The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-05-05
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOB
MAY 8.
Lesson Text: "Paul Preaching to the
Jews" Acts kill, 26-39-Golden
Text: Acts kill, 3S-
Commentary

26. ITO you Is the word of this 5lvation
sent" By invitation Of the rulers OF the
synagogue at Antioch, In Pisidia, to which
place they came after leaving Perga,
where Mark deserted them, Paul Is preaching
on the Sabbath day oversees IA, l5). His
that fear God" (verse 16), and this. In sub.
stance, he repeats in this first verse Of our
lesson. He begins with the dellverance
from Egypt and mentions the period Of the
wilderness, the judges and the reigns Of Saul
and David, then passes at once to Jesus. the
Saviour Of Israel, of the seed OF David, who
is the salvation OF God prepared for all peo-
pie, a light to tighten the gentiles and the
glory OF Israel. =
27. "They knew Him not, nor yet the
voices of the prophets which are reed every
Sabbath day." As it is written through
John, "He was in the world, and the world
was made by Him, and the world knew Him
not; He came unto His own, and His OVID
received Him not" (John l., 10, III. It was
the complaint OF the Lord through the
prophets that his people did not know Him.
'Israel doth not know, My people doth NOT
consider"
28, 29. "When they had fulfilled all that
was written Of Him, they took Him down
from tQe tree anu ldlu IlLu Ill O SopuAonol'
Although they knew Him not, yet they un-
willingly fulfilled the Scriptures concerning
Him. Both Herod and Pontius PLATE, the
gentiles and the people Of Israel, with all
their Indifference to or hatred Of Christ, only
fulfilled what God had determined before to
be done (Acts w., 81, 28), and yet they were
all free agents. Spurgeon once said, "My
God can rule free agents, leaving them
absolutely free, and yet effecting all His
purposes with them" do not understand .
how this can be, but believe 1t.
80. "But God raised Him from the dead"
See also verses S8, 81 and 81, and let this
fourfold emphasis given by the Spirit in this
lesson to His resurrection from the dead
show you the importance Of this great truth
and recall to your mind the fact that BY His
resurrection from the dead He was declared
The Son Of God with power (Rom. l., A..
Our Lord Jesus was dead. but is alive for
svermore, and has all power Grew. l., 18).
We, believing in Him, are one with Him, as
children and heirs Of God and joint heirs
with Himself.
81. "And he was seen many days OF them
which came up with Him from Galilee to
Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the
people" He was seen at least ten times dur
tne a period Of forty days after His resurrec-
hon before He vislbly assembled from 0livet,
TO which same hill He will In due time re-
turn with all His saints (Acts t., 8, II; Zech.
XIV, 81. The one thing for believer to
do is to be a witness by life and testimony
10 the great fact that Jesus Christ Is His ltv-
ing Lord and Saviour coming again to I'LL
The earth with righteousness. When we are
ready for this, he will fill US with His Spirit
% this end (Acts l., 81.
so. "And We declare unto you glad It'd
ngs." The angel at His birth brought,
good things of great Joy for all people
Luke H., 10Y, and we are commissioned to
gospel of the glory OF the blessed God (Acts
Sx., "a; Tim. j., II, B. w.. We are cllowed
Of God to be put In trust with this gospel,
and we are to speak it, not as pleasing men,
but God, who trieth our hearts q Thess. H..
y. But 1t Is trust committed to US Tor all
people on earth. Are we faithful to our
trust? -.
SO. GAS II Is also written in tho Second
Psalm, Thou art My Son, this day have be-
gotten Thee" The Second Psalm tells US
that, in spite ofAhll the rage and vain imagin.
lngs of the ungodly nations, God will YET SET
His King upon His holy hill OF Zion (Ps. H.,
81. And verse Is here explained as refer
ring to the resurrection Of Christ from the
dead to that end, and not to His birth IN
Bethlehem, as some might suppose. 1t IS
great inspiration to believe that notwith-
Standing all hindrances and delays every
promise of God shall be fulfilled; not one
.an fail (Joshua xiii, IA; Kings will, 56):
81. 81 will give you the sure mercies OF
David" These sure mercies are set forth IN
II Sam. viii, IL, 1s, and Chron. xvii, II,
IL. and are more fully stated IN eonnece'oh
with Israel's future glory In Isa. lv.
95. Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One
10 see corruption" That David In Ps. xvi,
10, spoke OF Christ and not OF himself Is
made very plain in Peters sermon at Pente-
cost, and also that David saw in the promise
Of GOD, not mortal man, but an immortal
man. risen from the dead (Acts H., 25-3l), In
whom His throne and kingdom would be es.
tablished forever
So. "For David, after he had in his old
age served the will of God (margin) fell on
Sleep" Being a child OF God by faltn IN
Christ Jesus, the thing for US thento do is to
LET Him accom- plish His will IN US in serving
His purpose with US while we live. Let the
question search US, Am fully in His will Tor
His pleasure or living for my pleasure?
"Even Christ pleased not Himself" (Rom.
81. IBut he whom God raised again saw
no corruption" That body, although Tor US
II tasted death, was as free from corruption
as from sin. We are comforted by believing
that even though our bodies see corruption
"This corrupt1ble must put on lncoiruptlon,
and if we tarry till He come, "This mortal
must put on Immortality" q Cor. xv., 53):
DEATH, which smites the body and makes 1t
sleep and rass through corruption, is an
enemy which shall be destroyed Il Cor. xv.,
26), and concerning which God has said, 20
death, I will be thy plaques" (Hos. KILL. l4).
Ss. Through this man is preached unto
you the forgiveness Of SINS" We are sure
that the kingdom will come and the nation
of Israel be all righteous, and the earth be
filed with the glory Of God, but what is the
present benefit OF the work Of Christi The
forgiveness of all sin. By sin came death
and every woe. Our iniGulties separate US
from God. But in Christ there Is full pro,
vision for the complete blotting out OF oil
our sins. The blood Of Jesus Christ clean seth
from all sin. One of His last commands was
that repentance and remission Of sins should
be preached in His name among all NATIONS,
beginning at Jerusalem duke XIV, A.
SO. "Apd by Him, all that believe are justi.
fed from all things" The law cannot
justify any one, for the lawis as holy as GOD,
and all are sinners. But since God In Christ
nas taken the sinners place and borne our
sins in His own body, suffering the Just ior
the unjust Elsa. liii., 5; l Pet. ill.,. "a; ILL.,,
1S). full Justification is granted freely 70
every sinner who receives Christ (Rom., Ill.,
24).-Lesson Helper.