The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-07-26
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
JULY so.
Lesson Text: "Paul at Ephesus,' -
Acts xix, 1-12-GoIden Text:
John xvi, 13-Com-
mentary.

1. And it came to pass that while Apollos
was at Corinth Paul, having passed through
the upper coasts. came to Ephesus." From
Corinth, where we left Paul in the last les-
son, he returned to Antioch in Syria. taking
with him Priscilla and Aquila as far as Ephe-
sus, where he left them. promising to return.
the Lord willing (18-2D. 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 Alexan-
dris, eloquent and mighty In Scripture, had
meantime passed through Ephesus and had
been greatly helped and enlightened by
Aquils and Priscilla. How wonderfully the
Lord provides teachers tor those who are
seeking to 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 ye believed2 And they said
unto Him, We have not 30 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 as Savior
from the wrath to come, and they have re-
ceived Him and are children Of God John l.. 4,
12). and therefore have the Holy Ghost in
them as believers q Cor. VI, 10; xii, y, but
yet 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, 49.
8. "And He said unto them, Unto what
then, were ye baptized2 And they said,
Unto Johns baptism" This was as far as
Apollos had taught them (18-25) and would
include repentance. remission OF sins and
fruits meet for repentance and should have
included an expectation OF a baptism Of the
Holy Ghost duke ill.,, g. 8, 16). 1t certainly
meant salvation, but not necessarily special
power for service.
4. "Then, said Paul, John verify baptized
with the baptism OF repentance, saying Into
the people that they should believe on Him
which should come after Him-that is, on
Christ Jeeus." 1t was Johns delight to cry.
''Behold the Lamb OF God p and to point all
to Him whose way he came to prepare (John
l., Is, 27. 29, 81, ILL.,, $3.50; Math. ILL.,, IL. }
People are apt to follow the human leader,
as did the Corinthians q Cor. i'll, ~ and too
often the human leader loves to have it 80.
But such Is 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, 2S viii, 20, 50 xvii. ~
s. "When they heard this, they were bep-
tized in the name Of the Lord Jesus" They
had received the truth which they had heard
had received, and therefore were ready for
more light. Now, when additional truth Is
brought to them they readily receive it and
turn heartily to Him OF whom John was the
forerunner,
6. "And when Paul had laid his hands up
on them the Holy Ghost came on them, and
they spake with tongues and prophesied. !"
Being baptized in the name, OF the Lord
Jesus did not necessarily bring the gilt OF
the Holy Spirit (Acts viii, 16). That seems
to have been given In answer to special prayer
Aofa vii
though in the case of Cornelius and his COM
pany the gift OF the Spirit was bestowed
while Peter was speaking (Acts K, AE46),
and It was after that they were baptized. There
seems 20 be no set way Of receiving Christ or
OF being filed with the Spirit. The great
thing is to receive Him the best way you
know how, then trust Him to fill you with
His Spirit as He pleases. Only "be filed"
(Eph. ", 1S).
as many as those whom Jesus chose and
called unto Himself mark Ill, 1915; 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, ~, .14). It Is the heavenly and
earthly perfect numbers 8 and multiplied.
The full significance we will see some day.
8. Sand He went into the synagogue and
spake boldly for the space Of three, months,
dlsputing and 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, IA iv.,
29). Disputing means reasoning out OF the
Scriptures, as in chapter xviii, Q, while per.
suading indicates tender and loving entreaty.
Thus he patiently and prayerfully opened to
them the word OF God concerning Jesus as
the Christ.
9. "But when divers were hardened and
believed not, but spake evil OF that way be-
fore the multitude, he departed from 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
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, 50 that all they which dwelt In
Asia heard the word Of the Lord Jesus, both
4sws and Creeks. The province OF Asia, in
which were the seven churches OF Revelation,
is distinguished from the other provinces OF
Asia Minor in chapter xvi, g. In this section
of the country he testif1es that for three years
ne ceased lOC 10 warn oNoEy Ono hiSae anu
day with tears, teaching publicly and from
house to house. keeping back nothing. and
all the while with his own hands ministering
to the necessities of himself and those who
were with him Chapter Xxx, 81, 20, 34). ThH
earning his own living he would have no oc-
cssion to fear losing portion OF bis 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 Ii be a mir
acle Of healing OF the soul or Of the body,
SIT Is God who worketh' (Phil. IL, 13).
Whether It be wisdom or knowledge or faith
or gifts Of healing or miracles, 1t Is all the
work of the one self same Spirit dividing to
every man severally as He will Q Cor Kill,
7-1D. We will know His power more when
instead OF seeking Him to use Him for God
we allow Him to take us and use us as He
pleases.'
12 $50 that from his body were brought
into the sfck handkerchiefs or aprons, and
the diseases departed from them, and the
evil spirits went out of them" There must
have been some good reason for these spe-
oial manifestations Of the power OF God IN
this unusual way-some special form OF un-
belief or deviltry which needed just these
manifestations-for the Spirit does nothing
needlessly Lesson Helpsr.