only light in this dark world the only pros
pect is the outer darkness where light never
comes. Yet Jesus has taught us that only "a
portion OF the seed will fall ON good ground
and that tares will grow among the wheat
Until the harvest.
10. "And this continued by the space OF
two years, 40 that all they which dwelt In
Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus both
Jews and Greeks The province Of Asia in
which were the seven chur 'hcs Of Revelation
Is distinguished from the other provinces of
Asia Minor IN chapter xvi. q. In this section
OF the country he testiles that for three years
he ceased Iot 10 warn every one night and
lay with tears. teaching publicly and from
house 70 house. Keeping buck nothing, and
all the while with his own hands minstering
20 the necessities Of himself aud those who
We're with him (chapter Xxx, 81, go, 3D. Thus
earning his own living he would have no oc.
thsion 10 fear losing portion of his salary
II the truth he preached should happen to
hit some OF his hearers rather severely
ii. And God wrought special miracles by
the hands of Paul" Whether il be a mir.
acle OF healing OF the soul or of the body,
lit is God who worketh" (Phil. H., 49,.
Whether II be wisdom or knowledge or faith
or gifts OF healing or miracles, II is all the
work OF the one self same Spirit dividing 10
every man seyerally as He will I Cor. xii,
I'D. We will know His power more when
instead of seeking Him 10 use Him for God
We allow Him to take Us and use us Us He
peases.
II. 80 that from his body were brought
into the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and
the diseases departed from them. and the
evil spirits went out OF them There must
have bcen some good reason for these spa.
rial manifestations OF the power OF God In
belief or deyiltry which needed Just these
manifestations the Spirit does nothing
a-adlessly. Lesson Helper
FOUR KILLED BY FIREWORKS,
a Premature Explosion at an Italian