The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1893-07-27
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON FOR SUNDAY, AUGUST 8.
Paul at Miletus.' Acts xx. IA IS. Gold
en- Text Heb. xiii. z. Commentary.

uproar. after which Paul left Macedonia,
went a. far as Greece, tarred there three
months, then returned through Macedonia,
and we now find him at Miletus on his way
20 Jerusalem. fastening TO be there n possi.
ole by Pentecost verse tG). Touching nj
Miletus on their homeward voyage, he sent
TO Ephesus TO have the elders come down to
him, and our lesson to-day Is his farewell b.
them. He reminds them OF his manner of
life among them and OF his teaching. Doing
must precede teaching. Ses Math. ", 10,
Acts /, l Mark VI, 80 Josh. t., s; Ia.
VIII, 10.
%. 'Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth
In every city. saying bonds and nirlictions
abide me While he did not know what
particular events might bofal him. he had
general knowledge that Il would be as Il had
been, and even 80 20 the end. IL was In his
commission that he should suiIer acts ix..
16), and large foretastes had he already In
the stoning at Lystra and the securing and
Imprisonment at philppi.
a. But none Of these things move me.
neither count my life dear unto myself. so
that might finish my course with Joy
The ambitions of this servant OF Christ may
he seen In such passages NJ this In connec.
tt0n with Cor H., 2; III Cor. v. .. Phil. g.
20; Gal. vi. II. To make known the gospel
OF Grace. to make Christ known through
these bodies, To- be in nll things pleasing
unto Hin and have his service accepted ~
Him, these were his constant aim. and In
thy Oil Tim. H.. 3 iv. l5). aud through hi.
writings exhorts all believers
20. And now. behold | know that W all
among whom | have gone preaching the
Kingdom Of God. shall s"e my face no more
In some way he knew that he would not
meet them again TIL he should meet them NJ
the Judgment seat ot Christ. and therefore
lie would speak to them the more earnestly
and waste no time on yain words. II when
we speak to people. even In ordinary con:
versatiOn. We felt that we might not meet
them again In this world. we would he mora
apt to say something about Jesus anl things
eternal.
26. "Whrrciorc take you to record this
day that | am pure from the blood of all
men," not only In the sense of having
wronged, corrupted or defraudcd no man
I'll Cor. vii. -, but he had cleared himself
OF all responsibility In reference to their
souls salvation. II we, as the messengers oi
God, faithfully declare His messages Of sal.
walton, then we are clear of the blood "
those who hear whether they believe or not.
See Eek. ill.,, 40, NNNiii., 1919.
"a "For have not stunned to decln-'
unto you all the counsel OF God" Tnnt
which he had received of the Lord he hai
made known unto them without diminishing
word IL Cor. Ny., . Jcr XVI. ~. lie had
kept back nothing (yerse 2Ol through fear OF
man. lie believed In his heart that II hi-
was to please men he was not worthy 10 be
called servant OF CHRIST JGal. t.. iOl. So
he lived and lahored not ~ pleasing men
hut God, who trieth our hearts Il TheSs H.
Az. What u needful word this Is, He that
hath NV word, let him speak Ny word faith.
fully" (JeI. NNiii., 2Sl.
rs. Take heed therefore unto yourselves
and 10 all the flock. over the whicn the Holy
Ghost hath made you oyerscors. To- feed the
church ot God, which He hath purchased
with His own blood" one of the risen
Christ's last words 10 Peter was u threefold
exhortation TO iced His sheep. aud lambs
(John XXI, I6. III l9d Peter passes Il on 10
us, saying, Feed the iiock ot God which il
among you" q Pet ", ~. Nothing can feed
us but the word Of God. The written word
Is full OF Him who is the living word. and He
Himself said, 'He that euteth Me. even he
shall live by Ne John vi. 90.
30 "For l know this, tha. after my depart.
ing shall grievous wolves enter In among
you, not sparing the flock" II was Paul's
delight to maintain himself 10y his own labor
that he might havetO giycto the needy things
temporal and spiritual. But there were and
there are those who, protesting 10 b" shep.
herds not only do not feed the flock but
take good care to live upon the flock wolye.
in Sleeps clothing (Math. vii, 10 y. 49,
30 Also OF your own solves stall men
arise. speaking pcryersc things, To draw away
disciples after them II il one thing for a
man to be accused Of drawing people after
him, while his whole aim is To- point them ~
Jesus Il Cor. ill.,, 1, -. II Is quite another
matter for man TO live aud labor for the
sake ot u following Acts v, 30. 80.
~. Therefore watch and remember that
by the space OF three years | ceased not To
warn every one night and day with tears"
Woe be- unto the pastors that DESTROY and
scntter the sheep of My pasturage saith the
Lord lJer. xiii, l.. See also Eek xXNiV.
2 Pruyeriully, tearinlly and increasingly
had Paul labored for their souls welfare. and
as he ioresaw the possibility OF false teach
al .I md T. 4.
grieyrd.
49, And now, brethren, | commend YOU
TO God and To the word of Ills grace, which
Is able TO build you up and u give you AN in
heritance among all them which are sancti-
fled He knew that IL they would only hold
fast to the word of God they would not wayrr
nor be led astray The only safety then and
now Is 'to the law and to the testimony II
they speak not according To this word. surely
there ~ no morning for them (lsa. viii. 20,
r. W.
30. II have coveted no mans silver or
gold or apparel He was not seeking theirs,
but them. He wanted nothing from them,
but he had something 10 give them. Though
he was poo, yet he made many rich though
he seemed to have nothing, YET he possessed
all things U Cor W., l0). When any gave
him gifts, he was especially glad for them.
because it was just so much added to their
account in heaven
49, Yea, ye yourselves know that these
hands have minstered unto my necesstie.
hnd To them that were with me-" Therefore
when the false teachers would come, seeking
theirs and not them only wanting 10 mako
something out OF them. not caring for their
souls, they could say Thus did not Paul.
He never asked US To- anything for himself" |
See further instruction upon this point in IL |
Thess ill.,, g.
35. 81 have showed you all things how |
that So laboring ye ought 20 support the |
weak, and 10 remember' the words of tba |
Lord Jesus, how He said. IT Is more blessed |
to give than to receive" II is not recorded |
that Jesus ever said just these words, 80 that |
possibly Paul has here given us some OF tho |
untecorded words of Jesus. This principle. |
however, was certainly in His teaching and
very prominent lLuke vi, 80 xiv, 49, A.
Lesson Helper.
DIsAGREEABLE DUTY.