Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1893-09-09
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON xI, THIRD QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, SEPT. 10.


Text Of the Lesson. Acts xviii, eo-s1.
Memory Verses. as-s1-Golden Text,
Rom. 1. 1e-Commentary by the Rev. ID.
M. stearns.
90. For this cause therefore have called
lor you TO see You and TO speak with you,
because that for the hope OF Israel / am
bound with this chain" During the three
months at Malta many miracles were
wrought bv Paul in tho name of the Lord
Jesus. and many must have heard the Cos
pei (verses lid. In due time arriving at
Rome, Paul was suffered to dwell by him.
pelf with soldier that kept him, ard after
three days he called together the chiefs of the
Jews and made known to them why he was
n prisoner and why at Rome. Before Agrip-
pa he had spoken Of the hope of the prom
Use made Of God unto the fathers as some
thing concerning the ls tribes (xxvi, 6, q.
81 And they said unto him, We neither
received letters OH of Judea concerning
thee. neither any OF the brethren that came
Lhewed or spake any harm of thee" They
did not have daily papers with the news
from all the world in each issue. 1t may
have been some comfort to Paul to know
that tongues in this part of the world had
not yet opened Ere on him. He had been
enjoying his share of it elsewhere and had
found some pleasure in it Oh Cor. xii. l0).
%. But we desire to hear Of thee what
thou thinkest, for as concerning this sect
we know that everywhere it is spoken
against" In chapter xiv, 5, the followers
Of Jesus are called the sect OF the Nazarenes.
If Paul had not been spoken against at
Rome up to this time, it would now be evil
dent to him that his Master had, and his
fellowship would be sure to come But
Paul was ready, for his prayer was to know
Him, and the power of His resurrection, and
the fellowship of His sufferings phil mi, 100.
23 He expounded and testified the king
dom of God, persuading them concerning
Jesus both out of the law of Moses and out
of the prophets from morning until even
ing" Having gathered unto him in his
lodging company Of Jews. he, as his Gus
tom was, preached unto them Jesus as Son
of David and coming King from their own
Scriptures (chapter xvii, 2, 3; xix, s; xiv,
l4). Doubtless Acts xiii, l6-4l, is fair sam
pie of his preaching and reasoning He
sought to convince them that Jesus of MAJ
sreth was indeed the promised Messiah,
that it was all foretold that lie should die
receive Him, serve Him patiently and faith
fully and wait for His return Acts iii, 1921;
Thess i, Q, 10; Titus ii, 1l-13)
"a. And some believed the things which
were spoken, and some believed not" We
are nowhere taught that the good news will
be universally received in this age. Some
seed will fall by the wayside and some on
rocky soil, but a portion will find good
ground; some will be saved, and the church
shall be completed (Math. xiii, 1928; Cor.
TX. %; Eph. V, 27). Even in the next age,
when satan shall be bound, there win be
deceiyers who will only yield a feigned
obedience and will follow satan when lie
comes out of the pit Cps. Xvi, 3, margin;
Rev. Xxx, 7,S).
25. And when they agreed not among
themselves they departed after that Paul
had spoken one word, Well spake the
Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our
fathers" That it was not the prophets
who spake or wrote, but God by His spirit
through the prophets is everywhere taught.
Compare Acts !. .; ii, II; iv, IS, and notice
who it is that speaks. David in his last
words said THE Spirit of the Lord spake
by me, and His word was in my tongue
III Sam. xiii, q. Peter says it was the
Spirit of Christ who spoke through the
prophets Il Pct !, 10, ID.
rs. Hearing yc shall hear and shall not
understand, and seeing ye shall see and
not perceive" 1t was not very encouraging
to the prophet to be told that the peoa'c
would neither perceive nor understand his
message, but jeremiah and Ezekiel had the
same prospect before them. "They shall
fight against thee 1.-THE house Of Israel
will not hearken unto me" der j, 10; Eek.
iii, y. The messenger of the Lord has only
to deliver the message faithfully der xiii,
2S), sure that it will accomplish the Lords
pleasure lisa. ", III, and take refuge and
comfort in Luke X, 10.
q. For the heart of this people is waxed
gross. and their ears are dull of hearing.
and their eyes have they closed, lest | should
heal them" The difficulty is not on Gods
side, but wholly on the side Of man. who
will not listen to God. 1t is written that
the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh
and also that Pharaoh hardened his own
heart Eek. K, l, 20, q; viii, Is. S2). The Lord
did it by giving him command which he
would not obey, and Pharaoh did it by re-
fusing to obey the Lords command God
is always right, but man wrong.
2S. BE 1t known therefore unto you that
the salvation of God Is sent unto the Gen
tiles, and that they will hear it," Compare
chapter xiii, 46. A. ITO the jew first was
Paul's motto and custom (Rom j, 16). Had
it been continued to this day who can tell
what the results might have beenl Obedi-
ence Is our part. Results are with God, and
He will see TO it. That God would gather
from Jews and Gentiles without distine-
tion and on the ground Of simple faith In
Christ those who would form the body Of
Christ was a mystery revealed to Paul
Rom. xvi, 25, 20; Eph. Iii, l-12).
20. And when he had said these words
the Jews departed and had great reasoning
among themselves" The word preached
does not profit unless it Is mixed with
faith in those who hear it Heb ", ~ The
weapons of our warfare are intended to
cast down reasonings and every high
thing that exalteth itself against the knowl-
edge of God and bring into captivity every
thought to the obedience Of Christ QI Cor
X, 5, margin) To profit by the word we
must receive it with meekness (Jas. 1, FL
so. And Paul dwelt two whole years in
his own hired house and received all that
came in unto him, doubtless accomplishing
the will Of God and clarifying God ms much
as when journeying through Asia and Mac
edonia. Being TO longer able TO 20 TO PEG
pie, God brought people to Him, and though
he was bound he rejoiced that the word Of
God was lot bound III Tim. ii, 81.
81. preaching the kingdom Of God and
teaching those things which concern the
Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no
man forbidding him" The adversary can-
not hinder beyond God permission, and IL
was His pleasure that for these two years
the word should have free course. The book
opens with Jesus between His resurrection
and ascension preaching the kingdom, and
with the question of the disciples, Lord,
wilt Thou at this time restore again the
kingdom to Israeli (Acts /. 3. o.. 1t closes
with Paul at Rome in hired house still
preaching the kingdom. After these ! so
years we ere still more or less bound. but
preaching Jesus Christ and still waiting
for the kingdom while we continue to pray.
Thy kingdom come" II we had more q
Pauls spirit and faithfulness, we would tlC
more to hasten the kingdom.
Attention Ladies'.