Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-07-21
international gessolls.
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON V, THIRD QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, AUG I.

Text of the Lesson, Acts xviii, 1-11-Mem-
ory Verses, 1--Golden Text, I Cor.
Ill, 11-Commentary by the Rev. d. NJ.
Stearns.
[. after these things Paul departed
from Athens and came to Corinth." He
Is still led and controlled by the Spirit, and
If the Spirit had not now wanted him In
Corinth He would not have suffered him
to 20 (chaptcr xvi, 6, y. Thus also we
may know His way for us. If we are hon
estly living unto Him who has bought us
to be set apart for Himself, then wherever
He would have us to 60 the door will be
open and tho way plain, and where He
does not want US He will close the door
and hinder us from going.
3. "And found certain Jew named
Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from
Italy, with his wife Priscilla" Then, as
now, the Jews were made to move on.
They had chosen Caesar instead of their
Messiah, and instead Of rest, which Christ
would have given them, they have been to
this day driven hither and thither and
prosecuted in many lands. 1t Is written,
"I will command and will sift (or cause
to move) the house of Israel among all ma
tions." 1t is also written, "He that scat
tered Israel will gather him." and, again,
"I will plant them upon their land, and
they shall no more be pulled up out Of their
land which I have given them, saith the
Lord thy God" (Amos ix, 9, Is; Jer. XXI,
10).
5. "And because he was Of the same
craft he abode with them and wrought, for
by their occupation they were tentmakers. I"
Paul loved, when possible, to earn his
own bread, and he often testified that he
did so that he might not be a burden to
any Of them q Thess. ii, 8; II Thess. ILL.,
81. He said to the elders of the church at
Ephcsus, "Yca, ye yourselves know that
these hands have ministored unto my ne
cessities and to them that were with me"
(Acts Xxx, 34).
4. "And he reasoned In the synagogue
every Sababth and persuaded the Jews and
the Greeks" He would talk on the same
lines as at Thessalonica, showing from the
Scriptures that Israel's Messiah had to
suffer and die and rise from the dead be-
fore He could be tho immortal man on
David's throne who had been foretold, and
that Jesus of Nazareth had fulfilled every
prediction concerning the sufferings and
death and resurrection and would GER
tainly In due time fulfill every prediction
concerning the kingdom and the glory
(Acts xvii, 2, 8; iii, 2l). The church of
today seems to think that many so called
attractions arc necessary to hold and win
AI l. l~,,@ p Sc fnnr fttl CT n
The gospel of God concerning His Son
Jesus Christ our Lord is enough.
5. "And when Silas and Timotheus
were come from Macedonia Paul was
pressed in the Spirit (R. V. constrained by
the word) and testified to the Jews that
Jesus was the Christ" He had left these
two brethren at Berca when he had gone
to Athens (chapter xvii, 13-15). But now
they have joined him, and he must have
been somewhat comforted by their coming
Paul knew what sorrows were, and he
knew what real comfort was, and 1t Is from
the heart that he speaks of God as 1.-THE
Father of mercies and the God Of all COM
fort'' (II Cor. i, 81.
6. "Your blood be upon your own heads.
I am clean. From henceforth I will 90
opposed him with blasphemy, for our Lord
Jesus had taught that If the message OF
His servants was not received the servants
were to wipe the dust off their feet as a
testimony against them and pass on to
those who would hear. When the gospel
is faithfully preached, tho messengers arc
unto God sweet SAVIOR Of Christ in them
that are saved and in them that perish
(II Cor. Ii, l5).
z. "And he departed thence and entered
into certain mans house, named Justus,
one that worshipcd God, whose house
Joined hard to the synagogue" So when
one door is closed another opens, and
whether it be just next door, as in this
case, or across the street, or in some other
city or town, or in some other land, the
Spirit of God will lead His people, and
they have only to follow where He leadeth,
with no desire but to be controlled by Him
and to please Him.
8. "And Crispus, the chief ruler of the
synagogue, believed on the Lora with all
his house, and many Of the Corinthians,
bearing, believed and were baptized" Girls
pus was one of the very few whom Paul bap-
tized with his own hand Il Cor. !, 14-16),
for he said that preaching the gospel was
his commission rather than baptizing, not
that he in any way made light Of ordi-
nances, but he emphasized that salvation
depends wholly upon believing or receiv-
ing Christ and not upon any or oil OF the
ordinances. Neither baptism nor joining
the church nor taking the communion
can save or help to save soul, but saliva
tion is through the finished work OF Christ
alone without any possible addition.
8. "Then spako the Lord to Paul In the
night by a vision, Bo not afraid, but
speak and hold not thy peace" He said
to the Corinthians in his first epistle, ~
was with you in weakness and in fear and
In much trembling" q Cor. ii, 81, so that
there was some occasion for this special
visit from his blessed Master and for this
encouraging "Be not afraid" The eyes
of the Lord are ever upon His people, for
their good and to show His strength on
their behalf III Chron. xvi, 81. If neces'
sary, He will send Gabriel or even host
of angels on our behalf
10. "For am with thee, and no man
shall set on thee to hurt thee, for have
much people in this CITY," 1t would seem
that there were much disturbance and
probably threats Of violence to the person
Of Paul. OF these he would not be afraid,
for he had already been scourged and i'm
prisoned and stoned to death, but as the
Spirit had recently been leading him on
from city to city he might naturally think,
in the light of recent leadings, that he was
again to move on; hence the Lords spe'
cial visit and message to him. AS parallel
passages for our own strength and encour'
agement note Elk. iii, II; iv, 12; Joshua
/, s; Judg. vi, l6; Isa. xii, 10, 1S; Jer. !, 8,
10; Hag. 1, 18; II, 4; Gen. XIV, /; Math.
xviii, 90. The Lords own II am with
you; fear not," is full of mighty comfort.
II. "And he continued there year and
six months, teaching the word of God
among them" He had but one theme,
Jesus Christ of Nazareth, His life, death,