The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-09-06
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON,
LESSON NJ, THIRD CHAPTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, SEPT. 10.
Text of the Lesson, Acts xviii, 2O-31-
Memory Verses, 2S-31-Golden Text,
Rom. 4, 16-Commentary by the Rev.
ID. vi. Stearns.

20. For this cause, therefore, have
called for you to see you and to speak
| with you, because that for the hope of
| Israel I am bound with this chain"
During the three months at Malta many
miracles were wrough by Paul in the
| name of the Lord Jesus, and many
must have heard the gospel oversees l.
| Ill In due time arriving at Rome, Paul
was suffered to dwell by himself with a
soldier that kept him. and after three
days he called together the chiefs of
| the Jews and made known to them
why he was a prisoner and why at
Rome. Before Agrippa he had spoken
Of the hope Of the promise made of
God unto the fathers as something con-
| corning the twelve tribes (xxvi, 6, ~
q. "And they said unto him, We
| neither received letters out Of Judea
concerning thee. neither any Of the
brethren that came showed or spake any
harm Of thee They did not have daily
papers with the news from all parts of
| 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 fire on him. He had
and had found some pleasure in it Oh
| Cor. xii, 10)
o. "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, 8,
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 evident to
him that his Master had, and his fellow
ship would be sure to come. But Paul
was ready, for his prayer was to
| know Him, and the power Of His resur-
rection and the fellowship of His suf-
| ferings phil. iii, 10)
%. HE expounded and testified the
kingdom of God, persuading them con-
| corning Jesus both out of the law of
Moses and out of the prophets from
morning until evening" Having gath
cred unto him in his lodging COM
| pany of Jews. he, as his custom was,
| preached unto them Jesus as Son of
| David and coming king from their own
scriptures Chapter xvii 2, 3; xix, s; xiv,
| 14) Doubtless Acts xiii, 16-41, is a fair
sample of his preaching and reasoning.
| He sought to convince them that Jesus
| of Nazareth was indeed the promised
| Messiah, that it was all foretold that
He should die and rise again, and that
now they were to receive Him, serve
| Him patiently and faithfully and ait
| for His return. (Acts iii, 1921; Thess.
| i, 9, 10; Titus, ii, 11-1S)
"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, ped will
| wayside and some on rocky soil, but a
| portion will find good ground; some will
| be saved. and the church shall be COM
pleted CMath. xiii, 1928; 1 Cor. tx, p;
Eph. V, 27) Even in the next age, when
satan shall be bound, there will be de-
ceivers who viii only yield a feigned
obedience and will follow satan when
he comes out of the pit Ps. Xvi, 3, mar
| gin: Rev. Xxx, z, 81
%. 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. Com
pare Acts /, 2; ii, II; iv. rs, 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" Oh Sam. xiii, p. Peter says
1
spoke through the prophets Il Pet. i,
10, III
&c Hearing We shall hear and shall
not understand, and seeing We shall see
and not perceive" 1t was not very
encouraging to the prophet to be told
that the people would neither perceive
nor understand his message, but Jere-
miah and Ezekiel had the same pros
poet before them. ''They shall fight
against thee" 1.-THE house of Israel
will not harken unto me" Ger. i, 10;
Eek, iii, 70) The messenger OF the
Lord has only to deliver the message
faithfully Ger. xiii. 2S), sure that 1t
viii accomplish the Lords pleasure
Qsa. w, ID, and take refuge and COM
fort in Luke x, is.
27. For the heart of the people is
waxed gross and their ears are duh OF
hearing, and their eyes have closed
lest I 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 Gx
x. 1, 90 81; viii, Is, 32) The Lord die
| il by giving him a command which
he would not obey and Pharaoh ala II
| bv refusing to obey the Lords command
God is always right, but man wrong.
2S "Be ii known therefore unto yol
| that the salvation of God is sent unto
the gentiles. and that they viii hear IL.
| Compare chapter Kill, 40, ~. 10 InS
lew first" was Paul's motto and Gus
| tom Rom. /, 16) Had it been continued
10 this day who can tell what the re
suits might have been? Obedience Il
our part. Results are with God, anC
| He will see to It. That God would
| gather from Jews and gentiles withou
| distinction and on the ground Of simple
| faith in Christ those who would form
| the BODY of Christ was a mystery re
yealed to Paul Rom. xvi, %, &c; Eph. Iii
| 1-120
90 "And when he had said thes'
words the Jews departed and had grea
| reasoning among themselves" The wore
| preached does not profit unless 1t Il
mixed with faith in those who hear i
| CHeb. Nv, 2) The weapons Of our war
| fare are intended to cast down reason
| ings and every high thing that exaltetl
itself against the knowledge Of God ant
bring into captivity every thought Il
| the obedience of Christ Oh Cor. x, 5
| margin.) To profit by the word we mus
receive II with meekness JAS. |, 21)
| 80. "And Paul dwelt two whole years II
| his own hired house and received all tina
| came in unto him." doubtless accomp
| fishing the will of God and glorifyinf
God as much as when journeying through
| Asia and Macedonia. Being no Longer
able to go to people, God brought people
| to Him, and though he was bound h
rejoiced that the word OF God was no
bound Oh Tim. ii, 81
| 81. Preaching the kingdom OF God an(
teaching those things which concern thu
Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, M
| man forbiddfng him." The adversar,